AWI Quarterly Articles | Government/Legal

The federal government, in the last few years, has increased coverage of and penalties for animal fighting activities under the Animal Welfare Act, but it is still lacking in one area: the spectator.

Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY) reintroduced legislation to end the use of brutal traps on furbearing animals within the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) finally took steps to end the use of Class B dealers by its outside researchers, after years of pressure from Congress and animal welfare organizations and faced with the...

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case brought by the meat industry challenging California’s downed animal law (California Penal Code § 599f).

As white-nose syndrome (WNS) was confirmed in yet another state - Maine - some Members of Congress were coming to the bats’ rescue.

Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have reintroduced a bill to ban horse slaughter.

As an additional backstop against resumption of horse slaughter in the U.S., the House has passed an FY 2012 appropriations bill that includes an amendment offered by Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA ) prohibiting the USDA...

While it has been necessary to fend off numerous attacks on animal welfare in state legislatures this year (See Spring 2011 AWI Quarterly ), there have also been positive developments benefitting animals.

The fight to extend or deny protections for animals takes place in state capitals as well as on Capitol Hill. The high-profile confrontation this year is in Missouri - again. Last year, Missouri voters approved...

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) - citing grave concern over the devastating effect white-nose syndrome (WNS) has had on hibernating bats in New Jersey and across the U.S. - introduced S. 357, the Wildlife Disease Emergency...