(Beth Clifton collage) CDC crackdown might encourage more overseas vaccination & s/n work,  but may mean fewer photo-ops WASHINGTON D.C.––Pandering to the “rescue” community,  including publicity stunt “rescues” by the Humane Society of the U.S. itself,  instead of looking toward the greater good of dogs both in the U.S. and abroad,  HSUS president Kitty Block and Sara Amundson,  president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund,  on May 9,  2024 for the second time in nine months urged their respective memberships to oppose Centers for Disease Control ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project hopes resort failure can lead to starting a sanctuary NASSAU,  Bahamas––Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project on May 7,  2024 launched an international publicity offensive aimed at persuading the Bahamian government to allow the rescue of five starving dolphins at the defunct Blackbeard’s Cay resort on Balmoral Island,  Nassau,  Bahamas,  where eight other dolphins have allegedly starved to death. But no,  contrary to some of Ric O’Barry’s more hyperbolic statements to Nassau Tribune business editor Neil Hartnell,&nbs ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) British perp in egregious XL Bully case got 20 months jail time max CALGARY, Alberta, Canada––Denis Bagarić,  33,  whose three pit bulls on June 5,  2022 killed 86-year-old Betty Ann “Rusty” Williams in a back alley behind their homes,  was on May 6,  2024 fined $18,000 and prohibited from owning animals for 15 years,  after pleading guilty on February 21,  2024 to City of Calgary bylaw violations including allowing animals to run at large and owning animals who attacked a person causing severe injury. Denis Bagarić & his pit bul ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) Most partied.  Showing Animals Respect & Kindness worked.             CHICAGO,  Illinois––Cockfights and charreadas featuring cola,  in which mounted charros yank running steers down by their tails,  on May 5,  2024 marked Cinco de Mayo holiday celebrations from coast to coast across the United States. Humane investigators and law enforcement might have had a field day,  had they paid any attention to the cockfights,  illegal in every U.S. state,  and the frequent violati ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) “Some animals are more equal than others.”             LONDON,  U.K.––What is wrong with this picture,  or rather the series of 19 pictures of animals who in various arrangements form the new logo of the Royal SPCA of Great Britain? ANIMALS 24-7 will weigh that question several paragraphs later. Spoiler:  what is wrong has nothing to do with the animal silhouettes on brightly colored squares,  nor anything to do with the variety of animals depicted. The RSPCA has long needed to add color,  ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) Yipes!  Stripes make a difference in who gives a damn. CONCRETE,  Washington––With global attention focused on Shug the escaped zebra running at large through mountain goat habitat in the Cascade Mountains,  Everett Herald environment reporter Ta’Leah Van Sistine revealed to an audience of apparently almost nobody that an alleged scheme to rebuild the North Cascades mountain goat population to “huntable abundance” instead appears perilously close to extirpating the species from much of what has historically been their best habitat. (See Last zebra back b ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) Former regionally noted runner has not spelled out her intentions in clear black-and-white OPPORTUNITY,  Montana––The story behind the story of four zebras who on April 28,  2024 escaped from a trailer on I-90,  near North Bend,  Washington,  may be more alarming to people who care about animals than the incident itself. Three of the zebras,  reportedly two mares and a filly foal,  were soon recaptured,  without harm to either the zebras or speeding traffic. The zebra stallion,  however,  remains at large,  and at ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) The place ain’t big enough for everyone’s herd TEL AVIV,  GAZA––Though the Gaza war is fought with jets,  tanks,  rockets,  automatic rifles,  and bitterly opposed world views,  ideology,  and international politics,  recent incidents involving sheep,  goats,  donkeys,  horses,  and pigs illustrate that it is,  beneath everything else,  fundamentally an Old West range war. Rustlers are one of the issues.  Feeding donkeys,  horses,  and camels is also problematic.  And the fighting ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) It isn’t what the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center shows you on the “Callicam” MADISON, Wisconsin––The Wisconsin National Primate Research Center at the University of Wisconsin in Madison is proud of the Callicam,  an online exhibition of “Our current breeding lobby marmoset family.” Invites the Callicam website,  “Watch and learn more about these engaging monkeys. “The Wisconsin National Primate Research Center supports one of the largest colonies of common marmosets [Callithrix jacchus] in the United States,”  about 270 at any given time,&nbs ..read more

(Beth Clifton collage) Stronger new Horse Protection Act rules will not take effect until after the 2024 show season;  could be killed,  again,  if Donald Trump returns to the White House WASHINGTON D.C.––New Horse Protection Act regulations introduced on April 29,  2024,  but not to be enforced until February 1,  2025,  may at last end soring the legs of walking horses to make them do the “Big Lick” goose-step. If,  that is,  the new rules are enforced as written,  and not amended or otherwise weakened over during the 270-day grace period be ..read more