Blog

Critical insights at the intersection of animals and politics

The people of Guam and Puerto Rico are increasingly speaking up against cockfighting in their territories, as the new federal law banning animal fighting everywhere in the U.S. takes effect on December 20th. In today’s episode of The Animal Wellness Podcast, host Joseph Grove talks again with Wayne Pacelle and Marty Irby about recent events, but … Read more

90% of Guamanians want to see territorial anti-cruelty law passed, while 61 percent back the federal ban on cockfighting Washington, D.C. —  Today, the Animal Wellness Foundation and Animal Wellness Action released topline polling data from a comprehensive, statistically valid survey of Guam residents about animal cruelty and cockfighting, with the survey revealing deep and … Read more

Washington, D.C. – U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote late yesterday to the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate appropriations panels with oversight of the Department of the Interior (DOI) to urge funding limits and additional clarity on a dangerous and costly Bureau of Land Management … Read more

All Citizens in the U.S. Territories Must Comply With New Federal Law Forbidding Animal Fighting Washington, D.C. — The Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) and Animal Wellness Action (AWA)  today announced a rewards program to run for an indefinite time that provides a $2,500 reward for any individual who provides critical information that results in a … Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture (PACT) Act, H.R. 724, into law. The bill, led by U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey (R-PA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) passed the House and Senate in recent weeks without dissent The … Read more

Today, we’re giving a new voice to The Animal Wellness Podcast, in fact, a chorus of actual human voices. The Policy Animal, which consists of essays on key policy and political questions relating to animals, now adds a talk show feature to the brand — in this case, a podcast. Whether you’re taking an afternoon … Read more

It’s Their Capacity to Suffer, and Their Value to Us, That Warrants Proscriptions Against Abuse It was a fitting juxtaposition. At the White House today, President Trump honored Conan, the elite military dog who chased down the world’s most wanted terrorist, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in his fortified Syrian hide-away. Just hours later, The President signed … Read more

U.S. House of Representatives to Take Up Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act Today It’s news when sharks attack people, perhaps because it’s a relatively rare phenomenon. But it’s never news when people attack sharks. Indeed, if the press covered this category of inter-species violence, there’d be nary a column inch for other news, since these … Read more

Lawmakers in Congress have a duty to examine the details of a dangerous proposal – hatched by the ASPCA, Humane Society of the U.S. and two agribusiness groups – to depopulate wild horses and burros from our public lands in the West. While we’re all drawn to the idea of compromise between groups that have long been … Read more

Council will play a role in putting veterinarians in a stronger leadership role in national advocacy campaigns for animals LOS ANGELES — The Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF) and Animal Wellness Action (AWA) announced the formation of their National Veterinary Council, with members bringing collective medical and advocacy experience for companion animals, farm animals, horses, and wildlife. … Read more