U.S. animal rights legislation

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U.S. Animal rights legislation U.S. legislation, policies, government subsidies, industry lobbies, activism & background regarding humane legislation for animals.

Contents

Background information

See also Humane Movement. For U.S. government policies, subsidies and testing programs, see also U.S. Government's War on Animals. For overview of humane issues, see also War on Animals.

Legislation

Bill to restore a prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros, 110th Congress

110 bill H.R.249. On April 26, 2007, the House considered a bill which would reverse an amendment to a 2005 appropriations bill that allowed for the commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros. The 2005 law also provided, and this bill would prohibit, that animals over ten years old or that have been unsuccessfully offered for adoption three times must be sold with no limitations. It allowed the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to round up horses and burros for adoption when necessary. Following passage of the bill, the BLM followed the practice of rounding up more animals than it could get adopted or afford to care for and feed. As of 2007, the BLM had approximately 31,000 horses and burros in holding facilities (their care and feeding reportedly half the BLM budget). As of 2007, 50 horses had been slaughtered since the 2005 bill passed.[1] The 2005 bill had cited overpopulation as justification for allowing the Bureau of Land Management to conduct a roundup of the horses and burros. This bill noted that there are “significantly fewer of those animals than 25 years back. In 1980 there were 62,638 and by February 2007 there were 28,500.”[2]

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), passed 277-137.[3] See also War on Animals, sections 3 to 3.3 on horse slaughter.

H.R. 3058: Puppy Protection Act, 107th Congress, 2001-02 (defeated)

The amendment to Animal Welfare Act [4] known as the Puppy Protection Act, H.R. 3058; have protected animals living in laboratories as well as commercial breeding kennels and pet stores.

Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced this amendment ...which is based on S. 1478, known as the Puppy Protection Act [5] The PPA creates a three strikes and you're out system for the worst offenders and limits the number of litters for breeding females, to give these dogs time to recover between litters, and mandates that female dogs be at least one year old before they are bred. It also requires that dogs be adequately socialized with other dogs and with people to enhance the dogs' well-being and to help prevent behavior problems in the future. The House-passed version of the Farm bill, H.R. 2646, did not contain the puppy mill provision. [6] See also Puppy Mills.

Helms amendment to S. 1731 USDA Farm Bill Amendment, 107th Congress, 2001-02 (passed in May 2002)

The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) [7] is the primary law covering laboratory animals in the U.S. However, the AWA only requires facilities to count the number of dogs, cats, primates, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, farm and other animals used. Rats, mice, birds and cold-blooded animals represent the vast majority of animals used in laboratories and are not protected under the AWA or even counted. [8] The Senate accepted an amendment introduced by the late Jesse Helms, a republican senator from N. Carolina; to bar the U.S. Department of Agriculture from including mice, rats and birds (and cold blood animals such as reptiles) under the AWA, although these animals account for (approximately) 95% of laboratory animals. [9] See also Animal testing, section 2.1.

S. 3880: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, 109th Congress, 2005-06 (passed November 2006)

Critics have characterized this legislation [10] as being designed to protect the financial interests of corporations and industry as well as chill dissent and discourage legal activism, boycotts and protests. [11], [12] See also Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.

State legislation

Proposition 2, California's Humane Farm Bill Act (passed in November 2008)

Prop 2 proposes to prevent farm animal cruelty, ensure health and food safety, support family farmers, protect air and water and make common sense reforms. [13] To read text of initiative of California's Humane Farm Bill Act: [14] Conditions on factory farms have been documented and studied for over 30 years. See also Meat & Dairy industry, section 5.

Articles & sources

SourceWatch articles

References

  1. ↑ Robert McElroy, "Managing America: Environment and Resources," TheWeekInCongress, April 27, 2007.
  2. ↑ Robert McElroy, "Managing America: Environment and Resources," TheWeekInCongress, April 27, 2007.
  3. ↑ Robert McElroy, "Managing America: Environment and Resources," TheWeekInCongress, April 27, 2007.
  4. ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, August 2003
  5. ↑ govtrack.us H.R. 3058: Puppy Protection Act, 2001-2002, accessed January 2009
  6. ↑ HSUS U.S. Senate Passes Farm Bill Addressing Animal Fighting, Puppy Mills, Farm Animals and Bears February 2002
  7. ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act and Regulations, August 2003
  8. ↑ In Defense of Animals The Truth About Vivisection: Frequently Asked Questions, accessed January 2009
  9. ↑ Humane Society of the U.S. U.S. Senate Passes Farm Bill Addressing Animal Fighting, Puppy Mills, Farm Animals and Bears, February 2002
  10. ↑ govtrack.us S. 3880: Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act,109th Congress, 2005-06, accessed January 2009
  11. ↑ Will Potter House Passes AETA With Little Discussion or Dissent: Notes from the House Floor “Debate”, Greenisthenewred.com, Nov 2006
  12. ↑ Emile Hallez Where animal rights end and terrorism begins, Metonline.com, 2006
  13. ↑ Yes on Prop2 Prop 2 Passes! It's a Historic Day for Farm Animals in California., 2008
  14. ↑ Joe Ramsey Request for Title and Summary for Proposed Initiative, California's Humane Farm Bill Act, August 2007

External articles

Retrieved from "http://www.opencongress.org/wiki/U.S._animal_rights_legislation"
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