Thanks again for reading...

Despite having a glaring typo in the lead post up for the better part of the day, people are still reading. I noticed that the sitemeter counts for visits and views passed 10,000 and 20,000 respectively in recent days. Also, March will set another record for visitors. Still quite a ways from the many millions of hits that a good blog gets, but at least the bar graph looks respectable:

Animal Law Event: Balancing Animal Law and the First Amendment: A Double Edged Sword.

On Friday April 18, 2008, the University of Miami's Student Animal Legal Defense Fund Chapter is holding a symposium on the past and future of how the First Amendment shapes animal law. The event is being held at the University of Miami School of Law from 2:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. in the Alma Jennings Student Lounge. Visit http://saldf.umlaw.net for more information.

Interest in hunting, fishing dropping

Yahoo has an interesting article about the steep decline in hunting and fishing around the country and the impact this has on the funding of state fish and wildlife agencies. The article notes that many states used revenue from licensing fishers and hunters to fund these agencies and that the drop off is causing the need to explore new avenues of funding such as sales taxes on outdoor equipment and surcharges on speeding tickets.

Legal battle heating up: pit bull owners vs. Hillsborough County Animal Services

Tampa Bays' 10 has run several stories in the ongoing legal battle between the a family with pit bulls and Hillsborough County's animal services. On Thursday, they ran a pair of articles here and here on the release of Kane, who had been seized and scheduled to be put down after he bit a vet tech who accidentally dropped him. After a year in custody without any human interaction and several court actions and interventions, he was released to the family and taken to a rehab facility. In the latest news, Hillsborough County has informed the family that they are seeking to euthanize another one of the family's dogs. According to the article, the family was served with papers 24 hours after Kane's release.

Florida to loosen park gun restrictions

UPI reported on Florida's plans to loosen gun restrictions in Florida's state parks. The new laws were passed with little debate by the Florida legislature and go into effect July 1st. The restrictions were originally enacted to curb poaching, according to wildlife officials.

Wolves delisted

Sorry for the abbreviated posts to follow... I've been packing & running errands for the past several days. In case you missed it both MSNBC and CNN ran stories over the weekend on the Bush Administration's removal of gray wolves from the endangered species list. According to the CNN article, this means that "the wolves can be shot and killed once they step out of Yellowstone National Park as soon as the affected states establish a hunting season." A lawsuit to restore the wolves to the list is being planned but in the meantime Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana are moving forward with hunting plans in an attempt to reduce the population of 1,500 wolves to between 900 to 1,250.

CNN Planet Peril: Polar Bear Lawsuit

Here's an interesting video from CNN on the lawsuit by environmental groups based on the federal government's failure to make the decision on listing polar bears as an endangered species:

Tool for tracking DEP permits

The Orlando Sentinel's Political Pulse blog posted a link to a new permit-tracking tool being offered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. DEP's permit tracker allows users to receive a notice whenever anyone files an application for an environmental permit. Users can select areas as small as a neighborhood up to the size of a county and select different types of permits. It's a great idea and the link is available at http://pass.dep.state.fl.us. Sign up so you'll know if anyone wants to get a permit that potentially harms the water or air quality in your area.

Willie Nelson teams up with ALDF in standing up for cows

I've always liked Willie Nelson - now I have a reason to like him even more. The Mercury News reports that Willie has joined a campaign by the Animal Legal Defense Fund that protests the treatment dairy cows from a California ranch. In 2006, the ALDF filed suit against the the Mendes Calf Ranch in Tipton asserting that the confinement of calves in crates violates state anti-cruelty laws. Willie is supporting an online petition aimed at getting Land O’Lakes and Challenge Dairy to stop using Mendes facilities to house the calves of their milking cows. The text of a letter by Nelson is available at ALDF's press release about Willie's support. Willie states, in part:

I’ll be 75 years old next month, and I have seen a lot of this country in my many years on the road. It’s a tragedy to see the small-town farmer, who cared deeply for his backyard animals, is rapidly being edged out by huge facilities that look more like factories than farms--and treat animals no better than machines.

That’s why I’ve joined more than 20,000 other concerned Americans in signing the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s petition urging you to please take action to stop the abuse of thousands of baby cows linked to Land O’ Lakes dairy products.

Some of your suppliers use California’s Mendes Calf Ranch to house the calves of their milking cows. These babies are taken from their mothers soon after birth and shipped away to live by themselves for extended periods in cramped, filthy crates--often without enough room to turn around or lie down naturally.

The confinement of calves at Mendes is in violation of California’s animal cruelty laws, and it is not a practice befitting your company. The Animal Legal Defense Fund is filing their appeal in ALDF v. Mendes in the Supreme Court of California this week, and their lawyers will continue to seek justice for these cows in the courtroom. Meanwhile, many thousands of citizens have signed the petition at FreeBabyMendes.com urging you to cut all ties with Mendes Calf Ranch, as well as any other operation engaging in the same practices, unless and until those operations provide humane conditions for their calves.

As a cowboy, I must stand up for cows. Please consider my concerns, and those of the thousands of others who have joined me in signing the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s petition to Free Baby Mendes, and insist that your suppliers end this cruel confinement practice immediately.

Cockfighting crackdown

Newsweek has an interesting article this week on the cruelty involved in cockfighting and its connection to criminal enterprise. Cockfighting is now illegal in all 50 states, including Florida. Just this past week, the Gainesville Sun reported on the arrest of several individuals that were allegedly participating in a large cockfighting ring near Lochloosla in southeastern Alachua County. A deputy quoted in the article described the discovery:

The deputy found at least 13 roosters at the location - one dead - and evidence the animals had been forced to fight, Faulk said.

Spurs on the back of the birds' legs had been removed and bands had been placed there with sharp edges or where razors could be inserted to be used while fighting, he said.

"The real heinous thing about this is they were altering the birds' natural form of fighting to intensify the fight for their enjoyment," Faulk said.

Roosters are naturally aggressive toward one another, but in fighting rings they are baited and thrown together, he said.

Those surrounding the fight then prevent an injured rooster from leaving, Faulk said.

"Where this goes on there's always illegal gambling," he said. "It's hard to explain why people would like this, but it's out there and people are doing it, and it's a huge form of animal cruelty."

Feds up the ante in red snapper clash

The St. Pete Times breaking news blog reports on the federal governments reaction to the failure by Texas and Florida to adopt tighter controls on red snapper fishing in state waters. The feds have shortened the red snapper season in federal waters by two months. The article notes that scientists have determined that the red snapper population is under too much pressure. The federal government had sought Texas and Florida's cooperation in adopting limitations to the taking of red snappers from state waters.

Target to start labeling carbon monoxide-treated meat

More corporate news from Blogging Stocks: Target has announced that it will start requiring its meat vendors to label meat that has been treated with carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is used to make meat appear to look fresher. According to the post, the new labeling will read "Color is not an accurate indicator of freshness. Refer to use or freeze by date."

Report on breed ban legislation

First Coast News reports on the proposed legislation in the Florida house that would allow local governments to enact breed-specific bans for certain types of dogs. While not mentioning them by name, House Bill 101 is aimed at allowing pit bull-bans and would repeal an 18 year-old state law that prohibits local governments from passing regulations that target specific breeds of dogs. Currently, Miami Dade is the only county in Florida to ban pit bulls, having passed its local ordinance before the state law was passed. The article captures some of the controversy behind the legislation by first describing two recent attacks by pit bulls and then countering with arguments from individuals and groups opposed to the legislation. The article specifically notes opposition being offered through a new blog at the Florida Doberman Pinscher Rescue Ring.

Puppy locked in trunk

Tampa Bay's 10 reports on the arrest of a man who allegedly locked a pit bull puppy in the trunk of his car. The car was parked outside a movie theater and the suspect was discovered inside the theater. According to the article, the suspect "told deputies he went in to watch a movie and locked his dog in the trunk 'because it urinated in the back seat.'"

WalMart to sell hormone-free milk

Blogging stocks reports on Wal-Mart's plans to start selling milk from cows that are not treated with growth hormones. The milk will be offered under Wal-Mart's Great Value brand name. The post notes that growth hormones are used to increase milk production, but "critics argue that those cows are less healthy and are, in turn, more likely to be treated with antibiotics" and that the preventcancer.com website "says that most European countries and Canada ban importation of U.S. milk for this very reason."

Owner charged with cruelty for failure to provde treatment

Law.com reports on a ruling by a Manhattan judge that a man can properly be charged with animal cruelty for failure to seek treatment for his cat's serious ailments. The man had sought to dismiss the charges, but the judge ruled that the allegations set forth a prima facie case and that his act of omission was unjustifiable. From the article:

Darryl M. Vernon of Vernon & Ginsburg, a veteran member of the New York City Bar's animal law committee who is not involved in the case, praised Simpson's decision.

While Vernon acknowledged that the case might lead some people to hide evidence of animal neglect for fear of prosecution, he said it served "the greater good" by making it clear that "you can't get an animal and treat him [or] her like a TV."

Happy belated "Save the Florida Panther Day"

Here's a link (pdf)to a copy of Governor Crist's proclamation declaring March 15th as "Save the Florida Panther Day." Section 630.18, Florida Statutes designates the third Saturday in March as the Florida Save the Panther Day.

Tampa becomes Fifth Florida City to Oppose Battery Cage Eggs

Tampa is the fifth city in Florida, and eleventh city nationwide to pass a resolution opposing the practice of packing egg-laying hens into battery cages. According to the Humane Society of the United State's press release, the resolution states that the Tampa City Council "opposes battery cage egg production, based on the inherent cruelty of confining egg-laying hens in battery cages," and further "encourages consumers of eggs not to purchase eggs produced by caged hens." Tampa joins the cities of Hollywood, West Palm Beach, Winter Springs, and New Port Richey in passing such a resolution.

Man Charged With Kicking Dog Into Hot Tub

WESH NBC2 in Orlando reported on the arrest of a man who reportedly was seen by police kicking his "5-year-old chow mix into a hot tub and violently jerk the dog's leash to choke it." According to the story, the man has been charged with animal cruelty and the dog is in the care of workers at Volusia County's animal shelter.

The Consumerist weighs in on raccoon dog fur clothes

I've mentioned it before, but one of my favorite non-animal blogs in The Consumerist. You can count on multiple interesting, hilarious, and shocking posts per day. Yesterday, they had this post on the Humane Society of the United States' discovery that four retailers are still labeling fur products they are selling as raccoon, when they are actually made from raccoon dog, a canine indigenous to Asia. The HSUS report, which involved testing fur being sold by a number of companies, found that raccoon dog was the most misrepresented fur sold in America. HSUS's press release is available here. They are urging people to support the passage of the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Act of 2007.

3 men charged with beating pet goose to death

The Sun Sentinel reports on the arrest of several men who have been charged with beating a pet goose to death with an aluminum baseball bat. According to the article, they have been charged with felony animal cruelty. The pet goose was name Lily and "had red painted toenails, posed for pictures, and was considered part of the family."

9th Circuit creates questionable loophole in shark finning act

The San Diego Union Tribune reported on a decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal that has opened up a huge loophole in the Shark Finning Prohibition Act (SFPA). The decision, available here in pdf format, involved the government's seizure of 64,695 pounds of shark fins from a United States vessel. The vessel had purchased the fins at sea from other boats.

Despite recognizing that Congress expressly enacted the SFPA to “eliminate the wasteful and unsportsmanlike practice of shark finning” and explained that the purpose of the Act was to "eliminate shark-finning by addressing the problem comprehensively at both the national and international levels,” the court decided that the fins in this case were improperly seized because the boat they were on was not a fishing vessel under the law. Although the SFPA prevents aiding and assisting the practice of shark finning, the court also decided that the purchase, storage, and transportation of the fins did not amount to aiding and assisting of shark finning.

Hopefully the government will appeal this decision or move quickly to pass new legislation or regulations to close this loophole. Shark finning often involves cutting the fins from live sharks that are then dumped back into the ocean where they die from suffocation or are eaten by other sharks or animals. It is also listed as one of the probable causes for the rapid decline in shark population worldwide.

Vets must put microchips in pets, state says

The Palm Beach Post reports on the decision by the Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine to require a licensed veterinarian to implant microchips in pets. According to the article, shelters will still be allowed to microchip pets put up for adoption, but will no longer be able to offer low cost or free microchipping services without a licensed vet implanting the chip. From the article:

Shelter executives have argued that they have provided the chips - about the size of a grain of rice - to thousands of animals for years without incident. They worry that their inability to provide free or low-cost microchips to pet owners will seriously reduce the number of animals receiving microchips, resulting in more animals ending up in shelters.

"We are restricted more than what we thought and it will stay that way," said Dr. Brian Huntsman, medical director for the Humane Society of Greater Miami.

His organization and many others use veterinary techs out in the field to implant microchips in dogs and cats that have owners.

Shelter owners also worry that the board's decision to let the law stand as it is without specifically addressing the microchip issue will continue to create confusion.

"We are still very concerned about what this means for disaster response and recovery," said Jennifer Hobgood, Florida State Director Southeast Regional Office of the Humane Society of the United States. "When we come into the state and everything has been blown away and we need to track these animals, what does that mean? This is a problem and it's something the legislature needs to address."

Hillsborough leads state in number of animal cruelty cases

The St. Pete Times reports that according to Pet-Abuse.com's datatabase, Florida led the nation in the number of animal cruelty cases and Hillsborough county led Florida. The database is not an official measure and the Times correctly speculates that the inflated numbers, which are based in part on reported instances of abuse and arrests, could be interpreted as meaning that Floridians take the crime more seriously. From the article:

"You can't interpret anything from arrest numbers," said Gary Kleck, a criminology professor at Florida State University. "They reflect a mixture of how often an event occurs and how often people report it and whether police actually do something about it."

News roundup

Too many items, too little time:

• Endangered Sturgeon Returning to Suwanee River (Environmental News Service).
• Florida man fined for trading bald eagle feathers (Orlando Sentinel).
• Mallard Ducklings Don't Make Good Easter Presents (Wakulla.com).
• Shelters fret over plan to regulate chip implants (Palm Beach Post).
• Lawmakers might let counties ban pit bulls (Herald Tribune).
  
• Bill would let Florida cities and counties ban pit bulls, other dog breeds (Sun Sentinel).
• Animal shelters fight microchip oversight (TCPalm).
• Owner of Dog Starve to Death Released (Local 6).
• Tortoise Land Purchased OK'd (The Ledger).
• 2 fishermen accused of snapper violations face $16,000 fine (Daytona BeachNews Journal).
• Miami officer charged in starvation death of K9 partner (Sun Sentinel).
  

Dr. Gary Patronek on Animal Hoarding

There were several high profile cases of large animal seizures while I was out and about last week. With a tip of the hat to the Herald Tribune's Chew on This Blog, there was an interesting interview a couple of days ago in Today featuring Dr. Gary Patronek on the psychology of animal hoarding. Dr. Patronek was the editor of a report on hoarding that I'd mentioned previously at this post.

3/25: Seminar on the links between animal abuse and child abuse

On March 25th, the Pet Therapy Program of the Humane Society of Sarasota County is offering a free seminar on the links between animal abuse and child abuse. The speaker is Mary Lou Randour, Ph.D., from the Humane Society of the United States, a national expert on the link. The seminar runs from 1:00 until 3:00 and is being held at the HSSC Education Center at 2331 15th St., Sarasota. More information is available from HSSC here.

“Animal abuse is a type of interpersonal violence; it often co-occurs with child abuse and other forms of family violence. Identifying and treating animal abuse is an important tool in protecting children from abuse and neglect, while at the same time promoting the safety and well-being of both the children and their pets.” -Mary Lou Randour, Ph.D.

Stronger laws for slaughterhouses proposed

An article from MSNBC describes a bill introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein that would strengthen penalties for meat packing plants that send sick animals to slaughter. The proposed legislation would fine a plant based on a percentage of its sales after the first violation and suspend USDA inspection for one year after the second violation, which would effectively shut the plant down because the inspections are required. On the third violation the plant would be shut down.

I'm back...

updated posts on the way.

Pet food lawsuits may be near settlement

Law.com reports that attorneys on both sides of the pet food lawsuits involving Menu foods have stated that the cases may be close to settlement. Back in February, the cases were consolidated by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to the district court in New Jersey. According to the article, about 120 suits were filed in Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Ontario, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and Washington.

Washington Lawyer: Cover Story on Animal Law

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the latest copy of my Washington Lawyer magazine in the mailbox. The March 2008 issue has a detailed cover story, which is also available online, all about the field of animal law. The whole article is well-worth reading, but here's a quick teaser from the intro:

Whether it was the deluge of media coverage of headline-grabbing stories such as the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal and the Menu Foods recall, or the more tabloid-friendly accounts of billionaire Leona Helmsley leaving $12 million to her white Maltese in her will, and Ellen DeGeneres breaking a contract with a dog rescue group, animal-related stories took center in 2007.

But while the issues raised by these incidents may be unfamiliar to the majority of the public, they are well known to the growing number of lawyers who battle within the legal system on behalf of animals.

Light posting...

I'm on the road for the next week part of which will be spent in the wilderness... I'll try to figure out some ways to get online and post.

Animal cruelty charges against man with 30 cats

The Orlando Sentinel reports on animal cruelty charges being brought against a Lake County man. According to the article the man's home contained thirty cats and a turtle living in squalid consitions. One official said that the "floors were caked with a foot of solidified feces, urine, and cat litter, and the trailer was overrun with roaches and rodents." The man faces 28 counts of animal cruelty.

TODAY: Live Chat with ASPCA Lobbyist/Lawyer

ASPCA’s Blog reports on an online chat with Senior Director of Legislation and Legal Training, Ledy VanKavage, Esq. She will be answering questions live today Friday, March 7 from noon to 2:00 P.M. EST. She will be appearing in the ASPCA Online Community. For more information, check out the Lobby For Animals section on ASPCA's website.

Pro golfer charged with killing hawk

The Orlando Sentinel reported that misdemeanor animal cruelty charges were brought against a pro golfer after he reportedly killed a red-shouldered hawk by repeatedly hitting golf balls at the bird until it was hit.

Number of Roseate Spoonbills shrinking

The Miami Herald reports that the number of roseate spoonbills is shrinking from the Everglades and Florida Bay. According to the article, this year's breeding sentence was the worst in more than 40 years. Audubon of Florida is looking to ask the Legislature to push for ''fast-tracking'' the South Florida Water Management District's plans to reroute and redesign a canal that has negatively impacted the spoonbill's breeding grounds.

Animals taken from Lake Helen home

The Daytona Beach News Journal reports here on the seizure of 27 animals from a Lake Helen home. The animals included six dogs, four puppies, four cats, 10 chickens, a rabbit, a turkey, and a snake. Officers told the journal that they also discovered a dead dog and a dead chicken, as well as emaciated dogs, some of which were chained. Some of the animals are at the Halifax Humane Society in Daytona Beach getting veterinary care. The chickens and snake have been placed in foster homes.

Florida vets seek microchipping monopoly

The Orlando Sentinel's Animal Crazy blog posts here on a proposal currently pending before the Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine to bar animal control agencies and shelters from microchipping animals. The Board is set to consider the proposal at its March 18th meeting. The ASPCA has launched a campaign opposing the proposal, asserting that microchips are an important tool in reuniting pets with their owners after disasters and tracking lost animals.

Lewis & Clark Animal Law podcasts

Here's a great resource that I've only started to explore. Lewis & Clark Law School, the publisher of the premier Animal Law journal, has posted a number of video and audio podcasts that can be perused through this link. In particular, check out some of the videos from the Animal Law Conference that was held at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon on September 28-30th, 2007. The conference presenters were a literal who's who of the animal law practice. For those of us who didn't make it to Oregon and participate directly, the ability to see the presentations in podcast form is the next best thing. Here's a list of some of the topics with links to a description of the presentation and the podcasts from the conference:

• Impacts of Global Warming on Wildlife.
• Global Trade, Endangered Species, and the New Protectionism.
• Advancing Protections for Asian Animals.
• Fighting Breed Specific Legislation: Addressing the Real Issues Behind “Dangerous Dogs”.
• Ethical Issues for Animal Law Attorneys.
• Can the Wildlife Trade Bridge the Poverty Gap?: CITES, Livelihoods, and Sustainable Use
• The Debate over Advancing Civil Damages for Companion Animals
• Factory Farms Part I
• Advancing Criminal Prosecutions
• Factory Farms Part II
• Canned Hunting and Contest Kills
• Keynote Address
• Successful Animal Lawyering Worskshop
• Animal Law Student Workshop

Thanks for reading...

Even though last month was short on days, FAL still had more page views (4,015) and visits (1,937) than any other month before it.

Nine groups petition for emergency listing of red knot

The Defenders of Wildlife issued a press release detailing the move by nine different conversation groups to seek emergency protections for the red knot under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The nine groups submitted a letter to Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Director Dale Hall requesting that federal agencies use emergency authorities to list two subspecies of red knot under the ESA. A copy of the letter is available here (pdf).

Additionally, U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Ben Cardin (D- MD) sent a letter (pdf) requesting protection for the red knot.

Animal Welfare Institute's Compassion Index

A couple of days ago, I posted about the Humane Scorecard put out by the Humane Legislative Fund. A commenter offered another resource and rather than have it buried in the comments, I thought it deserved a post of its own:

I also suggest you visit AWI's Compassion Index (www.compassionindex.org), an interactive legislative tracking and action center. This site is updated as actions take place and presents a similar grim picture of the proactive positions for many legislators on animal welfare legislation.

Rep. Wexler has the highest CI ranking in Florida while both Senators have a 0. Only four members of the Senate acheive a 100% while only 14 out of 435 receive a 100% in the House.

Everyone should visit www.compassionindex.org and contact your representatives and urge them to support the important animal protection legislation currently before the Congress. You can check the site daily to see if they have taken action.

April 5th animal workshop at University of Florida

Mark your calendars for April 5th in Gainesville. Julie Lewin from the National Institute for Animal Advocacy will be giving a workshop at the University of Florida Levin College of Law. A copy of the flyer for the event is available here (pdf). The event is free, but be sure to check out the flyer for information on the time, location, and RSVP instructions. From the flyer:

Julie is our movement’s top expert on winning state, county, and local laws for animals and their aggressive enforcement. The University of Florida’s Animal Law Association invites all animal advocates to join us for this important event. We urge all groups to send two representatives—don’t let this opportunity pass by! Julie’s presentation/workshop will focus on how to win strong state and local laws and policies to protect animals—and their aggressive enforcement! We can become power players for animals at every level of government. Julie will tell us how! We are wasting our great potential power, and—tragically— suffering animals pay the price. We must lobby through political organizations, as every other issue group does.

Anyone and everyone who is passionate about animal issues will not want to miss this major event !

Lead in toys a danger to companion animals

Everyone is familiar with the flood of lead-tainted children's toys that have been discovered and recalled over the past year. People may be less familiar with similar issues affecting animal products. The St. Pete Times ran a story last month about the dangers of lead found in toys and products designed for companion animals. The article focuses on a sad story about a man's sun conure who died of lead poisoning after chewing on pieces of a bird toy containing lead. In an article from today, the Dallas Morning News cites the early Times article and discusses lead problems with dog charms containing 15,000 parts per million of lead paint, which could be dangerous to either a pet or a child.

Men sentenced in illegal sailfish scheme

The Miami Herald reports here on the sentencing of two men who were involved in the illegal killing of dozens of undersized sailfish. The men ran a charter fishing operating that had customers pay for the illegal fish to be mounted. One man was sentenced to a year in prison while the other was given three years probation. Three other men have pled guilty and await sentencing on May 21st. According to the article, they face up to twenty years in jail for their part in the conspiracy.

Florida legislators get poor marks on humane scorecard

The Humane Legislative Fund published their Humane Scorecard midterm report on the 110th Congress on Friday. You can download a copy of the report here (pdf) and read additional commentary on the report here from the Animal & Politics blog. Sadly, although there were 31 Senators and 100 Representatives covering 38 states that either led as prime sponsors of pro-animal legislation or scored a perfect 100, there were none from Florida with a perfect score.

On the Senate side the report tracked cosponsors of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, the Pet Safety and Protection Act, and the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act. Senators were also credited for being the prime sponsor of animal friendly legislation and for signing on to a funding letter to the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee seeking funds for enforcement of the AWA, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and federal animal fighting law, as well as for new programs to address the needs of animals in disasters and to ease a shortage of veterinarians in rural and inner-city areas and public health practice through student loan forgiveness. On the items tracked in the report, Senator Nelson scored 50%, while Senator Martinez scored a dismal 0%.

On the house side, the report tracked cosponsors of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act, and the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act. It also considered member votes to restore the prohibition on commercial sale and slaughter of wild horses and burros and to bar federal funding that enables imports of sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada. While several representatives scored 0%, the high water marks were Representatives Wasserman-Schultz and Wexler with 83%.

Starved horse being rehabilitated

The Sun Sentinel reports here on the recovery of Gege, a quarterhorse that was saved by Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control on February 23rd. Officers filed felony animal cruelty charges against Gege's former owner. The article notes that rising prices of feed, gas, and hay and the weakening economy have made horse neglect a growing issue.

Meanwhile, in a separate case the Pensacola News Journal reported here that a Cantonment woman was charged with felony animal cruelty charges after allegedly hanging a 5-month-old colt in a sling from the rafters of a barn. According to the article, the president of Panhandle Equine Rescue said the colt was emaciated, anemic and dehydrated.

Pygmy Sperm Whale dies

The pygmy whale I'd originally posted about here, died on Wednesday. The whale was found stranded in the Florida Keys and had been moved to Marine Mammal Conservancy for care. Officials are unsure about the cause of death at this point. Stories on the death are available here and here.

Animal Cruelty Charge for Man Who Shot Dog

CBS4 reports on the arrest of a Little Havana man who allegedly shot a dog. According to the police report, a witness saw the suspect call the dog over to him and then shot the dog. The man was charged with one count of Cruelty to Animals and one count of Use of a Firearm in the commission of a Felony.

Appellate Court rejects administration waivers in sonar case

How Appealing posts here on Friday's decision by the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, which held that the Navy must must protect endangered marine life from the effects of its underwater sonar. The decision, which affirmed the lower court;s opinion, rejected attempts by the Bush Administration to exempt the Navy from laws protecting the environment.