Sharks Through a Different Lens

The remarkable Nigel Barker is exhibiting his photographs of seals this week at a studio in New York. But his compassion for animals extends to all animals, including sharks, and he's a man willing to confront cruelty wherever it occurs.

Last weekend, Nigel Barker joined some HSUS staff in Martha’s Vineyard, but he was not on holiday.

© Nigel Barker
Nigel speaks with passersby.

Nigel made the trip to photograph the island’s annual Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament and to help spread the message that these tournaments are cruel and unsustainable. Nigel went down on the docks to record the gruesome weigh-ins and the fate the sharks endure in the name of big prizes and public revelry (see his photos).

We are turning around local perceptions of these spectacles. Now the next step is to end this cash-driven recreational shark killing, in Martha’s Vineyard and in other coastal communities where these killing sprees masquerade as family fun.

At the tournament the island’s Plum TV sat down with Nigel and Dr. John Grandy, our senior vice president of Wildlife. The interview provides an in-depth treatment of the issues and I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch it. As Nigel says in the piece, the suffering, death and dismemberment at these tournaments is “something we should be embarrassed about, not something we should be celebrating.”

Nigel’s incredible harp seal photos will go on display Friday and the exhibit has already created quite the buzz.

The Dr. Will Free You Now

This weekend, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) hosted its annual convention, in New Orleans. After the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) proposed a resolution supporting a move away from the confinement of veal calves in tiny stalls, the AVMA House of Delegates referred the resolution to its Animal Welfare Committee, which will meet in the fall. Then the AVMA went ahead and passed its own resolution gingerly taking a stand—I think, it seems, perhaps—against veal crates. The resolution reads, "Resolved: that the AVMA supports a change in veal husbandry practices that severely restrict movement, to housing systems that allow for greater freedom of movement without compromising their health or welfare."

© Farm Sanctuary

It's vague. It's murky. But it does appear to be progress.

It has been a year since the American Veal Association passed a resolution pledging to phase out the use of crates. And it’s been even longer since the nation's two leading veal producers—Strauss Veal and Marcho Farms—announced that they would eliminate crating and move to group housing systems. The CEO of Strauss Veal called the crates "inhumane and archaic" saying that they "do nothing more than subject a calf to stress, fear, physical harm and pain."

It is a fact, if a bit counterintuitive, that the AVMA still is weaker on this issue than the leadership of the veal industry. Progress at the AVMA in the arena of farm animal welfare has been halting, to say the least, with food industry veterinarians seeming to control the discussion within the organization and thwarting the adoption of mainstream and well-accepted positions.

The action taken this weekend does at least show respect for the position that HSVMA advocated, and reflects some awareness that the AVMA is lagging noticeably and dangerously behind. (In May Dr. Ron DeHaven, the AVMA's executive vice president acknowledged, "We should have realized, years ago, that veal crates have to go; the practice is simply not defensible in the court of public opinion.")

These changes must come. The HSVMA is a new force for the good that can help drive this change. Also, the California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) has endorsed Proposition 2, the November ballot initiative in California to phase out the inhumane confinement of farm animals in veal crates, gestation crates, and battery cages. CVMA some years ago developed Eight Principles of Animal Care and Use, and the adherence to these principles guided the endorsement. Already more than 500 individual California veterinarians have endorsed Proposition 2, and the number is climbing every week.

In California, veterinarians are rightly in the forefront of efforts to protect animals. HSUS will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them to advocate for responsible changes that, at the very least, allow animals raised for food to turn around, spread their limbs, and lie down. That's the least we can do for these creatures.

Stop Puppy Mills or Bust: Q&A with Jana Kohl

Jana Kohl started her trip across the nation six weeks ago in Los Angeles to promote her new book, "A Rare Breed of Love," the story of her adopted dog Baby, a three-legged puppy mill survivor. She's concluding her tour Monday on the steps of the Capitol in a rally to raise awareness about the abuses at puppy mills, after speaking at this weekend's Taking Action for Animals conference in Arlington, Va. I had the privilege of writing the foreword to Jana's book and it's one that I recommend. She took a few minutes to chat with me recently on her tour.

Wayne Pacelle: In “A Rare Breed of Love” you say that you're always amazed by the reaction you and Baby receive. Did you find anyone, in your trip throughout America, who did not sympathize with your critique of puppy mills?

Jana Kohl: Everyone we met—from politicians to the people on the street—said, “we need to shut these places down.” When many people heard about what happened to Baby they asked if the people responsible were now in prison for their actions. When I told them that puppy mills are legal in this country they were outraged and asked what they could do to help shut them down.

WP: I am always struck by the contradictions in society about animals—so much professed love for animals, yet tolerance within our society for truly appalling and widespread forms of institutionalized abuse. How does this schizophrenia persist?

JK: When money is involved, people rationalize all sorts of misdeeds and cruel acts toward others. Animal-based industries are lucrative enterprises and the people who run these houses of horror have rationalized that animals “have no feelings.” I had more than one puppy miller tell me this. As a psychologist who's concerned with why we're capable of such cruelty, I see that the denial people practice in order to abuse animals for profit is often due to do what is called “narcissistic injury.” In fact, I believe this mental pathology is responsible for most of the world's ills.

WP: The issue of puppy mills has been a front-burner issue for the humane movement for decades. Now that you've done such a deep dive into the problem of puppy mills, why has it been such an intractable problem? Who is defending these mills and who are the impediments to change?

JK: In addition to being a highly profitable business for the puppy mill owners and backyard breeders, one that's easy to hide from the IRS, by the way, it's also a multi-million dollar enterprise for the AKC (American Kennel Club) and other breeding organizations, such as PIJAC (Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council). They make millions each year off the suffering of innocent animals and they're fighting tooth and nail to maintain the status quo at puppy mills so that their livelihood isn't compromised. The American people need to know just how little these groups care about animal welfare. They are greed personified.

WP: What is the most important thing that we can do—each of us, individually—to help put puppy mills out of business?

JK: The single most important thing people can do is to adopt and NEVER buy a dog from a pet store or inhumane breeder. People ask me all the time, “What about humane breeders?” My reply Is to remind them that in this country we are euthanizing about 2 million homeless dogs a year, at a cost to taxpayers of more than a billion dollars a year. So long as we're killing millions of homeless dogs each year, why should anyone be adding to the pet overpopulation problem?

WP: Are you a changed person because of this entire experience—rescuing Baby, writing the book, and doing a national book tour by bus?

JK: I've done a lot of things in my life that I felt were important, including working for the Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, but adopting a puppy mill survivor has been the most important and meaningful experience I've ever had. To give a loving home to an animal who was abused is a life-altering, soul-fulfilling experience. I believe our mission in life is to ease the suffering of others, and the animals in our midst who are so cruelly abused have the fewest advocates. I'll never be able to rest so long as a single one is being mistreated. As for this cross-country tour and my mission to end puppy mills, it's been extraordinary to meet so many big-hearted people, including other rescuers, but the most gratifying is when someone comes up to us and says, “Your story changed my life. After reading your book and hearing you speak, I will only adopt from now on. I'm a changed person.” That makes this long, hard schlep worth every minute on the road.

Battling Dogfighting, Blow by Blow

One year ago today the federal government indicted Michael Vick for activities related to dogfighting. Today a major dogfighting operation was raided in Georgia and a reported kingpin in the underground dogfighting circuit was arrested and charged with felony dogfighting. Between these busts, there's been enormously significant activity over the past year.

Vick's arrest, and the subsequent examination of this issue by the nation, has reconfigured the dynamics of dogfighting in the United States. The HSUS has long campaigned against animal fighting, and really stepped it up a few years ago. We committed to a full-blown assault on the activity and those involved with it. Not only did our work help trigger the Vick case, but we have subsequently driven the issue forward with key players—lawmakers in Congress and the states, law enforcement officials, the press, corporations, and others.

Here's a rundown on what we've helped to accomplish together for the dogs and against the dogmen, as they call themselves, during the last year alone.

• Raids on dogfighting operations have increased from 27 between January and April 2007 to at least 67 raids to date in 2008—tripling the number of reported arrests for this crime.
• Wyoming and Idaho made dogfighting a felony offense—these two states had been the last holdouts with weak penalties for fighting crimes. Lawmakers in Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, and Virginia also passed stronger laws against dogfighting, as part of a wave of 26 states considering legislation to increase penalties.
• Congress passed a new federal law making it a federal felony to train or possess dogs for fighting, and to bust dogfighters if there is any interstate activity associated with the fight.
• Made possible by the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation and our donors, The HSUS’s animal fighting reward program was doubled, offering up to $5,000 for people who provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of animal fighters. The program precipitated dogfighting raids in half a dozen states. Seventeen rewards have been paid so far and several are pending. The cases range from a Texan who reported on his neighbor and his six scarred pit bulls to major busts with dozens of animals confiscated.
• In February, The HSUS worked with the Pima County sheriff in Arizona to bust two of the nation's most notorious dogfighting kingpins, Mahlon Patrick and T.L. Williams. Officials seized more than 150 dogs and arrested six people.
• We have held joint press conferences with 12 state attorneys general, the Chicago Police Department and the Los Angeles County district attorney to announce the animal fighting reward program. Joint press conferences with three other state attorneys general have been scheduled.
• The HSUS’s animal cruelty and fighting campaign has trained nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers on how to identify and prosecute animal fighting, produced a new television spot featuring Russell Simmons, distributed a new radio PSA, available in both English and Spanish, and distributed tens of thousands of rewards posters.
• An HSUS pilot program aimed at ending street dogfighting in inner cities is being tested in Chicago. The End Dogfighting in Chicago program of education, intervention, dog training and law enforcement support will serve as a model for other cities nationwide.
• Animal advocates from across the country submitted videos illustrating the horrific nature of dogfighting to our "Knock Out Animal Fighting" contest. Tens of thousands of people have viewed the submissions and one of the winning videos, by Cindy Deir of Burbank, Ill., was transformed into a TV commercial and aired in Chicago.
• Rap legend Darryl “DMC” McDaniels judged The HSUS’s "Hip Hop for Hounds" contest, designed to find the best rap song that stands up for dogs—and against dogfighting. The contest generated entries by talented artists from across the country, ranging from professional rappers to elementary and middle school students, and a compilation CD of selected entries will be available for purchase later this year.

Stable End for Racehorses

Since the death of the filly Eight Belles in this year’s Kentucky Derby, there's been a brass-band clamor for reform in the horse racing industry. One of the priority concerns is humane care for the racehorses no longer valued at the track. A recently broadcast HBO special, validating The HSUS's own observations, highlighted that far too many horses are knowingly sent off to slaughterhouses, now operating in Canada and Mexico and causing so much misery and pain.

We have long advocated for a more responsible outcome for these horses—the rehabilitation or placement of sound, healthy horses into a loving home or some other safe setting. Many selfless individuals work strenuously (and with little or no financial incentive) in communities throughout the nation to that end—often at their own expense and often doing so with little credit or acknowledgment of their sacrifice.

One of the horses available for adoption
through Finger Lakes.

For those racehorses that are no longer sound—too broken and battered to be rehabilitated and given a second chance—we must first ask: why is this allowed to happen? What conditions are causing these breakdowns, and how can they be stopped—once and for all? Until these questions are addressed, horse racing will have a moral and public relations problem on its hands. And until the racing gristmill stops churning out these victims, the most humane end for them is a peaceful death through affordable, humane euthanasia—a far cry from the horrors of slaughter.

There are a couple of recent developments that I think set an example of which all of horse racing must take note—and then should follow. According to Thoroughbred Times, Suffolk Downs, a track in Boston owned by Richard Fields, has set a new policy which penalizes trainers found to have sold a horse for slaughter—by permanently revoking their stabling privileges on the track. It’s a bold step which, if vigorously upheld, will provide an incentive to those that want to train at Suffolk to make sure their charges are placed in good homes, not sold by the pound to the highest bidder.

Meanwhile in upstate New York, Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack near Rochester is home to the nation’s first on-track horse adoption facility, the Purple Haze Center run by Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program. The Program and Center—funded in part by state funds, private donors, the racetrack and its associated Horsemen's Benevolent Protective Association—works to place former Finger Lakes racehorses with equine rescues or approved private individuals. The goal: to eliminate the potential for the horses to suffer an inhumane demise.

The people involved are setting a new standard in the world of horse racing, and it's one not only to be celebrated, but emulated throughout the industry.

Be the Change: A Q&A with Kathy Freston

A few weeks ago I offered some observations on the blog about "Quantum Wellness," the newest book by best-selling author Kathy Freston. The book has already had a major impact on the diet choices of Americans, and I wanted to do some follow up with her and share some of her thinking with blog readers.

Wayne Pacelle: You appeared on "Oprah" and talked about your book earlier this year. Oprah decided to experiment with vegetarianism and veganism. Do you think she's going to stick with it?
Kathy Freston: As per her blog on Oprah.com, I think Oprah will be forever a "conscious eater", which means that she is thoughtful about where her food comes from and the process by which it got to her plate. She says, "This has been exactly what we intended: enlightening. I will forever be a more cautious and conscious eater. That's my commitment for now. To stay awakened. We're not quantum quality yet, but 'leaning in.'" And this really is the goal, I think, in approaching how to change up the way we eat. If we don't impose too many radical changes on ourselves or our families, and instead "lean into" the shift, it becomes a do-able goal to eat a plant-based diet. Progress, not perfection!

WP: Change is hard for people, even when it's in their self interest. We have witnessed the difficulty that so many people have had with quitting smoking, even with an abundance of scientific information that it's lethal. Do you think there are parallels with smoking and meat-eating, accepting that nicotine is an addictive drug?
KF: I absolutely think there are parallels. In fact, I used to be a heavy smoker myself. I would go through at least a pack a day even though I knew it was detrimental to my health. I could feel the nicotine in my blood slowing me down and constricting my circulation. I also knew that it aged my skin and made me smell bad, but even that wasn't enough to make me stop. It's not that I didn't try; it's just that my cravings overwhelmed my better judgment. I think it's the same with eating animal protein.

Most of the gold standard peer-reviewed research says that eating meat is bad for our health (it may age us and sets us up for cancer and heart disease), but those cravings can be overwhelming. The way I quit smoking AND gave up eating animals and their by-products was by setting my intention to be a healthy person—in body, mind, and spirit. And then I moved in small incremental ways in the direction of wellness. As I approached being a non-smoker, I read as much as I could on the effects of cigarettes on the lungs, muscles, and immune system. I joined a fellowship group of people who were also quitting. I exercised more so that I didn't have as much time or inclination to smoke. And I stayed away from trigger situations like bars or particularly tempting friends. In moving away from eating meat, I read books and watched films that detailed what exactly happened in slaughterhouses. I became very well informed on all the cutting edge research about how animal protein can wreak havoc on the body. And I visited animal sanctuaries and rescue shelters so that I would wake up from the "sleep" of denial that animals were sentient (feeling, conscious) beings. I gave up eating one animal at a time until everyone was out of my diet. I leaned into both changes until the tipping points happened, and I became the person I wanted to be.

On another note, recent studies have shown that smokers quit in clusters. People seem to have a great effect on their peers, whether by simple osmosis or friendly indoctrination; I think that vegetarianism spreads in a similar fashion. If the alphas (the celebs, bosses, charismatic friends) aren't eating meat, it will become ever less desirable to lag behind in the movement.

WP: For your average American, what are the two or three most compelling arguments for eating lower on the food chain?
KF: I think the average American wants to do the right thing, whether you call it ethics or spirituality. So if one wants to adhere to the principles of kindness, mercy, compassion, and alleviating of suffering when possible (as outlined in all of the great wisdom traditions), it makes sense to not participate in the process of commodifying animals for food. All you have to do is read an account or watch an undercover video at a processing plant and ask yourself if the screams of terrified and hurting animals sit well with your sense of what is "ok." If you disagree with what is happening and remove yourself from the market by ceasing to purchase meat, dairy, or eggs, you cease giving your approval (and cash!) to a business of pain and cruelty. You are then more likely to feel an inner alignment with your values and "right living."

Finding Peace After War

No one returns from combat unchanged, and even as the nation continues to debate American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, we see the toll of combat service upon returning soldiers. Physical wounds are not the only injuries they suffer, and stress and conflict do not necessarily end when their terms of service do.

Jay Kopelman and Lava, as a puppy, in Iraq.

This is the theme of "From Baghdad to America: Life Lessons from a Dog Named Lava" by Jay Kopelman, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel. Jay’s first book, "From Baghdad with Love," about the dog he rescued in Iraq, was a bestseller, and The HSUS has worked with him on a number of animal welfare issues tied to the Iraq war, such as petkeeping by soldiers, animal control in conflict zones, and the case of a marine videotaped throwing a puppy into a ravine. I was proud to provide a foreword for Jay's second book.

I figured that this one would pick up the story of Lava and Jay living good in southern California. Yet I soon discovered that "From Baghdad to America" was truly a different book. Together, Jay and Lava put a face on a set of issues that should concern us all: the effects of depression, detachment, and other negative emotions resulting from combat stress and trauma. Jay's experience with Lava shows the tremendous emotional and healing benefits of the human-animal bond.

Jay addresses these matters with courage and sensitivity, and that’s why "From Baghdad to America" is more than just an entertaining narrative of dog rescue. It’s a call for honesty in confronting the emotional impacts of the Iraq war on our veterans.

In April, The New York Times reported that some 27 percent of noncommissioned officers on their third or fourth tour exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Another study found that 20 percent of active duty and 42 percent of National Guard troops and reservists are suffering mental health problems.

And last year, CBS News reported that there were 6,256 apparent suicides among U.S. veterans in 2005, double the suicide rate among the general population. Even more alarming was the rate of suicide among veterans aged 20 to 24—estimated to be between 2.5 and almost four times higher than nonveterans in the same age group. More recently, the U.S. Army reported that 115 active duty troops committed suicide in 2007, nearly twice the rate recorded before the invasion of Iraq and the highest annual toll the military has recorded.

There is a tie-in to animal welfare here, if an indirect one. Of our 25 million veterans, approximately 1.6 million have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of them are or will become fathers and mothers, police officers and fire rescue personnel, prosecutors and defense attorneys, humane society officers and elementary school teachers, veterinary technicians and social workers. Each, to some degree or another, will play a part in determining the fate of animals who depend upon the compassionate care of human beings. Each will be a citizen in a community with its own set of human and animal-related concerns.

For our communities to be healthy in every respect, we need to ensure the health and wellbeing of those Americans who have served our nation in the noblest fashion. I applaud Jay for addressing this urgent issue, using the framework of his relationship with Lava to focus our attention.

Talk Back: Your Take

The blog in many ways is a chronicle of the work of The HSUS and the reflection to a degree of the tilt of animal protection in the United States and around the globe. I am always interested in your comments, and today, I publish a smattering of thoughts on recent blogs. Thanks for your feedback and keep it coming.

On the rescue of nearly 700 dogs from a Tennessee puppy mill:

All these animals are so lucky to have people like HSUS. I work for the humane shelter here in Nashville and our adoption drive with the rescued pups and dogs from Hickman County was a success! Thousands of animals would be lost and not even have a chance if it weren't for the HSUS. Thank you many times over for ALL that you and your organization do. —Pamela Parton

I just want to say that I am adopting one of these dogs and am so happy and proud to be doing so. I stood in line at the BCHS for hours but it is so worthwhile and I beg all those who are seeking a pet to PLEASE go to your local humane society or animal shelter. DO NOT patronize a business that is so cruel, filthy and seedy. —Susan M.

As a Tennessee resident and licensed Vet Tech, I don’t know how to thank you enough for putting a stop to this massive puppy mill. Wayne, thank you from the veterinary community. I don’t think it could have been stopped without your help. Please don’t ever stop fighting for them. THANK YOU!!! —Jennifer

I was both excited and sad to hear about the Tennessee puppy mill raid. This cruelty should not be allowed. I am attending the Taking Action for Animals Conference to learn how to help support the Humane Society's efforts to stop all animal abuse. I believe we can get the laws changed and I hope to be a part of that process. Good job on that raid. Those animals are thanking you every day and I am glad as a Humane Society member to have played a small part in their emancipation. Let's keep this up. —Yvonne Marshall

Ever since I was a little girl I had a special place in my heart for animals and the way they are treated. Now I am 27 and realize if there is going to be a change in a way these animals are going to be treated it starts with me. I am so glad that there is a place like HSUS that helps these animals. Animals deserve to be treated better, and it starts with people like us to make it happen. —Roxanne

There definitely needs to be more laws to help protect our four-legged friends. After all, if we can't protect them, who can? —Katie McNiel

Keep up the good work in shutting down puppy mills, but don't forget the kittens. I recently adopted a funny looking "stray" from an animal shelter, and in an attempt to find out her ancestry, I stumbled across an appalling online trade in "exotic" cats. Please, drive these people out from under the radar! —Cindy Emmons

In response to the news that Leona Helmsley directed that her entire estate be spent on the welfare and care of dogs:

I think the judge should respect Leona's wishes and leave the money where it can do the most good for pets and their care. That is the spirit of her intentions and so be it. The funds could do so much for dogs everywhere including abandoned dogs due to the economy or disasters, and end the puppy mill industry once and for all. —Teri

Thanks for staying on top of this and keeping us informed. Leona's wishes must be honored. —Cynthia

I'm thrilled to learn about this! This is an amazing possibility. What can we do to push this along, that's what I want to know. To have this money go into organizations like the HSUS is a dream come true, and I mean that. Wonderful news! —Maria

Fur Out of Stock

If you've been reading my blog—or regularly checking humanesociety.org or receiving our email alerts—you know that we are making pretty remarkable progress in our campaigns against animal fighting, puppy mills, factory farming, and other fronts. But there's also been progress on a range of other categories of abuse, including the exotic pet trade, captive hunts, and shark-killing contests.

Today, I am pleased to announce major progress on the fur-free front. Thanks to the strong leadership of CEO Patrick Byrne, Overstock.com has, as of today, removed all fur from its website. Overstock.com does about three-quarters of a billion in annual sales, and is a major player in the online retail sector.

Byrne, in a press conference with me today, said the cleansing of fur and fur trim from his retail operation will cost him between $1 million and $5 million. Mr. Byrne is willing to take that short-term loss because he believes it's the right thing to do, and he hopes it will become an economic boon in the long run as more and more consumers know that Overstock.com is a socially responsible leader in the retail sector. My thanks and appreciation to him for this ethical and foresighted action.

Overstock.com is the 100th major retailer or designer to go fur-free, according to the HSUS's listing. If you'd like to thank Mr. Byrne, please do so at Overstock’s community forum.

Vote Today for a Dog of Valor

How do we honor an animal who has committed a heroic act? How can we properly honor their extraordinary acts of courage and altruism?

The HSUS’s Dogs of Valor Awards program, which I told you about in May, is one way we acknowledge the life-saving actions of animals. By highlighting these heroic acts, we demonstrate that animals are not automatons or creatures driven entirely by selfish wants. They think, they understand, they problem-solve, and they act.

We received many nominations for Dogs of Valor, and we've narrowed the field. Now, we're asking you to help select the People’s Choice among four finalists in the Companion Dog category. Before 5 p.m. ET today read the accounts of Jack, Buffy, Bear and Anna—four dogs who helped when people needed them most—and vote for the one dog that you think is the most extraordinary and heroic (it will be a tough decision, I know). Then watch humanesociety.org/dogsofvalor on Friday, when we’ll announce the People’s Choice winner and the Valor Dog of the Year in the Companion and Working Dog categories.