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Key Animal
Protection Legislation Included
on the 2007-2008 Compassion Index
110th Congress |
Legislation to Support
Key
legislation tracked on the Compassion Index is shown here. To find out more on
the current status of a particular bill, click on the bill number.
Click on the bill number to take action!
Anti-Whaling
Resolution
A resolution
expressing the sense of the Congress that the United States,
through the International Whaling Commission, should use all
appropriate measures to end commercial whaling in all of its
forms, including scientific and other special permit whaling,
coastal whaling, and community-based whaling, and seek to
strengthen the conservation and management measures to facilitate
the conservation of whale species,
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Dog
Fighting
Dog
Fighting Prohibition Act is a bill to further empower federal
prosecutors to pursue individuals – including spectators – engaged
in all aspects of dog fighting. This legislation increases maximum
penalties to include up to five years in federal prison.
UPDATE:
Senator John Kerry (D-MA) was able to include language in the
2007 FARM Bill to strengthen penalties and enhances law
enforcements abilities to pursue individuals involved in dog
fighting.
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Fur Trapping
Steel-jawed
leghold traps are commonly used by commercial trappers in North America to
“harvest” fur-bearing animals. Causing excruciating pain and suffering, the
barbaric traps have been banned in 88 countries worldwide.
The Inhumane
Trapping Prevention Act will end the use of conventional steel-jawed leghold
traps on animals in the United States.
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Horse Slaughter
More than 100,000
horses were slaughtered in the U.S. last year for human consumption abroad.
Tens of thousands more were exported for slaughter in Canada and Mexico.
The
American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will bring this cruel
trade to an end by prohibiting the shipping, transporting, moving,
delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or
donating of horses and other equines to be
slaughtered for human consumption.
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H.R. 503
- Sponsors: Representative Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Representative Ed
Whitfield (R-KY), Representative John Spratt (D-SC) and Representative Nick
Rahall (D-WV)
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S. 311
- Sponsors: Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Senator John
Ensign (R-NV)
UPDATE: On
April 25, 2007 the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Committee reported the bill favorably to the full Senate for
consideration. No date has been set for a vote.
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Inclusion of
Cruelty to Animals as a Separate Offense Category to National
Tracking Systems
Requires the
National Incident Based Reporting System, the Uniform Crime
Reporting Program, and the Law Enforcement National Data
Exchange Program to list cruelty to animals as a separate
offense category.
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Sale of “Random Source” Dogs and Cats
Current law
allows the sale of “random source” dogs and cats (animals not bred specifically
for use in research) by certain animal dealers (Class B) for use in licensed research
laboratories.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act will amend the Animal
Welfare Act to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are
obtained legally from documented sources.
On July 27, 2007, the House passed the 2007 FARM Bill which
included language by Representative Steve Israel (D-NY) and Representative Mike
Doyle (D-PA) which would prevent Class B
dealers and unlicensed individuals from selling dogs and cats to laboratories,
and stray animals from being sold for this purpose.
On December 14, 2007 the Senate passed
their version of the FARM Bill. The Pet Safety and
Protection Act was included, but because of ambiguous and
delaying language changes, AWI encouraged the conference
committee to accept the House language adopted earlier this
year.
UPDATE:
Sadly, the conference committee removed the Pet Safety and
Protection Act and inserted language calling for a "study"
of the issue. AWI will continue to track this
development and advocate for an end to sale of random source
dogs and cats.
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Wild Horses and Burros
The 1971 Wild Free
Roaming Horses and Burros Act established legal protections
for America’s wild horses and burros. A 2004 "rider" by
former US Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) to the act
stripped one of these key protections thus allowing wild horses
and burros to be sold for slaughter.
The “Rahall-Whitfield wild horse bill” will
restore the prohibition on the commercial sale and slaughter of
wild free-roaming horses and burros.
UPDATE: On April 26,
2007 the House of Representatives passed H.R. 249 by a vote of
277-137. The bill now awaits consideration in the US Senate.
To learn more about each of
these issues and how you
can help make a difference please visit
www.awionline.org.
Key Animal
Protection Legislation Included on the 2006 (109th Congress) Compassion Index
