#paul shapiro
The latest in animal news you can use from Paul Shapiro, Vice President of Policy Engagement:
Ducks are quacking in celebration today, as a federal court unanimously reinstated California’s ban on the sale of foie gras from force-fed birds. (More on the HSUS blog!)
The foie gras industry isn’t the only one reeling this week. Animal-using circuses, the bell tolls for thee. Santa Fe just banned circuses from using wildlife while Maryland’s two largest counties are moving in that direction too.
I had a great time chatting about animals, aliens, clean & plant-based meats, and more with comedian David Huntsberg on his show this week. Check it out!
Speaking of clean meat, The Atlantic has a compelling look at a new company making waves for its real fish meat, grown without the fish. As the story notes, “Pretty much every Silicon Valley zillionaire wants to free the world from the mass slaughter of animals and the environmental havoc it causes.”
Finally, if you want a truly moving story about an imprisoned refugee who’s spending his time trying to help animals on the island where he’s imprisoned, The Guardian’s profile of Mansour Shoushtari is a must-read.
Video of the week: Hugs aren’t just for humans!
As hurricanes bash us, HSUS is on the ground helping rescue animals in need, including of course dogs and cats, and also teaming up with the National Guard to airdrop hay to stranded and starving cows.
With monster hurricanes, record heatwaves, and parts of the nation literally on fire, many are wondering what they can do to help the climate. Of course, one of the easiest things to do is simply eat less meat. And that’s what HSUS is helping major food service companies do right now. You may remember that just two weeks ago HSUS and Aramark announced a groundbreaking new partnership to promote plant-based meals. Well, yesterday HSUS announced a plant-strong program with another foodservice giant, Compass Group. Read all about it!
Another potential solution in the years to come may be simply to produce clean meat—real meat without animals. You’ve likely heard of the big names in the clean meat world, but do you know where many of them started? CNBC gives you a behind-the-scenes tour of the incubator whose companies are growing real meat without the animals.
Finally, you already know about the groundbreaking ballot measure in California to crack down on factory farming. Well, just yesterday we filed a similar campaign in Ohio to combat puppy mills!
Paul Shapiro
Vice President of Policy Engagement
The Humane Society of the United States
Follow at http://twitter.com/PaulHShapiro
P.S.Video of the week: Why there aren’t more videos of cats on climbing walls is a mystery to me.
A decade ago, we announced a groundbreaking ballot campaign in California, later called Prop 2, to create the strongest farm animal protection law in the nation. In the wake of that precedent-setting victory, we enacted a wave of new corporate policies and public policies targeting the extreme confinement of farm animals. Since Prop 2’s passage, other states like Massachusetts have adopted even stronger laws, and many corporate policies are stronger too. For that reason, this week we announced a new California ballot campaign, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle, to upgrade California’s farm animal protection laws and make them once again the strongest in the nation. If you’d like to sign up to volunteer, we welcome you in what’s sure to be a historic battle!
And just over a decade ago, the devastation Hurricane Katrina brought to people and animals alike was hard to overstate. But the lessons learned from Katrina have led to new policies that put companion animals in a better position in the Harvey tragedy, writes the Washington Post. HSUS has been on the ground since before the storm hit and is rescuing animals daily, and you can read about our work in this USA Todaystory. To learn more about our life-saving efforts there led by HSUS’s Animal Rescue Team and state director Katie Jarl, and how you can help, please check out this page.
Finally, a decade ago there wasn’t a single company seeking to commercialize clean meat (real meat, without the animals). Today, you already know there are many companies doing just that. But did you know that nonprofits are playing a key role in aiding the clean meat industry? Conscious Company Magazine has the details in a great new feature, and here’s a new “fireside chat” (minus an actual fire…) on the topic in which I interview one of the leaders in that field.
Paul
Paul Shapiro
Vice President of Policy Engagement
The Humane Society of the United States
Follow at http://twitter.com/PaulHShapiro
P.S.Video of the week: Fighting like cats and dogs? I don’t think so.
