Teenage Matador Kills Six Bulls in a Day

I just find this culturally backwards and disgusting. It's a total embarrassment.

Canada to Push Seal Hunt Agenda at G-7

The Canadian government is so damn stubborn on this issue. The second half of the article deals with their attempts at pushing that damn seal hunt.

Is it THAT much a part of its economy? Canada needs to stop exploiting its natural resources and move into a more sophisticated type of economy. You'd think they were a developing nation with nothing else to offer.

27,000 Animals Rescued in Texas

Holy cow! That's HUGE. It was an exotic animal importing firm (why the eff do those even exist?) that was allegedly mistreating its animals.

A lot of these animals are reptiles, spiders and amphibians, which explains the large number. This rescue is the result of a PETA undercover investigation. (See, husband, this is why I like PETA!)

From the Detroit Free Press.....

The raid followed an undercover investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. An Arlington, Texas, municipal judge ruled that the animals suffered from neglect and cruel conditions, and an appeal by the company's owners to a higher court was denied last weekend.

Sea Shepherd Vessel Bob Barker Rammed By Japanese Whaler

Video here:

An Animal Welfare First in Spain

From Spanish News - RTN (Round Town News)...

No need to click. Here's all it says.

Woman fined for abandoning her dog at the doors of an animal rescue organisation

It's the first time that an owner has been fined in such circumstances.First Instance and Instruction Court Five in Segovia has fined a Madrid woman 120 € after she abandoned her Rottweiler dog at the doors of the El Refugio animal refuge at El Espinar, Segovia in May 2008. She has also to pay 2,688 € to the animal refuge. Loa was six years old at the time she was abandoned, with her papers left with her. The refuge identified the owner via the microchip, but she did not want to take back the dog. Nacho Paunero, President of El Refugio, notes that this is the first time in Spain that someone has been fined for abandoning their animal at the doors of a refuge. He considers it a step forward in the protection of animals in Spain.

Latest News on Best Friends' Haiti Efforts

I hope one day to leave a bunch of money to help animals in such horrible conditions. Of course, I have to figure out how to earn that money first :-).

In the meantime, direct from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary...

University of Arizona Gets Grant for Animal Lab

Another Arizona story! They are certainly on the animal research kick.

From the Arizona Daily Star...

The University of Arizona College of Medicine won a $15 million federal stimulus grant to build a facility for research animals in downtown Phoenix.

The grant from the National Institutes of Health will cover the building cost.

About 33 researchers and staff members will work in the 22,000-square-foot research facility. It will be located next to the planned health sciences education building at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

The building will be "green" with recycling, energy efficiency, reduced water use and sustainable site and open-space plans.

Will Arizona Exempt Animal Testing from Cruelty Laws?

Unbelievable, but this stupid exemption is gaining support. Supposedly people either 1) believe the State has no place overseeing labs (USDA does that) and 2) bioscience is already very well-regulated.

Hah! This is all about making the stupid state friendly to the biotech industry. What next? They get a huge tax break?

Blinded Turtle Finds New Home in Aquarium

I'm not posting this because of the rescue (which is a good thing), but because of HOW this turtle was blinded.

From the BBC...

The aquarium said it hoped Homer would help raise awareness about the plight of his species.

Dangers include fishermen deliberately blinding the animals to protect fishing equipment.

The Archelon rescue centre in Greece previously looking after Homer believes this is what happened to him.

Homer, who is about 40-years-old, could have another 60 years of life.

Fishermen in Greece deliberately blinding turtles? Barbaric.

New Horse Slaughter Rules to Appear in Canada

The Animal Welfare Institute thinks these new rules could be a blow to the horse slaughter industry, but only if actually implemented.

PETA Sues the City of Edmonton

They are trying to get Lucy the Elephant moved to a sanctuary. She is the sole elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.

There's a video available here too.

Portuguese City Tries to End Killing of Strays

Portugal is NOT known for its kindness to animals so this is a significant development for a Portuguese city.

From the Portugal News Online...

This weekend Lagos Town Hall executives are expected to sign a landmark protocol drawn up in collaboration with animal protection association Cadela Carlota, in which it is decreed that the two organisations will endeavour to put a stop to the extermination of healthy unwanted and stray animals being held in the municipal kennel.

Under Portuguese legislation, stray and unwanted animals that are kept in municipal kennels, even healthy ones, can be put down after eight days if unclaimed. The majority of these animals are unwanted dogs, removed from the streets by municipal services or dropped off by members of the public. Generally, those that have been there for a longer period are destroyed as the kennels reach maximum capacity, to accommodate new arrivals.

But as of this Saturday Lagos will adhere to an alternative path in dealing with abandoned animals and overflowing municipal infrastructures, thanks to the intervention of two local ladies, Cecilia do Carmo and Esperança Martins, who in 2006 initiated proceedings to found an animal protection association following a distressing visit to the kennels.

Sierra Leone's Elephant Population Near Extinction

Be warned. Awful picture here.

Again, it's all about the damn ivory.

Newfoundland MP Says PETA Pie Throw Could be Terrorism

She's referring to the pie thrown in the face of Fisheries Minister Gail Shea by a PETA member protesting the Canadian seal hunt.

It's pretty scary that a Liberal MP would actually question whether a pie in the face is terrorism. I'm wondering whether the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act in the US is making the rounds of Canadian politicians.

Profile of Free the Bears Fund

Really inspiring profile of the work done by this Australian organization.