Animal Issues YOU Should Know About!

Keep Pets Out of Labs—Support the Federal Pet Safety and Protection Act

S. 714/H.R. 1280—Restricts Sale of Dogs and Cats to Research Institutions Sponsor(s): Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI); Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA) ASPCA Position: Support Action Needed: Send a letter to your U.S. senators urging them to support and cosponsor the Pet Safety and Protection Act.

Update, 8/01/07: Great news! On July 27, the House approved the Pet Safety and Protection Act. It still must pass the Senate, so please continue to contact your U.S. senators in support of S. 714.

Class B Dealers, licensed under the federal Animal Welfare Act, collect dogs and cats from random sources and sell them to the research industry. Class B Dealers sometimes obtain their animals through illegal or unethical means, such as by responding to “free to good home” ads in newspapers, falsifying records to keep the true origins of the animals unknown, and stealing pets kept outside in yards.

The Pet Safety and Protection Act, S. 714, would prohibit Class B Dealers and unlicensed individuals from selling dogs and cats to research laboratories. The only people who would be allowed to sell dogs and cats to research facilities would be dealers who have bred and raised the dog or cat, publicly owned pounds or shelters that obtained the animals from their legal owners, and persons donating a dog or cat who they have bred and raised or owned for at least one year. People who obtained dogs and cats by any other means would not be permitted to sell those dogs and cats to research laboratories, thus ensuring that stolen pets do not end up in research facilities. This bill would eliminate the incentive for “bunchers”—people who collect animals from random sources and sell them to Class B Dealers—to obtain dogs and cats through illegal or unethical means, as there would be no profit in doing so.

Please note, the ASPCA's support of this legislation is neither an endorsement of pound seizure (the release of animals from shelters to research labs) nor of the use of animals for research. The legislation does not change the current practice of some shelters that release animals to research labs, assuming they are in compliance with state law that does not prohibit pound seizure. The ASPCA is strong ly opposed to pound seizure and supports legislation to outlaw this practice in states where it is legal. The sole intent of this legislation is to eliminate the Class B dealer, or "middleman," who brokers animals to research labs. This will prevent the theft of companion animals from homes, as well as deceptive practices that put "owned" pets at risk of going to research labs. The ASPCA continues to be a strong proponent of the "3 R's"--Reduce, Refine, and Replace.

The Pet Safety and Protection Act would provide a much-needed safety net to ensure beloved family pets are not stolen or acquired under false pretenses and sold to research laboratories. Contact your senators now and urge them to support and cosponsor S. 714!

Demand Truth in Labeling—Support the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act

H.R. 891— Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act
Sponsor(s): Rep. James Moran (D-VA)
ASPCA Position: Support
Action Needed: Send a letter to your U.S. representative asking for support and co-sponsorship of the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act.

The Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act, H.R. 891, is important legislation that will protect American consumers’ right to know exactly what they are buying.

If passed, the Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act would:

- Prohibit the sale of any apparel containing fur from raccoon dogs, members of the dog family native to China killed in large numbers for their fur. The definition of "dog" in current U.S. law, which already bans the sale of cat and dog fur, will be expanded to include raccoon dogs.

- Require that all apparel containing any quantity of fur is accurately labeled, regardless of the fur’s monetary value. Current law requires that fur garments be labeled with the name of the species used, the manufacturer and country of origin. However, there is a big loophole in the labeling law—products containing small quantities or values of fur can be made and sold without accurate labels. The Federal Trade Commission defines an item as having “a small value or quantity of fur” if the fur on that item is worth no more than $150. This unreasonably high figure allows products such as coats, sweaters, vests and accessories with fur trim to be sold without truthful labeling. Consumers may unknowingly purchase these products, believing the fur to be faux since it is not labeled.

In order to make informed purchases, consumers must know what they are buying! The Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition Enforcement Act would protect this right, and also ban completely the sale of fur from raccoon dogs.

Contact your representative now and urge him or her to support and cosponsor H.R. 891!

Protect Downed Animals by Supporting the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act!

S. 394 and H.R. 661—Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act Sponsor(s): Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI); Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-NY) ASPCA Position: Support Action Needed: Send a letter to your representative and senators now and urge them to support the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act!

The Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act, S. 394/H.R. 661, would prohibit USDA inspectors at slaughterhouses from approving meat from “downed” (unable to stand or walk) cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules and other equines. The bills would also require immediate humane euthanasia for any downed animal.

Animals who are destined for slaughter sometimes go “down” while en route to slaughter plants. These animals cannot stand or walk on their own due to injury or illness. Once at the slaughter plants, they may lie for days without food, water or veterinary care, until they are ultimately dragged or pushed to slaughter (often by a bulldozer). Not only are these practices inhumane—often resulting in bruising, torn ligaments, broken bones and dislocated joints—but they pose a major health risk to consumers as well. The risk of tainted meat entering the food chain increases when downed animals are allowed to be slaughtered for human consumption. All six confirmed cases of mad cow disease in North America reportedly were from downed animals. Given these factors, immediate humane euthanasia is the best option for downed animals.

Additionally, prohibiting the approval of meat from downed animals would provide an incentive for meat producers to improve the care of animals in order to prevent them from going down at all. This is currently irrelevant to meat producers, who have an economic incentive to move downed animals through slaughter in order to process the meat for sale.

The Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act would provide much-needed protection for both livestock and human health. Contact your representative and senators now and urge them to support and cosponsor S. 394 and H.R. 661!

The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Reintroduced in Congress

Bill Number: H.R. 503/S. 311
Sponsor(s): Representatives Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Nick Rahall (D-WV), John Spratt (D-SC); Senators Mary Landrieu
(D-LA) and John Ensign (R-NV)
ASPCA Position: Support
Action Needed: Send a letter to your senators and representative now and urge them to support the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act!

Update, 4/26/07: On Wednesday, April 25, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation voted to move this important bill to the entire Senate for a vote, without making any changes to it. Please take action on this legislation if you have not already done so. We’ll let you know when the Senate vote is imminent.

Update, 4/23/07: On April 25, the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee will meet to “mark-up” S. 311, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. The Senate committee will decide on language that will be presented to the full Senate for a vote. It is vital that senators hear from their constituents on this issue—particularly the 23 senators on this committee. Whether or not they are members of the committee, we ask everyone to please call your senators and urge them to support this important legislation and move it to the full Senate for a vote right away! Click here to see if one of your senators is on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Last year, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act. Unfortunately, Congress recessed for the year before the Senate had a chance to vote on the measure. As a result, the bill died and had to be reintroduced in both houses of Congress this year. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (AHSPA), H.R. 503/S. 311, has now been reintroduced by the 110th Congress! The bill would prohibit the transport, moving, delivering, receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donation of any horse to be slaughtered for human consumption.

Last year, over 100,000 American horses were killed in the United States and shipped to Europe and Japan for human consumption. Every week that Congress fails to take action on the AHSPA, thousands of American horses will be slaughtered and sent overseas.

Additionally, the transport of horses to slaughter houses is often extremely inhumane. Many horses are injured even before reaching the slaughter plant due to overcrowded conditions during transport. Some are shipped for more than 24 hours at a time without food, water or rest. In addition, the methods used to slaughter these horses once they arrive at the plant can be exceptionally inhumane. The horses are often forced to endure repeated stuns or blows, and often remain conscious during their slaughter.

H.R. 503 and S. 311 would put an end to this cruel and inhumane practice by effectively prohibiting horse slaughter in the U.S. for human consumption.

Thank you for your support last year, and please help us advance this important legislation once again. Contact your senators and representative now and urge them to support and cosponsor H.R. 503/S. 311. Take action now!