Results tagged “humanesociety”

Yesterday, the Philadelphia Eagles signed controversial quarterback Michael Vick to a one-year deal. Vick was suspended from the NFL after being convicted on federal dogfighting charges in 2007; he served 18 months and was conditionally reinstated to the NFL this summer (NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will decide whether to reinstate him as early as week 1 or as late as week 6). The Eagles will introduce Vick at a 10:30 a.m. press conference; his "surprise" deal is worth $1.6 million in 2009, with an option for $5.2 million. Recently, Vick was spotted in Chicago, working with the Humane Society to advocate against dog fighting. Vick's interview with 60 Minutes will air this Sunday—he told NFL Today's James Brown that dogfighting is "wrong …I feel, you know, some tremendous hurt behind what happened. And, you know, I should of took the initiative to stop it all…I didn't - I didn't step up. I wasn't a leader." The Giants are scheduled to play the Eagles on Nov.1 in Philly and on Dec. 13 at the Meadowlands. Update, 11:02 a.m.: The press conference just started and is streaming live at the Eagles website.

With all the recent uproar about carriage horses, and Fashion Week recently bringing out the fur brigade, we thought it was a good time to talk to an animal lover—one who happens to know exactly what's happening out on the front lines. Patrick Kwan is the New York State Director of the Humane Society of the United States, and recently he schooled us in some current animal rights issues.

Fashion Week is in full effect and The Humane Society of the United States is watching out for our furry friends, as usual. This morning the organization led a press conference with NY State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal following an investigation that uncovered some big NYC retailers selling unlabeled fur-trimmed garments in violation of state law (which requires that all apparel with real or fake fur be labeled as such, giving shoppers access to product information). All the big names were on their list, including Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Footage of the investigation shows what may happen to confused customers:

The carriage horse battle lines were drawn long ago in a war that seems to be never ending. Today the NY Post reports on the two sides: those in support of Tony Avella's bill to put an end to the industry, and those who are adamantly against it (including Liam Neeson). At a public hearing today Avella will pitch his plan, and Patrick Kwan, New York state director for The Humane Society, tells us why it's an important one.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the nation's largest producer, is used to fending off lawsuits brought by animal rights activists, but yesterday they won a bit of a reprieve. A New York State appeals court dismissed the majority of a case brought by the U.S. Humane Society, which was challenging an Empire State Development Corporation grant that Hudson Valley Foie Gras received in 2006. The court held that most of the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the suit.

   

Millions know fashion photographer Nigel Barker as a judge on America's Next Top Model. But Barker, who has had a photography studio in New York City for over a decade, is also spokesperson for The Humane Society of the United States' Protect Seals program and visited the Canadian seal hunt earlier this year.

Unsurprisingly, the Humane Society has issued a statement saying they strongly approve of Leona Helmsley's posthumous wish to put her entire trust towards the welfare of dogs. The group asks that the trustees to honor her wish, creating a better world for the pups--and people--of the planet. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society, noted that "While there are 10,000 or so humane organizations in this country, many are poorly funded and overwhelmed by the daily burdens they face. Robust giving by Helmsley's trustees can remedy this problem, and in a major way." Read the full statement after the jump.

Police broke up an alleged dogfighting operation in the Tremont section of the Bronx last night, arresting seven men on charges of gambling and animal cruelty. 17 dogs were also removed from the building on 179th St. and they all showed signs of abuse. The bust comes approximately eight months after an investigation by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) alleged that NYC was practically the dogfighting capital of the world.

In anticipation of tonight's Elephant Walk and Ringling Bros.' Madison Square Garden stay until April 6, a number of animal advocates held a rally outside MSG today to support City Council Introd. 389, which would prohibit "the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement."

The California based Westland/Hallmark Meat Company is recalling all its raw and frozen beef products distributed since Feb. 1, 2006 – a total of 143 million pounds of ground beef. The largest beef recall in history was announced after an undercover Humane Society video showed workers kicking sick cows, jabbing them in the eyes and using forklifts to force them to walk to slaughter. (See the video here.)

Georgia's been on a lot of people's minds since news of her disappearance became public in January, but she is now safe at home. The black cat escaped owner Ashley Phillips' pet carrier while they were waiting on the platform at 59th St. for a 6 train, on their way home from the Humane Society where Georgia had just been spayed. She survived 25 days in the subway tunnels before being found and rescued.

After the Humane Society revealed a tape of mistreatment of cows at the nation's "No. 2 supplier of ground beef to the National School Lunch Program," burgers and other beef products were temporarily yanked off NYC schools' menus. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had put an "administrative hold" on all products from Hallmark Meat Packing Packing in Chino, CA and asked all schools to stop using products from Westland/Hallmark Meat.

Mets pitcher Pedro Martinez, as well as the Mets organization, made statements about the video of Martinez appearing at a cockfighting event in the Dominican Republic.

From Pedro Martinez: "I understand that people are upset, but this is part of our Dominican culture and is legal in the Dominican Republic. I was invited by my idol Juan Marichal to attend the event as a spectator, not as a participant."

Continue reading "Pedro, Mets Speak Out on Cockfighting Video"

One cat owner is hoping that her kitten will turn up after escaping at the 59th Street uptown 6 platform earlier this week. Ashely Phillips had just gotten black kitteh Georgia (pictured) spayed at the Humane Society when the feline somehow escaped her carrier "and just took off."

After City Council member Simcha Felder announced he would propose legislation to ban feeding pigeons, bird lovers joined forces and, yesterday, held a rally at City Hall. Armed with posters like "Save Our Right to Feed Wildlife," "Have U Known Anybody Killed by a Pigeon?", "Pigeons are Beautiful Birds," and "Felder's Pigeon Bill is Poop!", the pro-pigeon protesters spoke out for their feathered friends. One demonstrator told City Room, "We are voices for the...

City Councilman Simcha Felder's proposed legislation to fine people $1,000 for feeding pigeons has struck a nerve. Felder and other elected officials claim that pigeons' poop is harmful to New Yorkers and, therefore, various ways to limit pigeons' eating and procreating should be explored. But some pigeon lovers are unhappy with the level of vitriol directed at the city's unofficial bird. Hence the video from Animaniacs, "Goodfeathers" (it's 10 minutes, so settle in to...

Citing the unsightly damage that pigeon poop does to the city, City Council Member Simcha Felder announced a bill proposal to fine people $1000 for feeding pigeons. Some of Felder's key remarks and findings: "Stop feeding pigeons!" "If people like pigeons... feed [them] in your house and let them crap all over the place in your living room." A pigeon creates about 25 pounds of poop annually. "[The pigeons] may go elsewhere. Let them...

The Bronx DA's office is investigating Ralph Reyes, a Bronx man who was singled out by the New York Post last week as the center of New York City's dogfighting world. The Post was acting on information provided by the Humane Society of the United States, which has an Animal Fighting Task Force that investigated Reyes and dogfighting in the city, but abandoned its project when it was unable to get much cooperation from local law enforcement.

The Giants are heading south to play Atlanta this evening and the Falcons won't have their star quarterback, after Michael Vick was caught running a dogfighting ring out of his Virginia home. It turns out that New York City might be the nation's dogfighting capital though. The New York Post reported yesterday that Bronx resident Ralph Reyes runs an unlicensed kennel out of the basement of a residential walk-up building on Valentine Ave. That's where he allegedly breeds and supplies American Pit Bull Terriers for fights to the death.

The AP has this great photograph of a dog named Rocky at the Atlanta Humane Society. The Humane Society explained that Rocky had a #7 Michael Vick t-shirt because the society has been taking donated Vick clothing and using them as rags and bedding. Vick, the star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges related to running a dogfighting ring at his Virginia home.

What is wrong with people? The director of the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter found three boxes full of kittens (63 of them!!!) on her doorstep. Paula Young believes that the kittens were used as bait during dogfighting in Westchester and possibly the Bronx. She told the Journal News, "It is impossible for one person to have all these kittens, calicos, tabbies, males and females."

During the summers, city shelters see a spike in unwanted pets, and this year is no different. NYC's Animal Care & Control is "taking in 85 cats and kittens a day - up from about 50 a day just a few months ago," according to the Daily News. Animal Care & Control is worried they will have to start euthanizing adoptable cats and dogs, because they are, as director Richard Gentiles says, "being inundated." From the News:

Unlike the ASPCA, Humane Society and other shelters, Animal Care and Control cannot turn away any animal brought into its three shelters or left on the street.

Continue reading "Adopt a Furry New Yorker!"

If you see some adorable border collies bothering Canada geese in Central Park this April, you may have seen the Geese Police. The Parks Department will be conducting a one-month pilot program "using an environmentally-safe method to attempt to reduce the number of geese in Central Park": Using border collies to drive geese away!

High profile chef Wolfgang Puck has taken foie gras off his menus. Farm Sanctuary, a organization dedicated to the protection of farm animals, had targetted Puck for an aggressive campaign beginning in 2004, and engaged him and his companies in conversation last summer along with the Humane Society of the United States. Puck's changes aren't limited to foie, but extend to more animal-friendly food practices across the board. According to the New York Times:

He has directed his three companies, which together fed more than 10 million people in 2006, to buy eggs only from chickens not confined to small cages. Veal and pork will come from farms where animals are not confined in crates, and poultry meat will be bought from farmers using animal welfare standards higher than those put forth by the nation’s largest chicken and turkey producers. Mr. Puck has also vowed to use only seafood whose harvest does not endanger the environment or deplete stocks.

Last week, we had a brief mention about a terrible dog cruelty case in NJ. A pit bull puppy was critically injured after being sodomized; she was found in a pool of her own blood in a Newark apartment building. The Humane Society was looking for information to find who committed the crime, and now it turns out that many people were so moved by the story that another $7,000 was raised. A total of $12,000 is being offered as a reward for any information leading to the arrest of the person(s) who were involved.

- This past weekend, a Queens man was arrested for animal cruelty. Oswald Joudan faces up to a year in a prison and a $2,000 fine for a number of terrible things he did to his Chow Chow "Lumpy" (pictured). A neighbor called the ASPCA, which found the dog so badly beaten that its face is distorted. The dog was also starved to the point of being 30 pounds (!!) underweight and had a 14-inch collar on the its 17-inch neck that was so restricting that it was embedded in the flesh. The dog needed 100 stitches to close up the wound. The ASPCA will determine whether the dog, who has a "great disposition" and will be renamed, can be adopted, but in the meantime, you can call 212-876-7700 to find out.

People tend to buy faux fur because it's not only less expensive but also more humane. But what happens when the faux fur is actually the fur of dogs? Macy's has yanked certain Sean John coats whose faux fur is actually "raccoon dog" fur. The Humane Society actually tests the fur on fur-trimmed clothing from many different brands and retailers and has found the faux fur to be real fur - check out this list! In the case of the Sean John coat, the label said "imitation rabbit fur collar," but it was actually from a dog. Guh.

We would always start by asking friends and coworkers for referrals and checking out the reviews of various clinics on Citysearch. The Humane Society of the United States gives a thorough checklist for choosing a veterinarian, including things such as the state of the facilities and special interests of the veterinarians there (and when we say special interests, we mean things like geriatrics, not that they knit in their spare time).

Gothamist has never had a taste for foie gras (although, some of us do) as we can't get past the fact that we're eating liver, but animal rights activists are trying to get the delicacy banned entirely. In an appeal to the state legislature, groups including the Humane Society asked the state's Department of Agriculture and Markets to label foie gras as an "adulterated" food, which is defined as food that is "diseased, contaminated, filthy, putrid or decomposed." This would give the agriculture commissioner the option of banning foie gras. The Times gets what could be the best quote regarding this issue from Eric Ripert, the executive chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin who sighs and then says:

We can criticize how foie gras is produced and be concerned about the health of the duck and blah, blah, blah, O.K., fine.

Can you imagine the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus without elephants? The fight between Ringling Bros. and various animal advocacy groups, including the ASPCA, the Humane Society, and Animal Protection Institute, may be closer to a trial after six years of various lawsuits and court orders between the two sides. The animal groups claim that Ringling Bros. abuses its elephants, using sharp hooks and chairs for training, and separating babies from mother elephants, while Ringling Bros. claims their practices are, in fact, humane. The AP summarizes some of the issues, including how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (who knew that agency regulated elephants) did find that the circus failed to comply with the Animal Welfare Act, but Ringling Bros. managed to get out of being "formally classified as a violator"; on the other side, a Texas A&M professor who traveled with the circus never saw "overt cruelty."