Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters

Some Victories for Animals in 2011

Organized campaigns and legal action brought about many victories for animals:

• Bolivia became the first South America country to ban the use of wild animals in circuses. Thanks to a campaign by Animal Defenders International all of the animals were relocated to wildlife sanctuaries.
• Peru became the second South American country to ban the use of wild animals. Proposals were also launched in the U.K. and the U.S.A.
• Shark fin products were banned in California and Toronto.
• Japan’s annual illegal whale hunt was shortened due to pressure from activists.
• Suffolk County, New York created the nation’s first animal abuse registry.
• Cooney’s Law in Nevada upgraded animal abuse to a felony crime.
• The Humane Society of the United States reported 1,615 pet stores joined its campaign to stop selling puppy mill dogs in favor of adopting homeless pets.
• Iam’s Home 4 The Holidays campaign which works with 3,500 animal rescue groups worldwide, adopted its 6 millionth dog.
• Toronto banned the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet shops throughout the city.
• Israel placed a country wide ban on declawing cats.
• Spain banned bullfighting in its north-eastern region.
• Maine was the sixth state to pass legislation banning the use of gestation crates and veal crates for animals on factory farms.
• The National Institutes of Health suspended funding for any new experiments on chimpanzees.
• Alabama unanimously passed a ban on using gas chambers for euthanasia.
• California signed a law to strengthen the penalties for cock fighting and dog fighting and those who attend events.
• Russia banned importing harp seal products.
• BLM promised to make changes on how wild horses are rounded up.

PETA and others have valiantly fought for animals. Further successes include: Ringling was slapped with the largest fine in circus history for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The Environmental Protection Agency adopted modern replacements for animal tests, saving millions of animals. Four laboratory workers were indicted on felony cruelty-to-animals charges as a result of our investigation at a North Carolina laboratory.

We persuaded many businesses to get rid of glue traps, stop selling foie gras, quit using great apes in advertising, and drop their sponsorship of the Iditarod.

This year, we saw bullhooks banned, pound seizure halted, fur banned, and roadside zoos shut down. And we brought numerous animal abusers to justice.

There’s so much more to do. Keep up the work, everyone!