DEAR READERS: Please see the following post from Project Coyote (projectcoyote.org):
“We’ve got exciting news to share. On May 22, more than 16 members of the House of Representatives introduced the Prohibit Wildlife Killing Contests Act of 2024, sponsored by Rep. Steve Cohen. This act would prohibit wildlife killing contests on more than 500 million acres of U.S. public lands.
“Since our inception, Project Coyote has remained steadfast in its commitment to exposing and ending wildlife killing contests nationwide. Last year, in collaboration with coalition allies, we achieved two significant victories: in Oregon and New York, where statewide bans on killing contests were enacted across both states. We also continue to push for more state bans, including in Illinois and New Jersey.
“The introduction of today’s federal legislation is an important step in building on our efforts to permanently end killing contests from coast to coast. Join us in calling for an end to wildlife killing contests on federal public lands.”
THE ANIMAL AND VEGAN ADVOCACY SUMMIT
The Animal and Vegan Advocacy Summit (AVA) is a nascent movement linking actions to reduce climate change and factory-farmed animal suffering by promoting compassion and the environmental and health benefits of plant-based diets. Close to 1,000 people from different countries attended the fourth-annual summit in May in Washington, D.C. They networked and planned how to better address the many facets of responsible planetary care, joining environmental, animal and people care under the banner of One Health.
AVA International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a world in which animals are taken out of the food system. Fiscal sponsorship for AVA International is provided by the Humane America Animal Foundation. Visit avasummit.com for more details and involvement opportunities.
GOOD NEWS FOR GREYHOUNDS
On May 9, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed SB 132, making Connecticut the 43rd state to outlaw dog racing. Five days later, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 363 to prohibit remote gambling on greyhound racing in that state.
Advocates will continue working state by state, but ultimately hope to pass the U.S. Greyhound Protection Act to make it a federal crime to engage in commercial dog racing nationwide. H.R. 3894 also bars U.S. gamblers from betting on foreign races and blocks the export of American dogs for racing elsewhere. For more information on these efforts, visit grey2kusa.org.
DESANTIS ERASES 'CLIMATE CHANGE' TERM FROM STATE LAW
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation that deletes more than 50 lines of previous state statutes dealing with climate change, and specifically removes many instances of the phrase “climate change” itself. (Full story: Florida Phoenix, May 25)
This initiative to protect the fossil fuel industry should be flagged as yet another a crime against humanity and nature.
ROUNDUP (GLYPHOSATE) MAKES TOXIC ALGAE FLOURISH
Potentially toxic algae growing in fresh water, notably the blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in Florida’s canals, can sicken, and even kill, humans and animals. Certainly climate change is playing a role, but so can lawn and garden herbicides, in addition to run-off from agriculture. Many dogs, livestock and wild animals have been poisoned from drinking water contaminated with cyanobacteria.
For details, see the study “The mechanism of different cyanobacterial responses to glyphosate” by Wei Lin and associates, published in the Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2023.
(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.
Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)