|
|
10 Biggest Animal Rights and Welfare Wins of 2014
10 Biggest Animal Rights and Welfare Wins of 2014
As we step into the new year, it’s a great time to take a look back at all of the amazing victories that animals won over the course of 2014.
It’s been a fantastic year for animals! From bans on circuses and horse-drawn carriages to new criminal laws protecting animals from abuses, the hard work of advocating for animals definitely paid off. Here’s a closer look at ten of the very best victories of 2014.
1. Salt Lake City Bans Horse Drawn Carriages; New York Primed to be Next
In recent years, the carriage horse industry has been exposed as outdated, dangerous, and cruel. The Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously to ban horse drawn carriages within the city. Other cities may soon follow suit – in December, New York City introduced a ban on horse drawn carriages, where recent accidents have placed the industry under intense scrutiny. Horses don’t belong in city traffic, and these bans are long overdue.
2. California’s Foie Gras Ban Upheld
Foie gras is an extremely inhumane product that is created by force-feeding ducks until their livers become unnaturally enlarged. In an attempt to protect ducks from this treatment, California passed a law banning in-state production and sale of foie gras. Producers and consumers of the cruel product sued in an attempt to block the law from taking effect, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the law was constitutional, and upheld the new law – a wonderful victory for ducks!
3. Circuses and Bullhooks Banned in Multiple Countries and Cities
More and more countries and cities are saying “No!” to cruel circuses and elephant bullhooks. In October, Malta voted to ban animal circuses, and in December, Mexico’s legislative body voted to ban wild animal circuses nationwide. These nations join eight others, including Bolivia, Greece, and the Netherlands, in outlawing animal circuses.
4. U.S. Military Ends Use of Live Animals in Medical Training
For decades, the U.S. military used live animals during various medical trainings. These trainings often involved painful procedures for the animals, such as exposure to chemicals and repeatedly having plastic tubes shoved down their throats. Now, after years of campaigning by animal rights organizations such as PETA, the U.S. military has announced that it will replace live animals in a variety of these tests with human simulators – a better solution for the soldiers training who are training to render aid to humans and for the animals who will be spared from these tests.
5. India Bans Cosmetics Tested on Animals; China Ends Mandatory Animal Testing for Cosmetics
India took two huge steps forward for animals this year. In May, the country passed a law to ban the testing of cosmetics on animals within India. In October, India went one step further, announcing an additional law that bans the importation of cosmetics tested on animals. China announced in June that such testing would no longer be mandatory. Cosmetic testing often involves extremely painful procedures, and so these new laws are wonderful news for animals.
6. All 50 States Now Have Felony Animal Cruelty Statues
All fifty U.S. states now have felony animal cruelty statute, showing a trend towards taking egregious cases of animal cruelty very seriously. Further, the FBI made animal cruelty a top-tier felony in 2014, which will allow agents to track abusers in the same way that they track other violent crimes, such as homicide.
7. Animal Issues Get a TON of National Media!
Animals got an amazing amount of national media attention in 2014. The Nonhuman Rights Projects’ Steve Wise appeared as a guest on the Colbert Report in July, explaining to millions of viewers why chimpanzees deserve to be recognized as legal persons. Jon Stewart repeatedly stood up for animals on the Daily Show, covering the carriage horse industry and ivory bans.
8. Orangutan Granted Personhood Rights!
After being held in a the Buenos Aires Zoo for 20 years, Sandra the orangutan was deemed a non-human person and granted her freedom! A court ruled that the conditions of living in a zoo were causing Sandra to be depressed and due to her complex emotional and cognitive abilities, she should be allowed basic human rights to protect her from this suffering. Sandra will be moved to a sanctuary where she can live out the rest of her years as she pleases.
9. SeaWorld Continues to Tank
SeaWorld continued its Blackfish-induced nosedive throughout 2014. Attendance is down, stock shares have lost about half of their value since last year, and sponsors are jumping ship with impressive speed.
10. Animals Are Victims!
In August, the Oregon Supreme Court issued a monumental decision where the defendant was convicted of severely neglecting 20 horses. The defendant argued that, because horses are not legal persons, they could not be considered “victims” for purposes of sentencing. The Court disagreed, finding that the state legislature regarded the individual animals as the victims of abuse. This is a huge step forward in the move towards treating animals as sentient beings rather than mere property.
Looking Forward to 2015
While 2014 brought a number of wonderful victories for animals, there is still much work to be done. Let your lawmakers know that you care about animal issues by sending them a letter or asking to meet with them in person. Let’s work to make 2015 an even better year for animals!
Source: http://bit.ly/171T9xZ
« Back To Articles
|
|
|
|
|
Member Login
