The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) recently gave the Obama Administration a score of B- on the "First Year Report Card on Animal Protection."
HSUS categorized the administration’s actions as either “good” or “poor.” Falling under the good category, Obama gets a thumbs up for his transparency reflected by posting inspection reports online for animal dealers, exhibitors, and research facilities. Additionally annual reports are posted which supply information about drugs provided to distressed laboratory animals.
The President requested increased funds for the USDA which would be used to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. Funds were also requested for veterinary student loan forgiveness to alleviate the current shortage of veterinarians in specific areas.
The Department of Justice joined a lawsuit with the Humane Society against two meat packing companies who were deemed to have violated the terms of their school lunch contracts by not following a humane handling of animals.
On the downside, HSUS was disappointed in the administration’s delisting of Idaho and Montana gray wolves as Endangered Species. The removal of the wolves from the Endangered Species list now allows the animals to be killed for sport in each state.
The administration also received poor ratings in terms of government subsidies that add up to hundreds of millions of dollars given to the factory farming industry. The government purchased pork (without requiring animal welfare reform) and spent hen meat (which was has less testing and lower safety standards than fast food.) The spent hen meat was provided to U.S. schools.
The animal protection organization recognizes that this administration is “far better” than the previous one but acknowledges the need for more federal action including strengthening USDA enforcement of puppy mills, reforming USDA oversight of slaughter plants, increasing funding to improve enforcement of the Horse Protection Act, listing the entire species of chimpanzees as endangered, and moving away from the use of live animals for military trauma training. Follow me on Twitter
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