Russian law protects Moscow State Circus monopoly MOSCOW, NEW DELHI––New legislation in Russia, whose circuses have for almost a century been the most attended worldwide, and in India, where the circus tradition started, appear to be among the final acts in several thousand years of traveling exhibitions of performing animals. The new Russian “Law […]
Russia bans “dogs of dangerous breeds” under new humane law
Vladimir Putin signs “Law on Responsible Treatment of Animals” into effect MOSCOW, Russia––Possession and handling of pit bulls and other dogs of dangerous breeds is to be strictly regulated throughout Russia, under a new national “Law on Responsible Treatment of Animals” signed into effect by Russian president Vladimir Putin on December 26, 2018. The new “Law […]
The gift of reindeer dwarfs the value of Christmas
Reindeer stand between us & the next Great Flood Admit it: you did not think about reindeer even once between the last Christmas season and this one. Even when you last did think of reindeer, you thought about them in association with Santa Claus. You probably never thought of reindeer as defenders of the Far […]
Drone video moves Russia to halt orca & beluga captures
Drone found 90 belugas & 13 orcas allegedly held pending sale to China VLADIVOSTOK, Russia––Responding to international outrage over drone video showing 90 belugas and 13 orcas in small holding pens in Srednaya Bay near Nakhodka, just north of Vladivostok in the Russian Far East, the Russian government in 2019 will prohibit whale captures, reports the […]
Drove out the snakes? What did St. Patrick do with the Irish wolves?
He made friends with them! DUBLIN, TEL AVIV, ROME––As of St. Patrick’s Day 2018, there are still no wild snakes in Ireland, more than 1,660 years after the patron saint of Ireland allegedly drove them all out. Paleontologists say there were never any wild snakes in Ireland in the first place. But there were […]
From Uzbekistan to Whidbey Island, Washington: Vegan Runner Eats
and goes the distance LANGLEY, Washington––“I’m going to become a mommy to a little girl this fall!,” Alina Zavatsky posted to the Vegan Runner Eats Facebook page on May 31, 2017. “I’ll be sharing more info on Vegan Runner Eats,” Zhukova Zavatsky pledged, “including my experience with running a 5k [five kilometer roadrace] a few days ago while 20 weeks pregnant––stay tuned!” Running blog Explains […]
Reindeer are the presents for remote Yamal herders
Gift reindeer may help for a while, but global warming dooms the herding way of life YAMAL PENINSULA, Siberia––Reindeer did not deliver presents to 45 families of herders on the remote Yamal Peninsula of Siberia at Christmas Eve 2016, but rather were the presents. The reindeer were sent to help the Yamalo-Nenets residents recover […]
What Brexit means for “pet passports” & lab animals
Part IV of a five-part series. (See also Will U.K. leaving E.U. mean leaving animal welfare behind?, Farmed animals & the Brexit “diet plan,” Farmed animals & money talks, and Back to the Jungle Book: U.K. wildlife law post-Brexit.) LONDON, U.K.––Among the signal achievements for animal welfare during the 43 years that the United Kingdom has been […]
Attack of the sausage-swingers: what was behind the raid on the vegan Kiwi Cafe?
Raid may have been more anti-gay than anti-vegan TBILISI, Georgia––The headline “Sausage-wielding protesters attack patrons at vegan café” and the shorter version, “Sausage thugs target vegan café,” flew around the world on June 1, 2016 at social media warp speed, amplified by at least 11,500 online media, before the bizarre story was upstaged by […]
WHO to recommend against global restrictions on ketamine
Regulators consider request from China (See also Loss of access to ketamine threatens progress in humane euthanasia, by Ruth Steinberger.) GENEVA, Switzerland––The World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug Dependence is to recommend at the March 2016 meeting of the United Nations Single Commission on Narcotic Drugs that the drug ketamine not be internationally regulated. […]