A weekly round-up of the most important animal stories happening around the world.
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NYC Health Initiative Has Now Served Over 1 Million Plant-Based Meals In Hospitals
“Many of the conditions that bring our patients to the hospital – like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes – can be improved with plant-based eating”, says the hospital’s President.
Robotic Police Dog Who Was Shot Three Times Is Credited for Helping to Apprehend Armed Suspect
Massachusetts state police’s futuristic companion shows how innovative solutions like robotics could help reduce the number of animals used in dangerous police missions.
Virginia Man Charged for “Ringleader” Role in Global Monkey Torture Network
The alleged criminal is accused of making sadistic videos of monkeys being tortured and killed for paying customers around the world.
Man Tapes Wolf’s Mouth Shut, Parades Around Bar, Then Shoots Dead - He was Fined $250
The Wyoming man allegedly ran the wolf down with a snowmobile, then prolonged the animal’s suffering by showing them off at a local bar. Now, Species Unite’s 95,000-strong community is calling for justice.
US County Set to Decide Whether to Ban Factory Farms in Historic Vote
Over 35,000 citizens of Sonoma County have pledged support for the ban, which is now headed for the ballot and could set a landmark precedent in the fight against factory farms.
Wild Horse Advocates Win lawsuit challenging Bureau of Land Management’s handling of Mustang roundups
In a rare legal win for wild horse advocates, a US judge ruled that the Bureau of Land Management delayed herd management plans for a Nevada wild horse roundup where 31 mustangs died.
Hope for Elephants: U.S. Restricts the Import of Elephant Hunting Trophies
The move is a win for conservationists, who say America imports more hunting trophies than any other country in the world.
Wolves Spotted in Nevada for First Time in Nearly a Decade
The sighting of three wolves in the Silver State is a positive sign that wolf populations are recovering in the area.
‘Monkeys Will Suffer’: Petition To Stop Plans for the Biggest Macaque Breeding Facility in the US Passes 10,000 Signatures
The proposed facility in a small town in Georgia could hold up to 30,000 monkeys who will be sold to be used in animal testing, but the plans are facing pressure from Species Unite supporters.
Chick-fil-A To Allow Antibiotics in its Chicken Products
The fast food giant is ditching its “no antibiotics ever” label in a move that highlights the meat industry’s reliance on feeding antibiotics to farmed animals.
Bird Flu Detected for First Time in Cow’s Milk Across Texas, Kansas and New Mexico
The US Department of Agriculture has identified cases of bird flu on dairy farms in the US, describing the situation as ‘rapidly evolving’.
Sixteen Bear Cubs Rescued from Wildlife Trafficker
The orphaned moon bears have been taken to a sanctuary after government officials in Laos discovered them being illegally kept at a house in the country’s capital.
US Bill That Would Ban Trophy Hunting Imports of Threatened Species Reintroduced
If passed, the ProTECT Act would also ban domestic hunting of at-risk species in the US.
‘Significant Victory’: Canada’s Largest Horse Slaughter Feedlot has Permanently Closed
The majority of horses exported for slaughter from the United States were sent to Bouvry Exports Prime Feedlot, where they endured appalling conditions for up to six months.
This New Plant-Based Octopus Tentacle Could Help Keep Octopus in the Ocean
An innovative company has unveiled the first-of-its-kind plant-based tentacle in a move that could help solve the world’s unsustainable demand for octopus meat.
“World’s First” Pet Food With Cultivated Chicken Set to Launch
With the pet food industry responsible for around 20 percent of meat globally, cultivating meat in a lab rather than farming animals could help transform the market in a healthy and sustainable way.
Rare “Super Tusker” Elephant Shot to Death in Tanzania Reignites Calls for Trophy Hunting Ban
An American trophy hunter from Texas is alleged to be responsible for the killing, as trophy hunting in the area threatens the survival of the iconic Amboseli elephant population.
Canada Wants to market Seal Meat as a seafood delicacy to Boost Demand for the Controversial Product
The recently appointed Fisheries Minister of Canada is focusing on increasing sales of seal meat, despite widespread international condemnation of the annual hunt, where hundreds of thousands of harp seals are bludgeoned to death each year.
First Plant-Based Oscar Mayer Hotdog Launched by Kraft Heinz Not Company
The 140-year-old company has released a plant-based version of its famous hot dogs, marking the first alternative meat innovation from the joint venture between The Kraft Heinz Company and TheNotCompany.
Customs Officials Find Red Panda, Snakes, and Monkeys in Baggage at Thailand Airport
Six people have been arrested after trying to smuggle a total of 87 live animals in their luggage.