1. Spring 2012

2. The Year in Review and What’s Ahead

3. Thanks to a concerted lobbying push by The HSUS
and HSLF and its supporters…

4. As the first year of the 112th Congress draws
to a close, let’s take stock of how animal
protection fared in 2011.

6. Deficit reduction was the theme this year. Nevertheless, thanks
to a concerted lobbying push by The HSUS and HSLF and its
supporters, Congress approved some record-level boosts for
key animal welfare programs in fiscal year 2012:

7. Almost a 20 percent jump (more than $5 million increase) in the U.S.
Department of Agriculture’s annual budget to strengthen inspections
and enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act at about 12,000
sites, including puppy mills, laboratories, zoos, circuses, and other
facilities.

8. A nearly 40 percent jump ($196,000 increase) for USDA’s enforcement of the
Horse Protection Act, which had been stuck at the inadequate ceiling of
$500,000 since 1976. These funds will help USDA crack down on the cruel and
illegal practice of “soring” show horses, the intentional use of caustic chemicals
and sharp objects on horses’ hooves and legs to make it painful for them to
step down and give them an artificial, high-stepping gait in show
competitions—in other words, deliberate infliction of severe pain in order to
cheat and win prizes.

9. A 17 percent jump ($2.32 million increase) for
USDA’s Investigative and Enforcement
Services, which does follow-up work on a
range of cases including those under the

10. Maintaining $4.8 million (same as last year) for the veterinary student loan
forgiveness program that helps ease the shortage of veterinarians practicing in
rural areas and in government positions (such as those overseeing humane
slaughter and Animal Welfare Act rules), by forgiving student debt for those
who choose to practice in one of those underserved areas.

11. At least $20 million to help ensure implementation of labor and
environmental provisions—including for wildlife protection
programs—under free trade agreements with countries of
Central America, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.

12. Thanks to the work of the Center for Biological
Diversity and others, $4 million to study and
combat white-nose syndrome, a lethal disease
that has had a devastating impact on millions
of bats in North America.

13. In addition to funding animal welfare programs, the
appropriations committees also included helpful
report language directing the federal agencies and
expressing concern about a number of important
issues.

14. Humane Slaughter —directing USDA to ensure that funds intended to strengthen
oversight of humane handling rules are being used that way.
(Appropriations Committee Reports)

15. Animal Fighting —expressing strong concern
and urging USDA to work with relevant
agencies to investigate and enforce laws
against dogfighting and cockfighting.

16. Antibiotics in Animal Agriculture —urging the Food and Drug
Administration to take several specific actions to move forward on
addressing the overuse of antibiotics in livestock for non-therapeutic
purposes, a common practice on factory farms. Sen. Dianne
Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., led efforts on
this.

17. Pet Theft for Research—directing the National Institutes of Health to
expedite its phase-out of Class B dealer-acquired dogs and cats in
research (such dealers obtain animals through random sources, which
can include theft of family pets and fraudulent response to “free to
good home” ads). Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, played the key role on
this.

18. Alternatives Development—requiring the NIH to prioritize funding for transition to
computational, molecular and other non-animal tests for chemical risk assessment and
drug testing, and report to Congress on progress; also requiring the Environmental
Protection Agency to move to computational toxicology and other non-animal testing for
the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program. Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., and Sen. Harkin
championed these efforts.

19. As part of the final funding bill for USDA, Congress agreed to prohibit
agribusiness subsidy direct payments to millionaires (individuals or legal
entities with an average Adjusted Gross Income in excess of $1 million). Sen.
Tom Coburn, R-Okla., offered an amendment that was approved by an
overwhelming 84-15 vote.

20. An anti-wildlife rider (“extinction rider”) would have prevented
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing some of
the most crucial sections of the Endangered Species Act, such
as protecting any new species and designating critical habitat
for currently listed species.

21. The final funding bill for the Interior Department contained a
provision barring the Bureau of Land Management from killing
healthy, unadopted wild horses and burros or selling them for
slaughter, as in past years.

22. The Senate’s Defense Department authorization bill would have
inadvertently eliminated a prohibition in the Uniform Code of Military
Justice against acts of bestiality by service members, as the Senate
dealt with the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. After we
contacted the key members of the House-Senate conference
committee, the conferees restored the ban on bestiality.

23. The Army agreed to halt testing on monkeys of
nerve agents meant to simulate a nerve gas
attack, as urged by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md.

24. For Friday: Setbacks and Key Issues Ahead
Assignment: (1) Review Class Site
(2) Read PowerPoint on Who is Responsible for Animals under New York Issues. This
should be review to you from Animal Law I.