Summer 2020

Volume
69
Number
2
Summer 2020 Quarterly Cover
About the Cover

A ground pangolin (Smutsia temminckii). Pangolins are the world’s most trafficked mammal, hunted for their meat and scales, which—though made of simple keratin—are coveted for inclusion in traditional medicines. Wildlife trade, both legal and illegal, is not just harmful to animals. It’s harmful to us. This year, we are finding out just how dangerous it can be, as the COVID-19 virus—which jumped to us from captured wildlife—spreads around the globe and wreaks havoc on human society. For more on how wildlife trade and deadly pandemics are intertwined, turn to page 14.

Table of Contents

Animals in Laboratories

For most people with pets, handling and training their animals is important. Living with an “undomesticated” pet can be trying, especially when the day comes for a visit to the veterinarian. The same should be...
AWI is pleased to announce the addition of new features to our online Refinement Database. These features make the database more searchable and improve its usability, making it easier to find current information on ways...
I would not allow animals from this facility into my program. So stated Tracy Parker, president of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS), in a hard-hitting article by Meredith Wadman in late May...

Companion Animals

by Caroline A. Griffin, Esq., AWI Board of Directors We have borne witness to the devastating effects of COVID-19, which is wreaking havoc throughout the United States and across the globe. While our attention has...
During the COVID-19 crisis, equine rescues across the country are contending with dwindling supplies, support, and income. These rescues often rely on fundraising events such as open houses and adoption fees as revenue sources, and...

Farmed Animals

In early 2008, a slaughterhouse investigation revealed multiple incidents of egregious cruelty to cattle at the Westland-Hallmark Meat Packing Co. in Chino, California, resulting in widespread public outrage and the largest beef recall in US...
In April, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed into law SB 21, now allowing veterinarians to report incidents of animal abuse and mistreatment, including those involving farm animals covered under the state’s on-farm livestock and poultry...
Major natural disasters and public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have the potential to impact farm animal welfare in many ways. For example, illness among farm workers can significantly compromise a farm’s ability...
AWI is pleased to learn the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) was recently awarded a $150,000 grant through the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) to study the impacts of environmental...

Marine Life

Ships carry over 90 percent of the world’s trade. Recent research conducted off the coast of British Columbia has found that reduced ship traffic due to COVID-19 shutdowns has led to a reduction in ocean...
Accredited zoos, aquariums, marine theme parks, and swim-with-dolphin operations—places that naturally concentrate large groups of people—were among the first tourism venues to close their doors in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By May, over 90...
In summer 2018, 101 whales—90 belugas and 11 orcas—were captured in a single operation in the Okhotsk Sea and held in a sea pen complex near Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East. All of them were...
The nesting season of sea turtles has begun in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time, mother turtles digging nests in the sand are often disturbed by human beachgoers. Newborn hatchlings face similar disturbance when returning...
Recent studies have linked anthropogenic stressors to disease occurrence in marine species. In a 2019 study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B , Allison Tracy and others examined relevant studies published between 1970...

Terrestrial Wildlife

Most of the news we receive during the pandemic is extremely dire, and the heartbreak and disruption it has caused and will continue to cause cannot be glossed over. Even so, some wondrous things are...
In a significant victory, Colorado has banned wildlife killing contests. Such contests are cruel events in which participants kill animals for cash, prizes, and entertainment, often with awards given for the most number of animals...
Being responsible and sheltering at home is one way to limit the spread of COVID-19. Changing our relationship with wildlife and farm animals, however, would help keep deadly zoonotic diseases out of the human population...
Responding to advocacy by a coalition of animal protection and conservation groups, including AWI, Humboldt County, California, approved a new contract with the federal wildlife-killing program, Wildlife Services, that adds vital protections for the county’s...
A tiger removed from a tiny apartment in New York City by first responders after he bit his owner. Lions running down the highway after 38 big cats were released in a residential area of...

Government Affairs

In other news related to horse welfare, a major victory was gained when the Chicago City Council voted 46–4 to ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city. The law takes effect next year...
The use of double-deck trailers to transport horses is inhumane and can lead to debilitating injuries. With their low ceiling clearance, these trailers are designed to haul shorter and stouter animals such as cattle and...
Although the coronavirus pandemic kept Congress more or less shuttered this spring, AWI nonetheless worked with legislators to get strong animal welfare positions on record. A bipartisan group of 78 representatives and 32 senators asked...
The US Department of Agriculture is making significant changes to the licensing requirements under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), and is increasing requirements for dogs at the premises of dealers, research facilities, and exhibitors. The...

Reviews

Night on Earth reveals the startling activity of the natural world hiding behind the dark curtain of night. From the producer of Plant Earth II, this six-part Netflix series follows nocturnal animals using sophisticated, low-light...
In 1977, Barrie experienced the quintessential nightmare for a bear biologist. He surprised a female grizzly bear and was attacked while conducting some of his first work with bears in Yellowstone National Park. He survived...
Seven Worlds, One Planet is a BBC docu-series that wonderfully brings the natural world of seven continents to viewers with beautiful cinematography and narration by the incomparable Sir David Attenborough. Each episode is devoted to...