WASHINGTON - The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
announced today that a series of provisions passed by the
Senate during consideration of the Farm bill, S. 1731, amounts
to an historic and unprecedented advance for animal protection
in the United States. The Senate approved provisions to combat
animal fighting, to address inhumane treatment of farm animals,
to combat some abuses at puppy mills, and to halt the trade in
bear parts. There was one very harmful anti-animal amendment: a
measure to exclude protection from Animal Welfare Act standards
for birds, rats and mice used in research.
"Public opinion surveys demonstrate time and time again that
Americans care about the humane treatment of animals, and that
sentiment is being translated into policy with several major
animal protection provisions in the Farm Bill," said Wayne
Pacelle, HSUS senior vice president.
Animal Fighting - Championed by Senators Wayne Allard
(R-CO) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin
(D-IA), this provision combats cockfighting and dog fighting.
The language closes a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)
that had been in place since 1976 and bars any interstate
shipment of birds for fighting and any export of fighting dogs
or birds. The provision also increases penalties for animal
fighting violations, doubling current jail time and tripling
fines. The House approved identical language in its version of
the Farm Bill.
Puppy Mills - Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and
Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced this amendment that will
combat some acute abuses in the puppy mill industry. The
amendment - which is based on S. 1478, known as the Puppy
Protection Act - creates a "three strikes and you're out"
system for the worst offenders who repeatedly violate the
Animal Welfare Act. The amendment limits the number of litters
for breeding females, to give these dogs time to recover
between litters, and mandates that female dogs be at least one
year old before they are bred. It also requires that dogs be
adequately socialized with other dogs and with people to
enhance the dogs' well-being and to help prevent behavior
problems in the future. Representatives Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and
Sam Farr (D-CA) introduced a companion bill, H.R. 3058, which
has 135 cosponsors. The House-passed version of the Farm bill,
H.R. 2646, does not contain the puppy mill provision.
Downed Farm Animals - The Farm Bill also includes
language that addresses humane and public health concerns about
non-ambulatory farm animals. This provision, championed by
Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI), mandates
humane euthanasia of animals too weak from sickness or injury
to stand or walk at stockyards, auctions, and other
intermediate livestock markets. The legislation would prevent
ill or injured animals from being sent to slaughter, thereby
reducing animal suffering and food safety risks. Currently,
federal law does not bar the inhumane movement of downed
animals dragged with chains or pushed with forklifts or
bulldozers. In its Farm Bill, the House approved almost
identical language in a floor amendment offered by
Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-NY) and Amo Houghton
(R-NY).
Bear Protection Act - The Senate also passed, as an
amendment to the Farm Bill, the Bear Protection Act (BPA),
introduced in the 107th Congress as S. 1125 by Senator Mitch
McConnell (R-KY). The BPA would ban the import, export and
interstate commerce of bear gall bladders, bile and other
viscera, which are used in traditional Asian medicine. The
trade in bear parts drives the illegal killing of bears
throughout North America, and the BPA will provide law
enforcement with an additional tool to crack down on the parts
trade. The House Farm bill contains no language related to
bears, but the House companion bill, S. 397, introduced by Rep.
Elton Gallegly (R-CA), has 186 cosponsors.
Humane Slaughter Act - The Senate approved a
resolution calling on the USDA to enforce the Humane Slaughter
Act, originally passed in 1958. The House passed a similar
resolution during consideration of its version of the Farm
bill. Media reports had documented that still-conscious animals
were being skinned and dismembered in slaughterhouse lines,
which move animals at such high speeds that slaughterhouse
workers have great difficulty killing the animals humanely.
Birds, Rats and Mice in Research - The Senate
accepted an amendment introduced by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-NC) to
bar USDA from including mice, rats and birds under the AWA.
These animals, who make up 95 percent of animals used in
research, had been arbitrarily denied AWA coverage by the USDA.
A settlement agreement reached in 2000 with animal protection
groups that had sued the agency paved the way for mice, rats
and birds to be covered under this federal law. The House
version of the Farm Bill does not include this provision and
The HSUS will urge conference committee members to drop this
controversial provision that affects the lives of millions of
animals.
"The Humane Society of the United States praises the U.S.
Senate and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders Tom Harkin and
Richard Lugar for their efforts to end some of the worst abuses
of animals," said Pacelle. "While the exclusion of birds, rats,
and mice from basic animal welfare protection is unacceptable,
we are pleased by the extraordinary progress made on other
fronts, and we will fight for these provisions during the
House-Senate conference committee."
