So many interesting articles that I’ve come by in the past few days. Organized by general topic. Hope you enjoy them, too! My added thoughts are in italics.

Animal Welfare

Farm Bill Takes Aim at State Animal Welfare Laws. http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/Farm-bill-takes-aim-at-state-animal-welfare-laws-4992673.php. “The future of state laws that regulate everything from the size of a hen’s cage to the safe consumption of Gulf oysters may be at stake as farm bill negotiators work to resolve a long-simmering fight between agriculture and animal welfare interests.” Further reading on this controversy & how you can help stop this dangerous legislation: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/confinement_farm/king-amendment.html)

Papa John’s Pledges To Eliminate Gestation Crates From Pork Supply. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/papa-johns-gestation-crate_n_4274603.html. “We support the industry move away from traditional gestation crates and are encouraging our suppliers to explore alternative pregnant sow housing options. Our goal is to have significant movement to alternative housing by 2022, and we will seek suppliers who adopt a plan to implement this practice.” Well. Better than nothing, I guess. 

Emanuel wants to raise fees on horse-drawn carriages. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/clout/chi-emanuel-wants-to-raise-fees-on-horsedrawn-carriages-20131113,0,6462931.story. Chicago. Perhaps this will reduce carriage horses, which really should be phased out.

Animals & Entertainment

Cheetah Cruelty in “The Counselor”. http://www.globalanimal.org/2013/11/19/cheetah-cruelty-in-the-counselor. Jan Creamer, ADI President: “Cheetahs are wild animals with needs that cannot possibly be met in captivity, especially when forced to perform in films like The Counselor. I ask Ridley Scott, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Michael Fassbender to have no part in exploiting vulnerable animals for entertainment by pledging not to work with ‘animal actors’ in future.”

Stop Animal Circus Shows, Advocates Tell Government. http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/18/stop-animal-circus-shows-advocates-tell-government/ “We are against all kinds of animal performances,” said Lu Chendan of Nature University, “because whenever you use animals for the entertainment of humans you inflict pain on animals.'”

Health

Ground beef products recalled over possible E. coli contamination. http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/ground-beef-products-recalled-over-possible-e-coli-contamination-1.1549677. The products are Viandes Lauzon Lean Ground Beef and Viandes Lauzon Extra Lean Ground Beef, and they were sold to hotels, restaurants, institutions and daycare facilities in Quebec.

Speciesism

Coldblooded Does Not Mean Stupid. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/19/science/coldblooded-does-not-mean-stupid.html. Instead of posting a link to a comment or an article that promotes speciesism, I’d like to share an article that may help readers abandon their prejudice towards animals. “Humans have no exclusive claim on intelligence. Across the animal kingdom, all sorts of creatures have performed impressive intellectual feats.”

What have you been reading online? In the comments, add any links on these topics or more that you’d like to share!