Petition: Help Me Keep Sgt. Schultz! Pigs need the same rights as other pets, Massachusetts

Care2 PETITIONS
by: Evan M
target: Town of Hudson, Massachusetts

1,836 SUPPORTERS in Massachusetts
51,033 SUPPORTERS
55,000 GOAL

It has come to my attention that my town of Hudson, MA requires 60,000 sq ft of property to own a pig as a domestic pet. These laws were established over a decade ago in order to control breeding, and ensure proper sanitation for pigs raised as a food source. If this old rule is enforced, I would need to give up my dear pet miniature pig, Sgt. Schultz or move out of town!

It is now 2018 and these outdated laws don’t recognize what constitutes a domestic pet. Sgt. Schultz is a miniature pig (90% Juliana/10% pot-bellied), a wonderful companion animal and I couldn’t imagine being forced to give him up. Some people do not see a pig as a pet, but pet pigs are growing in popularity as the animals are being recognized as gentle and intelligent animals. Some experts say pig intelligence ranks third only to apes and dolphins!

Pigs are not only easily trained but are extremely clean and well-behaved. This petition is not meant to bypass town ordinances, but apply them equally. Please help me keep Sgt. Schultz and pave the way for equal footing for other wonderful and nurturing companions.
Sign Petition
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/223/584/593/

 

Coyotes get a bad rap

Exposing the Big Game

expert tells Parry Sound Nature Club Coyote Watch Canada hopes to change perception through education COMMUNITY Apr 02, 2018 by Cathy Novak Parry Sound North Star

Coyote watch <https://dynamicmedia.zuza.com/zz/m/original_/1/5/15d75dc9-737c-48e1-9c55-d12c72068e26/EDT_PS_Nature_club_Super_Portrait.jpg>

Coyotes get a bad reputation according to an official from Coyote Watch Canada. April 2, 2018. – Coyote Watch Canada

PARRY SOUND — The Parry Sound Nature Club was privileged to host a presentation by Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada at their meeting on March 21 at the West Parry Sound District Museum.

The meeting room was filled to capacity — seems coyotes and the chance to learn about coexisting peacefully with them is something many are interested in. Sampson opened her presentation with a beautiful photo of a coyote and the quote, “How you see me is but a mere reflection of you.” Coyotes have caught a bad rap in the past, and one of Lesley’s missions…

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Massive Oil Spill In Borneo, Indonesia, Claims The Lives Of 5 People & An Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin – World Animal News

BREAKING NEWS
By Lauren Lewis –
April 4, 2018

A dead Irrawaddy dolphin was found washed up on the shore near the oil spill. Photo courtesy of the Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI).
The Indonesian government issued a state of emergency yesterday following a major oil spill that occurred over the weekend in Borneo, Indonesia.
Tragically, five fishermen and one endangered dolphin have been confirmed dead so far as a result of the spill that occurred on Saturday morning in the Balikpapan Bay, in East Kalimantan province.
This morning, as per an AFP report on Yahoo7, Indonesia’s national oil company Pertamina, which originally denied responsibility, declared that the spill was, in fact, caused by a ruptured pipe that was used for transporting crude oil approximately 25 meters below the sea surface.
The Irrawaddy dolphin, which is listed as endangered on the ICUN Red List, was discovered on the shore near the spill on Sunday evening.
Distributed across the coastal Indian Ocean from India to Indonesia, the Irrawaddy dolphin’s relatively small size, mobile ‘expressive’ head, and ability to spit water when instructed have contributed to the recent rise in their captivity.

u.s.whales.org, Dipani Sutaria
While the toxic spill is believed to be the cause of the dolphin’s death, according to Mongabay, Danielle Kreb, a marine biologist with the non-profit organization Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI) explained that it would take up to a week before they receive the results of the samples they took from the animal.
A protected species under Indonesian law, killing an Irrawaddy dolphin carries fines and a possible jail sentence.
WAN prays there are no more deaths of people or animals affected by this tragic oil spill.

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TAGS:Animal News,Animal Protection,Animal Welfare,animal welfare organizations,
Dolphin,Endangered Species,Indonesia

http://worldanimalnews.com/massive-oil-spill-in-borneo-indonesia-claims-the-lives-of-5-people-an-endangered-irrawaddy-dolphin/

© Copyright 2016 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Federal Court Orders Trump Administration To Release Public Records On Wildlife Imports Within 14 Days! – World Animal News

BREAKING NEWS
By WAN –
April 4, 2018

A federal court in Arizona has ordered the Trump administration to release public records about how much wildlife is being imported into the United States, including live animals for the pet trade and dead animals destined for clothing and biomedical research.
The court found that the data, which includes the species’ names, quantity imported, and importing and exporting companies’ names, must be disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act.
As per the government’s website, “The basic function of the Freedom of Information Act is to ensure informed citizens, vital to the functioning of a democratic society.”
The ruling stems from a 2016 FOIA request filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, followed by litigation after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refused to provide all the data.
“The United States is a huge hub for the wildlife trade, including trade in imperiled animals and plants,” Tanya Sanerib, a senior attorney with the Center’s international program said in a statement. “The public has every right to know what wildlife is coming across our borders. Given the enormous threats from wildlife trafficking, we’re glad to know these records will see the light of day.”
The United States imports millions of wildlife and plant parts each year from around the globe. Imported products include birds, fish, and turtles destined for the pet trade; python-skin boots and fur coats for the fashion industry; corals, orchids, and shells used for home décor; lions and other animals killed as hunting “trophies”; and primates destined for medical research.
For decades the Fish and Wildlife Service has tracked wildlife import and export data and freely provided that data to conservation groups and the public. Beginning in 2016, however, the agency refused to release data from certain companies. Without the data, the public cannot track or evaluate whether U.S. trade is endangering wildlife at home or abroad and thus seek protections for those animals domestically or internationally.
The new court order directs the Service to release the disputed wildlife data within 14 days.
One step forward of many needed!

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TAGS:Animal News,Animal Protection,Animal Welfare,animal welfare organizations,
Freedom of Information Act,Trump Administration,US Fish And Wildlife

http://worldanimalnews.com/federal-court-orders-trump-administration-to-release-public-records-on-wildlife-imports-within-14-days/

© Copyright 2016 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Breaking News! Taiwan Announces Plans To End Its Domestic Ivory Market By 2020! – World Animal News

BREAKING NEWS
By Lauren Lewis –
April 4, 2018

On the heels of yesterday’s announcement that the UK will introduce a ban on ivory sales to help protect elephants, comes more good news!
This morning, WAN learned that Taiwan has become the latest territory to announce plans to close its domestic ivory market.
According to TRAFFIC, the Council of Agriculture presented amendments to the Wildlife Conservation Act yesterday that would result in the phase-out of Taiwan’s remaining domestic ivory market by 2020, while recommending stiff penalties for anyone found to be involved in illegal trade.
“This announcement is another step forward for the conservation of African Elephants,” Joyce Wu, Senior Programme Officer for TRAFFIC in Taiwan said in a statement. “In addition to ivory from existing stockpiles, steps should be taken to address illegal ivory imports into Taiwan so as not to undermine the market closure.”
The import and re-export of ivory have been banned in Taiwan since 1989, with domestic trade permitted only in stocks registered in 1995.
Recent cases, however, have highlighted a continuing problem with illegal ivory trade in the region. One such incident occurred on the March 4th when an individual was caught on suspicion of attempting to smuggle concealed ivory carvings into Taipei from Osaka, Japan.

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TAGS:Animal News,Animal Protection,Animal Welfare,animal welfare organizations,
Elephant Ivory,Ivory ban,Taiwan

http://worldanimalnews.com/breaking-news-taiwan-announces-plans-to-end-its-domestic-ivory-market-by-2020/

By going vegan, America could feed an additional 390 million people, study suggests

Exposing the Big Game

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-more-food-vegan-20180326-story.html

By KAREN  KA PLAN

MAR 26, 2018 | 2:55 PM

   

It takes much more land to produce edible protein from pigs, cattle and chickens than it does to grow it from plants, according to new research. (Chuck Liddy / TNS)

 

More than 41 million Americans find themselves at risk of going hungry at some point during the year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. New research suggests the country could feed all 327 million Americans — plus roughly 390 million more — by focusing on plants.

If U.S. farmers took all the land currently devoted to raising cattle, pigs and chickens and used it to grow plants instead, they could sustain more than twice as many people as they do now, according to a report published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of…

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