MONTCLAIR, N.J.—The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for throwing a kitten out of the window of a moving vehicle. The case: On June 24, 2022, between noon...
The term “roadkill” was coined in the 1940s, according to Merriam-Webster, entering the lexicon alongside “DDT” and other harbingers of a dystopian technological age that runs roughshod over the natural world. In the 1990s, the word became a cheeky insult when a rival called then-House Speaker Newt...
For years we managed our lovable but anxious cat’s behavior in ways that, looking back, seem silly. Pepper, an indoor cat, would become upset if she looked through the sliding glass door in our kitchen and saw another cat passing through our backyard. As she began to growl, we would hastily retreat...
It starts out mildly enough: Heading to work on the subway, you realize you forgot your wallet. No big deal, you think. I’ll borrow money to get home. Soon the lights go out and the train hurtles toward the sky, speeding through the atmosphere. Time passes—it’s hard to tell how long. The subway is...
Pop quiz: What’s the best way to help butterflies in your backyard? If you answered “Plant butterfly bush,” you’re in good company. A recent survey of my gardening friends elicited the same response from more than a few. It’s easy to understand why: Aside from its self-reinforcing moniker, the plant...
WASHINGTON—As inflation pushes prices higher, many families across the country are struggling to afford veterinary care, food and supplies for their beloved pets. Nowhere is this more acute than for families who were already experiencing systemic poverty. According to the latest consumer price index...
Many Marches ago, as I mindlessly contorted myself to pull a deep-rooted weed from the garden patch, my thoughts turned longingly to the smell of fresh basil that would eventually grace what I saw as a still-barren vegetable graveyard. This spot was not so lifeless as it appeared, I would soon learn...
The annual To the Rescue! gala supporting the work of the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, which took place on Nov. 3, 2023, at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised $2.2 million to benefit the organizations’ work to protect animals. Actress, author, producer and rabbit...
Around a decade ago, Black Beauty Ranch staff members found a tabby cat wandering the property. The HSUS sanctuary had hundreds of animals—including horses, pigs, bison and tigers—but a domestic cat was an odd sight. After realizing she had likely been dropped off by someone who could no longer care...
By some human standards, my pond is a hot mess. Underneath and around the water lilies are fallen leaves, branches and other debris of decomposing plants. Along the edges, sea oats, sedges and swamp sunflowers hug the rocks. But if humans are picky in their desire for orderliness, frogs are just as...