WASHINGTON—The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund are criticizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture for proposing to withdraw a regulation that would have protected horses from the cruel and unlawful practice of “soring.” In response to a May 12 order issued by...

Flying back and forth over Cape Cod Bay, a survey plane spotted a half dozen of the world’s rarest creatures: North Atlantic right whales. Such sightings are good news. The species hovers near extinction—by one estimate, fewer than 360 remain. Each time researchers locate a whale, they take pictures...

The public display industry keeps many species of marine mammals captive in concrete tanks, especially whales and dolphins. The Humane Society of the United States believes that these animals are best seen in their natural coastal and ocean environments instead of being held captive simply to...

In November 2022, our Animal Rescue Team responded to an alleged neglect case in Ashland County, Ohio where 16 horses, six goats and several cats and dogs were trapped in dirty, dark conditions—many of the horses were forced to stand in feet-high piles of their own waste.

WASHINGTON—Following the recent spate of horse deaths at the Saratoga Race Course this summer, Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States released the following statement: “In a tragic and disturbing summer at the Saratoga Race Course, 11 horses have died. Many of...

Keith Dane, senior director of equine protection for the Humane Society of the United States released the following statement regarding tomorrow’s Triple Crown at Belmont in New York: “As we head into the final leg of the Triple Crown at Belmont in New York, we reflect on the string of horse deaths...

WASHINGTON—The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund commend the efforts to successfully prosecute individuals involved in a massive racehorse doping scandal. Seth Fishman, a veterinarian from Florida, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after a jury found him...

Cockfighting is an age-old practice in which two or more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, are placed in an enclosed pit to fight for the primary purposes of gambling and entertainment. A typical cockfight can last anywhere from several minutes to more than half an hour and usually results...

Dogfighting is where dogs who have been bred, conditioned and trained to fight are placed in a pit to fight each other for spectator entertainment and profit. Fights average one to two hours, ending when one of the dogs cannot continue. What can I do to help stop dogfights? Learn how to spot the...

CERRILLOS, New Mexico —The Humane Society of the United States’ Forever Foundation program held a clinic earlier this month at the Horse Shelter in New Mexico for trainers and volunteers from around the country to learn how to safely and efficiently work with their horses and prepare them for...

The Humane Society of the United States and several of its individual members involved in the Tennessee walking horse industry, together with Humane Society Legislative Fund, have prevailed in a case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that challenged the United...

COLUMBIA, S.C.—Yesterday, the Humane Society of the United States assisted the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General with the seizure of 275 dogs from an alleged dogfighting operation throughout multiple properties in the Columbia, South Carolina, area. South Carolina Law...

Today the Humane Society of the United States honored Carl Bledsoe as its Humane Horseman of the Year at the Horse World Expo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The annual award honors individuals who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to protecting America’s equines. Bledsoe’s journey in the horse...

WASHINGTON—Keith Dane, senior director of Equine Protection at the Humane Society of the United States, released the following statement regarding the race at Churchill Downs: "The absence of horse deaths at the Kentucky Derby is welcome news, not least because it demonstrates what is possible under...

WASHINGTON— As racing commences at Churchill Downs ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund call for change to address the devastating loss of horse life at each of the Triple Crown races last year, and racing in general. The dark...

On a longline fishing boat off the Galapagos Islands, a concerned biologist working undercover as a cook films a horrifying scene. As the camera rolls, a blue shark is dragged upside down out of the water, a sharp hook piercing it through the roof of the mouth and out through the side of the face...

WASHINGTON—The Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 3090, which aims to put an end to the cruel practice of horse soring, has been reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives with a strong bipartisan set of 185 original co-sponsors led by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Steve Cohen, D...