It’s not easy to accept that all things must eventually come to an end. We often go into denial in the face of the inevitable and airbrush away the aftermath when it does occur. So it probably shouldn’t have surprised me to read about a gardener who glossed over the demise of an entire tree with...
As monarch butterflies and hummingbirds headed south this fall, I dreamt of following my favorite snowbirds to Mexico and Central America. But I stayed home instead, where I have a window onto the spectacular world of winter wildlife: northern flickers tossing maple leaves with their beaks in search...
In response to Kentucky’s Churchill Downs horse racing track announcement of a halt to racing upon the recommendation of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund issued the following statement. Keith Dane, senior...
It was the shot heard around the world. An American trophy hunter shot and severely injured Cecil with an arrow after he was lured outside Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe with elephant carcass bait. About 10 hours later, the hunting party tracked him down. A second arrow ended Cecil’s life. The...
Longtime Trust friend Fred Ziegler became the first founding member of the Humane Stewardship Alliance , pledging to follow humane stewardship principles in managing his nearly 2900 acres in Tennessee. With three streams and 1.5 miles of frontage along one of North America’s most biologically rich...
It’s March 2021, and then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki is holding a press conference. Newly elected President Joe Biden has been in office for less than two months, and the hard-charging White House press corps, always on the lookout for broken political promises, wants answers about the...
The Humane Society of the United States is responding to the needs of animals in the wake of deadly tornadoes in Kentucky. The HSUS received a request for search and rescue assistance from the Mayfield-Graves Animal Shelter. “Our rescue team is on the ground in Kentucky to alleviate the suffering of...
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...
WASHINGTON—Thousands of trophy hunters from around the world will gather next week in Reno, Nevada (February 5 through 8), for Safari Club International’s annual convention, which will feature approximately 870 exhibitors showcasing and selling trophy hunting opportunities and wildlife parts and...
A raccoon in the chimney, a groundhog under the shed, a skunk under the back porch … when confronted with wildlife living up-close in their own homes or backyards, well-meaning but harried homeowners often resort to what they see as the most humane solution—live-trapping the animal and then setting...
Standing in the street and admiring each other’s gardens one day, Sherrie Pelsma and her neighbor made a discovery: They’d become hosts to a buzzing block party. “We could actually see the air traffic of bees and butterflies crossing the street between our two habitats,” recalls Pelsma. “I said,...
TEXAS—In May 2021, the headline-making search for a missing pet tiger named India was underway in Houston. Once he was found by authorities , the nine-month-old, 134-pound cub was transported to his forever home at Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas. This month marks India’s one year anniversary...
Danielle Tepper had always loved dolphins . When she went on vacation to Hawaii, she knew she had to see them firsthand. Tepper—now a senior editor at the Humane Society of the United States—wanted to do it ethically, so she avoided captive dolphin attractions . Instead, she booked an excursion to...
I’m a bird lover with an aversion to bird feeders. That sentiment tends to ruffle feathers, especially in Western countries where more than half of all households contribute to a multibillion-dollar bird feeding industry. But in light of the potential harm caused by indiscriminate feeding, it’s...
Across the country, entire communities ban or restrict dogs because of their breed or perceived breed. The HSUS opposes such public policies as inhumane and ineffective. There is no evidence that breed-specific laws reduce dog bites or attacks on people and they divert resources from more effective...
MURCHISON, Texas—The wild Assateague Island horse who was removed from the Maryland tourist attraction by the National Park Service last month, is settling in seamlessly at Black Beauty Ranch, part of the Humane Society of the United States. The 13-year-old horse named Delegate’s Pride—also known as...
So your indoor cat wants to go outdoors—but you know that keeping cats inside is better for their safety and the safety of wild animals. What’s a caring cat guardian to do? Enter catios, or cat patios. These screened porches designed for cats provide enrichment and a (safe) way to spend time in...