A weekly round-up of the most important animal stories happening around the world.
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Cow's Milk at US Grocery Stores Tests Positive for Bird Flu
The news comes just weeks after H5N1 bird flu was identified for the first time among dairy cattle in Texas and Kansas.
Could the Fur Industry Cause the Next Global Pandemic?
A new study has revealed fur farms in China are holding thousands of animals in close proximity despite the risk of zoonotic disease spread.
Birth Control Could Help Manage Rats in NYC, New Bill Suggests
The bill aims for safer and humane alternatives for rat control, and hopes to protect the city’s wildlife who can be killed by eating poisoned rats - including Flaco the Owl who died back in February.
Future of Food: This Company Just Opened the World’s First “Air Protein” Factory
Solar Foods’ revolutionary protein is made from a microorganism that can be cultivated with CO2 - meaning sustainable protein can be made from air.
Global Attempts to Ban “Meaty” Labels on Plant-Based Foods Aren’t Working
Legal actions to limit the use of words like “steak” and “burger” on plant-based meat alternatives are losing in the courtroom as both France and South Africa ruled this week in favor of plant-based companies.
New Footage Reveals Wyoming’s Tormented Wolf’s Final Moments
Heartbreaking footage has revealed the final moments of the wolf who was run down with a snowmobile, dragged into a local bar and tormented, before being shot.
Conservation Groups Launch Legal Challenge Against Government’s Inaction for Wolves in Northern Rockies
The lawsuit says the US Fish and Wildlife Service is illegally denying protections to wolves.
NYC Health Initiative Has Now Served Over 1 Million Plant-Based Meals In Hospitals
“Many of the conditions that bring our patients to the hospital – like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes – can be improved with plant-based eating”, says the hospital’s President.
Robotic Police Dog Who Was Shot Three Times Is Credited for Helping to Apprehend Armed Suspect
Massachusetts state police’s futuristic companion shows how innovative solutions like robotics could help reduce the number of animals used in dangerous police missions.
Virginia Man Charged for “Ringleader” Role in Global Monkey Torture Network
The alleged criminal is accused of making sadistic videos of monkeys being tortured and killed for paying customers around the world.
Man Tapes Wolf’s Mouth Shut, Parades Around Bar, Then Shoots Dead - He was Fined $250
The Wyoming man allegedly ran the wolf down with a snowmobile, then prolonged the animal’s suffering by showing them off at a local bar. Now, Species Unite’s 95,000-strong community is calling for justice.
US County Set to Decide Whether to Ban Factory Farms in Historic Vote
Over 35,000 citizens of Sonoma County have pledged support for the ban, which is now headed for the ballot and could set a landmark precedent in the fight against factory farms.
Wild Horse Advocates Win lawsuit challenging Bureau of Land Management’s handling of Mustang roundups
In a rare legal win for wild horse advocates, a US judge ruled that the Bureau of Land Management delayed herd management plans for a Nevada wild horse roundup where 31 mustangs died.
Hope for Elephants: U.S. Restricts the Import of Elephant Hunting Trophies
The move is a win for conservationists, who say America imports more hunting trophies than any other country in the world.
Wolves Spotted in Nevada for First Time in Nearly a Decade
The sighting of three wolves in the Silver State is a positive sign that wolf populations are recovering in the area.
‘Monkeys Will Suffer’: Petition To Stop Plans for the Biggest Macaque Breeding Facility in the US Passes 10,000 Signatures
The proposed facility in a small town in Georgia could hold up to 30,000 monkeys who will be sold to be used in animal testing, but the plans are facing pressure from Species Unite supporters.
Chick-fil-A To Allow Antibiotics in its Chicken Products
The fast food giant is ditching its “no antibiotics ever” label in a move that highlights the meat industry’s reliance on feeding antibiotics to farmed animals.
Bird Flu Detected for First Time in Cow’s Milk Across Texas, Kansas and New Mexico
The US Department of Agriculture has identified cases of bird flu on dairy farms in the US, describing the situation as ‘rapidly evolving’.
Sixteen Bear Cubs Rescued from Wildlife Trafficker
The orphaned moon bears have been taken to a sanctuary after government officials in Laos discovered them being illegally kept at a house in the country’s capital.
US Bill That Would Ban Trophy Hunting Imports of Threatened Species Reintroduced
If passed, the ProTECT Act would also ban domestic hunting of at-risk species in the US.