Breaking News from Humane Society U.S.. I have attached their letter regarding the animal issues that have been resolved in the month of April. There are some small victories and big victories, but for many of us regarding animal welfare and their protection laws all victories are huge. These victories included animal welfare and the damaging anti-protection riders that attach to these bills. Working with our Representatives, and Senators, they stopped many of the damaging riders. USDA ruled to end all horse soring on all farms( e.g. Tennessee Walkers). The National Park Service ruled barring all barbaric action against killing Grizzley's, and all wolves, (endangered) on Alaska preserves. Terrific news for Florida, as the Black Bear Hunt is halted and no further action will be taken until 2019. In Los Angeles they voted to ban all wildlife and exotic animals from the entertainment industry. Humane Society U.S. and their affiliates e.g. Humane Society International work with legislation, and educate government officials of other countries the importance of animal protection, the inhumane dog meat trade and to halt the slaughtering of Endangered Species. These are important issues for everyone and we have some grand victories. Please share Mahalo

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Congress passed a spending bill that advances animal welfare and avoids damaging cuts. Working with our allies in the House and Senate, we staved off several anti-animal-protection riders, held the line on enforcement funding for critical animal protection programs and even won new provisions and declarations that could help tens of thousands of animals in the months ahead. Luckily, the bill also contained no harmful language to block important reforms, including a USDA rule to strengthen organic animal welfare standards, a USDA rule to end horse soring (which is currently frozen) and a National Park Service rule barring inhumane hunting practices to kill grizzly bears and wolves on National Preserves in Alaska. In other news, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission voted by a 4-3 margin not to proceed with a black bear hunt. The especially good news is that the commissioners voted to maintain the moratorium through the end of 2018 and to delay revisiting the issue until 2019. The city council of Los Angeles, which is the nation’s second largest city and the capital of the entertainment industry, unanimously voted to ban the exhibition of wild or exotic animals for entertainment, including circuses, other wild animal shows, displays in public areas such as on sidewalks or parks and rentals for house parties or events. And in Georgia, our Animal Rescue Team helped save animals from a property in Habersham County, pulling more than 350 dogs, cats and other animals from squalid conditions there. Donkeys, a horse, bunnies, chickens, ducks, geese, goats, sheep and an alpaca were moving around in search of clean water. Hundreds of dogs had been living in their own waste and many were suffering from a variety of skin and eye conditions. Our team was on the ground, constructing an emergency shelter and giving the animals nourishment, water and medical attention. We need laws and enforcement to prevent this kind of cruelty. And that’s why we work on both fronts to come to the aid of animals in crisis and also to create a legal framework to avoid this sort of scenario in the first place. Everyone's support helps strengthen our efforts and we could not celebrate these achievements without you. Thank you for standing with us. --Wayne Wayne Pacelle President and CEO The Humane Society of the United States 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 450   Washington, DC 20037