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Nov 27, 2006:
Ohio is the latest of a growing number of states to establish enforceable trusts to provide for the care of pets after owners die or become incapacitated.
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Nov 20, 2006:
Whistleblower at Ohio pound to receive $10,000 in settlement of employment discrimination suit, but must remain silent in exchange.
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Nov 16, 2006:
After heavy involvement in the recent election, the Des Moines Register reports that the Humane Society Legislative Fund is becoming a political force to be reckoned with.
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Nov 16, 2006:
Several groups have filed suit against New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to prohibit the production and sale of foie gras as an adulterated food product.
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Nov 13, 2006:
Despite vocal opposition by animal welfare advocates, the U.S. House quicky passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act Monday.
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Nov 11, 2006:
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act may be fast-tracked through the U.S. House Monday, limiting the right to protest for animal welfare.
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Nov 10, 2006:
Time is running out, please call your U.S. Senators on the national call-in day Dec. 5 and ask them to support a permanent ban on horse slaughter.
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Nov 7, 2006:
Man is sentenced to six months in jail for putting his wife's dog in a 200-degree oven, while humane officials say they will petition the legislature again this session to pass tougher anti-cruelty laws.
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Nov 6, 2006:
Ballot initiative would preempt law that passed in the state legislature in 2004, allowing dove hunting in the state for the first time in 100 years.
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Nov 3, 2006:
Suit by Animal Legal Defense Fund is filed under California anti-cruelty laws, which say that animals must be given adequate room to exercise.
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Nov 3, 2006:
Animal welfare groups are celebrating as New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has blocked an annual black bear hunt, asking for his administration to explore non-lethal measures to control the bear population.
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Nov 2, 2006:
The country music star writes that "Americans have a small window of opportunity to save a living legend" and urges people to contact their Senators immediately to urge passage of the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
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Nov 2, 2006:
Ruling states that Vallejo police officers who arrested Kuba do not have immunity that protects them from charges of assault and battery.
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Oct 31, 2006:
A Florida judge has ruled that Steve and Doreen Courture will probably win their case to regain custody of their dogs, Master Tank and Nila, but they will likely not have the dogs returned to them until after a jury trial next year.
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Oct 31, 2006:
Landmark proposal would help provide relief from the “sunless hell” in which pigs and calves are kept on factory farms.
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Oct 29, 2006:
As bill to ban horse slaughter in the U.S. remains pending in Congress, slaughterhouses rush to kill as many as possible before possible shutdown.
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Oct 28, 2006:
After decades of controversy, Pennsylvania may finally outlaw the barbaric events, during which thousands of tame birds are brutally killed and discarded.
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Oct 27, 2006:
Workers with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have been charged with "stealing" a hunting dog reportedly found wandering along the side of the road in rural Virginia.
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Oct 19, 2006:
Following a lengthy court battle, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) has agreed to release more than 113,000 pages of records about the care of primates used in research.
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Oct 18, 2006:
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act threatens to criminalize peaceful protests for animal rights, and to raise petty vandalism to the level of “terrorism.
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Oct 17, 2006:
Governor Rendell creates new task force to enforce existing laws on breeders, and proposes strengthened cruelty legislation and tougher puppy mill regulation.
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Oct 14, 2006:
The Animal Protection Institute filed suit Thursday against the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W) to stop the agency from continuing to violate the Endangered Species Act by allowing trappers to use traps that injure and sometimes kill threatened and endangered species.
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Oct 14, 2006:
Greyhound protection group GREY2K USA has filed a complaint with Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly, asking him to open a criminal investigation into alleged acts of perjury committed by state racing officials.
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Oct 5, 2006:
Part Two of Two --Critics and county officials continue to clash over current and past allegations of abuse and neglect at the Ohio facility.
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Oct 3, 2006:
Federal judge rules that US Fish and Wildlife Service review threats against the wolverine and consider granting the species endangered or threatened status.
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Oct 3, 2006:
Agency reverses longstanding position in response to challenge from animal welfare groups, and issues a decision enforcing the 28-hour law for farm animals hauled on trucks.
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Oct 3, 2006:
Part One of Two -- Rescuers claim Summit County animal control facility perpetrates numerous atrocities against animals in its care, while county officials claim these allegations are lies with a political motive.
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Sep 28, 2006:
Advocates are relieved, as story circulated that governor might not sign bill that bars owners from chaining their dogs to stationary objects for more than three hours a day.
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Sep 28, 2006:
Update Oct. 1: The Senate passed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act last night by unanimous consent.
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Sep 28, 2006:
Nearly 300 animals seized from Long Beach, CA rescue facility are in the middle of a legal tug-of-war over their future.
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Sep 26, 2006:
Two members of city council who voted in favor of the ban are now leading the effort to repeal the act, claiming that the anti-cruelty act is "ridiculous," and makes the city a "laughingstock."
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Sep 22, 2006:
New study confirms body-gripping traps and snares pose significant danger to endangered animals, including Canada lynx, Bald eagles, and Gray wolves.
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Sep 20, 2006:
Federal court allows suit to proceed that challenges the USDA policy of excluding poultry from humane slaughter act, thus giving slaughtered birds no protection from inhumane treatment.
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Sep 17, 2006:
Months after the former Georgia dog sanctuary was closed by the state Department of Agriculture, heroic rescuers still struggle to care for more than 40 animals and find them homes.
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Sep 15, 2006:
Animal advocates call for U.S. labratories to release 12 chimpanzees who have been research subjects for more than 40 years.
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Sep 13, 2006:
Dogs Deserve Better Founder Tammy Grimes tells the story of her Monday arrest for taking "Doogie" off his chain and refusing to return him, and asks for your help.
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Sep 12, 2006:
Dogs Deserve Better Founder Tammy Grimes asks for your help in her stand against authorities, as she fights to help a chained dog who was malnourished, ill, and unable to stand.
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Sep 12, 2006:
Lawsuit seeks justice for owners of the more than 30 dogs found dead at schools in St Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
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Sep 11, 2006:
The downside of cat licensing and leash laws: San Antonio area woman is being fined for allowing "her" feral cats to roam, and for not outfitting them with collars, licenses, and rabies tags.
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Sep 1, 2006:
Elderly poodle mix is finally reunited with his 86-year-old owner after the lawsuit for his return is peacefully resolved.
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Aug 31, 2006:
A five-year-old Bichon Frise was granted an order of protection from a man accused of beating him, preventing him from getting within 100 yards of the dog.
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Aug 31, 2006:
Register now to attend "It's Not Just the Pits" summit, which will address the failures of breed-specific legislation, and focus on finding real solutions to the problem of dangerous dogs.
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Aug 30, 2006:
Congress took an important step Thursday toward protecting horses in the United States from the terrifying journey to a brutal end in the slaughterhouse.
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Aug 29, 2006:
An animal rescue group sued the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control Monday, alleging it violated state law by killing two dogs on the same day they were given up by their owner.
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Aug 29, 2006:
Just a day before the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the California legislature has passed a bill that will require animals be included in state disaster plans.
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Aug 29, 2006:
While New Orleans breathes a sigh of relief from the potential threat of Ernesto, Florida residents are bracing for the wrath of possibly the first hurricane of the year.
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Aug 29, 2006:
Court rules that owners are not automatically liable for bite that their pit bull inflicted on kennel worker, although worker may sue if the owners failed to disclose dog's dangerous tendencies.
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Aug 25, 2006:
Two conservation groups have asked the State Superior Court to halt Alaska's aerial wolf killing and bear killing plans, saying they are based on faulty science and violate state law.
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Aug 25, 2006:
A North Carolina family whose dog was shot during a 2003 traffic stop can sue Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers for excessive force but not for violating their civil rights, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
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Aug 23, 2006:
Music star Troy Lee Gentry is charged with killing a tame black bear at close range, then violating the law to pretend that it had been hunted in the wild.
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Aug 23, 2006:
More than 300 dogs will be auctioned off in rural Ohio on Saturday, as puppy mill opponents schedule a rally to call attention to the animals’ plight.
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Aug 22, 2006:
However, wildlife experts emphasize that wild animals should not be kept as pets, and injured wildlife should be immediately taken to a licensed rehabilitator.
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Aug 21, 2006:
A legal analysis of the new state Animal Population Control Act, which recognizes public responsibility for the feral cat problem, and assists feral cat caretakers.
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Aug 18, 2006:
Photo: Skyler is one of the many cats waiting to be adopted at the Venango County Humane Society in Franklin, PA.
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Aug 16, 2006:
Horrors of the puppy business are highlighted as 60 puppies die in a tractor-trailer fire during their transport from puppy mill to pet store.
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Aug 15, 2006:
A victory has been scored in the fight against breed-specific dog bans, as judge rules that local ordinance is in violation of state law.
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Aug 11, 2006:
Federal court sides with animal welfare and conservation groups who argued killing the wolves would be violation of Endangered Species Act.
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Aug 10, 2006:
Just days after a committee of the House of Representatives tried to kill legislation aimed at curtailing commercial horse slaughter in the United States, a Mississippi man hauling 19 horses to a Texas slaughterhouse has been charged with animal cruelty involving horses in Arkansas.
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Aug 8, 2006:
Bizarre story provides insight into dangers of breed-specific judgments, as 6-year-old is taken away from his home because of two pit mixes who had never shown aggression toward people.
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Aug 4, 2006:
Environmental groups say ban eliminates greatest chemical threat since DDT was banned in the 1970s, and will prevent thousands, perhaps millions, of bird deaths.
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Aug 4, 2006:
Progressive bill also includes the possibility of funding for emergency animal shelters and to help people and their pets during disasters.
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Jul 22, 2006:
Taking its “pit bull ban” to the extreme, the city of Denver euthanized 36 pit bulls Thursday, including 13 puppies, despite a shelter volunteer’s offer to transport them out of state to a rescue.
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Jul 21, 2006:
Groups urge people to ask for a reversal of policy that once again demands that people leave their pets behind.
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Jul 21, 2006:
A tragic story in Texas this week has turned into an inspiring tale about a community coming together to help animals.
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Jul 19, 2006:
The Humane Society of the United States has announced that it will sue online retailer Amazon.com Inc.
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Jul 19, 2006:
Dogs rescued by the SPCA of Texas, now await court hearing before they can be put up for adoption.
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Jul 16, 2006:
The Rio de Janeiro city council is expected to consider a groundbreaking law in August that would ban all animal experimentation within the Brazilian city.
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Jul 13, 2006:
Ballot initiative rejected by court because it also contains provisions against dog fighting and cruelty to service dogs.
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Jul 11, 2006:
Navy agrees to sonar-free buffer zone and increases in monitoring of marine mammals during sonar drills.
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Jul 8, 2006:
Update July 12 -- The hearing originally scheduled for yesterday was cancelled, and a jury trial has been set in the case for November 13.
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Jul 7, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal. The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act needs your immediate support.
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Jul 4, 2006:
A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Monday barring the Navy from using the sonar during large-scale military training now taking place near Hawaii.
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Jul 3, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal -- Legal cases concerning the return of Katrina pets are complicated by emotion, questions of what is best for the animal, and laws that were not designed to address this unique situation.
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Jul 2, 2006:
A new Kansas law which took affect July 1 changes malicious cruelty to animals from a misdemeanor to a felony -- leaving only eight states still without felony animal cruelty laws.
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Jul 1, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal. Malvin Cavalier has filed suit in Pennsylvania for the return of his beloved poodle, Bandit.
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Jul 1, 2006:
Conservation groups have filed a lawsuit to stop the Navy from using high-intensity sonar, which is deadly to whales, during an eight-nation naval exercise that began Monday, June 26, in a 210,000 square-mile area around Hawaii.
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Jun 28, 2006:
Stay tuned to The Legal Animal over the next two weeks for a series of original stories about Katrina evacuees who are engaging in legal battles across the country to get their animals back.
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Jun 28, 2006:
Lobbying still going strong, although bill is no longer slated for a vote this week.
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Jun 27, 2006:
New law requires local governments to develop plans for evacuating pets, and mandates that pets be evacuated along with their owners whenever possible.
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Jun 26, 2006:
Animal rights group is fighting to have "Bamboo" moved to an elephant sanctuary, saying decades confined to zoo enclosures have taken their psychological toll.
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Jun 26, 2006:
One of the country’s leading puppy mill states may be taking steps to make sure the dogs in the breeding facilities receive better care.
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Jun 23, 2006:
Also on Thursday, the state Senate passed a bill requiring local emergency plans for pets.
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Jun 23, 2006:
Bill also requires that shelters spay/neuter before adoption, and provides $250,000 to set up a spay/neuter endowment fund.
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Jun 22, 2006:
In celebration of Best Friends Day this Friday, the Legal Animal presents seven ways you can speak out on behalf of animals.
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Jun 22, 2006:
The animal defense group claims the ranch violated the law by isolating and confining newborn calves in tiny crates.
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Jun 21, 2006:
Several organizations filed suit Wednesday to have foie gras banned in New York, the largest foie-gras producing state in the country.
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Jun 20, 2006:
A slight majority of nations on the International Whaling Commission voted Sunday to legalize commercial whaling.
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Jun 19, 2006:
Judges in New Orleans and St Bernard Parish ordered Wednesday that two Texas animal shelters must return Katrina dogs to their original owners, pending further hearings.
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Jun 15, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal.
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Jun 13, 2006:
South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford signed legislation Monday that outlaws hog-dog rodeos, as well as any “sport” that involves animal fighting.
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Jun 12, 2006:
Update June 12: The Louisiana House appropriations committee voted today to pass SB 607, the Pet Evacuation Bill, out of committee to the full House.
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Jun 7, 2006:
Following the House agriculture committee’s attempt to bury the anti-cockfighting bill last week, backers of the bill are trying to rally support to revive the legislation this session.
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Jun 7, 2006:
Jesse’s Pet Shop alleged to have sold sick animals in South Texas and possibly Houston
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Jun 5, 2006:
Animal rights group intervenes after Rabbis rule that foul-mouthed parrot should be slaughtered, or have his tongue cut out.
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Jun 5, 2006:
Six-year court battle pits Ringling Bros against animal welfare groups, who insist the use of elephants in circuses is cruel.
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Jun 5, 2006:
State officials say they will have pet evacuation plan in place this week, as progressive pet evacuation bill goes to the House judiciary committee June 8.
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Jun 5, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal. Funeral services for 36-year-old Shannon Moore will be held Tuesday, as rescuers around the country mourn her loss.
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Jun 4, 2006:
Update July 21: Signs of progress emerge after month of stagnation in efforts to save dogs from closed sanctuary.
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Jun 3, 2006:
Bill had been supported by puppy mill operators, because it would have given them a tax break on dog food.
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Jun 3, 2006:
A new dog ordinance for most of unincorporated Los Angeles county goes into effect Saturday, June 3rd.
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Jun 3, 2006:
Law now goes to the state House for approval.
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Jun 2, 2006:
Two employees were charged with killing animals they took for adoption, and throwing them in a dumpster.
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Jun 2, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal
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Jun 2, 2006:
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Jun 1, 2006:
States take aim at insurance companies refusing homeowners' polices for people who own certain breeds of dog.
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Jun 1, 2006:
Cockfighters show up in force to argue that the bloodsport is vital to the Louisiana economy.
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Jun 1, 2006:
Compromise will drop the provisions that make a third cockfighting offense a felony; new version must now go back to House and Senate.
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May 31, 2006:
By J.M. Brown
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May 31, 2006:
Actions included disinterment of a woman's remains; earned some anti-vivisection activists 12-year jail terms.
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May 31, 2006:
Federal court finds government did not properly assess the impact of the research on the endangered animals.
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May 31, 2006:
By David Andreatta
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May 31, 2006:
The Louisiana Pet Evacuation Bill, SB 607, passed quietly and quickly through the state Senate Tuesday, with a unanimous vote of 36 to 0.
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May 31, 2006:
Animals from the shelter reported to be in good health and friendly, but many may be euthanized, including 50 Leukemia-positive cats.
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May 31, 2006:
Law is not breed-specific and focuses on owner responsibility; makes Illinois first state to restrict some felon's right to own dogs.
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May 31, 2006:
Plaintiff's lawyer pleased, says verdict is still high for this type of case.
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May 30, 2006:
85 percent of medical schools have stopped experiments on live animals.
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May 29, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal
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May 29, 2006:
Action comes as momentum builds against the cruel "delicacy."
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May 29, 2006:
Trainer says there are no bad breeds, just bad owners.
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May 29, 2006:
Bill allows owners of dogs who attack other people to be charged with a felony.
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May 28, 2006:
Ruling may pave the way for courts to recognize that pets are worth more than "market value."
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May 27, 2006:
Vermont follows Maine in enacting legislation that recognizes the importance of pets to victims of abuse.
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May 26, 2006:
Part One of a Series. Special to The Legal Animal
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May 26, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal
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May 25, 2006:
Ruling in landmark case is consistent with previous case law defining pets as merely property.
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May 25, 2006:
But is it a good idea?
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May 25, 2006:
City councilman has introduced legislation to ban the sale of the cruel "delicacy."
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May 25, 2006:
Differences with Senate bill must now be resolved in conference committee.
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May 23, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal
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May 23, 2006:
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May 23, 2006:
Special to the Legal Animal
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May 22, 2006:
Special to The Legal Animal
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May 22, 2006:
But draft plan would impose many restrictions on pet travel.
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May 22, 2006:
Landmark PETS Act would require state and local governments to take pets into account in their evacuation plans
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May 21, 2006:
Special to the Legal Animal.
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May 11, 2006:
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