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SUMMER 2020 / VOLUME 69 / NUMBER 2 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF AWI Dear Members and Other convenient to have it sent to your home instead. You may Friends of AWI: also wish to receive a digital edition of the Quarterly rather than (or in addition to) the print edition. If so, please email I’m pleased to share the summer issue of our magazine us at [email protected] or call us at 202-337-2332, and we with you, where you will find news of our successful effort would be happy to make the change. If and when you elect to to end wildlife-killing contests in Colorado, reviews of a change back, that won’t be a problem. fascinating book on grizzly bears and a couple of absorbing educational nature series, and more. Much of this issue is Lastly, I want to mention that at this time of year we typically devoted to animal welfare as it relates to the pandemic. conduct a major fundraising appeal (one of only two we do We discuss the challenges faced by animal shelters during each year). However, because of the economic disruption this difficult time and how people can help by fostering or related to the pandemic, we opted to forgo a request for adopting shelter animals. We examine how global society’s contributions at this time. We appreciate the kind contributions handling of wildlife and farm animals has greatly increased that are coming in from those who are still able to do so, and the risk of pandemics, and what we can do to lessen this we are grateful for all our members and friends regardless. risk while also treating animals better. Thank you for your continued concern for animals. For those of you who have been receiving the print With best wishes for you and yours, version of the AWI Quarterly at work, we are glad that it has reached you. Nevertheless, for now, it may be more FOUNDER Viktor Reinhardt, DVM, PhD Allie Granger D.J. Schubert Christine Stevens Robert Schmidt, PhD Farm Animal Policy Associate Wildlife Biologist John Walsh, MD Joanna Grossman, PhD Erin Sutherland, Esq. Staff Attorney, Farm Animal DIRECTORS Equine Program Manager Program Cynthia Wilson, Chair Johanna Hamburger, Esq. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE Wildlife Attorney Regina Terlau-Benford Jill Carey, CPA Aline S. de Aluja, DVM, Mexico Executive Assistant Sydney Hearst Caroline A. Griffin, Esq. Ambassador Tabarak Husain, Digital Advocacy Manager Dave Tilford Alan E. Kessock, CPA Bangladesh Writer/Editor Dena Jones Mary Lee Jensvold, PhD Angela King, United Kingdom Director, Farm Animal Program Cathy Liss Agnes Van Volkenburgh, DVM, Poland Eric Kleiman Chris Miller, DVM Researcher William S. Stokes, DVM STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Allison Ludtke Nadia Adawi, Esq. Policy Advisor Animal Welfare Institute Animal Welfare Executive Director/General Counsel Joanna Makowska, PhD OFFICERS For subscription inquiries or other Alexandra Alberg Laboratory Animal Advisor Cathy Liss, President information, contact: Senior Graphic Designer Susan Millward Cynthia Wilson, Vice President Nancy Blaney Director, Marine Animal Program Animal Welfare Institute 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE Alan E. Kessock, CPA, Treasurer Director, Government Affairs Carly O’Beirne Washington, DC 20003 Caroline A. Griffin, Esq., Secretary Bethany Cotton, Esq. Membership Coordinator Director, Terrestrial Wildlife Program (202) 337-2332 Kate O’Connell [email protected] Kate Dylewsky Marine Animal Consultant SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE www.awionline.org Senior Policy Advisor Gerard Bertrand, PhD Mary Lou Randour, PhD Sue Fisher Senior Advisor, Animal Cruelty ISSN 1071-1384 (print) Roger Fouts, PhD Marine Animal Consultant Program ISSN 1930-5109 (online) Roger Payne, PhD Marjorie Fishman Naomi Rose, PhD Tax ID# 13-5655952 Samuel Peacock, MD Public Relations Manager Marine Mammal Scientist CFC# 10474 10 GIORGIO TROVATO GIORGIO AWI QUARTERLY SUMMER 2020 ANIMALS IN LABORATORIES WILDLIFE 6 Handling and Training of Mice and 12 Colorado Bans Wildlife-Killing Contests Rats Results in Calmer Animals During 13 Humboldt County Adds Animal Experimental Procedures Protections to Wildlife 9 Science Shines Harsh Light on Management Contract Research Chinchilla Suppliers 13 An Ill Wind Manages to Blow 9 Newly Revamped: AWI’s Some Good Refi nement Database 14 Human Culpability in COVID-19 and Other Zoonotic Diseases COMPANION ANIMALS 18 Tiger King: Series Shocks but Skates 10 Coronavirus and Pets: Saving Our Past Animal Suff ering Companion Animals 28 Horse Rescues Hard Pressed GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ABOUT THE COVER by Pandemic 4 Horse Transportation Safety Act A ground pangolin (Smutsia Poised to Move Forward temminckii). Pangolins are the world’s 4 Chicago Bans Horse-Drawn Carriages FARM ANIMALS most traff icked mammal, hunted for 22 AWI Releases Latest Update on 4 Legislators Push for Animal their meat and scales, which—though Humane Slaughter Enforcement Welfare Measures made of simple keratin—are coveted 24 Research Foundation Aims to 5 USDA Steps Up—and Steps Back— for inclusion in traditional medicines. Improve the Lives of Farm Animals with New License Renewal Rules Wildlife trade, both legal and illegal, 24 Kentucky to Allow Vets to Report is not just harmful to animals. It’s Animal Abuse REVIEWS harmful to us. This year, we are fi nding 25 Pandemic Presents Extra Challenges 26 One of Us for Farm Animal Welfare out just how dangerous it can be, as 27 Night on Earth the COVID-19 virus—which jumped 27 Seven Worlds, One Planet to us from captured wildlife—spreads MARINE LIFE around the globe and wreaks havoc 19 Captive Animals at Shuttered Marine on human society. For more on how Attractions Left in Limbo wildlife trade and deadly pandemics 20 Study Shows Human Impacts on Disease Transmission in the Ocean are intertwined, turn to page 14. 20 Okhotsk Orcas Gain Protections Photograph by Jeff rey Van Daele. 21 Sea Turtles Thriving on Unoccupied Beaches 21 As Sea Traff ic Stalls, Oceans Grow Quieter www.facebook.com/animalwelfareinstitute @AWIonline @AWIonline GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS HORSE TRANSPORTATION of cosponsorship the bill has garnered tipping over, endangering people and SAFETY ACT POISED TO since it was first introduced. We are horses alike. Alderman Brendan Reilly MOVE FORWARD delighted to report that, as this issue summed up the issue well, noting that went to press, the House Transportation horses “weren’t bred to be sucking gas The use of double-deck trailers to and Infrastructure Committee unveiled fumes from the back of CTA buses and transport horses is inhumane and its surface transportation bill, and comingling with cement mixers. That’s can lead to debilitating injuries. With the HTSA is included in this package. not humane treatment of animals.” their low ceiling clearance, these The bill is expected to be voted on by trailers are designed to haul shorter the full House later this summer in and stouter animals such as cattle and advance of a September 30 deadline hogs, not horses. The US Department to reauthorize federal transportation LEGISLATORS PUSH of Agriculture itself has concluded programs. AWI will continue FOR ANIMAL WELFARE that these vehicles “do not provide spearheading the effort to ensure that MEASURES adequate headroom for equines” and the HTSA reaches the finish line. that horses are far more likely to be Although the coronavirus pandemic injured in double-deck trailers than in kept Congress more or less shuttered single-deck trailers. this spring, AWI nonetheless worked with legislators to get strong animal CHICAGO BANS HORSE- welfare positions on record. A To remedy this, AWI has long called for DRAWN CARRIAGES passage of the Horse Transportation bipartisan group of 78 representatives Safety Act (HTSA)—a bill that would In other news related to horse welfare, and 32 senators asked their respective prohibit the transportation of horses a major victory was gained when the leadership that any coronavirus- across state lines in a motor vehicle Chicago City Council voted 46–4 to ban relief legislation include support for containing two or more levels stacked the use of horse-drawn carriages in domestic violence survivors with the city. The law takes effect next year. companion animals. The congressional government affairs government on top of one another. In the current Congress, the HTSA (HR 1400) is being Horses conscripted into this business letters requested additional funding for led by Representatives Steve Cohen endure long hours pulling 1,000-pound the PAWS program, created in 2018 to (D-TN), Peter King (R-NY), Dina Titus carriages on city streets while being provide grants for emergency shelter (D-NV), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). exposed to temperature extremes, and transitional housing assistance for There are 132 lawmakers cosponsoring air pollution, and traffic congestion. domestic violence survivors and their the bill this session, the highest level Spooked horses can lead to carriages pets. This is especially critical now, as the stay-at-home orders and social isolation needed to break the pandemic have led to an increase in domestic Conditions are often hard for horses violence incidents. pulling carriages in urban environments. The Chicago City Meanwhile, a lack of slaughter capacity Council voted is causing some agricultural operations overwhelmingly to end carriage rides in to consider killing and disposing of the Windy City. large numbers of farm animals. (See article on page 25.) Twenty members of Congress sent a letter to the US Department of Agriculture urging it to ensure farmers use only humane methods for depopulation of animals during the pandemic. The congressional letter stated that ventilation shutdown should not be used under any circumstances, and water-based foam (which drowns and suffocates birds) should “only be used when all other options have been exhausted.” THOMAS HAWK THOMAS AWI QUARTERLY 4 SUMMER 2020 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS New USDA licensing rules mandate better care of dogs held by dealers, researchers, and exhibitors. Unfortunately, the rules are silent on the welfare of other animals.