SUMMER 2016 / VOLUME 65 / NUMBER 2 conventional, intensive agriculture. Some animals raised organically, for example, never even see the outdoors. The proposed changes to the organic regulations would establish substantive on-farm transport and slaughter standards for organic production. For the first time, the regulations would have specific indoor and outdoor space and enrichment requirements for birds. They would also prohibit certain physical alterations, SPOTLIGHT such as de-beaking of birds and tail docking of cattle. Producers would be required to provide group housing for pigs in most USDA Proposes Organic Animal circumstances and for dairy calves after they are weaned. Welfare Standards A few large egg producers—who do not meet the new Since the national organic regulations went into effect in standards—are trying to derail the rule. To date, these efforts 2001, AWI has called on the US Department of Agriculture have been unsuccessful because of overwhelming support from and the National Organic Standards Board to establish animal welfare organizations, organic farmers, consumers, and animal welfare requirements for producers that are certified retailers for higher animal welfare standards. organic via the National Organic Program. In April, the USDA finally acted, announcing a proposed rule that would make The proposal is not perfect. Several improvements would the program better for animals and more consistent with better ensure a consistent higher welfare standard among consumer expectations. organic producers. For instance, the rule should mandate pain relief for those physical alterations that are still permitted, Such a rule is badly needed. Since no substantive standards minimum outdoor space requirements for pigs, and natural currently exist for the raising of animals organically, the light conditions for chickens raised for meat. Nevertheless, as level of animal care provided by organic producers varies written, the proposal represents a clear breakthrough—the first greatly. Some producers raise animals on pasture with high comprehensive federal animal welfare standards for the raising welfare, while others raise animals in a manner similar to of farm animals in the United States. FOUNDER Viktor Reinhardt, D.V.M., Ph.D. Joanna Grossman, Ph.D. Ava Rinehart Federal Policy Advisor Senior Graphic Designer Christine Stevens Hope Ryden Georgia Hancock, Esq. Naomi Rose, Ph.D. Robert Schmidt, Ph.D. General Counsel Marine Mammal Scientist DIRECTORS John Walsh, M.D. Chris Heyde D.J. Schubert Cynthia Wilson, Chair Deputy Director, Government and Wildlife Biologist John W. Boyd, Jr. INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE Legal Affairs Regina Terlau Caroline A. Griffin, Esq. Aline S. de Aluja, D.V.M., Mexico Brittany Horton Executive Assistant Website and Communications Charles M. Jabbour Ambassador Tabarak Husain, Dave Tilford Coordinator Writer/Editor Mary Lee Jensvold, Ph.D. Bangladesh Dena Jones Angela King, United Kingdom Tara Zuardo, Esq. Cathy Liss Director, Farm Animal Program Wildlife Attorney Chris Miller, DVM Agnes Van Volkenburgh, D.V.M., Eric Kleiman Poland Research Consultant Alexey Yablokov, Ph.D., Russia OFFICERS Kenneth Litwak, D.V.M., Ph.D. Animal Welfare Institute Animal Welfare Laboratory Animal Advisor Cathy Liss, President STAFF AND CONSULTANTS Susan Millward Cynthia Wilson, Vice President Alexandra Alberg Executive Director For subscription inquiries or other Charles M. Jabbour, CPA, Treasurer information, contact: Graphic Designer Kate O’Connell Caroline Griffin, Secretary Nancy Blaney Marine Animal Consultant Animal Welfare Institute Senior Federal Policy Advisor Amey Owen 900 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Bill Clark Public Relations Coordinator Washington, DC 20003 Wildlife Consultant (202) 337-2332 Gerard Bertrand, Ph.D. Michelle Pawliger Sue Fisher Farm Animal Policy Associate [email protected] Roger Fouts, Ph.D. www.awionline.org Marine Animal Consultant Mary Lou Randour, Ph.D. Roger Payne, Ph.D. Haley Frevert Senior Advisor, Animal Cruelty ISSN 1071-1384 (print) Samuel Peacock, M.D. Membership Coordinator Programs and Training ISSN 1930-5109 (online) 18 BILL CLARK BILL AWI QUARTERLY SUMMER 2016 ANIMALS IN LABORATORIES WILDLIFE 25 Santa Cruz Biotech Stalls as 13 Flying Free Once More: Nest Guarding in Reputation Falls the Reintroduced California Condor 14 “Mythical” Species Returns to the Desert COMPANION ANIMALS 18 Kenya Burns Ivory to Quench Poaching 12 AWI Addresses Animal Abuse and 20 US Government Sanctions Lifetime Behavioral Health in Children in Captivity for Wild Swaziland Elephants 12 Staten Island Unveils New Animal 23 Bobcat Hunting Nixed in New Hampshire Cruelty Prosecution Unit 28 USFWS Eases Off Effort to Curtail Citizen FARM ANIMALS Participation in Species Protection 2 USDA Proposes Organic Animal GOVERNMENT & LEGAL AFFAIRS ABOUT THE COVER Welfare Standards Most egg-laying hens in this country 24 House Committee Advances USDA 4 APHIS Takes AWI’s Advice on Improving Spending Bill spend their lives stuffed inside Animal Export Conditions cramped battery cages within massive, 24 Dormant Horse Slaughter Plant 4 Slowing Growth to Improve dimly lit sheds, wing to wing with other Demolished Animal Welfare birds. There is light on the horizon, 4 AWI Releases Report on Poultry Slaughter REMEMBRANCE however: As described on page 6, major corporate customers are responding 5 Olive Garden Urged to Step to the Plate 22 Robert Schuyler Anderson for People, Animals, and the Planet to activists’ calls and demanding that 6 A Brighter Future for Egg-Laying Hens REVIEWS suppliers go “cage-free”—allowing 26 Heart of a Lion: A Lone Cat’s the birds to move about, albeit mostly MARINE LIFE Walk Across America still within the confines of a shed. “Pastured raised” chickens have it far 7 Groups Call for ESA Listing of Critically 27 Red Wolf Revivial Endangered Dolphin better: at Grazin’ Angus Acres in Ghent, 27 Friday Night Fighters: A Forensic New York (depicted on the cover), they 7 AWI Petition Approved: Russian Beluga Veterinarian Mystery Whales to Receive US Protection can feel the sun, spread their wings, 8 More Retailers Reject Seafood Sources forage, dust-bathe, and generally live Linked to Whaling like real chickens. 9 AWI Responds to Norway’s Whaling Photo by Mike Suarez Defiance 10 SeaWorld Ends Orca Breeding Program become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/animalwelfareinstitute follow us on Twitter: @AWIonline FARM ANIMALS its program receive more space and environmental enrichments, such as perches and natural light. Growth limits for GAP turkeys have already gone into effect, and GAP will phase in slower-growing breeds of chickens over the next eight years. More than 600 chicken farms, raising 277 million chickens each year, currently participate in GAP. The first US animal welfare food certification program to establish limits for the growth of birds —Animal Welfare Approved—was founded and originally administered by AWI. AWI had urged GAP to likewise adopt this very important MYLES TAN MYLES improvement. APHIS TAKES AWI’S 3) have replacement parts for major life AWI RELEASES REPORT ADVICE ON IMPROVING support systems in case of malfunction, ON POULTRY SLAUGHTER and 4) submit a report to APHIS with ANIMAL EXPORT AWI’s report, The Welfare of Birds the number of animals who become CONDITIONS at Slaughter in the United States, injured or sick during transport. In 2011, after several reports of animals describes the results of the first-ever shipped from the United States dying survey of federal government oversight These new regulations will not end during arduous journeys overseas, of the manner in which birds raised for these grueling ocean voyages, but AWI petitioned the US Department of meat and eggs are treated at the time they will help reduce the suffering Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health of slaughter. It is based on federal food experienced by the tens of thousands Inspection Service (APHIS) to improve inspection documents produced by the of farm animals who are shipped its live animal export regulations. The USDA between 2006 and 2014. overseas each year. petition requested that APHIS stop allowing exports of animals who are The research described in the report too young, weak, or sick to travel. found that the USDA’s response to the mistreatment of birds has been Four years later, APHIS proposed to SLOWING GROWTH inadequate, demonstrated by the overhaul its export regulations and TO IMPROVE ANIMAL fact that nearly 40 percent of federal add fitness to travel requirements— WELFARE poultry plants were issued no records incorporating AWI’s proposal. AWI Poultry engineered to quickly grow whatsoever documenting their coordinated comments to APHIS from freakishly large is a big welfare problem compliance with industry bird handling several animal protection groups on in animal agriculture. So it was good guidelines over a nine-year period. The the proposed regulations. As a result, news when Global Animal Partnership report also documents that intentional the final rule, which went into effect in (GAP), a third-party animal welfare abuse of birds is common practice at February, now has several additional rating system for food, recently some slaughter establishments, and animal welfare safeguards. The new announced that it will require slower the strategy of voluntary industry regulations require that ocean vessels growth-rate genetics for all chickens compliance has been ineffective in farm animals farm 1) maintain a means of humanely raised under its program. GAP is