Chippy just got the sad news! 

Straight from Animalblawg.wordpress.com:

Since 2006, horse slaughter has been essentially banned in the United States, due to Congressional refusal to fund USDA inspections of horses at United States Slaughter Houses.  It is sad to say that on November 18th, this ban was silently lifted when Congress passed, and President Obama signed into law, a USDA spending bill that reinstated federal funding for inspection of horse meat intended for human consumption- effectively lifting the ban on domestic horse slaughter.

The lifting of the ban was the direct result of a Congressional Subcommittee Report“Horse Welfare: Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter” which connected the 2006 slaughter ban to an increase in neglect and abandonment of horses, as well as a drop in the price for horses. According to the report, the 2006 ban also resulted in a dramatic increase of horses being shipped to both Canada and Mexico for slaughter, with 138,000 horses having been shipped for slaughter in 2010 alone.  Animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States argue that allowing domestic horse slaughter is not the proper tool for these managing issues, and instead posit that the move is a waste of taxpayer dollars. Their arguments ring true when reports show that 70% of polled Americans are opposed to horse slaughter.

As things stand it is estimated that 120,000 to 200,000 horses will be slaughtered a year for human consumption.  Furthermore, according to pro-slaughter group United Horsemen, plants are already being considered in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Georgia and Missouri. READ MORE FROM ANIMALBLAWG

Here's the article that was in the Huffington Post. Click here or on the image to read more:

"The decision does not sit well with some animal rights groups. The Equine Welfare Alliance, a group focused on horses' welfare, released a position paper  in response to the GAO report, slamming "disturbing omissions" that favored slaughter lobbyists." Reports the Huffington Post. Click below to read the position paper.

"The poor economy has been tough on horse owners and the animals themselves, leading to what Representative Kingston calls an "unanticipated problem with horse neglect and abandonment.” InColorado alone, horse abandonment "increased 60 percent from 975 in 2005 to 1,588 in 2009," the GAO report stated." Click to read the full article

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY THIS ADORABLE PHOTO BOOK OF A STORY ABOUT BEING THERE FOR YOUR LOVED ONE IS ON SALE! See more pages by clicking on the image below.

McDonald's and Target stopped buying eggs from Sparboe Farms after an undercover investigation  exposes animal abuse and unsanitary conditions. This is an excellent reason why undercover investigations are important and the right to conduct undercover video operations must be preserved and protected. Unfortunately, some lawmakers don’t seem to care much about these rights. They want to shield one industry—animal agribusiness—from open dialogue about animal cruelty, food safety problems, worker abuse, and toxic pollution. Read this article for more information:   http://www.livehonestly.com/23/post/2011/03/in-the-united-states-a-journalist-goes-to-prison-for-broadcasting-undercover-video-footage.html If the agribusiness had its way, they would make undercover video operations a felony! Click here to go to the Animal Blawg to read about Sparboe Farms losing their egg contracts with Target and McDonald's.

Also read Setting Bulls on Fire

This is so well done. It's a bit too long, but it's such a good laugh!

This informative article is straight from Animals Australia "the voice for animals":

11 November 2011

One of the most common questions posed by people who are distressed by the cruelty of dairy production, is 'without dairy — where do I get my calcium?'
A good source of calcium in our diet is essential to maintaining strong and healthy bones. Through clever marketing, the dairy industry has convinced many of us that onlyby consuming lots of dairy products can we maintain healthy bones. Nutritionally speaking, this is completely untrue.

Not only is dairy not the only source of calcium — there's a body of evidence to suggest that dairy and other animal products could well be a significant cause of calcium loss and weakened bones. Surprised?

Here's a quick lesson in biochemistry. It is well known in nutritional circles that animal protein tends to leach calcium from the bones. That's right — animal protein tends to leach calcium from the bones. [1] This is because animal protein can cause the blood to become acidic. In order to neutralise the acidity of the blood, our body draws on its most readily available reserves of calcium phosphate — or, what bones are made of. [2] In this process known as 'protein-induced hypercalciuria', phosphate is used to neutralise the blood while calcium is excreted out of the body through the urine. [4]

In short, in order for the body to process protein in animal products, calcium is pulled from the bones and ends up in the toilet.

While you're chewing on that, consider this — the countries that are known to consume the highest levels of dairy also tend to have the highest incidence of osteoporosis [3].

Fortunately, protein found in plant-based foods does not have the same impact on calcium loss as that from animal origin. And calcium is found in a wide variety of plant-based foods. Some of the best sources include fortified soya drinks, sesame seeds, white/brown bread, fortified fruit juice, dried figs, broccoli, green leafy vegetables (except spinach), molasses, beans and pulses, tofu, and soya mince.

It's important to note that animal protein is not the only 'calcium thief' to be wary of — excessive salt, sugar, caffeine and alcohol can cause calcium loss too. [3] In addition, regular exercise is also essential to maintaining healthy bones. [3]

So when you next hear a dairy advertisement tell you that you need calcium for healthy bones, and that dairy contains calcium — think about what they aren't telling you. The evidence suggests that along with a healthy lifestyle, obtaining calcium from plant-based sources may be the most effective way to maintain strong and healthy bones while helping to stave off osteoporosis.

Food for thought.

Source of this article: ANIMALS AUSTRALIA: The Voice For Animals