Vilsack for Agriculture. Salazar for the Interior. Obama's Choices for the Farms and Animals and the Land.

The word is out. It's former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (photo) for Agriculture Secretary and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar from Colorado for Interior Secretary. I think that Gov. Vilsack doesn't raise any red flags among animal lovers, but Sen. Salazar does. Okay, he's a mixed bag which I think is what happens to you if you want to survive in Washington. For example, in 2005, Salazar opposed legislation to ban horse slaughter. This year, he co-sponsored legislation to strengthen the penalties for animal fighting plus signed a letter requesting more funds for the adequate enforcement of animal welfare laws. What are we to think of this? In Defense of Animals (IDA) recommended Rep. Raul M Grijalva (D-AZ) for the post, arguing that Rep. Grijalva has a 100% record on animal issues. IDA further claimed that while Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands, Grijalva was " instrumental in advancing fair and balanced use of federal parks, recreational areas, and public lands with ranching, hunting, mining and oil interests." Rep. Grijalva has also been described as " a champion of all wildlife and companion animals." Sounds like a good man to me, but good people sometimes do not finish in first place ( not to say that Sen. Salazar is evil! ).

The President-Elect has made his decision, and we can only hope that Sen. Salazar does not disappoint.

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Philippines. Reporting Animal Cruelty. Emergency Numbers. RA 8485.

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Three Members of the Philippine Shooting Team and the Killing of Protected Philippine Wildlife

When a member of the animal or plant kingdom goes extinct, there will be no second chances. Evolution will simply not repeat itself. There are reportedly eighty bird species that are unique to the Philippines and many of them have already made it to the endangered list. And we, to a great extent, have indiscrimate hunting to thank for it. In spite of two national laws protecting Philippine animals, the carnage continues unabated. The killings could occur as arbitrarily as guys getting together for macho time, or as a result of a well-planned hunting trip involving speed boats, bird callers, and camouflaged outfits. Either way, the outcome is the same. Philippine wildlife, our natural treasures, inches closer to a state of irreparable vacancy. Not too long ago, we learned about the Bacolod Air Rifle Club (BARC) whose unbridled killing of Philippine birds and ducks became the subject of an online petition calling for immediate government intervention. My post on that most disturbing c...

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