Yesterday brought some exciting news for farmed animals in the
United States: the reviled King Amendment was dropped from the House Farm
Bill. This disturbing amendment sponsored by Representative Steve King of
Iowa would have wiped out virtually every state law protecting farmed animals
from even the most horrific cruelty.
Citizens, animal advocates, and nonprofit organizations came
together, however, and fought this backward measure. This means that laws such
as California’s groundbreaking Prop 2 will stay on the
books where they belong.
The King Amendment not only threatened to nullify the few state
laws that do provide protection to farmed animals, such as laws banning cruel
crates and cages, prohibiting the force-feeding of ducks, and forbidding horse
slaughter and shark finning, it jeopardized laws governing environmental
protection, worker safety, and more.
This proposed legislation would not only have set back American
advancements for farmed animals, it would have set forth a dangerous idea. If
this controversial amendment had passed, it could have prompted other industry
lobby groups to push similar agendas in Canada and across the globe.
Mercy For Animals Canada would like to thank all of our American
supporters and everyone who wrote letters and made phone calls to their members
of Congress. This victory proves that a small handful of committed activists can make a huge difference.
While there is much to celebrate with the defeat of the King
Amendment, it is important to remember that there is
still much work to be done! Canada’s animal cruelty laws are weak, outdated,
and in dire need of strengthening. Please support our work to expose abuses on
Canadian factory farms, and help us push for stronger animal protection
nationwide!