By Anita KumarRICHMOND, Jan. 14 -- Animal rights activists say Virginia legislators reacted with skepticism, even jokes, when they tried in past years to advocate for harsher laws against animal fighting.That changed, they say, last year after Atlanta Falcons football star Michael Vick pleaded guilty to conspiracy in connection with a dogfighting operation on his property in southeastern Virginia,

Fewer than 5,000 tigers are estimated to remain in the wild.Every day, their numbers are declining further, largely due todemand in China for their parts for use in traditional medicine.In 1993, China established a domestic tiger parts and productstrade ban to help stem the illegal tiger trade; however, now itwants to rescind the ban and allow sale of parts from tigersbred on farms for their skin and

The Dallas Morning News (1/17, Levinthal) reports that Dallas city officials are seeking ways "to create or strengthen municipal laws governing animal ownership" because of "disturbing" numbers of strays and "pets...chained to trees or in woefully crowded structures." The city will begin with "preliminary ideas [that] include the mandatory spaying or neutering of all pets not owned by registered breeders"

From the washingtonpost.comS.F. Police Detail Victims' Harrowing MomentsSAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 29 -- Sunset on Christmas Day came at 5 p.m., the hour the San Francisco Zoo closed its front gates to visitors. Across the highway from the ticket booth, the sun had just slipped into the Pacific Ocean. Deeper inside the park, a manicured, shadowy glade of cedar and eucalyptus trees, darkness was gathering

SHIPSHEWANA, Ind. — At the weekly horse auction here, No. 274, a handsome chestnut-colored draft horse, looked at the surrounding men while being led into a small ring. Two of the men looked back, calculating how much meat the animal’s carcass would yield, and started bidding accordingly.Please see the rest of this artical from the New York Times website.