Vegan News 4.4.13

By Published On: 4 April 2013Last Updated: 17 January 2017

Ohio veterinary tax, poachers enlist wildlife rangers, understanding shark absences with historical artifacts, antibiotic-resistant bugs jump species, 'pigsticking' in Spain.

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(Ohio) Governor’s proposal to tax veterinary services disfavored. “Veterinary services, except for those provided in agriculture on livestock, would become taxable under the proposal.  Currently, only three states in the country impose a sales tax on veterinary services. ‘I fear people would no longer be able to afford their pet and bring it to the shelter,’ said Brian Weltge, who is the President of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. ‘I would guess we would see more ‘drop-offs’ should this pass.’ Weltge also fears fewer owners will have their pet spayed or neutered.  According to Consumer Reports, the current cost to spay or neuter a pet generally runs from $65 to $170.

Sign petitions to stop this nonsense- here & here.

Poachers enlisting impoverished wildlife rangers as accomplices in elephant, rhino killing. “Corruption among wildlife rangers is becoming a serious impediment in the fight against poaching, fuelled by soaring levels of cash offered by criminal poacher syndicates, senior conservation chiefs have admitted. Rangers in countries as diverse as Tanzania and Cambodia are being bribed by increasingly organised poaching gangs keen to supply ivory, rhino horn and tiger parts to meet huge consumer demand in Asia. The standard ‘bush’ market value of ivory is $300 per kilogramme, meaning that a 30kg haul from a single elephant can bring in $9,000. From this, a ranger that turns a blind eye can get a cut of $2,000—far more than his or her standard salary.”

Artefacts offer Pacific shark species absence clues. “Using artefacts from museums, a team of US researchers found that spot-tail and dusky sharks used to inhabit the reefs surrounding the Gilbert Islands. The unusual historical data would help evaluate the success of ecological conservation measures, they added. They said historical artefacts could be used to provide important insights in the absence of historical ecological data and provide an important first step in the assessment of the effectiveness of current conservation methods.”

Yes, antibiotic-resistant bugs can jump from animals to humans. “For decades, the meat industry has denied any problem with its reliance on routine, everyday antibiotic use for the nation’s chickens, cows, and pigs. But it’s a bit like a drunk denying an alcohol problem while leaning on a barstool for support. Antibiotic use on livestock farms has surged in recent years—from 20 million pounds annually in 2003 to nearly 30 million pounds in 2011. Over the same period, the entire US human population has consumed less than 8 million pounds per year, meaning that livestock farms now suck in around 80 percent of the antibiotics consumed in the United States. Meanwhile, the industry routinely churns out meat containing an array of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.”

A renaissance for ‘pigsticking’ in Spain. “An ancient hunting ritual is making a comeback in modern Spain: the practice of hunting wild boar on horseback with spears — and no guns. The sport dates to Roman times, and was recently approved and added to Spanish hunting regulations.”

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HELLO! I'm KD Angle-Traegner.

Writer, activist, and founder of Four Urban Paws Sanctuary. I’m on a mission to help people live a vegan life. Read more about KD…

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