There are millions of animal advocates in America. If they are not strong animal advocates, they at least are sensitive to the sentience of animals and concerned about their welfare. They don’t like animal abuse or cruelty. And therefore, animal welfare, I would argue, plays a role in the presidential election race. And if you are one of those people who is concerned about animal welfare, you should support Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.
Kamala Harris
You don’t have to go far on the Internet to find out that Kamala Harris is an animal champion. The Humane Society Legislative Fund has an article about her selection as Biden’s running mate dated August 11, 2020. A lot has changed since then, she is now quite possibly going to be the next president of the United States and the Humane Society article is gushing in her praise concerning her outstanding record of supporting animal protection.
The Humane Society tells us that “Among other things, she’s achieved a score of ‘100’ every year on the Humane Scorecard since being elected to the U.S. Senate. Moreover, as California’s Attorney General, she took the right side on many animal welfare issues of great importance.”
- She co-sponsored legislation to crack down on horse soring abuses. Soring is the unethical and illegal practice of deliberately inflicting pain to exaggerate the leg motion of gaited horses.
- She supported legislation to prohibit the trade of shark fins which is so cruel and so devastating to the shark population.
- She supported legislation to reduce wildlife trafficking and:
- legislation addressing widespread doping or racehorses.
- When she was Attorney General she defended a series of pioneering animal protection laws approved in the state.
- She defended California’s ban on foie gras sales after producers launched a series of challenges.
- She fought against multiple challenges to Prop 2 and AB 1437, California improved farm animal welfare laws.
- She successfully overcame a challenge to California’s ban on the possession and sale of shark fins.
- She introduced the Help Extract Animals from Redtape Act along with Senator Susan Collins. This act is designed to expedite the disposition of abused animals who’ve been rescued and seized from persons involved in unlawful animal fighting gambling. The legislation reduces the length of time animals are held in shelters and does more.
- And she also supported the PACT Act to create a felony penalty for malicious animal cruelty which was signed into law by President Trump.
The above list is not comprehensive. She achieved a lot for animal welfare and protection.
Donald Trump
What about Donald Trump? He’s always been problematic as far as I’m concerned on animal welfare. My abiding memory is of his sons enjoying sport hunting in Africa as evidenced by a photograph of them holding up by a large leopard shot by one of them. Not a great image for Donald Trump as somebody who might at least be concerned about animal welfare or sentience. And he was one of the rare presidents who did not have a pet at the White House.
He has a disdain for climate change. It appears that he does not believe in it. Global warming is the single biggest threat by far to animal welfare and the welfare of us all.
The Humane Society of the United States appraised his first year in office as the President of United States in terms of animal welfare. They decided it was a mixed year. There were some good things such as steps to improve the fortunes of animals used in testing and to end breed discrimination of companion animals. Also to improve the welfare of wild horses and burros.
But they add that:
“On the other hand, we’ve also seen some shocking anti-animal actions, including a conspicuous decline in the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act and the Horse Protection Act, a continued lack of transparency over recorded violations of these laws, and the dismantling of the Endangered Species Act, the bedrock US law protecting imperilled species across the globe.”
I can remember him changing the law so that bears could be shot in sport hunting sessions more easily and a mother bear being shot with her cubs in a den while hibernating as a consequence. That was shocking for me. Link: Trump’s government makes it legal to kill hibernating bears and their cubs in their dens.
The Humane Society of United States cites six negative actions promoted by President Donald Trump in terms of animal welfare. One of those was, as an example, the National Institutes Of Health announcing that it would not send chimpanzees held at the Alamogordo primate laboratory in New Mexico to retirement at the federal sanctuary Chimp Haven, despite an Express Congress directive.
You can check out what HSUS says about Donald Trump’s negative actions on animal welfare by clicking on this link. And you can read the source of my information about Kamala Harris by clicking on this link.
In terms of supporting animal welfare and protection it’s no contest between Kamala and Donald. The former beats the latter by a mile. Please vote in Kamala Harris and keep Donald Trump well away from the White House this time.
I totally agree with Tamara. In my opinion, the biggest threat to animal welfare is climate change, so a president’s stance on the issue is of vital importance. The western portion of the U.S. and Canada are particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change with increasingly destructive fires. For example, on December 30 of 2021, the Marshall Fire claimed over 1000 structures, the lives of over 1000 pets, and uncounted lives of wildlife in Boulder County, Colorado. The fire was fueled in part by abnormally dry conditions in an area that normally sees plenty of snow in December. Unfortunately, that’s just one small example of the terrible suffering pets and wildlife must endure because of climate change.
It’s been argued that Trump himself has no core beliefs — he simply goes along with whatever benefits him at the time. Trump simply cannot afford to alienate the Republican Party, which is notoriously averse to combatting climate change, so I would expect to see the U.S. to create a worsening situation for the environment should Trump get reelected.
Well said Rena. Yes, I totally agree on all counts. I don’t think America can allow itself to elect Trump as the next president as he is too dangerous simply on the issue of climate change never mind all the other issues.
Trump was horrible he tried to kill the whole endangered species act and at the same dismantle the Environmental Agency so oil corps can drill anywhere. He tried selling off Native American lands for drilling. He thinks we shouldn’t protect our national parks either. He destroyed our clean water act for rivers and streams and so much more. He made it possible for coal companies to throw mountain top removal to be dumped any place.
Biden has fixed much of it but he still has more to do if we can take the House and get the Senate to 60 and keep it. So much is on the line for the health of every living thing in the USA…
Thanks Tamara for the extra information. Useful. Trump is a disaster for animals and the environment.
Thanks for this. I think animal welfare is important when it comes to picking a president.