Pre-Friday Night Soother
by digby
For all you snowbound east coasters, here’s a little guy having some fun with it:
And now a little animal welfare politics. Because it’s important:
Ever since animal welfare reports — which have been easily available to the public for a decade — were suddenly scrubbed from a government website last Friday, people who love animals have been speaking out.
The reports, which were housed on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) site, included details about animal abuse and suffering at puppy mills, circuses, zoos, laboratories, farms and even SeaWorld. Since they were removed, it’s become much harder for the public to be informed about which facilities are good and which are bad for animals.
“All information was removed today. This includes inspection reports for breeders, exhibitors and research facilities,” Tanya Espinosa, public affairs specialist for legislative and public affairs at USDA-APHIS, told The Dodo on Friday.
The unofficial Twitter account for the USDA — one of many alternative accounts that arose after the federal government started restricting what information government agencies could tell the public — encouraged people on Thursday to speak up for the sake of transparency, using adorable photos of their pets.
ACTION: Tweet a photo of your pets to your elected officials & tell them to fight the USDA #AnimalWelfare info blackout! (1/3) Instructions: pic.twitter.com/nWDHfot3fK— AltUSDA (@altusda) February 8, 2017
@SenateGOP @HouseGOP @altusda Buzz had to live for 13 years with a broken leg from #AnimalAbuse restore the #AnimalWelfare reports @USDA pic.twitter.com/EtOmP39tDY— Liz Ball (@LizBall14) February 8, 2017
@altusda @RepMullin @Bridenstine4OK @RepFrankLucas My sweet Paisley says, #noUSDAblackout pic.twitter.com/bcTIlC6Z3E— Donna Shope (@ShopeDonna) February 8, 2017
My sweet Gracie was rescued from a puppy mill where she was bred nearly to death. @usda @altusda #NoBlackout pic.twitter.com/cnkilWiBFm— Dale Rutz (@DaleRutz) February 8, 2017
@altusda #NoUSDAblackout Shadow was rescued from an animal hoarder, he is a happy one person cat pic.twitter.com/bJedEYGr2u— Shannon (@Shamerjen) February 8, 2017
My pile of pups now have an abuse free life. Tell @USDA to restore #AnimalWelfare reports! @altusda #NoUSDAblackout pic.twitter.com/NzSLpdkdjq— Amber McFarland (@Amber3Mc) February 8, 2017
Meanwhile, as concerned citizens are speaking out, animal welfare organizations are making plans to take legal action against the USDA to make the information freely available again.
“This appears to be a situation of agency capture with the USDA cowering to special interests to the detriment of transparency and animal welfare,” Nancy Perry, senior vice president of government relations for the ASPCA, told The Dodo. “This is public information and subject to FOIA, so it’s dumbfounding that the USDA would take action to make this information more difficult to access. We are deeply concerned this is an effort to protect those who are doing harm to animals.”
My beautiful cat Liberty, rescued before she was drowned. @USDA @altusda #noblackout pic.twitter.com/tVJSMbAYgD— BlahBlahBlah (@NoSymp4theDevil) February 8, 2017
Do we have to fight these people on absolutely everything?
I mean, even Hitler liked animals.
.