A Senate bill, S.1514, called “War on Wolves” Rider, was introduced June 29 and it includes a damaging anti-wolf amendment. The legislation proposes to permanently remove federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) protections for gray wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Wyoming and to allow trophy hunting of wolves to immediately resume within these states. The bill prohibits its judicial review which means that a legal challenge in the future would be prevented. If the War on Wolves legislation is passed into law, wolves will die at the hands of trophy hunters.

The bill is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators: Senators Barrasso (R-WY), Boozman (R-AR), Capito (R-WV), Cardin (D-MD), Baldwin (D-WI), and Klobuchar (D-MN) have signed onto this legislation that would put these wolves in the crosshairs of hunters and weaken the ESA.

"The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973 because Americans believed that protecting our wildlife was an obligation to future generations, our nation’s environmental health, our fellow creatures, and the heart of the American way of life. It included wildlife ranges and habitats irrespective of political boundaries because these habitats, which are vital to species survival, cross arbitrary lines. Today, many politicians have forgotten the values Congress embraced four decades ago as they now attempt to undermine one of most successful bipartisan pieces of legislation our country has ever adopted. The ESA requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to follow the best available science, not politics, in recovery planning and implementation for an endangered species. The War on Wolves Rider blatantly ignores this federal mandate, and thus undermines the integrity of our nation’s most significant environmental law." (Source: SENATE COMMITTEE ADVANCES BILL S. 1514 – GROWS THREATS TO WOLVES AND ESA)

You can read the bill here: S.1514 - HELP for Wildlife Act


Please urge your representatives to ensure that any anti-wolf riders, which undermine the Endangered Species Act and its scientific process, are NOT included in the Senate Sportsmen’s bill, S. 1514: OPPOSE the War on Wolves Rider

John Vucetich, Michigan Tech professor in the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science was in Washington, DC, where he testified before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works at the July 19 Legislative Hearing on S. 1514, the Hunting Heritage and Environmental Legacy Preservation (HELP) for Wildlife Act. In his well documented written statement to the committee, Vucetich has satted that wolf conservation in the United States is vital and not only for the health of ecosystems but also for what they represent.

"It includes some positive provisions, but its most important effect would be to undermine the Endangered Species Act and subvert the conservation of wolves. Wolves are valuable to ecosystems and most people recognize that wildlife -- including wolves -- possess value in their own right. Public support for wolves and wolf conservation, in particular, is very high. Public support for the Endangered Species Act is also high -- among both liberal and conservative constituents."
In a July 26 press release the Center for Biological Diversity also stated reasons for opposing Senate Bill S. 1514.

"The bill weakens the Endangered Species Act by blocking any further judicial review of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2011 decision to end federal protections for wolves. Since they were driven to near-extinction by hunters and trappers in the early 20th century, gray wolves still occupy only 15 percent of their historical range in the contiguous United States. And between 2011, when their protection was removed, and 2014, when a federal court restored that protection, more than 1,500 animals were killed."

You can read the full article here: Wolf scientist testifies against Senate Bill 1514

You can read Vuchetich's full testimony here: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/f/b/fba506f0-cc6a-4bf7-8c76-ba532169c0f3/2BAAC8A1DE0502E60EAC7EC146B9CD49.vucetich-testimony-07.19.2017.pdf



There are also a few petitions on Change.org you can sign:

To eradicate the "War On Wolves" and continue the protection of endangered gray wolves

Save Wolves in Wisconsin

Stop Congress from Sentencing Wolves to Death

SAVE THE WOLVES!!!

STOP HR 424-It will remove federal protection for gray wolves in MN, WI, MI and WY!

Protect the Endangered Species Act

Tell policy makers to SAVE THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

In the last few years the demand for donkey skin has increased exponentially.  China is the biggest importer and now Australia is in the talks to make a deal with China to put donkeys on the live export list and ship them for slaughter. Donkey skin is dried and ground up to make a gelatine-based substance called ‘ejiao’. Ejiaoa is a traditional Chinese medicine made from a combination of herbs and gelatin from donkey skin. It is used by people who believe it is good for their appearance and vitality. China is the main consumer of ejiao, but markets in other countries are emerging also. It is estimated that 2 million donkey skins are traded a year, and that the actual demand is double the number. The deal with Australia won't only affect donkeys though, but ponies and horses. Donkey, pony and horses are killed for meat too.


"Thousands of villagers in Africa who rely upon their donkeys to cart water and other goods now face severe hardship due to donkey theft. In response, several countries have taken action to stop the trade with bans in place in Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegar, and recently Ethiopia closed its only operational slaughterhouse. And in 2015, Pakistan became the first Asian country to ban the export of donkey hides."
The officials of the federal Department of Agriculture confirmed that a number of enquiries had been made about exporting horses and donkeys “in large numbers for slaughter”. The RSPCA is therefore calling for a permanent prohibition on the export of ponies, donkeys and horses for slaughter.

The Australian Live Exporters’ Council has made a statement saying that they are ‘neither seeking nor supportive of any such trade commencing’.

An official Senate petition has been launched, which you can sign here: Ponies, Horses and Donkeys next on the Live Export Hit List. Please sign and share.

There is also a petition on Care2, addressing the Australian agriculture minister, Barnaby Joyce and PM Malcolm Turnbull and urging them to not put donkeys on the live export list. Here is the link: Don't Send Donkeys to their Doom

The original article can be found here: RSPCA fears for Australian ponies, horses and donkeys facing live export for slaughter
Why would this trade be inhumane? Because of the high demand of donkey skin, feral donkeys in Australia are being considered as a potential source of skins. Mustering, transporting, slaughtering or live export of feral donkeys pose a significant animal welfare risk. Donkeys require special handling and can be extremely resistant to being moved or loaded. Donkeys also require a higher standard of care compared to routinely farmed species such as sheep or cattle, including the need for regular dental, coat and hoof care. There are also concerns that as the required product is extracted from the skin, donkeys will not be provided with the same level of care and nutrition required for meat-producing animals.
You can read the full article here: What is the donkey skin trade and why is it inhumane?

The Donkey Sanctuary, an organization from UK has published a review of this trade which described the donkey skin trade as a human and animal welfare crisis. You can read the full report as a PDF here: Under the skin - full report. It is available in 9 languages: English, French, Chinese, Swahili, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Russian and Portuguese.


RSPCA has made a statement explaining why the export should be prohibited. They stated that any live animal export has serious welfare problems, be it transport conditions that result in stress, disease, injury and death or the lack of control over what happens to animals in importing countries.

"General stressors associated with transport include: unfamiliar surroundings and animals handling by different people with various skills and competency, confinement with limited space to move freely, disruption of social groups, limited access to food and water, and transition to a different type of feed , exposure to noise, pollution, vibration, motion and different light intensities. Horses and donkeys are highly sensitive animals and thus very susceptible to the multitude of cumulative stressors inherent with live export. Studies have shown that even trucking previously handled horses or donkeys for as little as four hours results in both species showing a stress response, with donkeys showing higher levels of stress hormones, including cortisol, than horses. In addition to this, conditions of transport, handling, and slaughter in importing countries cannot be effectively monitored or controlled by Australian authorities. The Australian Government has no legal means of ensuring horses and donkeys exported overseas will be treated humanely or in accordance with Australian animal welfare standards. Extensive evidence gathered from countries importing Australian livestock has shown inhumane slaughter and handling practices that would be contrary to Australian laws and standards."

You can read the full article here: Why should live export of horses and donkeys from Australia for slaughter be prohibited?

West Papua is a province of Indonesia. It was once a Dutch colony, but it was invaded in 1963 by Indonesia. Indonesia craved access to West Papua’s vast natural resources including Grasberg, a mountain which has since become the world’s largest goldmine. For over 50 years the people of West Papua have been suffering under the occupation of the Indonesian government. It is estimated that over 500,000 people have been killed. There are not much media reports because foreign journalists have been banned from freely reporting about this. In 1969, the United Nations promised the people of West Papua a free and fair referendum on independence to be held “in accordance with international practice”. The reaction of the Indonesia government was to handpick 1,026 people and force them at gunpoint to vote for Indonesian rule.

"In 1969, the Indonesian military marched 1026 West Papuans (0.2 of the population) at gunpoint to the voting station, and told to raise their hand at the right moment, or be shot. Many of their families were being held by the military. They all voted in favour of Indonesia. The West Papuan people have been fighting for their right for a fair & free referendum for 55 years."

After that day, the people of West Papua have campaigned for their fundamental right to self-determination. The UN has promised them an independence referendum and they want that to happen. The United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) is leading the call to #LetWestPapuaVote and has organized a national and international petition to get the support from the world and to send the message that the people of West Papua demand to be free. The Global petition for West Papua officially has been launched in January this year. There is also an online petition on Avaaz. Here is the link: Help to end the genocide in West Papua. Please sign and share.

"It only took a week for Indonesia’s Orwellian ‘Minister of Communications’ backed by the military to ban the petition and in fact the entire petition hosting website of Avaaz throughout the whole of Indonesia."

Last year a  group of young swimmers decided to raise awareness for the people of West Papua through swimming. They agreed that this month they would swim the petition 69 kilometers across Lake Geneva and into the hands of the United Nations.



People from West Papua also began to sign the petition manually, at great personal risk. Saverius Mokai Gebse and Reimundus Ndiken were arrested by the Indonesian police for signing the petition in their own village. That was back in May, and there is still no information what happened to them. The Indonesian military and police said that anyone who participates in the signing of the petition for West Papua “will be arrested”.

"West Papua is a country where just displaying your national flag can get you 15 years in jail; for signing this petition, can get you 15 years in prison."
You can read the full article here: Swim for West Papua. Here’s why your name matters to the people of West Papua.


These people need help from the whole world. Please sign and share the petition. Spread the word. You can use the hashtags #BackTheSwim and #LetWestPapuaVote.

For more information about the swim and the team, visit: https://www.swimforwestpapua.com/

Here is the official website of The United Liberation Movement for West Papua: https://www.ulmwp.org/

Sierra Club has created a petition urging the United States Forest Service to stop the building of The Mountain Valley Pipeline, which is set to carry high-pressure fracked gas across the Appalachian Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Jefferson National Forest.

"From explosions to landslides, to slashing through our wild forests and ruining back country hikes, this pipeline could bring unprecedented changes to our Appalachian wildlands."

The pipeline developer has failed to show that the proposed pipeline cannot be built on non-Forest Service lands.

"A private company cannot exploit our public lands just because it is cheaper or easier than another pipeline route."



Sierra Club is an environmental preservation organization founded in 1892. Their mission is a successful transition to a resource-efficient clean energy economy that better serves people and nature, promoting healthy ecosystems and communities, fighting for clean air and water etc.

Join their fight to stop this pipeline by signing and sharing the petition: Protect the Appalachian Trail from the Mountain Valley Pipeline

There is also a petition on Care2: Save The Iconic Appalachian Trail. Stop the Mountain Valley Pipeline!

Please sign and share.


"These lands allow people to enjoy the great outdoors and sustain our way of life. They are a haven for wildlife and people and provide us with clean drinking water, healthy air, and endless recreation opportunities."

For more information on Sierra Club and their work you can visit their official website and follow them on social media:

Wilson’s Wild Animal Park, a roadside zoo in Winchester, Virginia has various animals: lions, buffaloes, reptiles, bears etc. And they are all suffering! The bears there are confined to a concrete-floored cage, left without water, which is bad anytime, but especially dangerous during summer and the hot weather. They bears were seen panting. One bear was eating water- and urine-soaked food, and another repeatedly paced inside the enclosure, which is a sign of severe psychological distress.

"The roadside zoo has been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for failing to meet the minimum requirements of the federal Animal Welfare Act. The violations include inadequate caging for dangerous animals, a lack of a veterinary-care program, and failing to provide primates with adequate enrichment. Eyewitnesses also recently observed deer panting in the heat, a goat with nasal discharge, an alpaca with overgrown nails, lynxes and a lion cub confined to enclosures on concrete slabs, a lynx repeatedly pacing, and birds with apparent injuries and missing feathers."

1. There is a petition on Care2 asking the USDA to shut the zoo down. Please sign and share: Bears Are Suffering From Heat Exposure at Roadside Zoo!

2. In the meantime the Wilson’s Wild Animal Park has a phone number you can call, and you can ask them to provide water for the bears and all animals there. To provide a basic necessity. Please remain polite, no matter what their reaction. The number is: 540-662-5715.

On PETA's site there is a sample script you can use:

"I’m calling to urge you to provide the desperately hot bears at your facility with at least natural terrain and an adequate pool and to consider retiring them to a reputable sanctuary. I was appalled to learn that they’re confined to a concrete-floored enclosure and that they’ve been seen panting with no means of escaping the heat. These animals deserve to live in vast habitats where they can exhibit normal types of behavior, such as digging, roaming, swimming, and foraging, rather than spending their lives on a hot concrete slab in enclosures in which they can barely take a few steps in any direction. Thank you for your time and consideration."

But of course you can tell them your message in your own words.

3. You can leave a comment on the tripadvisor page: Wilson's Wild Animal Park

The original article can be found here: Help Bears Suffering in the Heat at Wilson’s Wild Animal Park

A lot has happened since I posted an update regarding this action. I apologize for that, I will try to be more frequent with the updates. I think this campaign is very important and that it can help animals in Indonesia.

To remind ourselves, it all started with P Holmes, who has created a petition regarding the malnourished bears in the Bandung Zoo, in Indonesia. You can see the first post on my blog regarding that here:Skeletal sun bears begging for food in Indonesian zoo.


The article where you can find the video from the zoo: Shocking video shows skeletal sun bears BEGGING visitors to feed them junk food - as they are trapped and starving in an Indonesian zoo

The latest news regarding the sun bears:

"Executive Director of Wildlife Sanctuary in Colorado agreed to rescue the sun bears but unless they are released, the rescue cannot happen. I contacted Pat Craig from Wildlife Sanctuary, CO again last week, he stands by his offer to take the sun bears from Bandung zoo if their release can be secured and his offer extends to any sun bears from Indonesia. Sun bears are a protected species in Indonesia so they belong to the government, not the zoo owners."

It is sad that zoos use the excuse of conservation to exploit the endangered species. If a species is protected/endangered then it is the Government's responsibility to enforce their laws but sadly it is not being carried out and poor innocent animals continue to suffer. If zoo wants to carry out conservation effort, then provide the animal with a decent habitat!"

This action is still ongoing. The sun bears are still in the Bandung Zoo. Good news is that they are at least being fed.

You can sign the petition asking for the closure of the zoo here:
Shut down the Bandung Zoo now!

and the petition on care2.com:

President Widodo, Shut down Bandung Zoo now.

Please also share the petition.


Since my last update the situation has developed further and now P Holmes, with the help of "Animal House TV" creator and producer Rebecca Rodriguez is organizing a campaign that will help more than just the sun bears and the rest of the animals in Bandung Zoo, but also all of the animals in Indonesia. Rebecca has created a GoFundMe page so they can collect funds necessary to keep on fighting for the animals there. You can find out more about Rebecca's team here: Meet Rebecca's team (Update #32 on the GoFundMe page).

If you can, please donate and share the GoFundMe page: Help the Animals of Indonesia. All of Rebecca's updates, from the start, can be read there (Including the pictures that can't be seen in the updates from the petition I have linked here in my blog post, since I can't share the separate updates directly from the GoFundMe page).
Rebecca was in Indonesia, to see for herself and report on the conditions there. Sadly, her trip was cut short due to some disturbing developments. However, the rest of her group stayed behind. You can read the full update here: Update from Indonesia. (Update #25 & #31 on the GoFundMe page ).

"Fueled by corruption and poverty, zoos, safari parks, animal performance acts, forced photo props, pet markets and wildlife trade markets are overflowing with varying degrees of neglect, torture, abuse, and despair. Dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, small mammals, primates, etc…many of them endangered species, are struggling in a hotbed of anguish and suffering. Poaching is rampant, the illegal wildlife trade is booming and natural habitats are being destroyed at an alarming rate. 

The things that I saw happening out in the open, brought me to my knees. To think of the things that are happening to these animals behind the scenes, nearly paralyzes me."

There is a lot that needs to be done for the animals, and here you can see the plan: Vision and Strategy to forge ahead (Update #33 on the GoFundMe page).

Regarding the Bandung zoo, Rebecca has said:

"I am not of the mindset to spend time and resources to help an animal exploitation establishment (e.g. a zoo), exploit animals better or in a better environment. Ideally, this zoo would close, along with several other animal establishments in Indonesia. While we can still work to this end, in the meantime, we can offer solutions to improve the quality of life for the animals currently there."

I totally agree with Rebecca, that these zoos need to close. I also agree that in the meantime, helping the animals that are there is the right thing to do. But, let's not forget the ultimate goal, which is freedom for these animals. No matter how much you try to be as humane as possible, confining an animal is still cruel and unnecessary. Wouldn't it be better to organize tours throughout Indonesia where you can see the animals in their natural habitat and enjoy the world of animals that way? Those animals deserve to be free, and hopefully in time that will be possible.

"We are here because we love animals and because we care about this world. I need your help to not only reach but to exceed the goal of this campaign, so I can achieve the objectives above. Please tell your family and friends that even $1 can make a difference. 

If there is one project above, that resonates with you, that you may like to become more involved with, please reach out to me and I will happily share more information. 

One of my favorite quotes is by Ryunosuke Satoro. It goes… “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” Let’s be the ocean. For the Animals, Rebecca"

Help by spreading the word about the abuse the animals in Indonesia are facing each day. The world needs to know, so more people can help. If you can donate, please do so. Any amount, even 1$, helps a lot! Also please share the petitions and the GoFundMe page.

You can follow Animal House TV on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnimalHouseTV/ where you can also see the latest updates regarding the campaign, and you can follow Rebecca on her Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/msrebrod/