Author name: Marika Collins

Marika Collins is a writer, editor, and photographer who cares deeply about animal rights, social justice and the environment. She's a gadget freak and camera aficionado with a book collecting addiction and a mean sweet tooth. Has pen, will travel.

European Union Votes to Ban Seal Products

Members of European parliament voted this morning to ban seal products, further tightening the noose on Canada’s archaic and cruel commercial seal hunt. With members voting 550 to 49 in favor of the ban, Europe has sent Canada a clear message: Europeans do not support the hunt. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) welcomed

HSUS Reconsiders Condemning Dogs Seized From Fighting Rings

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has issued an interim policy regarding dogs victimized by dog fighting. The policy recommends that dogs be evaluated on an individual basis rather than being condemned to euthanization as a group. The HSUS was widely criticized in recent weeks for supporting a court ruling that ordered 145

LA City Council Votes to Keep Billy the Elephant Confined

Despite extensive opposition and the rallying of animal activists and Hollywood celebrities alike, Los Angeles City Council voted today to go ahead with a $42 million elephant exhibit. About $12 million has already been spent towards the completion of the new exhibit, which is now 30 percent done. Council also decided that the city will

Canada Asks EU to Drop Proposed Seal Product Ban

Canadian officials are in Brussels this week to ask the European Union not to pass proposed legislation that would ban the import of seal products. The trip was organized by the Canadian federal Fisheries and Oceans Department.  According to the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), the delegates are hoping to sway members of European parliament to

Conservationists Hopeful Extinct Butterfly Back in Britain

British conservationists are ecstatic over what they hope is the return of the Large Tortoiseshell butterfly, thought to be extinct in Britain. The butterfly, once common, dwindled in numbers in the early twentieth century to the point where it disappeared entirely. Some experts fear that sightings of the Large Tortoiseshell may in fact be of

Walmart Canada Removes Rabbit Fur Slippers From Shelves

Walmart Canada removed slippers containing real fur from their inventory after receiving a complaint from The Animal Defense League of Canada. The slippers, made in China, had been labeled as faux fur. It was determined that the slippers were in fact made of rabbit fur. Walmart has a no-fur policy and immediately removed the offending

Brace For Impact: Wildlife Study to Measure Ash Spill Effects

Officials at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) are bracing themselves for a long-term wildlife study at the TVA spill site. The area was severely contaminated after a massive release of coal ash on Dec. 22, 2008. The spill originated from a holding pond belonging to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Kingston Steam Plant on

Mystery: Brown Pelicans Dying Along California Coast

A disproportionate amount of Brown Pelicans have been dying along the California coast in recent days. This is especially troubling since the pelicans have been on the endangered list since 1970.  The birds were nearly decimated before the chemical pesticide DDT was banned in 1972. This grim development is being monitored by wildlife conservation and

Victory: Shell Cancels Plans to Drill in Arctic Waters

Score one for the environment – at least temporarily. Shell Oil announced that it will not be drilling off the Alaskan coast in the Beaufort Sea in 2009 as planned. This decision comes after a November court ruling which determined that Shell had erroneously been given permission to drill without properly assessing the environmental impact

5 Things You Can Do Now to Help Abandoned Pets

There are few places in the world that have not been touched in some way by the faltering global economy. A tragic side effect of this phenomenon is the increase in abandoned pets and the resulting stress it continues to place on the shelters trying to care for them. [social_buttons] As someone who lives in

Greenpeace vs. Sea Shepherd: An Unfortunate Conflict

Greenpeace issued a lengthy statement on their website in an attempt to further distance themselves from Paul Watson and Sea Shepherd yesterday. With an aim at setting the record straight, Greenpeace made the statement out of frustration with what it claims are lies and falsehoods propagated by Watson, compounded by a general public misconception that

3 Things You Can Do as We Count Down to Earth Hour 2009

[social_buttons] Did you read all about the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour coming up on March 29th and get excited about what you can do to make a difference? Here are three simple things you can start with to take action: 1. Sign up for Earth Hour 2009 You can take action by signing up

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