The war on wildlife: Trump's latest ridiculous move: Killing wild animals to boost numbers of other animals for hunters to kill.

 

Last week, President Trump issued a new executive order directing federal agencies to expand hunting and permit the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle on public lands. The order is called: “Reinvigorating America’s Hunting Heritage.”  

And it is a farce. 

Make no mistake: This is all part of this administration’s wider war on wildlife. 

This latest move comes right on the heels of another attack on the Endangered Species Act, and it could lead to, indeed, a “reinvigorated” hunting of animals such as wolves, bears and mountain lions on public lands. It could also result in the spread of lead in sensitive ecosystems and habitats, a toxicity that harms everyone, people included.   

The executive order operates on a false premise—that hunting helps conservation, and so loosening hunting restrictions is good. Let us disabuse anyone of the notion that this is true: 

1. Lead is dangerous to animals and humans at any level. 

First, it is nothing less than absurd to take steps backward on lead ammunition and tackle. Because of the wide acknowledgment of its toxicity, lead has been removed from gasoline, pipes, house paint and many other common products. The restrictions on lead ammo and tackle that exist are there for good reason.  

More than 130 species of wild animals have suffered from the effects of lead poisoning from spent lead ammunition and fishing tackle. Lead poisoning is one of the leading causes of death for bald eagles and California condors. Raptors ingest lead ammunition fragments left behind by hunters or the carcasses of animals that hunters shoot but don’t recover. In birds, a single ingested shotgun pellet or bullet fragment is sufficient to cause brain damage, impairing critical neuromuscular, auditory and visual responses. Often, the ingestion results in death. Poisoned animals who survive often experience long-term negative effects that make them more susceptible to predation and dangers such as car collisions.   

And of course, a human child exposed to lead can suffer from all kinds of health and developmental problems—which is why it’s common practice for pediatricians across the U.S. to screen children for lead exposure.  

So, why would we take steps backward and sanction the use of lead in ecosystems?

This golden eagle was outfitted with a GPS transmitter. She was found dead 1.5 miles outside of Yellowstone National Park. A necropsy revealed she died from lead poisoning.

2. Ridiculous: Killing some animals to boost numbers of other animals for hunters to kill.  

The executive order says that “The Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Agriculture shall coordinate with State agencies to align management practices and conservation plans to promote the growth of game species populations through the… targeted management of predators, competing species, and other population-limiting factors.”  

The “targeted management”—the killing—of wild carnivores (such as grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, mountain lions, coyotes, bobcats and foxes) for the purpose of increasing populations of game species (such as deer, elk and moose) is a ridiculous plan.  

It’s been proven that predator control schemes do not work, in part because populations of deer, elk and other game species are affected by many environmental factors. So, killing wild carnivores to grow other species will not increase ungulate herd sizes, but will only cause pain and suffering, shattering family social structures (when a wolf pack loses even one breeding member, for example, the whole pack can disintegrate leaving orphaned pups) and wreaking havoc on ecosystems.  

Recently, Utah, Nevada and Oregon have killed dozens of mountain lions and coyotes in an attempt to augment bighorn sheep herds. Bighorn sheep populations are in decline because of historic overhunting, and now the animals are facing debilitating diseases which have been spread from domestic sheep.  

And Alaskan officials are killing dozens of brown bears annually too, to ostensibly help flagging caribou herds, who are harmed by a warming climate. 

As if that weren’t enough to ardently oppose this approach to “wildlife management,” the methods used to kill these wild carnivores are often the height of cruelty; steel-jawed leghold traps, strangling neck snares and packs of hounds are just some of examples.  

3. Increased hunting will not bolster the economy. Wildlife watching is more popular and economically significant than hunting. 

Wildlife watching reaches a much broader public than hunting and generates substantially greater economic activity, too, according to the federal government’s own data.  

• In 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that 145.3 million people watched wildlife in 2022, compared with 14.4 million who participated in hunting—that’s roughly ten wildlife watchers for every hunter. In 2022, wildlife watchers spent over  $250 billion, while hunters spent over $45 billion. Wildlife-watching expenditures were more than five times higher than hunting-related expenditures.  
• In 2024, visitors to national parks spent an estimated $29 billion in local gateway regions, supporting jobs, labor income, value added and broader economic output.  
• In 2024, the total outdoor recreation spending reached just over $540 billion with hunting and trapping accounting for only 1.24% of that total, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 

These federal sources show that wildlife watching is not only more widely practiced than hunting, but also a larger driver of outdoor recreation spending and local economic benefits. Only 4.6% of Americans hold a paid hunting license in 2026, according to governmental data. Contrary to the myth that hunters pay for wildlife, the truth is that wildlife watchers subsidize hunters.   

Public lands belong to all of us 

Americans value living wildlife and natural places. America’s public lands encompass hundreds of millions of acres and provide a home to thousands of wildlife and fish species. Nearly half the land in the American West is publicly owned and federally managed. These lands are not a private playground for special interests; they are a shared national trust, and they should be managed in ways that sustain healthy ecosystems.  

If the government is meant to represent the interests of the American people, then it should listen to the American people and invest in science-based conservation that protects biodiversity, reduces lead contamination and ensures wild animals can thrive. 

Five ways you can help wildlife right now 

• Urge your lawmaker to vote NO on the misleadingly named Pet and Livestock Protection Act, legislation that would put wolves in the crosshairs. 
• Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to keep grizzly bears protected!  
• Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain protections for wolves. 
• Add your voice to calls to maintain key provisions in the Endangered Species Act.  
• Sign the pledge to end trophy hunting.  

Kitty Block is president and CEO of Humane World for Animals. Follow Kitty Block on X. Sara Amundson is president of Humane World Action Fund.

About the Author

Kitty Block is the chief executive officer and president of Humane World for Animals, as well as the chief executive officer of Humane World Action Fund.

Read more about Kitty Block

Humane World For Animals: 70 Dogs Rescued From South Korean Dog Meat Farm Ahead of Nationwide Ban (the final rescue at a farm that slaughtered 1000 dogs a year )

 Staff of  Humane  World for Animals

More than 70 dogs have been rescued from a dog meat farm in Gangjin, South Korea Humane World for Animals’ final large-scale dog meat farm rescue before the nationwide ban takes full effect in February 2027.

The dogs include Jindos, a German shepherd, a corgi mix, a husky mix, several spitz mixes, puppies, and other small and medium-sized dogs. The animals are the final survivors at a farm that once bred and slaughtered as many as 1,000 dogs each year. 

Humane World for Animals has rescued almost 3,000 dogs from South Korean dog meat farms since 2015.  

Sangkyung Lee, Humane World for Animals Korea campaign manager, stated:

“For more than a decade, our rescue teams have shone a spotlight inside these dog meat farms and faced the heartbreak of witnessing the suffering involved in this industry while saving the lives of thousands of dogs. To be conducting our final farm rescue is an incredibly profound moment. These 70 dogs are among the very last few to suffer in this dying industry, and sending them to the USA and Canada to start new lives in loving families feels like the perfect closing chapter to our 10-year mission as South Korea embarks on a new relationship with dogs in which they are friends not food.”

The farm came to the attention of animal advocates earlier this year after a member of the public contacted a local animal protection group. The group and Humane World for Animals alerted local authorities, who cited the farm for violations of the Animal Protection Act relating to animal husbandry and management.

The farmer agreed to relinquish the remaining dogs and signed a written commitment to no longer participate in the dog meat industry.

On September 29, more than 70 dogs were removed from the farm and transported to secure facilities at Incheon Airport. On September 30, the first group departed South Korea for the United States and Canada.

The dogs will initially be cared for at Humane World for Animals’ rehabilitation center before being transferred to partner organizations to begin their search for adoptive families.

South Korea’s ban on the dog meat industry was unanimously passed by the National Assembly in January 2024. Beginning February 7, 2027, it will be illegal to farm, kill, butcher or sell dogs or dog meat for human consumption. Violations can carry penalties of up to two years in prison and fines of up to 30 million.

In May 2026, South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that 1,265 registered dog meat farms, representing 82% of the total, had already closed, with 272 remaining.

With its final large-scale dog meat farm rescue in South Korea now completed, Humane World for Animals says its work will shift toward monitoring compliance with and enforcement of the ban.

Humane World for Animals: Two years ago South Korea officially passed a ban on dog meat: of the 17000 dog meat farms 1,204 have closed but with heavy hearts we know we cannot save all the dogs

Today marks two years since the ban on dog meat officially passed in South Korea. Since enforcement began, 1,204 dog farms—or about 78% of all dog farms in the country—have closed. When we started advocating for an end to the industry, about a decade ago, government estimates indicated that there were more than 17,000 dog meat farms.

The phase-out of this industry—from 17,000 dog meat farms to now just over 330—represents a huge achievement. For decades, these facilities had been sites of suffering and death for millions of dogs and would have gone on to torment and kill countless more had the ban not been passed. And this progress is possible because of continued efforts from Humane World for Animals Korea and other Korean animal welfare groups during the phase-out period of the dog meat industry. We’re working to ensure that awareness of and support for the ban remains high so full implementation can be smoothly achieved.

  

We are also continuing our efforts to rescue dogs from dog meat farms, giving them the chance to live full, loving lives. Later this month, we will be flying 16 dogs we rescued last year from meat farms to Canada for adoption. Additionally, in the spring, we plan to conduct another rescue as part of a farm closure operation.

Because the dog meat ban has no specific directive related to rescuing dogs, our rescues have become even more meaningful. With heavy hearts, we know we cannot save them all, but every life matters. In total, we have rescued nearly 2,800 dogs from dog meat farms in South Korea since our Models for Change program began over a decade ago.

Meanwhile, our teams are working across Asia to end the dog and cat meat trade:

In China, we’ve been partnering and supporting Vshine in its efforts to end the dog and cat meat trade. A survey in Dalian, a major city in Northeastern China, found that 95% of citizens support legislation to protect companion animals and 99% support Dalian banning dog and cat meat; these results boost support for a companion animal protection law, which would include provisions prohibiting the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat in this city. A legislative proposal has been submitted by Vshine and if approved this would make Dalian the third city in China to ban the dog and cat meat trade. And in Yulin, infamous for the dog meat “festival,” which is held each summer, Vshine produced a comprehensive report showing that most residents in Yulin don’t support this notorious event. A petition, endorsed and signed by over 180,000 animal welfare advocates worldwide, called upon the Guangxi and Yulin authorities to shut down the dog and cat meat trade within the province and the city of Yulin.

In India, we are working closely with authorities in the northeast of the country to address the illegal cross-border dog meat trade, in which thousands of dogs are sourced from the state of Assam and transported to neighboring states. We have also launched a livelihood conversion program—this program supports vulnerable women who work in the dog meat markets in transitioning out of the trade and into humane, sustainable livelihoods—and are engaging with authorities to stop the dog meat trade.

In Indonesia, a bill that proposes an explicit ban on the dog and cat meat trade, which is backed by four major political parties, including the ruling party, will be debated this year. This milestone was possible because of continued advocacy by the Dog Meat Free Indonesia coalition, of which Humane World for Animals is a founding member.

In Viet Nam’s Dong Nai province, we’re working on disrupting cross-border transportation of dogs and cats for the meat trade. In Thai Nguyen we are advancing public awareness raising programs to alert people to the dangers of rabies linked to the dog and cat meat trade and deter consumers, and in Ho Chi Minh City—the country’s second largest metropolis—we are in discussion regarding a potential three-year partnership to address the dog and cat meat trade in this city.

It is thanks to advocates all over the world that public perceptions of animals are changing. More people are welcoming companion animals into their lives, and there seems to be a wider acknowledgment that animals deserve to be treated with care and respect. In Asia, the younger generation has been at the forefront of the paradigm shift, demanding action to end the dog and cat meat trade.

When we first began our efforts to close dog meat farms in South Korea, we were told that achieving a ban on the dog meat industry in the country would be impossible. But we put our idealism into action: As our program shut down dog meat farms and transitioned farmers to more humane ways of earning a living, this work ultimately served as a model for the implementation of the nationwide ban. Now, the dog meat ban in South Korea will come into full effect next year, in February 2027.

As part of our mission to end the trade across Asia, we issued a report last year, Ending the Dog Meat Industry in South Korea: Building a more compassionate society toward dogs, which captures how animal advocates, policymakers and citizens came together to end dog meat cruelty. This is a story of how political will, shifting cultural values and strong partnerships can create lasting change for animals. And we will continue to work toward the kinder, more compassionate world at the center of our vision by advocating for a permanent end of the dog and cat meat trade wherever it exists.

Kitty Block is president and CEO of Humane World for Animals. Follow Kitty Block.

About the Author

Kitty Block is the chief executive officer and president of Humane World for Animals, as well as the chief executive officer of Humane World Action Fund.

 

Humane World for Animals US assisted in saving 47 dogs and puppies from unimaginable cruelty: scarred, injured, emaciated and abused due to dogfighting

 

In some hopeful news, 47 dogs and puppies were saved from three properties suspected of dogfighting in Chester and Lancaster counties, South Carolina. Humane World for Animals assisted the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) in the operation, alongside the Chester County Sheriff’s Office, Chester County Animal Control, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities executed search and seizure warrants early on November 5, uncovering scenes of unimaginable cruelty. Responders found scarred, injured, and emaciated dogs, many wagging their tails despite their suffering. Most were chained to heavy metal links, with plastic barrels or makeshift boxes serving as their only shelter.

Veterinarians confirmed that multiple dogs had infected puncture wounds consistent with dogfighting injuries. Many were severely underweight, flea-infested, and suffering from painful dental disease. On the properties, officials discovered treadmills, heavy chains, and what appeared to be a dismantled dog fighting pit, grim evidence of the abuse these animals endured.

One especially heartbreaking scene involved a starving mother dog and her three nursing puppies, who were confined in a filthy, feces-caked hutch. Though initially fearful, she quickly warmed up to the rescuers, seeking chin scratches and affection. Nearby, a limping dog strained against his chain, his swollen leg marked by recent bite wounds. Despite his pain, he still wagged his tail as he greeted his rescuers with trust.

“It’s haunting to see so many dogs—injured, covered in scars and clearly in need of veterinary attention—just stuck on the end of a heavy chain. They looked hurt and alone,” said Janell Gregory, South Carolina state director of Humane World for Animals. “It’s rewarding to see them start to wiggle and give kisses as we got them to safety. We are deeply grateful to SLED for initiating this rescue operation.”

Dogfighting is one of the most brutal forms of animal cruelty imaginable. The dogs suffer deep puncture wounds, broken bones, and severe bruising, often dying from blood loss, infection, or shock. Those who survive are forced to fight again, trapped in a cycle of violence and neglect. These operations are not just acts of animal cruelty but are often tied to other crimes involving weapons, drugs, and illegal gambling.

Enjoying her first cuddle ever

Dogfighting is a felony offense in the U.S., punishable by up to five years in prison for fighting, training, or transporting dogs for fighting purposes. Humane World for Animals has worked with SLED on multiple investigations this year alone, rescuing nearly 90 dogs from seven South Carolina properties since June.

These efforts are supported by South Carolina’s 2024 cost-of-care law, which requires owners of seized animals to either pay for their care or relinquish them for adoption. This law allows abused animals to begin new lives without being held in limbo for months or years as cases move through the courts. Humane World for Animals continues to champion such legislation nationwide to strengthen animal protection laws and enforcement.

All of the rescued dogs are now safe at a confidential location, receiving the medical care and love they deserve. Though their bodies bear scars of cruelty, their spirits are already beginning to heal.

Breaking News: 67 dogs saved from South Korea's dog meat trade living in filthy cages with wire flooring, find sanctuary in the US (5 photos of the rescue)

 

All photos from Humane World for Animals

Over the weekend, 50 dogs rescued from a South Korean dog meat farm began a new life in the U.S., thanks to Humane World for Animals. Once confined to cramped, filthy cages with wire flooring, deprived of basic care, affection, or even the chance to run, these dogs have now stepped onto solid ground, felt soft bedding, and received gentle hands instead of fear.

Their journey took them from South Korea to JFK Airport in New York. From there, they travelled to the Humane World for Animals’ care and rehab center in Maryland, where they will receive veterinary care and emotional rehabilitation before finding adoptive families. An additional 17 dogs, mothers and puppies, will follow once they’re old enough to travel, bringing the total number of dogs rescued from the dog meat farm to 67.

The rescue operation was part of a broader effort to end South Korea’s dog meat industry, which is in its final chapter. With a government ban set to take full effect in 2027, nearly 40% of farms have already closed. Humane World for Animals has been instrumental in this progress, shutting down 18 farms and rescuing over 2,700 dogs since 2015.

One such farm, operated by Mr. Yu in Cheongju, was recently shut down for cruelty violations. For 40 years, Mr. Yu bred dogs for slaughter, serving their meat in his restaurant and selling them to markets. Now, he’s transitioning to chili farming, proof that alternative livelihoods are possible and necessary.

Joining the rescue was Korean American actor Daniel Henney, a longtime advocate against the dog meat trade. On-site in Cheongju, he helped remove terrified dogs from their cages and also adopted a golden retriever named Juliette, herself a survivor of the dog meat trade.

“As a huge dog lover, and dad to a dog meat farm survivor, it was incredibly challenging to see the suffering of these dogs who have endured so much. It makes me all the prouder to have supported Humane World for Animals’ successful campaign to achieve a ban because it means no more dogs like these will suffer like this again,” said Henney. “South Korea is embracing a new chapter where dogs are our friends not food, and that couldn’t make me more thrilled. I’m looking forward to following the journey of these dogs as they find their forever homes in the United States and put the dog meat industry behind them.”  

The rescued dogs, mostly Jindo mixes, now face a future filled with love and stability. But for too many still trapped in this cruel system, time is running out. Humane World for Animals’ campaign not only offers a second chance for individual dogs, but also challenges the cultural stigma that still surrounds meat farm survivors in South Korea.

“While the law is successfully dismantling the dog meat industry, we are happy to be able to provide a bright future for the dogs on this farm. For them the dog meat industry is over, and they have nothing but soft beds, full bellies and lots of love ahead of them,” said Sangkyung Lee, campaign manager for Humane World for Animals Korea.

Humane World for Animals : Cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states US but still flourishing across the country where in Kansas City 400 roosters were rescued and euthanized

You don’t need to see a cockfight in progress to comprehend the misery, suffering and death that animal fighting causes. All you need to do is look at the breeding operations that service the cockfighting industry—barren, dismal and hopeless places, every one of them—and there are thousands across the country, even though cockfighting is illegal in all 50 states and under federal law.  

But in Kansas, it appears, there’s now one fewer site of such cruelty, because, on Jan. 25, law enforcement officials from the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office served a search and seizure warrant and took action at a property in Mulvane, near Wichita. With responders from Humane World for Animals and Humane Society of Greater Kansas City there to assist, officials found more than 400 roosters and hens in small wire or wooden structures with little protection from freezing temperatures. Some of the birds were afflicted with eye and nasal discharge—the signs of apparent respiratory illness, particularly concerning right now—and two roosters were covered in dried blood, with open wounds.  

The response teams found cockfighting paraphernalia too, including transport boxes, scales and gaffs—sharp blades attached to roosters’ legs during fights. Our experts identified the birds on site as gamefowl, a term for birds selectively bred and raised for aggression and fighting.  

A detective working the case credited previous training with our teams as indispensable to her work at the scene. This was encouraging because educating humane and law enforcement agents is a priority for us. This week, our Humane World for Animals Law Enforcement Training Center co-hosted a cockfighting investigations webinar with the National Sheriffs’ Association, an active partner in the campaign to end cockfighting. Nearly 400 officers registered, many from states in which cockfighting is a major law enforcement concern.  

In addition to such training activities, we support prosecutors and other law enforcement personnel with their assessment and handling of complex cases. We’re also pursuing a comprehensive agenda to fortify state-level laws in key states, including Kentucky, Georgia, California, Maryland, Florida and Texas. We’re particularly committed to working in the 11 states that do not prohibit breeding and trafficking gamefowl for fighting. 

In a cynical play, cockfighters and their allies in a few state capitals have organized faked-up civic organizations that exist for a single, dishonorable purpose: to reduce or eliminate penalties for cockfighting. These “gamefowl commissions” host rallies, raise funds and make political contributions in support of attempts to decriminalize cockfighting. Known cockfighters have even surfaced as “expert witnesses” in these efforts. In Oklahoma last year, this nearly Orwellian approach resulted in a dangerous proposal to reduce penalties for cockfighting and dogfighting to a misdemeanor—which, we’re glad to report, stalled out in the legislature.  

In the 21st century, of course, cockfighting is not merely a criminal industry but an incubation system for dangerous diseases, including the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 now ravaging commercial flocks of chickens and plaguing big cats and other animals at wildlife rescue centers, to name just several of the most prominent instances of zoonotic transmission. Together, the real risk of disease spread and the poor prospects for placement of roosters trained to be aggressive mean that animals from situations like the one in Mulvane are generally not adopted out; in this case, all the animals had to be euthanized at the scene. 

Cockfighting is a serious crime. That's no radical position. It is the law in all 50 states, and multiple polls through the years have helped to make it clear that people from coast to coast—in states red, blue and purple—disapprove of cockfighting. Most recently, a July 2024 poll we commissioned found that 90% of Democrats, 88% of Republicans and 87% of independents support stronger laws on the issue.  

Recognizing the severity of the problem, the National Sheriffs’ Association has formally declared animal fighting a crime of violence, urging all levels of government to uphold and strengthen penalties.   

At the federal level, we have successfully pressed for animal fighting upgrades to the Animal Welfare Act on five occasions. At this time, our focus is on enforcement and most recently, we’ve encouraged the government to maintain strong sentencing guidelines for animal fighting offenses because of our understanding that cockfighting and dogfighting are malicious crimes and frequently connected to other serious criminal activities.  

With animal fighting classified as a felony crime under the AWA, we’ve also sought to encourage better collaboration between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice (along with other partners) through appropriations requests and other means. This is challenging at present, as potential agency cuts could result in fewer staff positions, smaller budgets, weaker cross-reporting and less funding for state, local and tribal law enforcement efforts. 

We’ll keep pushing. Time and again, our team members hear from legislators and others surprised that cockfighting continues after all the negative publicity it has received and all the laws that have passed. Not enough people understand that cockfighting is a multi-million dollar industry in which participants are willing to take their chances of discovery and arrest in situations where the financial rewards of participation far outweigh the risks. 

That’s why we push lawmakers and government agencies to step up their efforts to make anti-cockfighting laws tougher and to see that they are better enforced. Not just in this country, either. We are increasingly focused on the global dimensions of this problem, because cockfighters are shipping animals all over the world for profit. Beyond causing massive animal suffering, what they’re doing threatens to exacerbate the spread of avian diseases. We’ve done some important work to curb animal fighting in Costa Rica, India and the EU, for example. In Costa Rica, where cockfighting is illegal, we helped to turn back a legal challenge from cockfighters who tried to argue they had a cultural right to fight roosters under the constitution.  

Cockfighting’s cruelty is not a matter of opinion. It’s an objective fact, and the same is true for its obvious public health and safety risks. We can’t afford to be complacent about it, and we can’t afford to let policymakers be complacent either. The massive suffering the birds endure propels our efforts to get at the root causes of cockfighting, in order to stop it for good. 

Sara Amundson is president of Humane World Action Fund. 

Category

Ending animal fighting