© Jans CanonThere’s no question that animal advocacy is a challenging endeavor, and changing public attitudes and laws to protect animals from cruelty and suffering is a long, painstaking process. But, each year, we find that we are making significant progress—even if it’s slower than we’d like—in states around the country, through the U.S. Congress, with companies that exploit (or previously exploited) animals, and in the international arena. Lately, we’ve been, I dare say, blessed with measurable progress in this regard.[teaserbreak]
A year or so ago, I couldn’t have told you what a pangolin was. But now, Born Free USA and others, knowing that this “scaly anteater” of Africa and Asia is on a precipitous decline toward extinction in the wild as international trade in their scales and meat increases, have petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the outstanding seven species of pangolins as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. (One of the eight species is already protected.)
It is estimated that roughly 100,000 pangolin specimens are being exported around the world every year, including tens of thousands being seized coming into the U.S. over the past decade. Whether found in West Africa, or in Vietnam, or the Philippines, or India, these species clearly deserve all the protection we can give them. It’s truly a situation where the species could go extinct before people even know they existed.
Thankfully, on March 15, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ruled that our Endangered Species Act petition is warranted, which means a 60-day public comment period and a 12-month review by the government to ultimately decide to list or not to list. After our success at the end of last year—listing lions under the Endangered Species Act—I have great hope that we will be equally successful for the beleaguered pangolin.
And, at the same time that we received good news from the U.S. government about pangolins, we also received good news from fashion designer Armani. The company has declared that, beginning this fall, it will abolish all use of fur in the garments it produces, closely following the similar decision by Hugo Boss. This enormous and vital policy change came after a series of discussions with the Fur Free Alliance, an international coalition consisting of Born Free USA and 39 other organizations working to end the fur trade around the world. I am thrilled with Giorgio Armani’s forward-thinking decision, which will save thousands of animals from prolonged, gruesome suffering and death, whether from cruel, indiscriminate traps or through a life of grim captivity on a fur farm. By deciding to go fur free, Armani joins Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Stella McCartney: fashion icons.
It is my hope that with each renowned design house that commits to a compassionate animal welfare policy, the more other fashion designers, retailers, bloggers, trendsetters, and consumers will realize that high-end fashion can inspire the runways without coming at a deadly, torturous cost to animals. As we work in the legislative arena to try to win much-needed protection in law for wild fur-bearers, we must have the cooperation and support of corporations, as well. While we wait for legislatures to take action, which could take years and years, progressive companies interested in doing the right thing can make an immediate decision with significant and lasting impact.
And, another company that’s taking concerted action is, shockingly, SeaWorld—which, in partnership with our friends at the Humane Society of the United States, has relented under extreme public pressure since the release of the 2013 film Blackfish, to end its orca breeding program, stop importing orcas from the wild, and phase out its “theatrical shows” using orcas by 2019. This significant development is a positive one for orcas and a shrewd business move for SeaWorld, which was facing significant, marked decline and loss of customers over the clearly horrific conditions for the orcas there. At long last, SeaWorld has heeded the compassionate demands of an increasingly humane society.
Of course, this is progress, but not the end of the discussion. These orcas continue to languish in the concrete SeaWorld pools, and other marine animals remain exploited at SeaWorld facilities.
But, as I say, inch by inch, progress prevails. Ringling Brothers is going out of the performing elephant business. SeaWorld is going out of the performing orca business. Armani is going out of the fur business. And, eventually, the business of humane treatment of animals will be the strongest performer in America and around the world.
I am an impatient person, and there is so much evil perpetrated on animals, and I find myself often screaming for action. But, I remember a fortune cookie message I got one night in college so many years ago that read: “Confucius says patience will be rewarded.” As long as we continue our hard work and people increasingly listen to our pleas for animals, that advice will come true.
Keep wildlife in the wild,
Adam