Results

With such a large number of animals being housed and sold at retail pet stores, many welfare issues exist, including the availability of veterinary care, food and water, proper housing, and proper sanitation. This paper examines the laws pertaining to the welfare of animals in retail pet stores at the federal and state level and comments on the welfare issues that still need to be addressed.

Over half of all households in America have at least one pet. While some of these animals are available for adoption at local humane societies, most people buy their pets from retail pet stores. Since there are so many animals being housed at retail pet stores, many welfare issues exist, including the availability of veterinary care, food and water, proper housing, and proper sanitation. This paper addresses what federal and state laws are in place to regulate these welfare issues.

Part I of this Note will discuss the domestic horse slaughter industry. It will examine what types of horses are sent to slaughterhouses and by whom, as well as how slaughterhouses operate. Part II will discuss the current state of horse slaughter legislation and the legislative histories that led to the current situation. Part III will discuss the forecast for equine welfare and will explain why the closure of the U.S. equine slaughter industry is detrimental to equine welfare, and Part IV will discuss the negative economic effects that will be felt by the abolition of the domestic slaughter industry. This Note concludes by calling for the repeal of state laws criminalizing the slaughter of horses for human consumption, the reopening of equine slaughterhouses in the United States, and the rejection of the proposed Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008.

The grant of whaling rights to the Makah Native-American tribe may be interpreted as a form of reparations owed to the tribe from the United Stated government. History details the many wrongs inflicted on the Makah by the government, and these wrongs therefore serve as the basis for reparations. Considered first is a brief review of recent attempts by the federal government to compensate Native Americans for past wrongs. Next, an examination of the history and culture of the Makah tribe provides a greater understanding of the significance of whaling to the Makah. The essay then expounds on why permitting the tribe to engage in whaling is an acceptable form of reparations. Finally, arguments against the Makah’s whaling are also examined and critiqued.