News for Florida animal advocates

This week it was announced that El Al Israel Airlines has decided to stop transporting primates destined for the research industry. El Al joins the growing list of airlines that refuse to be associated with the cruelty and suffering of the international trade in primates.
Among the airlines that were once carriers of primates, but which […]

Last month, the Tampa Tribune ran a story about a visit by a 9-week-old tiger to the PetSmart store in Wesley Chapel. Photographs from the event show PetSmart employees posing with the tiger. The tiger cub was brought into the store by Kathy Stearns, who runs a small zoo in Dade City called Wild Things.
From […]

It has become a depressingly predictable pattern in Florida: (1) cats who are allowed to roam outdoors go missing, (2) coyotes are spotted in the area, (3) trappers are hired to kill the coyotes.
On Tuesday, WMBB Ch. 13 news reported that traps have been set for coyotes in a community called The Glades in Panama […]

A few weeks ago the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began accepting public comment on its draft Black Bear Management Plan. The goal of the plan is to sustain black bear populations, conserve bear habitat and reduce human-bear conflicts.
During the first public meeting held to discuss the plan, FWC staff made the mistake […]

On Sunday, Bernard Nowakowski, the owner of a pet store called Puppy Luv in Safety Harbor, was arrested and charged with 26 counts of animal cruelty after deputies found dogs in pens without food or water. The Pinellas Sheriff’s Office described conditions inside the store as “extremely unclean.” One dog was in a pen that […]

The Miss Florida Teen USA pageant concluded on Sunday. Congratulations to Mikyle Crockett, representing Jacksonville, who won the crown. ARFF had a strong presence outside the pageant, with our own “contestants” dressed in bloodied fur coats. See photos from ARFF’s protest here.
Again this year Miss Florida USA/Miss Florida Teen USA stubbornly refused to cut ties […]

Today’s Pensacola News Journal included a depressing story about the death of a 12-foot, 9-inch long alligator. The alligator was killed in the Yellow River early on Tuesday by college student Cole Flanders, and may be the largest killed by a Florida hunter this year. According to a state wildlife biologist, the alligator was at […]

The Cole Bros. Circus has begun its annual trip through Florida. The circus will perform today through Sunday at the Santa Rosa Mall in Mary Esther. On Monday, the circus moves down the road to the Destin Commons.
The Cole Bros. Circus is currently traveling with several elephants under the control of trainer Tim Frisco. Mr. […]

On Saturday, Miss Florida Teen USA contestants gathered at the Westin Diplomat Resort in Hollywood to model for photos and video that will air during the pageant on October 3. Contestants modeled evening gowns, swim suits, and furs (Fur Information Council of America is a sponsor of the pageant).
The furs that the contestants had to […]

On Wednesday, the Sarasota County Commission adopted a revised Animal Control ordinance that tightly restricts the chaining/tethering of dogs. The ordinance makes it unlawful to tether a dog outdoors unless a guardian is outside along with the dog. The vote was unanimous.
A growing number of cities and counties in Florida have enacted ordinances banning or […]