Public News Service

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission regulates 27 nearshore species including menhaden, for Atlantic coastal states. (Icewall42/Pixabay)

Environmental Group Speaks Out Against Possible Omega Protein Certification

RICHMOND, Va. – Omega Protein Inc. is in the process of acquiring approval to raise the number of menhaden fish it can harvest, but …

According to the ASPCA, a study in Wisconsin found 68 percent of domestic-violence survivors reported their abusers were also violent toward their animals. (Pixabay)

PAWS Act Protects Pets, Human Victims of Domestic Violence

NORFOLK, Va. — Killing, harming or threatening to harm beloved pets are weapons used by domestic abusers to manipulate victims into silence…

Global fast food giant Kentucky Fried Chicken has committed to no longer purchasing chicken raised on antibiotics by 2018. (Ralf Roletschek/Wikimedia Commons)

Colonel Sanders to Kick the Antibiotics Habit

RICHMOND, Va. — Consumer and public health advocates are applauding the latest pledge by a fast food chain to phase out its use of chickens …

The shad, an iconic fish in Virginia, has been denied saltwater protections. (Shermon Foote Denton)

River Herring and Shad Denied Protections at Sea

RICHMOND, Va. -- Fishery regulators have refused to put ocean catch limits on shad and river herring, drawing criticism from recreational fishermen …

More than a dozen circuses continue to use elephants, but Ringling Bros. has ended the practice this week. (Amoghavarsha/Wikepedia)

Circus Packs It Up for Pachyderms

RICHMOND, Va. - Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus has closed the curtain on its use of elephants with final performances in Pennsylvania and …

Oysters are only at 1 percent of historic levels in the Chesapeake Bay. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Disease-Resistant Oyster Could Aid Chesapeake Bay

RICHMOND, Va. - Marine police are cracking down on illegal oyster harvesting in Chesapeake Bay, but catching someone in action isn't easy. It's …

The U.S. Navy is rethinking its exercises that could harm marine mammals. Credit: Daniel Du Toit/ Wikimedia Commons

Navy Shifts Training to Protect Whales, Dolphins

RICHMOND, Va. - The U.S. Navy is analyzing the harm its sonar exercises do to whales, dolphins and sea turtles and may modify its training exercises …

PHOTO: A federal court has cleared the way for what conservationists say needs to happen to clean up Chesapeake Bay - including reducing polluted farm runoff. Photo courtesy Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Virginia Could Do More for Chesapeake Bay Cleanup

HANOVER, Va. – A federal court victory has cleared the way for what conservationists say needs to happen on farms within the Chesapeake Bay …

PHOTO: Virginia's beach tourism industry groups are opposing plans to open up the Atlantic coast to offshore drilling. Photo by Krystle Chick and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

VA Beach Tourism Industry Unifying Against Offshore Drilling

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia's beach tourism industry is unifying against offshore drilling in the Atlantic. The state's beach resort, restaurant…

PHOTO: Hilton Worldwide will begin to eliminate the use of cages for egg-laying hens and gestation crates for breeding pigs from its global supply chain. Photo Credit: The Humane Society of the United States.

Hilton Hotels to Ban Cages for Hens and Pigs in Food Supply

MCLEAN, Va. - Hilton Worldwide, one of the world's oldest and largest resort and hotel chains, has announced it will begin to eliminate the use of …

PHOTO: U.S. wildlife agencies and animal rights groups are working to help prevent poaching half a world away. As the African elephant population dwindles, the U.S. plans to strengthen its ban on importing and purchasing ivory. Photo credit: Copyright K. Branon/IFAW; used with permission.

35K Elephants Killed Yearly: U.S. Group Works to Save Them

RICHMOND, Va. – Close to 35,000 African elephants are killed every year for their tusks, according to some estimates, and U.S. wildlife experts …

PHOTO: It may look like fun, but such close proximity to exotic animals invites trouble, according to an undercover investigation of Virginia's Natural Bridge Zoo. In addition to human safety issues, investigators say they found evidence of animal neglect and abuse. Photo courtesy Humane Society of the United States.

Undercover Probe at VA Roadside Zoo: Abuse, Neglect, Public Danger

NATURAL BRIDGE, Va. - Abuse, neglect and unsanitary conditions are just a few of the terms used to describe the scene at a roadside zoo in Natural …

PHOTO: The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a voluntary conservation effort that encourages farmers to address resource concerns in new and innovative ways. Those farmers whose contracts are up this year must renew by Sept. 12 to continue with the program. Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Farmers: Apply Now for CSP Renewal

RICHMOND, Va. - Time is running out for some Virginia farmers who want to continue receiving federal assistance to improve soil, water, air and …

PHOTO Rep. Jim Moran is co-chair of the Animal Welfare Caucus, and says the testing of cosmetics on animals is no longer needed. Photo courtesy of Rep. Jim Moran.

Bill Would Ban Animal Testing for Cosmetics

RICHMOND, Va. - The time has come to ban animal testing for cosmetics, according to a northern Virginia Congressman. Rep. Jim Moran is sponsoring …

PHOTO: A report released today by the National Wildlife Federation outlines how young critters, such as sea turtles in Virginia, are facing new challenges because of climate change. Photo credit: NOAA

Report: Young VA Wildlife Need TLC

RICHMOND, Va. - Spring means baby season for wildlife. A report released today by the National Wildlife Federation outlines how young critters are …

PHOTO: Today is the last chance for public comments regarding

Last Day for Public Comments to “Free Lolita”

RICHMOND, Va. – Lolita is a captive whale at the Miami Seaquarium who has been performing tricks for 43 years – and she could get a shot …

PHOTO: Last-chance pets are finding forever homes with our nation's heroes, with the help of some match-making. Courtesy of PetsForPatriots.org

Last-Chance Pets Find Patriot Companions in VA

RICHMOND, Va. - Last-chance pets are finding forever homes with our nation's heroes, with the help of some match-making. A nonprofit organization…

PHOTO: Pasture-raised hens get 2.5 acres per 1,000 hens to roam and feed, according to guidelines developed by the Virginia-based group Humane Farm Animal Care. Photo courtesy HFAC.

New “Certified Humane” Egg Standards Hatched in VA

HERNDON, Va. – Free range or pasture raised – there are many such terms for eggs sold in grocery stores, and it's hard to decide what …

Holiday food and decor can be dangerous for pets. Photo courtesy of the HSUS.

Holiday Foods and Decor Can Be Deadly for Pets

RICHMOND, Va. - With the holiday season in full swing, some foods, decorations and plants in the home that are pretty and tasty for humans can prove …

PHOTO: A bear at a roadside zoo, this one in North Carolina, in a barren cage. The group PETA is asking the USDA to enforce humane standards for bears in captivity. Photo courtesy PETA.

Public Input Sought on New Rules for Bears in Captivity

RESTON, Va. - In Virginia and around the country, hundreds of bears in captivity live in small, concrete pits and cages without a hint of their …

PHOTO: The Country-of-Origin Labeling law for meat is being challenged by foreign countries and some U.S. organizations. Photo credit: Monique Coppola

Country-of-Origin Labels for Meat Challenged in Court

RICHMOND, Va. – Country-of-Origin-Labeling, or COOL, requires labels on meat sold in the U.S. to clearly state where that meat comes from…

PHOTO: Some Americans will soon have a chance to

Seeing Red Over Planned Running of the Bulls

RICHMOND, Va. - The ads invite you to party like Pamplona and have an experience like no other. Tickets are almost sold out for the Great Bull Run …

PHOTO: The Humane Society of the United States is trying to rally support for legislation to make it a crime to attend an animal fight. Photo credit: HSUS

Farm Bill Would "Fortify" VA Animal-Fighting Laws

WASHINGTON - No spectators, no fighting. That's the message from animal-welfare groups trying to make it a federal crime, punishable by jail…

PHOTO: Loud seismic air gun blasts could damage sea life and fisheries in the Atlantic. Photo credit: Natural Resources Canada.

Seismic Air Guns Off VA Coast Could Harm Sea Life & Fishing Industry

RICHMOND, Va. - Sea life in the Atlantic could be in for a very unpleasant surprise, according to the group Oceana. They say seismic air gun blasts…

PHOTO: Pumpkin, a 24-year-old chimpanzee at the Alamogordo Primate Facility, loves coconuts and kiddie swimming pools. APF is a chimpanzee reserve where no research is conducted.<br />Courtesy: N-I-H.

New Hope for Laboratory Chimpanzees

NORFOLK, Va. – Hope for chimpanzees used for laboratory research came this week, when the National Institutes of Health announced the decision …

PHOTO: The U.S. House of Representatives votes on an amendment to the Farm Bill that would double the size of cages housing millions of hens. Photo credit: HSUS

Farm Bill: Eggs-cellent Opportunity to Boost Animal Welfare in VA

RICHMOND, Va. - Amid the debate about food stamps and farm subsidies, animal welfare also is becoming a polarizing part of the Farm Bill, which is up …

PHOTO: The Chesapeake Conservancy's Osprey Cam shows Tom and Audrey Osprey's life on the Bay. Photo Credit: The Chesapeake Conservancy

Osprey Cam Shows Chesapeake Reality TV

CHESAPEAKE BAY - They've been called the Chesapeake's newest and most popular reality TV stars. Online viewers in 60 countries have watched the lives …

PHOTO: A Virginia Tech entomologist says the cicada invasion likely won't be as forceful as expected this year. Photo Credit: Virginia Tech

Silence of the Cicadas

BLACKSBURG, Va. - If you haven't seen or heard them, you probably won't. While neighborhoods from the Piedmont to Manassas are getting their fill of …

PHOTO: The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is proposing new regulations to control the practice of penning foxes. Photo credit: Animal Welfare Institute

Last Day to Pen Your Concerns about "Fox Penning" Rules

RICHMOND, Va. – It's Virginia's latest take on the fox and the hound. The state is proposing new rules to regulate the practice of penning …

PHOTO: The Humane Society of the United States wants Smithfield Foods to continue to phase out use of

Possible Smithfield Foods Sale Could Put Pig Promises in Jeopardy

RICHMOND, Va. - After the Humane Society of the United States exposed the treatment of pigs at a Smithfield factory in Virginia, the company promised …

PHOTO: As Mid-Atlantic states develop wind energy, there are concerns about the protection of the critically-endangered North Atlantic right whale. Photo credit: NOAA.GOV

Wind and the Whale

RICHMOND, Va. – This is a story about the wind and the whale. Virginia's Offshore Wind Development Authority met in Richmond this week to …

Force feeding of birds for Foie Gras production. Courtesy of Farm Sanctuary

Group Urges The North Face to Stop Using Down

RICHMOND, Va. - Whether they're used for an edible delicacy or for jackets, pillows and sleeping bags, ducks and geese are getting the short end of …

Family of Elephants in Afric. Courtesy Peter Knights, WildAid

US Group to Chinese Consumers: "When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can, Too"

RICHMOND, Va. - Custom officials in Kenya seized over $1 million worth of illegal elephant ivory last week, just a few days after the bodies of a …

Cat and Dog - Find your perfect match at a local shelter or rescue organization.

Kitty or Puppy Under the Tree? Consider Adoption First

RICHMOND, Va. – If you are planning to bring a furry new family member home to place under the tree for Christmas, you might want to consider …

Thousands ask UVA to Stop Testing on Live Cats

RICHMOND, Va. - More than 180,000 signatures have been gathered for a petition against the use of live cats in University of Virginia (UVA) …

2012: The Year of the Pig?

RICHMOND, Va. - The year 2012 might end up being the year of the pig. Several leading fast-food chains including McDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King …

Massive Decline in VA Bats - More Bugs & Pests?

RICHMOND, Va. - For the past several years, a fungus called white nose syndrome has killed up to 6.7 million bats in North America. The first cases …

Dog chained. Photo credit: Humane Society of the United States

The People Have Spoken: Dog-Chaining Outlawed in Hampton

HAMPTON, Va. - There is some truth to the old expression "meaner than a junkyard dog," according to the majority of voters in Hampton. The practice …

Fox Penning - Recreation or Blood Sport?

RICHMOND, Va. - The practice of fox penning, where wild foxes are trapped, brought to enclosures and used to train hounds for hunting, is drawing the …

Report: Get the Chimps Out of the Lab

RICHMOND, Va. - Most of the time, the apes are simply not needed. That's a new finding from the Institute of Medicine about whether chimpanzees are …

Getting VA Youth Out of Dog Fighting Ring

RICHMOND, Va. - It's a fight for entertainment, money and status for some of the human participants, but dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states…

Power to the Small Farmer: Experts, Advocates in VA

ARLINGTON, Va. - Consumer, environmental and animal-welfare activists will converge in Arlington this week, with a mission to end so-called "factory …

How Much is that Doggie on the Internet?

RICHMOND, Va. - You can buy just about anything online now, but when that purchase is a brand new puppy, how much will you really know about where or …

Industry "Playing Chicken" with Chesapeake?

WASHINGTON - Chicken - fried, grilled, baked or broiled - is the top meat of choice in Virginia and around the nation, but a new report warns that …

In Search of More Elbow Room for Chickens

WASHINGTON - When it comes to the age-old question: "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?", two national groups are pulling for the chicken…

Leave Fido Out of July 4th Fireworks Celebration

RICHMOND, Va. - Including man's best friend in this weekend's July 4th festivities may not be the healthiest choice for your pet. The fireworks and …

Rescued Research Beagles Get New "Leash" on Life

Nine beagles who have spent their lives in cages in a research lab got their first taste of freedom, when they were rescued Wednesday by animal-…

River at Risk – Drinking Water Threatened?

RICHMOND, Va. - The Roanoke River is number three on a list of endangered rivers put out annually by the conservation group American Rivers. The …

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VA: Animal Welfare