Paul Shapiro’s Animal News You Can Use: Protecting elephants, the b.s. fur industry, and turkeys playing soccer!

It was the week of pleasant surprises.

The president of the United States called trophy hunting a “horror show,� and put on hold his own administration’s recent decision to allow imports of African elephant heads. The move earned praise from HSUS and across the political spectrum, from the National Review to the Washington Post editorial board.

I don’t always read Vogue, but when I do, it’s to read interviews with HSUS about the demise of the fur industry.

And while I’d expect an animal protection organization to decry the rampant abuse of turkeys this time of year, seeing the Los Angeles Times editorial board railing against cruelty in the turkey industry on Thanksgiving day was very welcome.

There’s some other promising news for turkeys and other farm animals, too. In case you missed it in Beef Central, the trade publication this week called clean meatand plant-based meat “a potentially serious competitor to conventionally grown meat.“

Video of the week: Perhaps you watched football yesterday, but did you know turkeys play soccer?

Paul Shapiro, Vice President of Policy Engagement
The Humane Society of the United States