animal welfare.

Gallo Images / Getty Images Animal lovers won some big victories on Tuesday as voters went to the polls to protect the rights of animals large and small. Fighting the War Against Puppy Mills In the so-called "puppy-mill capital of the world," Missouri voters passed the nation's first statewide ballot measure to protect dogs from the worst abuses at puppy mills. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) campaigned for this legislation because at puppy mills in Missouri, dogs are typically crammed into small and filthy cages, denied veterinary care, exposed to extremes of heat and cold, and given no exercise or human affection. The proposition requires large-scale dog breeding ...

Recently, when East Edmond, Oklahoma was swamped with rain, rescue teams mobilized to save animals that were caught in the flooding. Animal Welfare Officer Lacie Smith told KFOR Oklahoma City that the fire department, strapped into life jackets, went swimming to save three horses, neck deep in water. Fashioning harnesses out of dog leashes, they managed to rescue two of the animals. Sadly, amidst the chaos, one of the horses, Reg, was swept down the Coffee Creek that had risen 25 ft. due to the storms. According to Officer Mike Sullivan, the incident was "heartbreaking." He told KFOR Oklahoma City that "all we could do was hope in God and pray the horse could catch its grip and swim to ...

YouTube offers more than hilarious excerpts of obscure Japanese game shows and poorly warbled covers of Top 40 songs. The site now has enlisted its millions of users to submit inspiring videos to promote change on a local and global level. During the month of October, the YouTube Video Volunteers channel raiseed awareness of animal-welfare issues with inspiring and heart-wrenching videos about the importance of animal shelters, adoption and spaying/neutering pets. Celebrity guest curator Ben Stein joined regular viewers to choose the top three, which are being on YouTube's home page at the end of the month. (But you can watch them all here.) The top-rated "Apology Video," posted above, ...