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NBC affiliates in 4 states banning PETA’s anti-turkey Thanksgiving Day ad encouraging veganism

4 NBC affiliates ban PETA’s Thanksgiving Day ad

Researchers ask whether caged egg-laying chickens are miserable stuffed into tiny cages

Researchers ask: Are caged chickens miserable?

Fearing roadblock to drilling, Alaska fights to take polar bears off threatened species list

Alaska fights to reverse polar bear listing

ASPCA puts down abused NY dog after saying rehab failed and despite pleas from dog lovers

NY dog Oreo put down despite pleas from dog lovers

Federal officials say they’ll investigate claims of animal abuse at University of Utah labs

Feds to check animal abuse claims at Utah labs

NY ‘miracle dog’ that survived 6-story drop to be euthanized after rehabilitation efforts fail

ASPCA: Dog thrown from roof too dangerous to live

Citing full recovery, government says it will take brown pelicans off endangered species list

Gov’t says brown pelicans are endangered no longer

Happy tales: Many dogs taken in raids finding homes despite nay-sayers who predicted problems

Happy tales for some former fighting dogs

ST. LOUIS — Dozens of American pit bull terriers netted in the largest dogfighting raid in U.S. history are finding homes despite some who predicted aggression or trauma would make them unsuitable as pets.

Circus elephant that escaped and was hit by SUV is OK; animal rights group to file complaint

Circus elephant that escaped and was hit by SUV OK

Atlanta man rescues a stray dog from traffic, but ends up with 10 pooches

Man rescues stray dog, but ends up with 10 pooches

USDA: Vermont slaughterhouse closed for inhumane treatment cited 3 times earlier this year

Vt. slaughterhouse closed for inhumane treatment

Questions emerge over West Virginia association to legalize cockfighting in state

Questions emerge over W.Va. gamecock group

Bob Barker gives Mo. alma mater $1 million to promote animal rights curriculum

Bob Barker donates $1M for animal rights professor

Ohio ballot issue showing farmers how to fight animal activists over livestock cage rules

Farm states may copy Ohio vote on livestock rules

Federal government designates 200,000 sq. miles for polar bear habitat in Alaska

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Thursday it is designating more than 200,000 square miles in Alaska and off its coast as “critical habitat” for polar bears, an action that could add restrictions to future offshore drilling for oil and gas.

Environmentalists: W.Va. wind farm project bad for bats, needs Endangered Species Act permits

GREENBELT, Md. — A proposed West Virginia wind power project will harm a tiny, endangered bat and its developers should be should be required to obtain permits under the Endangered Species Act, attorneys for two environmental groups argued Wednesday in federal court.

Small group of animal rights activists protests Vick outside Coliseum, others show support

OAKLAND, Calif. — Michael Vick heard it all in his first road game, from supporters to animal rights activists and protesters eager to boo him. Or bark at him for that matter.

Wild horse defenders criticize plan to manage mustangs, urge removal of cattle in West

RENO, Nev. — A new federal proposal to manage wild horses is rekindling debate over another fixture of the Western range: cattle.

Federal agency denies endangered listing for spotted seals near Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Spotted seals off Alaska’s coast do not merit endangered species protection despite losses of Arctic sea ice from global warming, a federal agency announced Thursday.

Bay Area pit bull advocacy group says Vick declined invitation to visit his former dogs

OAKLAND, Calif. — A Bay Area pit bull advocacy group says Michael Vick has declined an invitation to visit eight of his former dogs this weekend when the Philadelphia Eagles are in town to play the Oakland Raiders.

Humane Society calls IHOP’s ‘cruelty free’ egg claims deceptive advertising, files complain

FRESNO, Calif. — The Humane Society of the United States filed complaints Wednesday against the International House of Pancakes, alleging that the restaurant chain lies about the living conditions of the chickens that lay the eggs for its omelets and pancakes.

After mocking bill to ban cow tail docking in Calif., Schwarzenegger signs measure into law

FRESNO, Calif. — California cows are the first in the nation with the legal right to swat flies as nature intended now that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill banning the painful practice of tail docking that he once mocked as being a waste of legislators’ time.

Animal cruelty videos at center of Supreme Court case on free speech protections

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court justices, skeptical of a law aimed at graphic animal cruelty videos, touched Tuesday on dog fights, bull fights, cock fights, bow-and-arrow hunting, even a hypothetical television channel devoted to human sacrifice. Oh, yes, and freedom of speech.

Supreme Court weighs free speech protections for animal cruelty videos in argument Tuesday

WASHINGTON — Supreme Court justices on Tuesday indicated that a federal law aimed at graphic videos of dog fights and other acts of animal cruelty goes too far in limiting free speech rights.

Fla. woman clawed, flown to hospital after trying to take wild emu to animal shelter

MOSSY HEAD, Fla. — A Florida Panhandle woman was flown to the hospital after being clawed by a wild emu she was trying to corral. The woman, who was not identified, purportedly wanted to take it to an animal shelter. An emergency responder said the incident didn’t seem like an attack — the animal was just trying to protect itself.

Officials: Pa. teen wrapped cat in duct tape; tabby had to be sedated to remove tape from fur

PHILADELPHIA — Investigators say a Philadelphia teenager wrapped a cat in duct tape, put it in a shopping bag and left it in a neighbor’s backyard.

Feds: Calif. meatpacker tied to largest US beef recall slaughtered ‘downer’ cows for 4 years

LOS ANGELES — A Southern California meatpacking plant that supplied beef to the nation’s school lunch program slaughtered stumbling, potentially contaminated cows for four years before undercover video of animal abuse prompted a massive beef recall, federal court filings say.

Authorities: 3 charged in ‘horrific’ dogfighting operation run out of Illinois home day care

CHICAGO RIDGE, Ill. — A home day care was the site of a dogfighting ring, authorities said Wednesday, and investigators who raided the house found a blood-spattered garage floor and battered and malnourished dogs not far from where the children played.