For Immediate Release, April 22, 2021 Contact:
Daniela Arellano, NRDC, (424) 268-6677, darellano@nrdc.org
Biden Administration Urged to Use Lacey Act to Ban Wildlife Imports That May Spread Disease
WASHINGTON In a bid to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases entering the United States, a group of conservation organizations urged the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today to assess and designate wildlife species as “injurious” based on their potential to transmit diseases that could threaten human health.
The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law in March, provided the Service with $10 million to carry out additional Lacey Act activities related to wildlife trade and COVID-19. But it did not specify how to spend that funding. Under the Lacey Act, once a species is added to the list of injurious wildlife, it may not be imported into the United States.
Estimated number of brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US: 3,500
Estimated number of rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America: 10,000
Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million (down from 13 million in 1973)
Of the 3 million cats and dogs euthanized in shelters each year, approximately 2.4 million (80%) are healthy and treatable and could have been adopted into new homes
Percentage of purebred dogs in shelters: 25%
Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year: 4 million
Percentage of cats euthanized in shelters: 70%
Percentage of total shelter intake comprised of cats: Approximately 50% (but in some regions 2/3 of shelter population is cats)
Puppy mill loophole closed: Chicago pet stores banned from passing off purebred, designer dogs as rescues chicagotribune.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chicagotribune.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Humpback Whale Habitat Protected by Biden Administration
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Biden Administration Urged to Use Lacey Act to Ban Wildlife Imports That May Spread Disease biologicaldiversity.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from biologicaldiversity.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.