A month after Phill the water buffalo made his escape over a fence in Pleasant Hill, his former owner has been charged with a misdemeanor. Prem Nepal of Des Moines was charged with having an animal at large. It is a simple misdemeanor, and if convicted, Nepal could face a fine of between $105 and […]
animal welfare news
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and reunited with his bovine best friend
Phill the water buffalo is out of the hospital and settling into life at his new home, the Iowa Farm Sanctuary (IFS), Shawn Camp announced in a video posted to the sanctuary’s Instagram page on Thursday. Camp, who founded and runs IFS with her husband Jared, said they picked up Phill yesterday and brought him […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Phill, the wandering water buffalo of Polk County, has a new home at the Iowa Farm Sanctuary. So do two of his friends.
Phill the domesticated water buffalo’s escape into the suburban streets of Pleasant Hill in late August captured the attention and imagination of people nationwide. It came to an end after five days when Phill was found, subdued with a tranquilizer dart and sent to Iowa State University’s Large Animal Hospital in Ames to receive medical […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa dog breeders responsible for 36% of all violations in the U.S. last year
Iowa’s dog breeders had the worst record of compliance with federal regulations in 2022, accounting for 36 percent of all violations cited nationally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture cited dog and cat breeders and brokers for 795 violations in 2022, a total that excludes citations for “missed” inspections resulting from USDA officials not gaining access […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Federal judge issue injunction against Iowa’s new ‘ag gag’ law
Iowa won’t be able to enforce its new “ag gag” law, until a federal court rules on its constitutionality. Senior Judge James Gritzner of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa issued a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, finding the public interest groups challenging the law were likely to succeed when the case is tried.
Posted inCommunity/News
U.S. Supreme Court rejects request by Iowa and other states challenging California’s ban on eggs from chickens kept in small cages
On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by Iowa and 12 other states to fast-track their lawsuit against the state of California. The suit claims a 2008 California law that prohibits the sale of eggs from hens kept in cages that prevent them from “lying down, standing up, and fully extending his or […]
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: Ban the sale of puppy mill dogs in IC and CR
The Cedar Rapids and Iowa City city councils should take a leadership role in the state and ban the sale of puppy mill dogs from pet stores. As some of Iowa’s largest cities, our city councils have an opportunity to steer the conversation for the rest of the state.
Posted inCommunity/News
More than 200 neglected chickens, ducks and other birds removed from farm near Solon
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa City Animal Services removed more than 200 birds from an abandoned farmstead two mile southeast of Solon on Saturday. The 110 ducks and geese, 76 chickens and 49 pigeons were being kept in filthy conditions in sheds, without proper access to water, the Sheriff’s Office told The Gazette. The bodies of numerous dead birds were also found on the property, but it hasn’t been determined how those birds died.
