Updates on Griffith Park Ponies, Big Cats, & Rodeos!
ABUSIVE PONY RIDES IN GRIFFITH PARK FINALLY ENDING!
A big thanks to the L.A. City Parks and Recs Department for their decision to not renew the contract with the pony ride operator at Griffith Park. Their decision was made in the wake of activism by the Los Angeles Alliance for Animals, who produced disturbing, heart-breaking first-hand footage of horse and pony abuse at Griffith Park and led protests at the Park.
SCIL is proud to have supported the effort and worked with LA Alliance for Animals founder, Zohra Fahim, to help drive this important issue.
SCIL’s sister organization, Social Compassion, a 501(c)3, is helping lead the search for placement for the ponies in loving, caring sanctuaries. Thank you to our board member, Simone Reyes, for leading this effort.
You can read more about the closure of the pony rides in these two recent LATimes articles:
We thank you all for your engagement and voices on this issue!
BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT PASSES BOTH HOUSES; NOW ON ITS WAY TO PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR HIS SIGNATURE!
Massive animal rights and conservation coalition, including fellow Social Compassion in Legislation board members Diane Keaton, Louise Linton, and Maggie Q, worked with Congress to end private ownership of lions and tigers
Remember when the “Tiger King” took viewers by storm and, more importantly, raised many concerns and sparked conversations worldwide about animal cruelty and what is or is not “conservation?”
Well, we are thrilled to report that the public attention that came from those conversations has led to the Big Cat Public Safety Act being passed by both the U.S. House and Senate and is headed to President Biden, where he is expected to sign it into law. The Act prohibits the private ownership or commerce of big cats and makes it illegal for regulated exhibitors to allow public contact with cubs.
HUGE kudos to the many organizations on the ground in Washington D.C. that led the multi-year effort to pass this historic legislation!
Keaton, Linton, and other SCIL Board Members held a strategic conference call with one of the authors of the legislation, Congressman Mike Quigley, regarding his important bill which is discussed in the Netflix series.
At the time, Keaton said, “Now is the time to end animal cruelty. Exotic Animals that are kept for private use are not only a public health issue but also endanger the lives of first responders.”
SCIL is honored to have played a small supporting role in passage of this legislation, which will save countless big cats from being trafficked by the likes of the “Tiger King” and others like him.
L.A. ORDINANCE TO CURB RODEOS PASSES COMMITTEE VOTE; HEADS TO FULL CITY COUNCIL IN JANUARY!
In other big news out of L.A. this week, on Wednesday, the Personnel, Audits, & Animal Welfare Committee voted in support of an ordinance that would prohibit the use of harmful practices and devices that rodeos depend on to “control” and abuse their animals. The ordinance, which is authored by Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, will now be voted on by the entire L.A. City Council in January. If passed, the ordinance will effectively ban the rodeo in the City.
The LA Times wrote an enlightening article on the concerns around animals in rodeos. And another article on the ordinance HERE.
Earlier this year, Alameda County banned “cow milking,” a particularly barbaric rodeo event.
There is a growing tide of public backlash against rodeos for their horrific treatment of animals. If L.A.’s ordinance passes, it may mark the beginning of the end of rodeos in California. We will send out a “call to action” soon on how those of you in L.A. can contact your city council member.
We cannot thank you all enough for your support.
If you have already made a donation…thank you so much! If you have not, please consider making a donation now to support our vital work for 2023 and beyond.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,
Judie Mancuso, founder/CEO/president
Social Compassion in Legislation
