What the Turn of Administrations Means for Animals
The defeat and fall of the Trump administration has been an emotionally charged and divisive time for countless Americans. For the queer community, people of color, muslims, immigrants, women and other marginalized groups who have lost many rights in Trump’s America, the shift in power is a massive weight lifted off the shoulders and an end to an era in which uncertainty plagued the mind constantly. But there is another group which will benefit immensely from the turn of administrations: animals. The Trump administration has removed and altered more animal welfare and environmental regulations than any administration in history, causing a drastic increase in animal suffering and deaths across the country.
Here are just a few examples of how the Trump administration has harmed animals.
The Trump administration has reversed or overturned over 100 environmental regulations, impacting issues including air pollution and emissions, drilling and extraction, wildlife management and protection, water pollution, toxic substance safety, and more.
One of the Trump administration’s first actions in office was a complete scrub of USDA animal welfare violations from online public access. Access to animal welfare violations was a critical resource that allowed animal advocates to monitor animal abuse and neglect in private businesses such as puppy mills, circuses, roadside zoos, pet stores, and more. The Trump administration argued that it was a violation of privacy for businesses to have to disclose past legal violations regarding animals.
The Trump administration terminated a 100 year old wild bird protection law which covered over 1,000 species of migratory birds.
The Trump administration expanded hunting on lands previously reserved for wildlife protection.
The Trump administration took away protections for coastal marine mammals, and signed a resolution to allow the dumping of coal and mining waste into waterways.
The Trump administration virtually gutted the Endangered Species Act, removing protections for thirteen species- including the devastating and anti-science decision to delist the Gray Wolf. Wolves had been hunted to near extinction when, in 1978, they were granted protection under the ESA. Now, as these biologically crucial apex predators are barely regaining their foothold in the landscapes they once dominated, they have lost federal protections. Given that wolves face great hostility from ranchers and trophy hunters in many rural communities and some politicians have pushed for driving wolves to extinction, this will have devastating consequences for this iconic species.
The Trump administration awarded dozens of African lion trophy (body parts saved from a hunt) importing permits to GOP donors and is endorsed by Safari Club International, a massive trophy hunting lobbyist group which seeks to undermine wildlife protections worldwide.
The Trump administration reversed two separate laws which prohibited the killing of wolf pups and bear cubs in their dens. Yes, it may sound like something straight out of a Saturday Night Live skit, but the Trump administration literally kills puppies.
The Trump administration reversed a law prohibiting the killing of animals from helicopters for recreational hunting.
The Trump administration put the bee-killing pesticide Sulfoxaflor back on the market.
The Trump administration reversed an Obama-era law preventing elephant body part “trophies” from being brought into the United States.
The Trump Administration appointed Brian Klippenstein, an anti-animal welfare extremist, as the head of the USDA. Klippenstein works for an animal industry lobbyist group called “Protect the Harvest” which seeks to de-regulate the animal industry and undermine existing animal protection laws. Protect the Harvest advocates for animal breeding mills, horse and Greyhound racing, unconstitutional “ag-Gag” bills, exotic pet ownership, horse slaughter and more- and believes that all of the above industries should be trusted to self regulate with zero third party oversight.
Unsurprisingly, the Klippenstein-led USDA rolled back regulations for an Obama-era law which had granted some basic protections for animals on organic farms. The rule had mandated that chickens should be able to spread their wings, stand normally, and engage in some natural behaviors if possible; the law didn’t ask much of farms, but for the Trump Admin, it was too much.
The Trump Administration pulled the United States from the Paris Climate Accord. Climate change is a dire threat to countless wildlife species as it is to humanity.
The Trump Administration reversed a ban on lead bullets, which can kill animals who eat carcass remains and have a long-lasting impact in fragile ecosystems.
The Trump Administration reversed a ban on using bait and dogs to hunt bears. Not only is bear hunting incredibly dangerous for dogs, it’s also one of the most stressful ways a wild animal can die. Dogs will chase exhausted bears for miles before the frightened animals are cornered or treed; it’s a long, drawn out, terrifying death, and worse yet, can leave vulnerable cubs orphaned.
The Trump administration increased kill floor line speeds for chicken and pig slaughterhouses. This drastically increases the likelihood that birds will enter scalding hot de-feathering tanks while fully conscious, a mistake that is already common in U.S. poultry slaughter facilities. It also increases the odds that pigs will be improperly stunned before having their throats slit, which violates the Humane Slaughter Act. It also poses a safety risk to slaughterhouse workers, many of whom are undocumented immigrants and already face a number of human rights issues in the workplace.
The Trump administration chose not to implement a fisheries regulation that would have prevented the entanglement of marine mammals off the California coast.
The Trump administration has blocked proposed new regulations for factory farms.
The Trump administration gave $16 billion in COVID-19 stimulus money to notoriously inhumane corporate beef producers (Including Tyson, Cargill, JBS, and National Beef) while small businesses and everyday people continue to struggle and fail in this pandemic crisis.
I could go on; this list is a mere fraction of the crimes against animals and our natural world committed by the Trump administration. Needless to say, the Trump era has been a time of anxiety, frustration and hopelessness for many animal advocates. The defeat of our current sitting president is a sign that progress is inevitable...that regardless of how bumpy the road ahead may be, the widening of society’s circle of compassion is bound to continue. The fall of a regime hell-bent on taking away the rights of human beings and the protections of non-human animals illustrates to us that even if the numbers were close, there are more of us who see decency and altruism as a priority; and those numbers are only bound to grow.
As for Joe Biden, it is clear that he by no means is the perfect candidate, but just as his policies towards human beings and the climate crisis are more progressive than his opponent, so are his policies towards animals.
Biden has an exemplary track record when it comes to animal welfare, and over the course of his career has voted to eliminate fur farm subsidies, ban horse slaughter, protect downed animals at auctions and slaughterhouses, close legal loopholes allowing cockfighting, oppose commercial whaling, and much more. The Humane Society Legislative Fund, along with a number of animal welfare and environmental organizations, endorses his presidency. Biden’s dog, Major, will be the first rescued dog to reside in the White House.
Although Donald Trump caused an incomprehensible amount of animal suffering and death during his time as president, he didn't start the animal welfare issues in the United States and his removal from office won’t be the end to the fight for increased protections for both wild and domestic animals. The Biden administration must be held accountable to work towards undoing the harms implemented over the past four years, and to driving forward progressive animal protection laws in addition to human rights and environmental policies.
While the struggle of progress is far from over, this moment in history is a time for us to pause, take a breath and collect ourselves before continuing on the path ahead.
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