Talkin Pets

Nominations are now open for The Humane Society of the United States’ Pets of Valor Award, which honors rescued dogs or cats who have exhibited an extraordinary sense of courage by heroically helping a person in need.

“By honoring adopted or rescued dogs and cats from around the country who have heroically acted to help a person in need, The Humane Society of the United States’ Pets of Valor celebrates the human-animal bond,” said Betsy McFarland, vice president for companion animal issues at The HSUS. “We look forward to reviewing all of this year’s entries.”

Last year’s Valor Dog of the Year recipient was Hank, a Great Dane from Kansas City, Mo. Hank helped to shield his owner from her boyfriend during a vicious attack. Although Hank was injured, he provided enough of a distraction to allow the woman to escape. This year the award was broadened to include rescued cats.

Nominations can be submitted at humanesociety.org/petsofvalor. The heroic act must have taken place between Jan 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013. Deadline for entries is Friday, April 12 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. With the help of official HSUS Pets of Valor Award spokesdog, Uggie, who portrayed a loyal dog who courageously rescues his owner from a fire in the Academy Award-winning film “The Artist,” HSUS companion animal experts will select five finalists, based on the significance and impact of the dog or cat’s heroic act. The winner will be chosen by a public online vote that runs May 24-31, 2013.

All finalists will receive a custom sterling silver tag designed by Bella Tocca Tags. The owner of the animal chosen to be HSUS’ Valor Pet of the Year will also receive a custom crystal figurine designed by Custom Glass Etching.

Visit humanesociety.org/petsofvalor for more information and to submit a nomination.

Subscribe to Wayne Pacelle’s blog, A Humane Nation. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

And the winners for raising awareness of animal protection issues are…

LOS ANGELES, (March 24, 2013) --The Drew Barrymore all-star cast feature film “Big Miracle,” Stephen Colbert’s satirical “The Colbert Report,” David E. Kelley’s “Harry’s Law,” “Rock Center with Brian Williams,” Discovery Channel’s “Ivory Wars,” ABC’s “Nightline,” and global pop icon Ke$ha took home the honors in major news and entertainment media categories presented at The Humane Society of the United States’ Genesis Awards Benefit Gala on Saturday, March 23, at The Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, Calif. “Dancing with the Stars” popular judge and passionate animal advocate Carrie Ann Inaba hosted the ceremony.

Universal Picture’s “Big Miracle” received best Feature Film for its inspiring true story about international efforts to save a family of trapped whales, Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” picked up the Sid Caesar Comedy Award for its biting satire of a Congressman’s defense of dogfighting, and NBC’s “Harry’s Law” won the Dramatic Series Award for a thought-provoking storyline questioning the ethics of keeping primates in captivity. Best TV Documentary went to Discovery’s “Ivory Wars” for a penetrating look at the alarming escalation in elephant ivory trade, and the best TV Newsmagazine Award was shared between NBC’s “Rock Center with Brian Williams,” for in-depth reporting on endangered orangutans and rhinos and the issue of chimps in research, and ABC’s “Nightline” for an investigation into the shocking abuse of Tennessee Walking Horses by one of the industry’s best-known trainers.

Following in the footsteps of Genesis Award alumni Sir Paul McCartney, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Hayden Panettiere, Kristin Davis and Ian Somerhalder, platinum-selling recording artist Ke$ha received HSUS’ coveted Wyler Award for her dedication to spreading the word about multiple animal protection issues to her massive international fan base.

In other categories, Nat Geo Channel’s “Wild Justice” snagged best Reality Series, ABC’s “World News with Diane Sawyer” took the National News Award, “CBS This Morning” picked up best Morning Show, and Los Angeles’ “KNBC 4 News” won the Local TV News prize. Complete list of winners follows.

“We are so grateful to the news and entertainment media for keeping animal protection issues firmly in their view in genres as diverse as comedy programming and documentaries. Concern for the welfare of animals has universal audience appeal, and since so much of what negatively impacts animals occurs out of sight, it’s important that these issues remain in the media spotlight,” said Beverly Kaskey, senior director of HSUS’ Hollywood Outreach program and executive producer of The Genesis Awards.

Genesis Award Winners for 2012

FEATURE FILM

Big Miracle Universal Pictures

TV NEWSMAGAZINE

Nightline “The Ugly Truth Behind High Stepping Horses” ABC

Rock Center With Brian Williams NBC -

“At What Cost?”

“Ken and Rosie”

“Last Stand”

DRAMATIC SERIES

Harry’s Law “Gorilla My Dreams” NBC

SID CAESAR COMEDY AWARD

The Colbert Report Representative Steve King on dogfighting Comedy Central

TV DOCUMENTARY

Ivory Wars Discovery Channel

REALITY SERIES

Wild Justice Nat Geo Channel

NATIONAL NEWS

World News with Diane Sawyer downer cow video ABC

MORNING SHOW

CBS This Morning “Shark Tagging”

LOCAL TV NEWS

KNBC 4 News “Bunny Trafficking”

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING

Nick News with Linda Ellerbee “Animals? Show Me the Money!” Nickelodeon

BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL TV

60 Minutes “Jungle Warfare” Nine Network Australia

PRINT

MAGAZINE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

“Cheetahs on the Edge” by Roff Smith

“Ivory Worship” by Bryan Christy

“Rhino Wars” by Peter Gwin

COLUMNIST

THE CHATTANOOGAN.COM Roy Exum multiple part series on Tennessee Walking Horse soring

NEWSPAPER SERIES

The Sacramento Bee three-part series on Wildlife Services by Tom Knudson

BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL PRINT

SOUTH ASIA Magazine (Pakistan) “Animal Welfare in Islam” by Aiman Reyaz and

“Law of the Land” by Anees Jillani, with commentary by Syed Rizvi

THE WYLER AWARD

Ke$ha

THE HSUS GENESIS CORPORATE AWARD

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

The HSUS’ 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala was sponsored in part by Misix, One Car One Difference, Market Development Group, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet and Havas Edge.

Genesis winners photo composite: John Krasinksi and Drew Barrymore in "Big Miracle" (photo credit: Darren Michaels/Universal Pictures); Stephen Colbert (photo credit: Martin Crook); Kathy Bates in "Harry's Law" (photo credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC); Brian Williams (photo credit: Justin Stephens/NBC Universal, Inc.)

Subscribe to Wayne Pacelle’s blog, A Humane Nation. Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your iPhone by searching “HumaneTV” in the App Store.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

Legislation would apply welfare requirements to online puppy sellers

(Feb. 27, 2013) — The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund commend federal lawmakers for reintroducing legislation that will close a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act regulations that currently allows puppy mills to sell dogs over the Internet without any oversight or standards of care. Puppy mills are large-scale, commercial breeding operations where dogs are commonly housed in overcrowded, filthy and inhumane conditions. The current law allows large, commercial breeders who sell puppies online or directly to the public to escape the licensing and inspection requirements that apply to breeders selling dogs to pet stores.

S. 395 and H.R. 847 — known as the PUPS Act, or "Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act"— is sponsored by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. and David Vitter, R-La., and Reps. Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., Sam Farr, D-Calif., Bill Young, R-Fla., and Lois Capps, D-Calif.

“Dogs shouldn't be treated like a cash crop," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, which has conducted multiple investigations of puppy mills and rescued thousands of the dogs from cruelty. "The federal law regarding the care of dogs at commercial dog-breeding operations needs an overhaul, and this legislation will correct some of the worst gaps and deficiencies in current law.”

“The media regularly reports stories about dogs rescued from substandard facilities – where dogs are housed in stacked wire cages and seriously ill and injured dogs are routinely denied access to veterinary care,” Sen. Durbin said. “Online dog sales have contributed to the rise of these sad cases. This bipartisan bill requires breeders who sell more than 50 dogs a year directly to the public to obtain a license from the USDA and ensures that the dogs receive proper care.”

"I was alarmed by the USDA IG report that exposed inhumane treatment of dogs, especially abusive breeding practices,” said Sen. Vitter. “I applaud USDA's work to close loopholes that unscrupulous breeders exploited with Internet sales, and the PUPS Act introduced by Senator Durbin and me will help ensure that puppies are treated humanely and bred in safe and sanitary facilities and that consumers can purchase healthy pets for their families."

The bill would also require that dogs used for breeding be provided daily exercise. Breeding dogs in puppy mills are typically forced to live their entire lives in small cages with no opportunity for exercise, little or no socialization and minimal human interaction.

“We know that there are many reputable breeders who do things the right way and treat their dogs humanely. We want all breeders to play by the same rules so that everyone who wants to welcome a new dog into their family can do so with the confidence of knowing that the animal has been cared for properly,” said Rep. Gerlach. “This legislation will ensure dogs are protected and individuals who put profit ahead of the fair and humane treatment of dogs are held accountable for their actions.”

“The loophole in the Animal Welfare Act created by the Internet has resulted in widespread abuse of dogs in breeding facilities,” said Rep. Farr. “Leaving dogs crammed into small cages with no exercise or social contact goes against our humanity. The PUPS Act is necessary to end the abuses of puppy mills and restore the values of our society.”

Facilities that breed dogs for commercial resale through pet stores are required to be licensed and inspected under the federal Animal Welfare Act. However, puppy mills that sell directly to the public are exempt from any federal oversight partly because the Animal Welfare Act was written before the birth of the Internet. Unregulated Internet sellers and other direct sales facilities sell thousands of puppies a year to unsuspecting consumers. Due to improper care by these breeders, these puppies are often sick, leaving outraged consumers with frail, sometimes dying puppies, high vet bills and broken hearts. Meanwhile, the breeding dogs at these facilities often spend their entire lives in constant confinement, suffering, and deprivation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed a draft rule to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations to require licensing and inspection of commercial dog breeders selling over the Internet or directly to the public, and would essentially achieve the same policy reform as the PUPS Act. But despite being proposed in May 2012 and receiving more than 350,000 public comments in favor of the rule, the agency has not yet taken final action. Similar legislation had the broad bipartisan support of 33 Senate and 216 House co-sponsors in the last session of Congress.

PUPS will close the loophole in the AWA regulations that allows thousands of commercial breeders to go unregulated. It will require the following changes to the AWA:

• All dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies per year directly to the public will be federally licensed and inspected.
• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes a day.
• The bill will not affect small breeders and hobby breeders who sell fewer than 50 dogs per year directly to the public, but is crafted to cover only large commercial breeding facilities.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty – on the Web at humanesociety.org.

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our “Humane TV” app.

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. On the web at hslf.org.

Like HSLF on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation

Follow HSLF on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund

(Feb. 27, 2013)—The Humane Society of the United States has chosen Uggie, the world famous, scene-stealing Jack Russell terrier from last year’s Academy Award-winning film “The Artist,” to be the spokesdog for its Pets of Valor Award.

The award celebrates the human-animal bond by honoring rescued or adopted dogs and cats who have exhibited an extraordinary sense of courage or resolve by heroically helping a person in need. Acclaimed for his portrayal of a loyal dog who courageously rescues his owner from a fire in “The Artist,” Uggie is uniquely qualified for his spokesdog duties and he will help announce the winner on June 2.

“Uggie’s honored to have been chosen by The Humane Society of the United States to be spokesdog for The Pets of Valor Award, although he did hesitate at first when he heard that cats were to be included, but now he likes the idea of having an excuse to bark for them, instead of at them,” says Omar Von Muller, Uggie’s owner and trainer.

Uggie has a best-selling autobiography (“Uggie – My Story”) to his credit, as well as the distinction of being the first dog to have his pawprints memorialized outside Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. But now the mega star pooch, who was adopted by Von Muller after his first family rejected him for being “too wild,” is using his fame to shine the light on his unsung fellow companion animal heroes and to encourage pet adoption.

“It’s always gratifying when a star of Uggie’s magnitude takes time out of his busy schedule to give back. As spokesdog for The Humane Society of the United States’ Pets of Valor Award, Uggie proves he’s a hero both on and off screen by advocating for the adoption of his fellow companion animals,” says Beverly Kaskey, senior director of HSUS’ Hollywood Outreach.

Uggie is calling on all humans to nominate dogs and cats who have committed heroic acts between Jan. 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 to submit details of their actions to humanesociety.org/petsofvalor. Drawing on Uggie’s insider knowledge, HSUS’ companion animal experts will select five finalists, based on the significance and impact of the dog or cat’s valor, and the winner will be chosen by a public online vote that runs May 24-31, 2013.

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our "HumaneTV" app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

News and Entertainment Media in 15 Categories Receive the Nod for Positive Animal Welfare Messaging

(Feb. 22, 2013) – The Humane Society of the United States has named Universal Picture’s “Big Miracle,” Imax/Warner Bros.’ “To the Arctic” and Sony Pictures’ “Darling Companion” among the diverse selection of nominees in contention for its 2013 Genesis Awards, which honor the news and entertainment media for their role in raising awareness of animal issues. Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” and “Futurama,” and NBC’s “The New Normal” are in the running for the Genesis Sid Caesar Comedy Award, while ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” NBC’s “Harry’s Law and FX’s “Sons of Anarchy” are up for the dramatic series award.

Winners in select categories will be presented at The HSUS’ Genesis Awards Benefit Gala, hosted by “Dancing with the Stars” Carrie Ann Inaba, on Saturday, March 23, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

In broadcast news, NBC’s “Rock Center with Brian Williams” and “Nightly News,” ABC’s “20/20,” “Nightline” and “World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer,” and CBS’ “60 Minutes,” “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley,” and “CBS This Morning” are all in line for the hotly contested Genesis newsmagazine, national news and morning show awards.

On the cable television front, HBO’s “One Nation Under Dog” takes on Discovery’s “Ivory Wars” and Animal Planet’s “Street Dog of South Central” for the Genesis TV Documentary award. And in reality programming, Nat Geo’s “Wild Justice” and “Philly Undercover” are nominated alongside Animal Planet’s “My Cat From Hell,” and MSNBC’s “Caught on Tape.”

“For 27 years, the Genesis Awards have celebrated the power of the media to shed light on animal protection issues,” said Beverly Kaskey, senior director of HSUS’ Hollywood Outreach and executive producer of The Genesis Awards Benefit Gala. “This year one nominee, ‘Big Miracle,’ reflects the Genesis credo with its true account of how one TV reporter’s story triggers a worldwide effort to save a family of imperiled whales, proving that the media can and does make a difference.”

2013 Genesis Awards Nominations

FEATURE FILM

BIG MIRACLE Universal Pictures
DARLING COMPANION Kasdan Films / Sony
DELHI SAFARI Fantastic Films International, LLC
TO THE ARCTIC Imax /Warner Bros.

DRAMATIC SERIES

GREY’S ANATOMY “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” ABC

HARRY’S LAW “Gorilla My Dreams” NBC

SONS OF ANARCHY “J'ai Obtenu Cette" FX

SID CAESAR COMEDY AWARD

THE COLBERT REPORT Representative Steve King on dogfighting Comedy Central

FUTURAMA “31^st Century Fox” Comedy Central

THE NEW NORMAL “Pardon Me” NBC

TV DOCUMENTARY

IVORY WARS Discovery Channel

ONE NATION UNDER DOG: Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal HBO

STREET DOGS OF SOUTH CENTRAL Animal Planet

REALITY

CAUGHT ON CAMERA “Hoarding” MSNBC

MY CAT FROM HELL Animal Planet

PHILLY UNDERCOVER “The Raid” Nat Geo WILD

WILD JUSTICE Nat Geo Channel

TV NEWSMAGAZINE

20/20 “Deadly Pets” ABC

60 MINUTES “The Race to Save The Tortoise” CBS

INSIDE EDITION “Cockfighting Investigation” Syndicated

NIGHTLINE “The Ugly Truth Behind High Stepping Horses” ABC

ROCK CENTER WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS “At What Cost?”, “Ken and Rosie, “Last Stand” NBC

NATIONAL NEWS

ABC WORLD NEWS WITH DIANE SAWYER downer cow video

CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY “Ivory Poaching”

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS “Hurricane Sandy: Protecting Our Pets”

MORNING SHOW

CBS THIS MORNING “Shark Tagging”

CNN SATURDAY MORNING “Little Boy Blue”

LOCAL TV NEWS

KDVR-TV DENVER FOX 31 NEWS AT NINE "Saving the Discarded Dogs"

KNBC 4 NEWS "Bunny Trafficking"

WOIO TV 19 ACTION NEWS "Busted in Oklahoma" and "An Exotic Homecoming"

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING

NICK NEWS WITH LINDA ELLERBEE “Animals? Show Me the Money!” Nickelodeon

BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL TV

60 MINUTES “Jungle Warfare” Nine Network Australia

CARTE BLANCHE “Damien’s Rhino War,” “Elephant Birth Control,” “Mauritius Cattle Ship” M-Net South Africa

THE HANOI CONNECTION Spiegel TV (Germany)

PRINT

MAGAZINE

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC “Cheetahs on the Edge” by Roff Smith, “Ivory Worship” by Bryan Christy,“Rhino Wars” by Peter Gwin

TIME “Beasts of Burden” by Bryan Walsh

COLUMNIST

THE NEW YORK TIMES Nicholas D. Kristof “Is an Egg for Breakfast Worth This?”

THE CHATTANOOGAN.COM Roy Exum multiple part series on Tennessee Walking Horse soring

NEWSPAPER SERIES

THE SACRAMENTO BEE three-part series on Wildlife Services by Tom Knudson

BRIGITTE BARDOT INTERNATIONAL

SOUTH ASIA MAGAZINE (Pakistan) “Animal Welfare in Islam” by Aiman Reyaz and

“Law of the Land” by Anees Jillani with commentary by Syed Rizvi

THE STAR (South Africa) “Silencing the Seals” and “Slaughter on the Sand” by Kristen van Schie

The HSUS’ 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala is sponsored in part by Misix, One Car One Difference, Market Development Group, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet, and Havas Edge.

Photo credit: Big Miracle: Darren Michaels/Universal Pictures

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. Follow The Genesis Awards on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our "HumaneTV" app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

(Feb. 14, 2013) - Global pop icon and committed animal advocate Ke$ha will receive the prestigious Wyler Award at The Humane Society of the United States’2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Galaon Saturday, March 23, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. The HSUS’ Wyler Award is one of the animal protection organization’s highest honors and is bestowed on a celebrity or public figure for increasing awareness of animal issues via the media.

Humane Society International’s first Global Ambassador for animals, Ke$ha balances her hectic career as a platinum recording singer/songwriter and one of the world’s most dynamic performers with her outspoken stance on critical animal protection issues. Ke$ha has spread the word about street dogs, the trophy hunting of endangered lions, shark-finning, Canada’s commercial seal slaughter, dogfighting and cruelty-free cosmetics, among many other important animal welfare concerns, highlighting a different animal issue each month on her website and urging her massive fan base and social media following to take action for animals. By talking about her role with The HSUS’ international arm, Humane Society International, and her commitment to helping animals in numerous media interviews, she has brought worldwide attention to the cause.

“It means so much to me to be recognized by The Humane Society of the United States because advocating for animals is second nature to me,” said Ke$ha.“My affinity with animals and the natural world inspires me and my music. I don’t understand how anyone can justify abusing or exploiting animals, and as long as it continues, I intend to keep talking about it.”

“The animals have a bold and passionate ambassador in Ke$ha, who is not known for holding back on what she thinks,” says Beverly Kaskey, senior director of The HSUS’ Hollywood Outreach and executive producer of The HSUS’Genesis Awards Benefit Gala. “The Humane Society of the United States is grateful to Ke$ha for informing her millions of fans worldwide about new and ongoing threats to our fellow creatures, while connecting them to resources that enable them to take action.”

Global superstar Ke$ha has taken the world by storm since the release of her debut album “Animal” in 2010. That year she was declared Billboard's Hot 100 Artist and her smash debut single, "TiKToK," was named Billboard's #1 Hot 100 Song, was the most played song of that year and was the biggest-selling digital track in the world. Her debut album“Animal” has sold over 2.5 million units worldwide, and Ke$ha has had seven consecutive Top 10 hits including four #1 singles in "TiKToK," "Your Love Is My Drug," "We R Who We R," and the latest, "Die Young." Ke$ha recently released the track "C'Mon," the second single from her critically acclaimed second album, Warrior. Ke$ha has toured the world, playing over 200 live shows in support of“Animal” and its companion album, “Cannibal.” She took home the MTV EMA for Best New Act in November, 2010 and was nominated for two American Music Awards, three MTV VMA Awards and six Billboard Awards. She has performed on dozens of television programs all over the world, including MTV Europe Music Awards, Much Music Awards (Canada), Echo Awards (Germany), X Factor (Australia), American Music Awards, Billboard Awards, American Idol, Saturday Night Live and The Today Show Summer Concert Series. She has over 22 million Facebook likes, over three million Twitter followers and over 330 million views on VEVO. She has sold over 27 million combined tracks and ringtones in the U.S alone and over 34.5 million worldwide to date. Ke$ha is an international powerhouse.“Animal” has been certified Gold, Platinum or multi-Platinum in 15 markets (including Platinum in the United States) and was the biggest selling debut album from an international female in 2010 in the UK. In November, 2012, Ke$ha released her first book through Touchstone Publishing. The full-color photo journal/scrapbook entitled, “My Crazy Beautiful Life,” sheds light on Ke$ha's hectic, non-stop life on tour and provides an exclusive look into the creative process of her latest album,“Warrior.” Also in late 2012,Ke$ha announced Ke$ha Rose by Charles Albert(r), a new jewelry line that reflects the singer's distinctive personality throughout the collection.

The Wyler Award is named after former Broadway actress, animal advocate and founder of The Genesis Awards, Gretchen Wyler. Ke$ha joins Wyler Award alumni Sir Paul McCartney, Hayden Panettiere, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Kristin Davis and Ian Somerhalder.

Honoring the news and entertainment media for their role in raising awareness of animal issues, The HSUS’ Genesis Awards Benefit Gala marks 27 years of inspiring change for animals, with this year’s event benefitting three of the organization’s top animal welfare priorities: Pets for Life, Chimps Deserve Better and Farm Animal Protection.

The HSUS’ 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala is sponsored in part by Misix, One Car One Difference, Market Development Group, Prai Beauty Group, Tenet, and Havas Edge.

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. Follow The Genesis Awards on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our“Humane TV” app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at www.humanesociety.org.

Capture your pet’s essence in images and words, win great prizes

(Feb. 5, 2013)—The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to announce that the World Spay Day 2013 Pet Pageant has begun. Participants upload digital photos of their beloved companions and tell the world how their pets have improved their lives.

“The Pet Pageant is a great way for everyone to celebrate our furry friends this World Spay Day,” said Vicki Stevens, World Spay Day coordinator at The HSUS. “Send us your favorite photo of your pet, share a good story and help animal groups tackle pet overpopulation.”

Entrants are encouraged to share their pet's photo and story with their friends and family and ask them to vote for their pet. Entrants will compete in the Main Pageant, and, for a $5 entry fee, can choose to enter any of five optional categories, including Best Hair, Best Smile, Most Photogenic, Best Personality and Ugly-Cute. There are two ways to win big in the pageant: winners of the Judged awards are chosen by a panel of celebrity judges, and winners of the Popular Pet awards are determined by popular vote. Learn more by visiting humanesociety.org/petpageant.

This year’s celebrity judges are:

• Robin Layton, professional photographer whose work can also be seen in the book, “A Letter to My Dog”
• Seth Casteel, professional photographer and author of the New York Times best-selling photo book, “Underwater Dogs.”
• Tricia Helfer, TV/film actor, animal advocate and proud “parent” to several rescued and adopted cats.

There are two winners of the Main Pageant–Judged and Popular Pet–and 10 winners from the optional categories. Prizes include:

• A $1,000 grant for spay/neuter programs awarded by The HSUS to the World Spay Day Pet Pageant participating organization of the winner’s choice
• A personalized pet collar engraved with the pet’s name and the Pageant title the pet won
• A copy of “A Letter to My Dog”
• A copy of “Underwater Dogs”
• Photo featured on The HSUS homepage in April 2012

The Pageant opens Feb. 4 at noon EST; and ends March 15 at noon EDT. All Pageant donations and Optional Category entry fees benefit a grant program by The HSUS to help participating World Spay Day organizations continue their valuable spay and neuter work after World Spay Day 2013 ends. For detailed information about pageant prizes, including prizes for international winners, see our pageant rules.

The HSUS and Humane Society International coordinate World Spay Day by working with shelters, humane organizations, veterinary clinics and individual volunteers around the world to offer special spay-neuter events, deploy mobile spay-neuter clinics, raise money to subsidize spay-neuter surgeries, and increase awareness about the importance and benefits of spaying and neutering. World Spay Day 2013 will take place on Feb. 26. Events in honor of World Spay Day also take place throughout the month of February, which is Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.

World Spay Day 2013 partners include the Doris Day Animal Foundation, the ASPCA, the House Rabbit Society, the Humane Alliance, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, Petfinder, and PetSmart Charities®. World Spay Day 2013 is sponsored by Abaxis.

For more information about the event, please visit: worldspayday.org.

Annual global initiative promotes spay/neuter to help save companion animal lives

(Feb. 4, 2013)—The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International are pleased to announce that World Spay Day takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013 during Spay/Neuter Awareness Month. World Spay Day is an annual campaign that promotes spaying and neutering as a proven, effective means of preventing pet overpopulation and saving animals’ lives.

Hundreds of World Spay Day events will take place in the United States and dozens of countries around the world, on World Spay Day and throughout the month of February. To find a World Spay Day event near you, visit worldspayday.org. The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International, in partnership with the Doris Day Animal Foundation, the ASPCA, the House Rabbit Society, the Humane Alliance, the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, Petfinder, and PetSmart Charities® serve as proud partners of World Spay Day 2013. World Spay Day 2013 is sponsored by Abaxis.

“I was so pleased when I heard the results from World Spay Day in 2012,” said legendary actress Doris Day. “It is a dream come true for me to see how the spay/neuter program has grown over the years and how, by working together, the Doris Day Animal Foundation, along with the Doris Day Animal League under the supervision of The Humane Society of the United States have been able to accomplish so much. This year the Doris Day Animal Foundation will award a $75,000 grant to fund spay/neuter for pets in 16 towns and cities in 14 states."

World Spay Day provides a unique opportunity for everyone who cares about animals to come together towards a common goal – a global, united solution to end the euthanasia and suffering of homeless companion animals, feral cats and street dogs.

“Sterilizing dogs and cats is the best way to stem the overpopulation of cats, dogs and other pets, and to prevent homelessness and suffering,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. “World Spay Day allows caring people the world over to come together and raise awareness about the life-saving benefits of spaying and neutering and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of this global effort.”

Founded as Spay Day USA in 1995 by the Doris Day Animal League, the program has grown to include participants in 45 countries. Events include low and no-cost spay/neuter clinics for under-served communities, fundraisers to benefit spay/neuter programs and educational campaigns. Since Spay Day’s inception, it is estimated that more than one and a half million animals have been spayed or neutered in conjunction with the campaign.

Highlights for World Spay Day 2013 include:

• The HSUS partnering with the ASPCA to host a low-cost spay/neuter event for residents of East Harlem in New York City on Feb. 23.
• PetSmart Charities® funding “Beat the Heat,” a grant program enabling 61 clinics to spay more than 15,500 cats during Spay/Neuter Awareness Month.
• The Humane Society of Tampa Bay spaying or neutering 60 pets on World Spay Day.
• The Iowa Humane Alliance dedicating Spay/Neuter Awareness month to rabbits and hosting "Twenty Bunny Monday" on Feb. 25, a day reserved solely for spaying or neutering twenty rabbits.
• East Tennessee Spay Neuter hosting “Hunka, Hunka Furry Love”—featuring “crooning” dog Melvis—on Feb. 9 to sign up low-income pet clients for spay/neuter.

The HSUS will also host a World Spay Day 2013 online Pet Pageant. Participants can begin uploading their pet’s photo to the online photo pageant Feb. 4 at noon EST. The pageant ends March 15 at noon EST. All proceeds from the pageant benefit local U.S. non-profit organizations participating in World Spay Day. Visit humanesociety.org/petpageant for more details.

For more information about World Spay Day 2013 and to find local events, please visit: worldspayday.org.

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our "HumaneTV" app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

(Jan. 30, 2013)—Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement in response to the study published in Nature Communications by scientists from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on cat predation:

“The HSUS values both cats and wildlife. There is a legitimate issue with free-roaming cats preying on birds and other wildlife, and we are working to change that in a meaningful way. Despite the scientific rigor with which this report was prepared, like others recently published, it tries to attach a number to something that is almost impossible to credibly quantify. While further data collection and analysis is important, the larger issue here is finding practicable and humane actions to mitigate the impact of cats in our communities. Cats are an important part of our lives, and whether owned or free-roaming, are loved and cared for by millions of Americans who celebrate the human-animal bond. The best way we as a society can reduce impacts on wildlife from cats is to spay and neuter our pets and keep them indoors.

“For free-roaming and feral cats, there are thousands of organizations and individuals who manage cat colonies through trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs in the United States and Canada, and they constitute a large and indispensable volunteer labor force working to reduce the numbers of cats outdoors. By using TNR responsibly and finding homes for kittens and adoptable cats, this strategy can help reduce reproduction while improving the lives of existing ferals. The outdated strategy of trapping and killing feral cats is generally ineffective, since it doesn’t address the sources of the problem. Moreover, if that were the only alternative, we’d lose overnight the enormous investments in cat management made by TNR practitioners and cat lovers, since they would never participate in a round-up and kill approach.

“The presence of free-roaming, abandoned and outdoor cat populations in and around human communities and in other settings has proven divisive within the humane, conservation and scientific communities. As advocates for both cats and wildlife, with large program departments on wildlife and companion animals and a history of examining this issue, we believe that we can find solutions to these problems through engagement and innovation. That’s why The Humane Society of the United States convened a conference in Los Angeles last month—‘The Outdoor Cat: Science and Policy from a Global Perspective’—designed to take the measure of contemporary research and science concerning outdoor cats, and to advance the integration of such evidence into better policy that protects cats, birds and other wildlife.”

“While this issue will not be solved overnight, progress is being made across the country, with bright spots being seen in many areas. This issue holds great promise for a new frontier in protecting both cats and wildlife that can bring together diverse interests, identify common goals and acceptable options and begin to build a community of trust and respect across the traditional lines of conflict. Pet owners should remember that spaying and neutering cats and keeping them indoors not only saves cats’ lives but also protects wildlife.”

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our "HumaneTV" app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.

Program Designed to Help Animal Rescue Groups Succeed

(Jan. 29, 2013)—The Humane Society of the United States is pleased to announce the launch of “Rescue Central – Resources to Help Rescue Groups Save More Lives.” Rescue Central is a resource program to help animal rescue groups professionalize and function at their highest potential. The initiative is the first of its kind at the national level.

Rescue Central will provide assistance and expertise to help animal rescue groups operate more efficiently and effectively, build coalitions, discover new tools and techniques for funding their operations and attain the highest levels of animal care. It will also provide rescue group leaders with a forum to interact, get and give advice, and share tips and ideas.

“Animal rescue groups play a vital role in improving animal welfare in communities across the country, but many could use a little extra guidance and additional tools to reach their potential,” said Abby Volin, rescue group coordinator for The HSUS. “The Humane Society of the United States is thrilled to launch Rescue Central to help rescue groups save more animals.”

Rebecca Poling of DFW Animal Rescue in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, said “Animalsheltering.org website has long been a reliable source for animal shelter staff looking for information on best practices in a variety of areas, and now rescue groups will be able to benefit from HSUS’ expertise as well. From the latest money saving tips to expert advice on recruiting and retaining foster homes, the new Rescue Central section of animalsheltering.org has it all.”

There are an estimated 10,000 private rescue groups in the U.S. and Canada, including breed-specific groups, foster-based groups, sanctuaries, transport groups and spay/neuter groups. They play an essential role in helping to reduce the problems of animal homelessness and euthanasia in our communities. Through Rescue Central, The HSUS is committed to providing those groups with the tools and resources they need to achieve even greater success.

For more information about Rescue Central, visit animalsheltering.org/rescuecentral

Follow The HSUS on Twitter. See our work for animals on your Apple or Android device by searching for our "HumaneTV" app.

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated the most effective by its peers. Since 1954, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. We rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals each year, but our primary mission is to prevent cruelty before it occurs. We're there for all animals, across America and around the world. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- on the Web at humanesociety.org.