In this week's podcast ending January 2, 2010: **The USDA and National Institutes of Health find animal welfare violations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; **the Catalan Parliament in Spain finally votes to ban bullfighting in the region; **the Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro, CA has a record year for marine life suffering from illness and human violence; **2010 marks the Year of the Tiger with less than 3,500 individuals left in the wild; **and Carrie Feldman remains in prison under AETA charges while her lawyers file an appeal for her release. Tags: podcast. MORE

Michelle Basso was a researcher at the University of Wisconsin who worked with primates. She testified in favor of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act in front of the House Judiciary Committee. Now, she's been suspended from working with animals. From Current.com She was recently suspended from working with animals, a “rare move prompted by what officials called a ‘clear pattern’ of problems with animal welfare.” MORE

Wonder if that could get activists into trouble under AETA (Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.) Things are getting a little tense. Not sure I agree with posting the researcher's photo. This is a long article from the Gainesville Sun. Animal rights activists are targeting a University of Florida researcher for his role in experiments on primates — even though he says he doesn't personally conduct animal research. Wildwood-based activist Camille Marino runs the "Negotiation is Over!" MORE

On July 13th, defense attorneys for Joseph Buddenberg, Maryam Khajavi, Nathan Pope and Adriana Stumpo (the AETA 4) presented oral arguments on their motion to dismiss the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. The defense demanded that the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) be struck down as unconstitutional before Judge Ronald Whyte of the United States District Court, Northern District of California in San Jose. Tags: AETA 4 I found this on the Twin Cities Indy Media blog. MORE

He received a sentence of 21 months under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA.) Alex Hall released 650 mink from McMullin Fur farm in South Jordan, Utah in 2008. Hall is expected to serve the rest of his sentence in Davis County Jail, rather than be shipped to a federal prison. He is expected to be released in two or three months. MORE

district court judge today dismissed federal charges against the AETA 4, four activists charges with acts of terrorism under the Animal Enterprise Terrorist Act. Tags: AETA 4 animal enterprise terrorism act activism This is very good news from July 13, reported in Action for Animals Austin. A U.S. In his ruling the judge stated that federal prosecutors did not show how any of the supposed activities these activists were engaged in amounted to crimes. MORE

This is an excellent analysis of the potential impacts of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. It appeared in the McNair Research Journal. I HIGHLY recommend it. MORE

The AETA is so broad and unclear it could be used to suppress lawful protests and boycotts by any activists across the spectrum, no matter what the issue. Tags: animal experimentation AETA 4 Attorney's for 4 people accused under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act filed a motion to have the charges dismissed. Among the activities the 4 are charged with are writing in chalk on a sidewalk and distributing leaflets. MORE

Interestingly enough, AETA has been dragged into this whole mess even though it's a case where animal abuse was probably committed by another employee facing charges. From the Columbus Dispatch. A Union County grand jury has decided the owner of a Union County dairy farm caught in an abuse scandal should not face criminal charges.on the tape {from an undercover investigation by Mercy for Animals,) Conklin is shown kicking a cow that is lying down. MORE