The Newsweek article also reports that year before last, a Maryland woman breast-feeding in a Starbucks was asked to move to a restroom if she wanted to continue feeding her baby. MORE

Canine athletes are jumping through hoops to capture the gold at Doggy Games in Colorado, Connecticut, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Texas. London isn’t the only town where athletes are bringing home the gold this week. MORE

It was near their home in Maryland that Socks was put to sleep Friday morning. "He The Clinton cat Socks has died. Former First Cat Socks, one of the world’s most famous felines, died Friday at the age of 20 after battling throat cancer since November. A stray cat rescued by the Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, Socks lived in the governor’s mansion in Arkansas and later moved with the family to the White House. MORE

According to the Washington Post , PETA was one of many groups the Maryland State Police considered a security threat. PETA was labeled a "security threat group" in April 2005, and by July police were looking into a tip that the group had learned about a failing chicken farm in Kent County and planned on "protesting or stealing the chickens." MORE

Ethical vegetarianism is the thesis that killing and eating animals is morally wrong whenever equally nutritious plant-based alternatives are available. The case for ethical vegetarianism starts with several uncontroversial premises. Virtually everyone agrees that: (1) It is wrong to cause a conscious sentient animal to suffer for no good reason. Causing an animal to suffer for no good reason is cruel, and our ordinary commonsense morality tells us in no uncertain terms that cruelty is wrong. MORE

Department of Agriculture investigator determined the use of the bull hook “precipitated in the physical harm and ultimate death” of Benjamin, said Tracy Silverman, general counsel for the Animal Welfare Institute.The suit, also filed by The Fund for Animals, of Maryland; the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, of Washington; The Animal Protection Institute of Sacramento; and Tom Rider, a former Ringling Bros. MORE

Dear Keith, Mylan, and Jonathan, My name is Miry and I’m from Potomac, Maryland. First of all, I want to tell you how much I enjoy Animal Ethics. It is beautifully written with wonderful perspective. I read it all the time. I especially liked your posting from Gardner Williams’ “The Moral Insignificance of the Total of All Value.” I found this very inspiring, and would have never have seen it if not for your blog, so thank you for that. MORE

To celebrate National Dog Day 2012, Best Friends Pet Care will be giving away free doggy ice cream treats to every dog who visits any Best Friends facility across the U.S. on Saturday, August 25. The treats are made of yogurt or soy with dog-preferred flavors like peanut butter and honey. MORE

Be aware of areas where Lyme disease (a common tick-borne illness) is prevalent: the eastern coastal states and the north central states, especially parts of Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Wisconsin and northern California. 5 ways to de-bug your pet this spring: Ticks can be difficult to spot. Ticks are tiny, some about the size of a pin head. They can resemble freckles, moles or even specks of dirt. MORE