Happening Now… January 2020

Cinder-Block’s Weight-Loss Program—Check out the videos about Cinder-Block, an 8-year-old, 45-pound cat who was surrendered to the NorthShore Veterinary Clinic in Bellingham, Wash., when the owner could no longer care for her. The story and videos have gone viral. When the cat was surrendered, veterinarian Britta Kiffney and her staff decided they could help Cinder-Block and put her on a weight-loss and exercise program with the goal of losing half her weight within a year. “I think she’s going viral because she may be the most relatable cat I’ve ever seen,” artist Alex Plante told CNN. “Who hasn’t cried on a treadmill at some point in their lives?” See videos at http://bit.ly/VideoCinder-Block and http://bit.ly/moreCinder-Block.

PACT Act Has One More Step—The House and the Senate have both unanimously passed the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (PACT Act). If signed by President Trump, the bill will outlaw purposeful cruelty to animals (crushing, burning, drowning, suffocation, impalement, or other violence causing “serious bodily injury” to animals). If the PACT Act becomes law, it will make these violations a federal crime with a fine and up to seven years’ imprisonment.n