LANSING, Mich. – Michigan is a top dog for animal protection laws, according to a new report from the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

The annual list examines which of the 50 states are serious about animal welfare.

Lora Dunn, an attorney with the organization, says Michigan ranked fifth for having felony penalties for a variety of situations including cruelty, neglect, animal fighting and sexual assault.

"In Michigan, courts also may order the forfeiture of abused animals upon conviction,” she points out. “And also the courts may order mental health evaluations or counseling for offenders. "

Dunn notes that every state has room to improve, even those at the top.

Unlike many other states highlighted in the report, Michigan lacks legislation that allows animals to be included in protective orders in cases of domestic violence.

Illinois ranked first for the eighth year in a row, and Kentucky remained the worst state for its ninth consecutive year.

Dunn says Michigan could also improve animal welfare by mandating cost of care recovery for agencies that assist seized animals that had been abused.

"It's really important in these cases to get some of those costs of care that really rack up to be exorbitant amounts, to get those costs back to care-giving agencies so they can continue to help other animals in need," she states.

Other potential improvements listed in the report include the creation of an animal-abuser registry and mandatory reporting of suspected animal abuse by veterinarians.




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Wildlife conservationists are working with landowners and concerned Texans to recover at-risk species.

Currently, more than 1,100 animals from salamanders to mountain lions to birds need protection. Grahame Jones, executive director of the Texas Conservation Alliance, said the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is at the forefront of the work, and added that the agency created a comprehensive program to save the near threatened Guadalupe bass "through stockings in different rivers and creeks, restoration projects in watersheds and rivers, and then the management of invasive plants and how that might affect the rivers. And then also bringing in the public to help them."

The department is updating its Wildlife Action Plan that helps manage and conserve various species to keep them off the threatened and endangered lists. A survey is on the department's website.

The Parks and Wildlife Department is also working to save the threatened Texas horned lizard, or horny toad. John DeFillipo, regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation, said the agency is partnering with landowners to help repopulate the reptile.

"So, they will release these small horny toads on their property and also the work, which is unique on the horny toads, they coordinated with zoos across the state, and they raised them and released about 1,000 hatchlings," he said. "And then these hatchlings, since they're so young, they're able to produce in the wild."

Jones added that it's easier to keep population numbers up than it is try to recover a species.

"Once they get on a threatened list or endangered species list, the rules change and it's more expensive and there's all sorts of caveats and issues that come up," he said."So the goal is to keep these species off those lists."

Wyoming's practice of feeding elk over winters is a century old but the spread of disease has increased concerns. Now, the Greater Yellowstone Coalition is rolling out a new solution.

The group launched a voluntary program in 2019, incentivizing ranchers who live near elk feedgrounds to ship their cattle elsewhere during winters, allowing elk to roam on their native winter range instead.

It keeps cattle and elk from commingling, which can lead to the spread of dangerous diseases such as brucellosis and Chronic Wasting Disease.

Teddy Collins, Wyoming conservation associate for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, said the program is beneficial to the elk and cattle ranchers.

"It is very timely to have these agreements as a tool in the toolbox for state wildlife officials to try and move away from this process that has been around for a hundred years, but has negative repercussions," Collins emphasized.

Collins noted Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in four of the state's 21 feedgrounds this winter. A rancher in Lincoln County signed on in the fall, adding to the two agreements Teton County ranchers have signed since 2019.

The agreements are tailored to each rancher. Generally, cattle leave the property for more temperate areas of Wyoming or Utah from around Dec. 1 to April 1. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition shares associated costs with producers.

"These are voluntary agreements and they are incentive-based," Collins explained. "Each agreement is unique to the needs and the topography and the business of the individual producer."

Producers are, he added, "quite satisfied" with the program so far.


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Minnesota bird enthusiasts should keep their binoculars handy. April is a good month to spot various species migrating back to the region. Experts have tips on making it easier for them to settle in.

A good place to start for "birding" during spring migration is the Mississippi River corridor, a key flyway for birds traveling between their winter and summer homes. In the greater Duluth area, folks might also notice a lot of raptors, such as hawks and eagles, this time of year.

Monica Bryand, executive director of the Urban Bird Collective in the Twin Cities, considers this a worthwhile and fun activity.

"I've only been a birder for over 20 years, and I didn't realize what was out there until somebody took me birding," she said, "and, of course, now I'm just absolutely hooked."

As birds fan out across the state, Bryand says residents can do their part to keep obstacles and threats out of the way. That includes limiting backyard time for outdoor cats. And since birds tend to migrate at night, dimming or turning off outdoor lights is helpful, so long as personal safety isn't compromised. Applying window treatments such as films with UV patterns reduces bird strikes.

The latest State of the Birds report from national science and conservation groups is out, showing continued population declines, especially for grassland birds.

Bob Dunlap, a zoologist and data specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, said that aligns with his research.

"We're down to 1% or less of the original prairie in Minnesota," he said, "and over time, that's definitely going to take a toll on these birds that do need grasslands to survive."

Researchers, along with the nonprofit Friends of the Mississippi River, have noted that habitat restoration has allowed species such as the Henslow's sparrow to see a turnaround. Meanwhile, Dunlap encouraged birders to use the "e-Bird" app when they're out. He called a reliable tool for citizen scientists to enter sightings.

"And so, the more data we have," he said, "the better to keep track of some of these trends."