Jessica Stierwalt

California Becomes First State in U.S. to Ban Sale of Puppy Mill Dogs in Pet Stores

Sacramento, CA <b>–</b> Local and national animal welfare organizations today commend California Gov. Jerry Brown for signing into law legislation that will …

Gucci pledges to go fur-free in 2018 as material is no longer 'modern'

Gucci, the leading fashion house, has announced that it is to go fur-free as the material is no longer "modern".<p>The move has been welcomed by animal rights activists, who have campaigned for years to ban fur in the fashion industry.<p>The decision was supported by the Humane Society of the United …

Recounting a day of rage, hate, violence and death

Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive

Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that it would allow women to drive, ending a longstanding policy that has become a global symbol of the oppression of women in the ultraconservative kingdom.<p>The change, which will take effect in June 2018, was announced in a royal decree read live on state …

2017 was California’s largest and most destructive fire season in a decade

The wildfires that raced across California in 2017 caused historic levels of death and destruction.<p>Nearly 9,000 wildfires tore through the state, burning 1.2 million acres of land (an area the size of Delaware or the Larsen C iceberg), destroying more than 10,800 structures and killing at least 46 …

The alarming rise of female genital mutilation in America

<b>(CNN) —</b> It's a brutal practice that's inflicted on thousands of girls and women every year. Female genital mutilation, or female ritual cutting, involves altering or injuring female genital organs. It's often done by people with no medical training and in filthy places, posing horrendous health …