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As a member of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, Rep.
Castle has advocated for legislation to protect animals from cruel and inhumane
treatment. He led an initiative in
Delaware to bring an end to the horrific practice of dogfighting, and organized
a food drive which highlighted the recent increase in family pets that are
being left behind as victims of foreclosure.
In Congress, Rep. Castle has consistently supported legislation
promoting animal protection, earning a 100% on the Humane Society Legislative
Scorecard. Specifically, Rep. Castle has
been actively supportive of;
- Animal Fighting Prohibition
Enforcement Act - Enacted into law in 2007, the Animal Fighting
Prohibition Act increased the penalty for transporting or engaging in the
illegal fighting of animals for sport or entertainment. Individuals are now prohibited from
selling, buying, or transporting any sharp instrument attached for use in
an animal fighting venture.
- The Federal Dog Protection Act -
This legislation seeks to amend the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit dog
fighting ventures. This bill would
place an emphasis on dog fighting prevention by expanding the definition
for "dog fighting ventures" to include not only the
transportation and delivery of animals and materials used for dog
fighting, but also making it illegal to train and exhibit animals intended
for fighting purposes. This bill
also seeks to expand the entities of confiscation and enforcement to
include any animal control agency -- such as the Humane Society -- as well
as the federal government.
- The Horse Protection Act - Rep.
Castle voted in favor of legislation to prohibit the slaughter or
exportation of all horses with the intent of distributing the meat for
human consumption. Horses are an
important part of America's history, having contributed to our way of life
in areas of agriculture, transportation, and recreation. Disturbingly, thousands of America's
horses remain vulnerable to slaughter for the purpose of selling their
meat in international markets. This
legislation would be enforced with criminal and civil penalties, including
imprisonment and fines. Rep. Castle
also supports legislation that would amend the Wild Free-Roaming Horses
and Burros Act to restore the prohibition on the
commercial sale and slaughter of wild free-roaming horses and burros.
- The Pets Evacuation and Transportation
Standards (PETS) Act - Rep. Castle voted in favor of this bill, which was
signed into law by the President in 2006 in response to reports that
thousands of pets were left behind in the wake of Katrina's devastation,
and that many people did not evacuate because they would not leave their
beloved pets. Rep. Castle believes
that we cannot refuse to help people who are insistent in protecting their
pets.
- The Downed Animal and Food Safety
Protection Act - This important legislation seeks to end the use of
nonambulatory livestock animals too sick or injured to stand or walk
on their own in human food.
- The Dog and Cat Fur Prohibition
Enforcement Act - This bill would outlaw the import of fur from
raccoon dogs and requiring all garments trimmed with fur to be labeled,
regardless of value.
- The
Polar Bear Protection Act - This legislation
would close a loophole in the Marine Mammal Protection Act which currently
allows American trophy hunters to bring the heads and hides of polar bears into
the United States.
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