PETA and City of Arcadia reach deal over coyote plan. Group had sued after city planned to start trap-and-kill program. Arcadia will pay $15,000 to settle the lawsuit that contended the city council approved the contract without an environmental report mandated by the California Environmental Quality Act. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 10, July 6, 2017.
Coyote Managment Plan to be considered at City Council Meeting on June 20. Public review and comments welcome. See also Pasadena Star News, p. A3, May 26, 2017.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) blasts Arcadia plan to kill coyotes. Company hired to catch coyotes would charge $2500 for each area it has traps.
Arcadia tackles coyote issues at February 7 City Council meeting, deciding to trap and kill them. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wrote a letter to Mayor Tom Beck with a plea to not trap and kill but to use deterrents instead.
About 20 demonstrators organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) protested the perceived mistreatment of race horses in front of Santa Anita Park during the Breeders' Cup. Pictured is Natalie Stauffer of San Francisco.
Arcadia City balks at surge in animal control bill. New contract with Pasadena Humane Society would raise costs fivefold, from $90,000 to $525,000 annually. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 4, September 12, 2019.
HBO television show "Luck" ends production after a third horse death at Santa Anita Park. The drama, starring Dustin Hoffman and Nick Nolte, about the seedier side of horse racing, will air the final two episodes of its first season but the series won't return for a second season. The horse deaths drew criticism from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
An activist group called Save the Arcadia Highlands is suing the City of Arcadia over two residential developments that Arcadia City Council approved in February, citing possible violations to "specific provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the California Planning and Zoning Law, filed March 12. The addresses involved are 29 East Orange Grove Avenue and 1600 Highland Oaks Drive. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, 17, March 19, 2015.
2 articles. 1. Racing returns at Santa Anita. The historic Santa Anita racetrack reopened Friday for racing amid concerns for horse safety and the future of the track and the industry. There were no deaths in eight races Friday, which had been closed for racing since March 5.
2. Back in the saddle: racing resumes without incident after 26-day closure.
Saving Arcadia, the anti-mansionization group, sues City over controversial two-story home proposed at 1101 S. Fifth Avenue. Lawsuit alleges the project violates California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
District Attorney Jackie Lacey finds no crime or wrongdoing in horse deaths. Prosecutor says there is no evidence owners, jockeys or trainers knowingly raced injured animals at Santa Anita Park over the past year. Since July 2018, 56 horses have died at Arcadia race track. Of those, 34 died while running on Santa Anita's main dirt track. Santa Anita Park averages about 2.04 deaths per 1000 racing starts, according to the Jockey Club. The national average in 2018 was 1.68 deaths per 1000 starts. The District Attorney's report includes 27 recommended changes to improve safety and reduce fatalities. See also same story at Arcadia Weekly, p. 2, December 26, 2019.
Third horse in three days dies at Santa Anita Park, while animal rights activists continue to push for a nationwide ban on racing. The race horses were named Tikkun Olam, Uncontainable, and Harliss. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) was given authority, in legislation backed by Governor Gavin Newsom, to suspend racing. Officials at Santa Anita Park released a statement reaffirming their commitment to horse safety. See also Arcadia Weekly, p. 1, January 23, 2020.
Santa Anita Park: think of human toll if track closes. Workers gather at rally to warn about how shutting down horse racing permanently over the twenty-nine horse deaths would impact thousands of employees. Reforms have been instituted at Santa Anita Park, including stricter rules for medications and more thorough examinations, but horse deaths are inevitable in horse racing. Rally calls for compassion for track employees too, whose livelihoods will be affected by a closure. They are an already vulnerable population.