by John Di Leonardo | Dec 29, 2022 | Victories
Plans are underway to rescue more than 100 domestic ducks abandoned outside of The Barn Restaurant in Smithville, Ohio after Wooster residents Maiara and Helder Bertolucci braved thin ice to rescue two ducks frozen to the icy pond outside the restaurant on Christmas...
by John Di Leonardo | Dec 16, 2022 | Victories
Governor Hochul has signed the Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act, ending the manufacture and sale of cosmetic products in New York State that have been tested on animals starting in January 2023! Thanks to Assembly Member Linda B. Rosenthal, Senator Alessandra Biaggi, and...
by John Di Leonardo | Dec 15, 2022 | Victories
Governor Hochul has signed S.1130/A.4283 into law, which will prohibit the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits by retail pet shops in New York state starting in 2024. Thousands of pet stores across the country have already evolved to no longer sell animals from...
by John Di Leonardo | Dec 9, 2022 | Victories
After Save the Geese Bloomsburg sounded the alarm that USDA APHIS Wildlife Services would be removing up to 70 domestic ducks from Fairground Road Park in East Buffalo Township, Humane Long Island’s Duck Defenders program offered a solution beneficial for both the...
by John Di Leonardo | Nov 29, 2022 | Victories
Following a complaint filed by Humane Long Island, the Cabana restaurant in Long Beach was issued a warning by the Nassau County Department of Health for allowing Sloth Encounters to exhibit sloths in its dining area in violation of Section 14-1.183 of the New York...
by John Di Leonardo | Oct 19, 2022 | Victories
On International Sloth Day 2022, Sloth Encounters owner Larry Wallach planned to haul two baby sloths to the Bethpage Equestrian Center for “baby sloth selfies,” however, following Humane Long Island’s plans to protest and meeting with the...
by John Di Leonardo | Oct 3, 2022 | Victories
An August 10th inspection report—which was just released to the public—shows that Sloth Encounters was cited for interfering with APHIS inspectors carrying out their duties and for handling animals in a way that is dangerous to the animals and the public, apparently...
by John Di Leonardo | Sep 15, 2022 | Victories
A Suffolk County Supreme Court judge has ordered Sloth Encounters—an illegal business that subjects sensitive sloths, including vulnerable babies, to grabbing hands, noisy crowds, and ramshackle cages during daylight hours when these animals would naturally be...
by John Di Leonardo | Sep 1, 2022 | Victories
Following protests and complaints filed by Humane Long Island, the Town of Islip is taking Sloth Encounters to court, slapping the illegal business with four court appearance tickets for possession of wild animals, occupancy of a building without fire marshal...
by John Di Leonardo | Aug 20, 2022 | Victories
After Bayport resident Karen Hill Maloney discovered more than one hundred Snapping turtle hatchlings killed on the front lawn of the recently mowed Meadow Croft Estate in Sayville, Humane Long Island launched an investigation and contacted the Suffolk County Parks...
by John Di Leonardo | Aug 1, 2022 | Victories
Following protests and official complaints from Humane Long Island, Sloth Encounters has been issued notices of violations for possession of wild animals, change of use without a permit, lack of fire extinguishers, lack of carbon monoxide detectors and for electrical...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 28, 2022 | Victories
While on a run at Norman J. Levy Park & Preserve in Merrick, a veterinary technician stumbled upon the grisly body of a yellow warbler stuck to a glue trap along with countless insects literally pulling themselves limb from limb trying to escape the torturous...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 22, 2022 | Victories
Following inquiries made by Humane Long Island, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services cited Sloth Encounters – which subjects sensitive sloths, including vulnerable babies, to grabbing hands, noisy crowds, and ramshackle cages during daylight hours...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 14, 2022 | Victories
After Humane Long Island received reports from local wildlife rehabilitators that birds were becoming entangled and killed in the tattered anti-bird netting at the Brittania Yachting Center in Northport, Humane Long Island reached out to the owner with an urgent...
by John Di Leonardo | Jun 22, 2022 | Victories
After resident Bonnie Tischler discovered several ducks and roosters suffering from severe confinement and extreme neglect at the Santos White Community Garden on Coney Island, Humane Long Island worked with the New York Police Department and New York Animal Care...
by John Di Leonardo | May 6, 2022 | Victories
For the past three years, the Town of Babylon has been considering slashing its setback for keeping fowl from 100 feet to 10-15 feet, a change that would not only allow nearly everyone in the town to keep birds in cramped, filthy spaces without adequate space to roam,...
by John Di Leonardo | May 3, 2022 | Victories
In the words of Adison Smith, co-founder of Utah animal protection organization Wasatch Wanderers, “For months after I found out that Highland Park District was going to kill dozens of domestic ducks abandoned at Highland Glen Park, I was frustrated and spinning...
by John Di Leonardo | Jan 13, 2022 | Victories
After being contacted by neighbors about ducks allegedly freezing to death outside a home in Forest Hills, Humane Long Island uncovered an illegal backyard slaughter operation across the street from a school. Fed a diet of moldy bagels and stale bread and denied any...
by John Di Leonardo | Dec 1, 2021 | Victories
Following Humane Long Island’s collaboration with South Huntington Union Free School District to safely relocate thousands of fishes and amphibians whose habitat was doomed due to construction, Humane Long Island garnered a commitment from South Huntington...
by John Di Leonardo | Nov 12, 2021 | Victories
After South Huntington Union Free School District began draining a sump for repairs, residents raised concerns about the plethora of animals who called the sump home. Humane Long Island made contact with decisionmakers who immediately agreed to halt the project while...
by John Di Leonardo | Sep 1, 2021 | Victories
Following a meeting with Humane Long Island President John Di Leonardo and Cornwall resident Tom DiCarrado, the mayor of Cornwall-on-Hudson opted to pursue only nonlethal, humane geese management practices within his village. Humane Long Island provided coyote decoys...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 19, 2021 | Victories
Humane Long Island worked with Party Pets of New York to shut down its Malverne petting zoo and retire three sheep, two dozen chickens, 20 ducks, a goose, and a turkey to reputable sanctuaries. Many of the birds were suffering from bumblefoot infections, eye...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 7, 2021 | Victories
For 8 years, Islip School District employed the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services to round-up and kill birds by the hundreds at Islip Schools year after year, including 200 on July 1, 2021. Following a meeting with Humane Long Island President...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 7, 2020 | Victories
Following a spirited protest by members of Humane Long Island and PETA against animal exhibitor Wild World of Animals at the Bellmore Street Festival, the Chamber of Commerce of the Bellmores in New York agreed not to host animal acts again at the fair or any of its...
by John Di Leonardo | Aug 8, 2019 | Victories
Following a nearly year-long campaign that included spirited protests, testimonies at town board meetings, an urgent letter to town officials, and documenting dead and dying birds outside the applicant’s existing Queens slaughterhouse, the Islip Zoning Board of...
by John Di Leonardo | May 19, 2019 | Victories
Following a 7-month campaign by Humane Long Island and PETA that included spirited protests, appeals to town officials, support from Alec Baldwin, and testimonies at town board meetings, SeaQuest has withdrawn its application to open an aquarium inside the Westfield...
by John Di Leonardo | Aug 20, 2018 | Victories
After the Village of Brightwaters invited the DEC and the USDA to discuss management of geese in Brightwaters, LION received several e-mails and calls from the public concerned over the geese’s safety. LION voiced these concerns at a village meeting, promoting...
by John Di Leonardo | Apr 18, 2018 | Victories
From monkey rodeos to lion, tiger, and bear acts, the Brookhaven Fair was long the most notorious fair on the Island due to its exploitation of wild and exotic animals. After years of letters, protests, and town meetings, Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine made his...
by John Di Leonardo | Oct 20, 2017 | Victories
In a monumental victory for elephants, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a ban into law that prohibits the use of elephants for entertainment in circuses and other traveling shows! Known as the “Elephant Protection Act,” the new law will take effect in two years....
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 11, 2017 | Victories
When LION heard that the Banana Derby—a cruel monkey rodeo where monkeys are chained to dogs and raced around a track—was coming to the Northport Firemen’s Fair, we pleaded with the Fire Department to cancel the act and protested when our messages were not...
by John Di Leonardo | Jun 21, 2017 | Victories
For years, LION led protests calling on New Yorkers to stay away from UniverSoul Circus, the now-defunct Ringling Bros. circus, and other traveling shows that use and abuse elephants, tigers, and other wild animals—and the New York City Council has now prohibited all...
by John Di Leonardo | May 21, 2017 | Victories
After 146 years and a “dramatic drop” in ticket-sales, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus closed its curtains for the final time and we were there to lead the very final protests of its cruel acts, urging the public to build on this momentum by...
by John Di Leonardo | Jan 18, 2017 | Victories
When Long Island Orchestrating for Nature heard that Suffolk County was considering killing 200 Canada geese—the entire population on Lake Ronkonkoma, LION president John Di Leonardo presented to the Lake Ronkonkoma Advisory Board about humane geese management plans...
by John Di Leonardo | Nov 9, 2016 | Victories
One year after Long Island Orchestrating for Nature urged the Village of Head of the Harbor to scrap plans to legalize bow-hunting in favor of immunocontraception, the village unanimously approved a plan to manage deer using this humane method of birth control.
by John Di Leonardo | Sep 24, 2016 | Victories
Following formal complaints to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) alleging the Commerford Family Zoo’s violation of New York state permits mandating that “Animals must be exhibited, held, transported, and housed in a manner...
by John Di Leonardo | Jul 16, 2016 | Victories
After the Mexican Folkloric Dance Society tried to bring a rodeo to Manorville, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature and PETA notified the town of Riverhead of the society’s history of violent brawls and inhumane animal acts at rodeos in Coram as well as their...
by John Di Leonardo | Jun 16, 2016 | Victories
Today, Governor Cuomo signed New York’s Beagle Freedom Bill into law, requiring university laboratories give nonprofit rescue organizations the opportunity to adopt and rehabilitate dogs and cats before the laboratories can discard of them. We are grateful to...
by John Di Leonardo | May 1, 2016 | Victories
Citing growing public concern over “how the animals are treated,” Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has taken the long-suffering elephants exploited for their shows off the road. And LION Pres John Di Leonardo and his father Gary traveled down to...
by John Di Leonardo | Feb 11, 2016 | Victories
After Long Island Orchestrating for Nature worked with West Deptford resident Joan Conn to help her convince the West Deptford Lions to deny Cole Bros. Circus after years of using them as their annual fundraiser, LION President John Di Leonardo used his role as Senior...
by John Di Leonardo | Nov 30, 2015 | Victories
Born out of Cole Bros. protests in 2012, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature vowed never to stop until Cole Bros. was shut down. Four years, hundreds of protests, and multiple venue cancellations later, Cole Bros. Circus has folded its tents for the final time. ...
by John Di Leonardo | May 22, 2015 | Victories
LION will fight for any animal regardless of species, but when someone comes onto Long Island whipping our name-sake, we take particular offense. Following emergency protests outside the Levittown Memorial Day Fair last year and dialogue with the Levittown Chamber of...
by John Di Leonardo | May 6, 2015 | Victories
A planned protest against Cole Bros. Circus turned into a celebration after the Islip Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs denied a permit application—submitted by the East Islip Fire Department—to host Cole Bros. Circus at Brookwood Hall Park. We had...
by John Di Leonardo | Mar 31, 2015 | Victories
Following a meeting with Long Island Orchestrating for Nature, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and NYCLASS, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams sent a letter to UniverSoul urging the circus to “refrain from bringing elephants into UniverSoul...
by John Di Leonardo | Apr 14, 2014 | Victories
After meeting with Coram residents distraught over a boisterous, inhumane, and illegal rodeo coming annually to their neighborhood, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature worked with the residents to contact Brookhaven officials, launched an action alert, and attended a...
by John Di Leonardo | Mar 16, 2014 | Victories
Following a 300 person protest, meetings with town officials, and a successful restraining order against the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature and the Wildlife Preservation Coalition of Eastern Long Island stopped...
by John Di Leonardo | Feb 10, 2014 | Victories
Following a LION investigation into Cole Bros. Circus and its elephant exhibitor Carson & Barnes, LION filed a formal complaint to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) alleging the circus’ violation of New York state permits...
by John Di Leonardo | Jan 31, 2014 | Victories
Three years ago, LION launched a Fur Free Friday campaign targeting Merrick Furs every single Friday from November until March. As the years went on, our schedules got busier, but we did not give up, continuing to protest nearly every week. Today, Merrick Furs went...
by John Di Leonardo | Jan 9, 2014 | Victories
For years, municipalities in New York have been banned from regulating unscrupulous pet dealers within their communities, but today, Governor Cuomo has lifted this decade old preemption, allowing municipalities to regulate pet dealers within their communities. While...
by John Di Leonardo | Jun 3, 2013 | Victories
Following up on our recent win in the New York State Legislature, Long Island Orchestrating for Nature helped write, lobby, and pass IR-1047, the strongest puppy mill law in New York State. While this is a victory for dogs and cats in Suffolk, this does not mean it is...
by John Di Leonardo | May 22, 2013 | Victories
When the Town of North Hempstead announced it had signed a contract with the USDA to kill 600 Canada geese residing on town properties, we spoke out at a town meeting, announced a protest, and roared our way into a private meeting with the Town Supervisor. Our protest...
