The National Journal in the US is a weekly magazine aimed at political insiders. Recently, it published Animal Rights On The March by Paul Starobin with the subtitle, “How animal rightists are bringing new meaning to the pledge “with liberty and justice for all.” Washington, watch out.” Notwithstanding this dramatic overture, the article is a reasonable and comprehensive overview of the current status of the US animal rights movement. The British animal welfare movement (as it is known here) would do well to read and study it to bring into focus similarities and differences. I’m increasigly of the view that the US movement leads the way when it is compared to the British movement. But that’s a subject for more lengthy discussion at a later time.

Animal rights, circa 2010, is a sophisticated, well organized, mainstream movement — with far-reaching implications for ordinary Americans and American businesses. So far, the movement’s greatest successes have come at the state level, but activists have now firmly trained their sights on Washington.