Coming this September from Andrews McMeel Publishing is Earl & Mooch, A Mutts Treasury. Containing nearly a year's worth of colored Sunday strips as well as black & white daily strips, this compendium will also feature impromptu splash pages highlighting Patrick McDonnell's artwork. 
The Washington D.C. conference, held appropriately in the “dog days” of late July, brought together HSUS staff, members from around the country, inspiring speakers, and the media for four days of learning and networking about the most effective ways of combating cruelty and speaking up for animals at the local, state and national levels. The conference ended with Monday’s “Lobby Day”, where HSUS members and staff spoke up for animals in a rally on the steps of the Capitol, and in private meetings with senators and representatives.
I went there as a Humane Society Teen Advisory Board member. This year’s TAFA conference was special because for the first time, TAFA held a Student Summit. There were middle school through college-age students, who came from as far away as California and Michigan. I felt inspired and encouraged walking into a room filled with so many people my own age who feel the same way I do about animals. I know most people care about animals in a generic way, and wouldn’t intentionally harm them. But it was wonderful to see young people who know enough and feel strongly enough about protecting animals to spend a bit of their summer at a conference like this.
At the Student Summit we met and talked, wandered among the tables in the Exhibition Hall picking up brochures and t-shirts (from organizations such as Humane Society University and Farm Sanctuary to Mercy for Animals and United Poultry Concerns), and shared red licorice and vegan pizza! We heard from amazing staff people working on the frontlines of HSUS campaigns including puppy mills, factory farms, fur, wildlife, and animal fighting. HSUS legislative staff taught us how to lobby on Capitol Hill (that means how to advocate for animals with politicians), and from people like Karen Dawn, author of the kid-friendly new bookThanking the Monkey, (and her wonderful pitbull Paula!), about how to get the media interested in animal stories so that they can help educate the public. And best of all, we heard from other students who have waged their own successful campaigns such as persuading their college to buy only cage-free eggs!
The speakers at Saturday’s meetings and workshops did a wonderful job of applauding the progress made for animals (such as the passage of Proposition 2 in California in 2008, a ballot initiative that prevents the state’s factory farms from cruel confinement of farm animals), while encouraging us to work on unfinished business such as freeing battery hens across the U.S. and ending the deplorable seal hunt in Canada. From other speakers we learned about the fascinating neurobiological bond between humans and other mammals, and the ways that animals experience pleasure.
It was great to meet everyone and see how many other people share a passion for protecting animals, from pets to factory farm animals. It was great to share projects and suggestions, and learn that even though I am young, HSUS needs and values everyone’s efforts for animals. I came away knowing so much more about what I can do to help all kinds of animals, from simple things such as educating people about the terrible conditions some animals are in (and how they can help), to helping get good legislation passed.
It was an inspiring conference and I hope some of you might consider attending next year, and if not, just keeping up the good fight, and spreading the word about how we can protect our animal friends.
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