2009 National Press Club Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award Winners
Kimberly Launier of ABC News 20/20 and Juliet Macur of the New York Times.
Print/Online:
"Given Reprieve, N.F.L. Star's Dogs Find Kindness" by Juliet Macur, The New York Times
While covering Michael Vick’s dog fighting trial, reporter Juliet Macur read court documents that described how the animals were strangled, electrocuted, drowned, hanged and tortured. This made her wonder what would become of the survivors that had suffered the most psychological damage – the unadoptable dogs that were most representative of the horror -- the ones most likely to be euthanized. Macur kept in touch with the court’s custodian and was the first reporter from a national publication to visit these severely traumatized dogs at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Macur’s sensitive reporting tells the story of how the patient care and kindness provided at the sanctuary finally brought a bit of joy into the lives of these severely mistreated animals. The reaction to the article was tremendous, with hundreds of emails and calls coming from people asking what they could do to help the dogs – resulting in a flood of donations to Best Friends, and further media attention to the shocking world of dog fighting.
Broadcast:
"Elephant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” ABC News 20/20, Elizabeth Vargas, Howie Masters and Kimberly Launier
Elizabeth Vargas and her crew provide viewers with an in-depth look at the troubling effects of mankind’s interference with elephants – both in the wild and in captivity. They report on the science behind what many elephant observers have long suspected - that these highly intelligent and sensitive creatures are capable of suffering on a human level. They chronicle cases of violent elephant behavior, provoked by mistreatment and trauma, that are remarkably similar to post-traumatic-stress disorder in humans, while examining why these gentle giants are so often conscripted to lives of confinement, chained as work animals and paraded under circus big tops. This kind of thought provoking reporting has led many to re-examine the treatment of elephants in zoos and circuses across the country.
"Given Reprieve, N.F.L. Star's Dogs Find Kindness" by Juliet Macur, The New York Times
While covering Michael Vick’s dog fighting trial, reporter Juliet Macur read court documents that described how the animals were strangled, electrocuted, drowned, hanged and tortured. This made her wonder what would become of the survivors that had suffered the most psychological damage – the unadoptable dogs that were most representative of the horror -- the ones most likely to be euthanized. Macur kept in touch with the court’s custodian and was the first reporter from a national publication to visit these severely traumatized dogs at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Macur’s sensitive reporting tells the story of how the patient care and kindness provided at the sanctuary finally brought a bit of joy into the lives of these severely mistreated animals. The reaction to the article was tremendous, with hundreds of emails and calls coming from people asking what they could do to help the dogs – resulting in a flood of donations to Best Friends, and further media attention to the shocking world of dog fighting.
Broadcast:
"Elephant Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” ABC News 20/20, Elizabeth Vargas, Howie Masters and Kimberly Launier
Elizabeth Vargas and her crew provide viewers with an in-depth look at the troubling effects of mankind’s interference with elephants – both in the wild and in captivity. They report on the science behind what many elephant observers have long suspected - that these highly intelligent and sensitive creatures are capable of suffering on a human level. They chronicle cases of violent elephant behavior, provoked by mistreatment and trauma, that are remarkably similar to post-traumatic-stress disorder in humans, while examining why these gentle giants are so often conscripted to lives of confinement, chained as work animals and paraded under circus big tops. This kind of thought provoking reporting has led many to re-examine the treatment of elephants in zoos and circuses across the country.