2018 National Press Club Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award Winners
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Winner: The Dog Factory, Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone
In a months-long probe into the dark corners of the brutal puppy mill trade, Rolling Stone’s Paul Solotaroff traveled widely to bring readers a first-hand account of appalling conditions in puppy mill breed sites all over the country. He explains why online dog sales have come to be the perfect crime and the horrific cruelty that results. Solotaroff’s piece had more than a million readers in its first two days and has been credited with galvanizing the public to support anti-puppy mill legislation and initiatives in states such as California, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Winner: The Dog Factory, Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone
In a months-long probe into the dark corners of the brutal puppy mill trade, Rolling Stone’s Paul Solotaroff traveled widely to bring readers a first-hand account of appalling conditions in puppy mill breed sites all over the country. He explains why online dog sales have come to be the perfect crime and the horrific cruelty that results. Solotaroff’s piece had more than a million readers in its first two days and has been credited with galvanizing the public to support anti-puppy mill legislation and initiatives in states such as California, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Broadcast
Winner: Unsanctioned Horse Racing, Christopher Halsne and FOX31 Investigative Team, KDVR, Denver
In a series of reports featuring hidden camera footage, KDVR investigative reporter Chris Halsne and his team exposed the ugliness of unregulated horse racing in rural Colorado. They documented the cruel abuse of horses, including doping and whipping, as well as dangerous conditions for spectators, and wide-spread gambling. In an astonishing twist, their reporting found that local politicians and law enforcement turned a blind eye to the illegal activities because they were profiting from the races. County deputies earned thousands of dollars in extra duty pay by patrolling the perimeter of the races, at the request of the mayor, who was also the owner of the racing grounds. Colorado’s governor called for new laws and regulation after seeing KDVR’s reports.
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Honorable Mention: The Cruelty Behind the Legal Trade of Elephants to Zoos, Christina Russo and Adam Cruise, The Guardian
As the result of long-term reporting on the plight of elephants, Guardian journalists Christina Russo and Adam Cruise received exclusive video from their sources in Zimbabwe of young elephants being captured for shipment to Chinese zoos. In one scene, a 3-year old female is seen tied to a truck with ropes, then repeatedly kicked in the head by her captors, who are official staff of Zimbabwe National Parks. While elephant trade is legal, in the wake of the Guardian’s reporting, several international organizations have come together to form working groups to specifically focus on the welfare of elephants during the capture process.
Honorable Mention: The Cruelty Behind the Legal Trade of Elephants to Zoos, Christina Russo and Adam Cruise, The Guardian
As the result of long-term reporting on the plight of elephants, Guardian journalists Christina Russo and Adam Cruise received exclusive video from their sources in Zimbabwe of young elephants being captured for shipment to Chinese zoos. In one scene, a 3-year old female is seen tied to a truck with ropes, then repeatedly kicked in the head by her captors, who are official staff of Zimbabwe National Parks. While elephant trade is legal, in the wake of the Guardian’s reporting, several international organizations have come together to form working groups to specifically focus on the welfare of elephants during the capture process.
Broadcast
Honorable Mention: Blood Horns, Bob Woodruff and the ABC News Nightline Team
With the poaching of white rhinoceros in South Africa up by over 8000% since 2007, the species is on the verge of extinction. They are being killed for their horns, which can fetch more than $300,000 on the black market in Asia for their supposed magical medicinal properties. Nightline set out to document how this big money has attracted the involvement of ISIS, which is running up to a dozen poaching gangs inside Kruger National Park every day. Bob Woodruff and his team traveled with a group called Rhino 911 that is doing the very dangerous work of fighting poachers from helicopters with sophisticated technology. The Nightline team did a superb job of documenting the dire dangers facing the rhinos and those who risk so much to protect them.
Honorable Mention: Blood Horns, Bob Woodruff and the ABC News Nightline Team
With the poaching of white rhinoceros in South Africa up by over 8000% since 2007, the species is on the verge of extinction. They are being killed for their horns, which can fetch more than $300,000 on the black market in Asia for their supposed magical medicinal properties. Nightline set out to document how this big money has attracted the involvement of ISIS, which is running up to a dozen poaching gangs inside Kruger National Park every day. Bob Woodruff and his team traveled with a group called Rhino 911 that is doing the very dangerous work of fighting poachers from helicopters with sophisticated technology. The Nightline team did a superb job of documenting the dire dangers facing the rhinos and those who risk so much to protect them.