Never trust a man who doesn’t like dogs (or horses or bears or wolves, oh my!)

Bill Murray is reputed to have said, “I'm suspicious of people who don't like dogs, but I trust a dog when it doesn't like a person.”

He didn’t actually say that.

However, somewhere, some time, someone did say, “Never trust a man who doesn’t like dogs.” I don’t know who said it first, but I’ll take credit for saying it now.

Donald Trump doesn’t like dogs.

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I don’t know how many reasons we need for disliking the alternative president, but here’s a new one you can add to the list. It seems that right after the inauguration, the new administration scrubbed the government web site of all information pertaining to people who abuse animals. This included tens of thousands of reports on animals kept by research labs, zoos, circuses and animal transporters, and whether those animals were being treated humanely under the Animal Welfare Act.

It also took down inspection reports under the Horse Protection Act, which prohibits injuring horses’ hooves or legs for show, as well as information on dog breeders, including those who are running inhumane puppy mills. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, the Trump administration doesn’t want you to know who’s abusing puppies.  

This information had for decades been posted on the web site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where it could be accessed by consumers, the media, pet store owners and pet advocacy groups such as the Humane Society and the ASPCA.

The administration said in a statement it revoked the public’s access to this information “based on our commitment to being transparent…and maintaining the privacy rights of individuals.” Seriously? Is this the same Trump administration that thinks my internet provider should be able to sell my personal data and web browsing history to advertisers without my permission?

Like so many other things, the Republican Party fully supports our personal privacy, except when it doesn’t. (Not if there’s somehow money to me made, that’s for sure.) Now, the only way to get information about animal abuse is through a Freedom of Information Act request, which can take months or even years to approve.

“Not only is all of this cruel, it makes little economic sense,” according to an article on the Daily Kos. Several states require pet stores to sell only from reputable breeders, so hundreds of stores may now be violating state laws since they can no longer identify abusive puppy mill owners – those who breed large numbers of dogs under inhumane conditions.

The Humane Society goes even further, saying there is no reasonable explanation to withhold animal abuse information from the public. “Here we have a government action that benefits no one except people who are caught abusing animals and don't want the public to know,” an official said.

I don’t know why anybody would want to protect animal abusers and shield them from the public, but wait...this is the Trump administration, so let’s recap:

* Last month we learned that Trump will sign legislation to allow hunters to slaughter sleeping bears and baby wolves in Alaska’s National Wildlife Refuge so that wealthy hunters will have more antelope and moose to kill.

* We already know that Trump’s sons like to hunt wild game and pose for photos with the bloody carcasses of the exotic animals they have killed.

* And now, we find out that Trump – who reportedly considers dogs to be “unclean” – doesn’t care about the ethical treatment of puppies.

Instead of rescuing animals, the Trump administration seems to be systematically trying to remove them from the planet...or at least subject them to unchecked abuse. I just hope that a few animals are able to survive this administration so we can repopulate earth after Trump and his storm troopers are gone.