National Press Club Ann Cottrell Free

Animal Reporting Award

In 2005, the The National Press Club announced the establishment of the annual Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award. The first awards were presented at a dinner at the National Press Club on July 17, 2006 for work done in 2005.

2012 Information:  

The submission deadline is April 1, 2012 for work done in 2011.

The National Press Club Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award honors excellence in reporting about animals. Established by the family of journalist and longtime Press Club member Ann Cottrell Free, who wrote extensively about animals and their welfare, this prize recognizes serious work by journalists that informs and educates the public about threats facing animals.

Categories:
1. Print/Online
2. Broadcast 

Entries must consist of a single article or broadcast or a series of up to five related articles or broadcasts, which will be judged as a unit. A letter detailing how and why the entry demonstrates original and thought-provoking reporting should accompany the entry. Submissions that provide evidence of impact or prompted action will be given particular consideration.

Prize: $750 award for each category.

Applications and more information: http://press.org/about/awards

2011 Winners

Print/Online:
"Even His Red Squeak Toy Can't Get First Sgt. Gunner, USMC, to Fight" by Michael M. Phillips, The Wall Street Journal

By telling the story of Gunner, a bomb-sniffing yellow lab who couldn't handle the stress of combat in
Afghanistan, Michael Phillips draws attention to the trauma that many dogs undergo when assigned to the front lines in war. His compelling narrative shows that, just like humans, dogs can suffer from severe post-traumatic stress disorder.

Luckily for Gunner, who was found unfit for combat, there was a happy ending. After Phillips’ story appeared, scores of readers asked how they could adopt him. Phillips forwarded the offers to the Marine Corps who chose a couple whose son was killed in Iraq. Phillips' vivid writing and sensitive touch helped to put a spotlight on the dangers and stress experienced by man’s best friend in times of war.

Broadcast:
"The Dog Factory", "BP's Voiceless Victims" and "The Incredible Inedible Lie", Brad Woodard, KHOU-TV, Houston.

For a second time, reporter Brad Woodard of KHOU, Houston, has won this award for a body of work that made a difference for animals. In his report, "The Dog Factory", Woodard spent months documenting horrific conditions at a puppy mill in Panola County, Texas. Using a hidden camera, he captured shocking scenes of the neglect and suffering of hundreds of dogs. He purchased some of the dogs from the breeder to have them independently examined by a veterinarian. Not only did Woodard's findings result in the puppy mill being shut down, he also linked it to a prominent pet store in Houston.

Currently, there are no laws regulating the commercial breeding industry in Texas. Woodard's story was shown in the state legislature by law makers who want to more closely regulate the industry and, now, a bill is pending.

In 2010, Woodard also filed stories on the effects of the BP oil spill on wildlife in Louisiana and on the deplorable conditions uncovered at an egg factory in Texas, which is one of the largest in the nation.

2010 Winners

Print/Online:
"A Cure for Euthanasia?", David Grimm, Science Magazine

Every year, four million cats and dogs are euthanized in U.S. shelters and millions more are shot and poisoned in massive culling campaigns around the globe. Thirty million feral cats roam the streets of the U.S., and tens of millions of stray dogs crowd the back alleys of the developing world. They starve, spread disease and suffer by the side of the road. In "A Cure for Euthanasia?", David Grimm carefully traces the stories of several researchers who are working to develop a sound solution -- such as a vaccine or pill -- that would allow even poor countries to sterilize a large number of animals without the resources needed for traditional spay/neuter programs. Grimm reports that this long-pursued quest has been given new life in the form of $75 million in grants and prizes being offered to the first team to develop a viable product. Grimm's comprehensive and well written story has alerted more scientists to this field of study and educated the public about one of the most critical animal welfare issues of the day -- and the urgent need to develop an effective solution.

Broadcast:
"Stampede to Oblivion", George Knapp, reporter and Matthew Adams, photojournalist/editor, KLAS-TV8, Las Vegas, NV

In a culmination of more than 20 years of reporting on wild horse issues, KLAS-TV8 Chief Investigative Reporter George Knapp's hard-hitting documentary takes an in-depth look at what is happening to the dwindling population of the romantic wild horses of the west. He and photojournalist Matthew Adams examine the policies of the Bureau of Land Management, the government agency assigned the task of protecting wild herds on public lands. They report that BLM round-ups have resulted in more horses warehoused in government corrals than the number remaining in the wild and that the agency has authorized cattle grazing on most of the millions of acres where the horses have been removed.
They interview former BLM employees and others who point to what they believe is a longstanding partnership between the BLM and the livestock industry. They also report on the on-going efforts of Madeleine Pickens, wife of wealthy oilman, T. Boone Pickens, who has proposed the creation of a million-acre wild horse sanctuary in Northern Nevada.

2009 Winners

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.

2008 Winners

Print/Online:

Winner:
"Who's Watching Out for Me?" by Tim Darragh and Christopher Schnaars, The Morning Call

An investigation by reporters Tim Darragh and Christopher Schnaars of the The Morning Call found that puppy breeding and boarding kennels throughout Pennsylvania were virtually assured of passing grades from state regulators -- even with filthy living areas, cramped cages, dirty water bowls and diseased and dead dogs. After three months of negotiations using the state public records law, the newspaper was able to obtain enough data make the first-ever analysis of 20,000 state kennel inspection records. They found that kennels were getting perfect scores 9 out of 10 times -- even when wardens noted numerous violations. After their expose, the state began posting data on its Web site and legislators are working to reform antiquated state regulations which would result in better conditions for thousands of animals.

Honorable Mention:
"Horse Slaughter on the Border" by Lisa Sandberg, San Antonio Express News

By documenting the brutal slaughter of American horses at a plant in Juarez, Mexico, reporter Lisa Sandberg was able to bring to light the common practice of killer-buyers hauling horses across the U.S. border into Canada and Mexico, where they are butchered into table meat. Her reporting put a spotlight on the results of good intentions gone haywire because of lack of legislative oversight of animal exports after American horse slaughter plants were shut down last year. Sandberg followed the trail of doomed horses from a Texas auction house to inspection pens on the border and finally to a slaughter plant in Mexico. She and photographer Jerry Lara witnessed revolting and primitive conditions, including workers stabbing panicked and terrified horses with knives until they collapsed. Her reporting brought in hundreds of responses from readers and ignited efforts to renew a ban on exports and to revive the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.

Broadcast:

Winner:
“A Voice for the Voiceless: Brad Woodard Reports”, KHOU-TV, Houston

In 2007, reporter Brad Woodard of KHOU-TV in Houston focused a spotlight on numerous animal cruelties in the state of Texas. His reporting included hard-hitting stories on street-level dog fighting, abuse of elephants, faux fur mislabeling – including that of cats and dogs – and the barbaric slaughter of American horses across the border in Mexico. His exposure of loopholes and weaknesses in state laws helped prompt the Texas legislature to enact tougher animal cruelty statutes, reducing the suffering of thousands of animals.

Honorable Mention
"PBS Nature: Silence of the Bees", Doug Shultz

Silence of the Bees was the first in-depth look at the search to uncover what is killing the honeybee. The filmmakers take viewers around the world to the sites of fallen hives, to high-tech labs, where scientists race to uncover clues, and even deep inside honeybee colonies. Silence of the Bees is the story of a riveting, ongoing investigation to save honeybees from dying out. The film goes beyond the unsolved mystery to tell the story of the honeybee itself, its invaluable impact on our diets and takes a look at what is at stake if honeybees disappear. Silence of the Bees explores the complex world of the honeybee in crisis and informs viewers of ways they can help these extraordinary animals

2007 Winners

Print/Online:

Winner:
"What's a Dog Worth?" by Jesse Katz, Los Angeles Magazine

In 2005, in Los Angeles, 104,841 animals were put to death in the city's six municipal shelters. No other metropolitan area in the United States has killed more dogs and cats -- at least a million pets exterminated in the past decade -- more than 5 million during the past 35 years.

By following one dog - a weathered but friendly pit bull named Roy - through the machinery of the South LA shelter, Los Angeles magazine senior writer Jesse Katz , shows us that euthanasia is little more than a death of convenience, society's method for disposing of expendable pets. He reveals how the daily calculation to kill is made and who makes it. As the first LA journalist to gain access to the "bump room" since the 1970s, he is a witness the animals' last moments.

His story generated enormous response, and was designated "the talker story of the month" by one LA media outlet. Comments were robust, with one reader pointing out that the piece "wasn't just some story about stray dogs, it was a commentary on who we have become."

Honorable Mention:
"An Elephant Crackup" by Charles Siebert, New York Times Sunday Magazine

In his cover story, Siebert reveals the stunning result of the pervasive and harmful effects of human encroachment on elephants in the wild and of man's ongoing abuses of them in captivity. He illustrates the complexities and subtleties of elephant culture and consciousness, phenomena not typically accorded animals. He shows us that elephants are suffering a kind of post-traumatic stress disorder that has resulted in an unprecedented number of attacks on humans. His reporting reveals that elephants are losing their battle to survive -- and that we are witnessing a precipitous collapse of elephant culture brought on by decades of poaching and habitat loss.

Broadcast:

Winner
"Puppy Heartbreak", WTVJ/NBC 6, Miami, Florida

In a four month investigation, which resulted in a nine-part series , WTVJ TV took a close look at the practices of the self-proclaimed "world's largest celebrity pet store", based in South Florida. What it found was shocking.

The station talked to scores of customers whose dogs became very ill or died shortly after purchase. WTVJ conducted hundreds of interviews and reviewed more than a thousand public records related to complaints about the store. By gaining access to a pet store industry Internet auction site, the station was able to trace some of the dogs back to Midwest dog breeders known as “puppy mills”. The news team traveled to two of those breeders and captured inhumane and unhealthy conditions on tape – a side of the pet industry rarely seen by the public.

The series generated huge viewer reaction, including a lawsuit filed by the Florida attorney general seeking to shut down the store. The series also prompted debate in the Florida legislature to toughen consumer protection laws for pet buyers. The station received hundreds of emails, including this one, “If there is an award for superb reporting you deserve it.”

Honorable Mention

“From Stable to Table: America’s Dirty Little Secret”, KHOU-TV, Houston, Texas

When Brad Woodard’s series of reports aired on KHOU-TV in Houston, Texas, many viewers were shocked to learn that roughly 100,000 American horses were being slaughtered in the U.S. each year for human consumption abroad.

Texas is home to two of the nation’s three horse slaughtering facilities. Woodard’s reports exposed in graphic detail what goes on behind the walls of one of those facilities. Viewers were outraged and response poured in from all over the country. Many who had seen the story on television and the Internet contacted lawmakers in Washington.

In September, the American Slaughter Prevention Act was passed in the House but Congress adjourned before the Senate could consider the bill. The measure has been re-introduced in both chambers. In January, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld a 1949 Texas state law barring the sale of horsemeat for human consumption. Appeals were rejected in March, effectively shutting down the horse slaughter industry in Texas.

2006 Winners

Print/online:

The winner of the print/online category was Ken Dixon of the Connecticut Post for his series on the slaughter of monk parakeets (read here).

The judges recognized Todd J. Gilman of the Dallas Morning News with an Honorable Mention for his report on the plight of thousands of American wild mustangs that are no longer protected by a ban on slaughter.

Broadcast:

The broadcast category winners were reporter Mike Rush and videographer/editor Mike Corry of WPMI – TV of Mobile, Alabama, for their story on hog-dog rodeos (View here).

Honorable Mention went to Wayne Havrelly of KIRO-TV in Seattle Washington for his report about an alarming number of dog deaths following the consumption of a popular dog treat.

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