Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R) apparently isn’t a friend of the animal kingdom. The Humane Society Legislative Fund has launched its first television advertisement — a 30-second spot — in the Detroit market blasting the eight-term Congressman’s record on animal welfare issues.

“Joe Knollenberg has one of the worst records on animal cruelty in the country,” an announcer says. “He voted against preventing sick cows from entering our food supply. He voted to allow the killing of threatened polar bears, and the slaughter of American horses. Joe Knollenberg even voted against enforcing the law used to stop dogfighting. It’s time for a new Congressman.”

The animal-rights group has endorsed Knollenberg’s opponent, former state Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters (D). So far, polls show a competitive race between Peters and Knollenberg.

A recent Grove Insight (D) poll of 400 likely voters for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee gave Peters an edge, 46 percent to 37 percent, with another 2 percent showing support for convicted physician Jack Kevorkian (I). The poll, taken Oct. 4-5, had a margin of error of 4.9 points.

What’s more, national Republicans recently pulled some of their funding for the race. A GOP source confirmed that the National Republican Congressional Committee’s independent expenditure arm canceled $320,000 in planned media buys in support of Knollenberg. According to online public finance reports, the DCCC’s independent expenditure has spent $855,000 on the race so far.