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Some News on Animal Welfare Legislation

My copy of the " ASPCA Action " arrived today in my mailbox, and I am going to share some of the reported news with those who do not receive this magazine/newsletter/report. Before I go on, I strongly urge you to join the ASPCA and become a monthly donor like I am. This is a very good organization and it is well worth supporting. They are involved in many areas of animal rights and at different levels, from grassroots to the federal level. Go to http://www.aspca.org/

In their section for Advocacy 2007, I saw that the ASPCA is still working on the Downed Animal and Food Safety Act. This is at the federal level. This act will require the immediate humane euthanasia of any critically ill and injured cows, pigs, sheep, goats, mules, and horses too sick to stand and walk on their own. Right now, animals in this state of health are dragged or pushed to slaughter and then their meat is allowed to enter the food chain. Can you believe that we even have to tell people, make laws, not to do this?

Then, there is the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act, still in the works. Believe it or not, last year, over 100,000 American horses were killed and their meat shipped to Japan and Europe for human consumption. As you can imagine, the road to the slaughterhouse is very painful for the horses, long trips on double decker vehicles, overcrowding and inhumane methods of slaughtering. The bill will stop the interstate and international transport, delivery and receiving, possessing, purchasing, selling or marketing of any horse to be consumed for human consumption.

To help, you can go to http://www.aspca.org/lobby

At the state level, there was a setback in Ohio where the state supreme court " denied a motion for reconsideration and decided to uphold Ohio and Toledo laws classifying Pit Bulls as vicious, and regulating Pit Bull ownership on this basis." Ed Sayres, President and CEO of the ASPCA, was quoted as saying, " We have seen time and time again that responsible pet ownership is the key to successfully resolving the dangerous dog issue, and this decision does not take that into consideration."

In Illinois, dogfighting is a felony due to House Bill 3614, but now felony charges can be extended to those who participate in cockfighting or any animal figthing. Great News!

In California, Governor Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 353, " allowing judges to include companion animals when issuing protective orders in domestic violence cases. Studies have shown that abusers often threaten, injure or kill pets as a way of controlling others in the family. Connecticut enacted a similar bill, Senate Bill 284, extending the same protection to companion animals in that state...and cheers to Tennessee for their version of this bill called House Bill 1161 / SenateBill 196.

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