Fwd: [Rescue_Central] ANIMAL ALERT REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ACTION: CA BUDGETMAYUNDO YEARS OF HUMANE LEGISLATION!

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All,

 

Please respond today or tomorrow. This affects all California animal shelters. The animal holding period will be reduced to 72 hours this weekend if we don't act, as well as other terrible repercussions - email, phone calls or letters needed before Friday at 5 pm!! Thank you in advance.

 

MarilynURGENT< URGENT! "Adopt a cat - save a life.. Spay/Neuter a cat - save THOUSANDS!" [sAAC] ALERT REQUIRI! NG IMMEDIATE ACTION: CA BUDGET MAY UNDO YEARS OF HUMANE LEGISLATION! **PLEASE CROSS-POST/FORWARD ASAP!** In his effort to solve the budget crisis, the goverment of California is looking at a "behind closed doors" repeal of the Hayden bill and other pieces of humane legislation, passed through the years. Whether an act of omission or commission, the result will be a return to the horrible pre-1998 status quo for California animal shelters if you don't act TODAY. The two most disturbing elements of the Governor's budget are the return of the animal holding period to only 72 hours for all animals (stray and relinquished) and the elimination of the requirement that shelters seek veterinary care for animals at the shelter. Among the other policies that will be repealed if the current budget is adopted:*The requirement that people convicted of cruelty to animals to pay for the costs of the animals' care while the issue of guilt is being determined. *The requirement that as a condition of probation, people convicted of animal cruelty can be prevented from owning animals for three years. *The law that made it a duty for shelters to use all currently acceptable methods of identification – including microchips – to determine the lawful owner of any seized or impounded animals.*The State's policy

preference for adoption instead of killing animals. *The requirement that shelters allow qualified animal adoption/rescue groups to take responsibility for animals if they pay the required fe! e. *The requirement that shelters give owner-relinquished animals a chance to be adopted. The extent of the repeal caught everyone by surprise. We have only one last chance to have these draconian measures removed from the budget. The budget conference committee meets one final time... this weekend. They must be convinced to revisit the inclusion of the Hayden legislation as part of the budget or at least to only suspend the fiscal provisions of the Hayden legislation until the budget crisis has passed. Years of your work and the countless hours of hundreds of

volunteers can be erased THIS WEEKEND if this repeal is allowed to occur. Listed below is contact information for! the legislators who will be meeting this weekend to approve the proposed budget. Please contact them as many times as you are able before 5pm Friday, June 25th. THE FATE OF MILLIONS OF ANIMALS ARE RELYING ON YOUR ACTION. SEND AN EMAIL, SEND A FAX AND MAKE A CALL. Tell them NOT TO REPEAL THE HAYDEN LAW! QUESTIONS? Contact Rich Mc Lellan, Animal Legislative Action Network, alan1 OR Jennifer Fearing, United Animal Nations,

jfearing C! onference Committee Members Chesbro, Wes (D) - Chair (916) 445-3375 telsenator.chesbro email(916) 445-3375 fax Dede Alpert (D)(916) 445-3952 tel senator.alpert email(916)

327-2188 fax Ross Johnson ®(916) 445-4961 tel*doesn't use e-mail(949) 833-0696 fax Darrell Steinberg (D)(916) 319-2009 telassemblymember.steinberg email(916) 319-2109 fax Judy Chu (D)(916) 319-2049 tel*doesn't use e-mail(916) 319-2149 fax Rick Keene ®(916) 319-2003 telassemblymember.keene email(916) 319-2103 fax Senate Budget Committee StaffKeely Martin BoslerConsultant(916) 445-5202 telkeely.bosler email(916) 323-8386 fax Assembly Budget Committee StaffKasey SchimkeConsultant(916) 319-2099 telkasey.schimke email(916) 319-2199 fax