(fwd) ALERT REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ACTION (laws enacted to protect abused and abandoned animals on 'chopping block')

[Guest guest]

Please, please help if you can- this could mean the

lives and welfare of countless creatures in the state!

 

the following is forwarded:

 

**PLEASE CROSS-POST/FORWARD ASAP!**

 

 

 

In his effort to solve the budget crisis, California

Governor Schwarzenegger has taken a hatchet to years

of laws enacted to protect abused and abandoned

animals. The result is the " behind closed doors "

repeal of the Hayden bill and other pieces of humane

legislation, passed through the years. Whether an

error 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Among the other policies that will be repealed if the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 fee.

 

*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 TENS OF THOUSANDS 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 Jennifer

Fearing, United Animal Nations, jfearing

 

 

 

 

 

Conference Committee Members

 

 

 

Chesbro, Wes (D) - Chair

 

(916) 445-3375 tel

 

senator.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 tel

 

assemblymember.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 tel

 

assemblymember.keene email

 

(916) 319-2103 fax

 

 

 

=====

" All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See

yourself in others. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? "

~Buddha

 

If you agree that a dog or cat (or a chimpanzee or lion or gorilla) is

significantly different than a book or a car or your shoes, then the notion that

they should be treated differently in the eyes of the law is common sense. That

animals see, hear, breathe and feel is undisputed — books, cars and shoes do

not. The idea of guardianship versus ownership flows naturally from the

distinction and simply recognizes it as a legal principle.

~Bruce Wagman

Co-Author, Animal Law