<img src="/media/images/htmail/zootoo_petloverarmy_v2.jpg" alt="Zootoo Pet Lover Army!"><br /><br />My recent visit to western Pennsylvania coincided with the presidential primary campaign. In fact, Barack Obama was in the very next town, according to the shelter officers. And that got me thinking: if Zootoo.com can rally 400 people on a chilly Tuesday morning to show their support for the local animal shelter, what could someone like Senator Obama do? Or Senators Clinton or McCain? If only they would take up the cause of needy animals or at least talk about it.<br /><br />It's estimated that more than 9 million animals are euthanized every year in the United States. That's more than 9 million needless deaths ? deaths that could be avoided if politicians paid more attention to the desperate condition of so many of America's animal shelters.<br /><br />Well, to get politicians to pay attention, you first have to get their attention. And we have just the way to do that, with the Zootoo army of pet lovers. We've mobilized hundreds of thousands of pet lovers, and we're aiming for millions, because the bigger our army, the more powerful our voice.<br /><br />If you want Senators Obama, Clinton and McCain to stand up for pet shelters and commit to stop the needless massacre of more than 9 million pets, say so by commenting on this Journal entry. Get all your friends to comment, too. The more comments we have, the more power we'll have.<br /><br />I promise that by working together we can get the presidential candidates to listen. We'll take our concerns directly to the candidates ? and to the media outlets around the country, including the talk shows, the morning shows and hundreds of newspapers, local TV and radio stations across the country who have been reporting on the Zootoo animal shelter makeover. This is our time!<br /><br /><strong>MAY 16, 2008 UPDATE</strong><br /><hr />OK Zootooer's, I've been around to all 20 cities throughout America and have spoken to 20 different communities to tens of thousands of people that obviously have many different connections within their community. Politically from democrats, republicans and independents, hundreds of them said that they would be calling or emailing their candidates' office to propose the question that we have been asking - what would you do for needy pets in this Country if elected President? As of today, we've had zero success in getting anybody at any level with any candidate to address this question. We had one "no comment" from the Obama campaign and that's *all*. Can you believe with 200 Million pet lovers in 72 Million households this Country having concerns and feelings for pets of all kinds and all shapes, that give you unconditional love and companionship and most are called family, that not one candidate has addressed this question? To me, this seems heartless – plain downright dumb! Yes, I know there are lots of pressing problems in this Country, from healthcare to the war but let's not forget that a Country is measured by the compassion it gives for its animals. And I think that was a quote by someone famous.<br /><br />So, we still wait to see which candidate is going to step up to the plate, take a swing and see what he/she can do for pets and pet lovers all through-out America. I can't believe any of them would lose one single vote for sharing their feelings in what they would do for needy pets all across America. Why won't they start this discussion? Let's all keep asking and maybe we will all be surprised one of these days.<br /><br /><a href="javascript:void(0)" title="" onclick="ajax('Data_JournalEntry::showWriteCommentForm', 'slug=petitiontothecandidatesforpres&parent_id=0', '', '', '');;return false;"><img src="/media/images/htmail/commentbutton.gif" alt="Write a comment"></a><br /><br /><a href="/sendtofriend/journals_j_legislation%2Fpetitiontothecandidatesforpres_topcat" title="Spread the word" onclick="ajax('User::showSendToFriendForm', 'url=journals_j_legislation%2Fpetitiontothecandidatesforpres_topcat&label_type=link', '', '', '');;return false;" rel="nofollow"><img src="/media/images/htmail/spread-the-word.jpg" alt="Spread the Word!"></a><br /><br />The Zootoo army of pet lovers has just begun to fight!