10:19pm
Help me get Obama, McCain and Clinton to stand up for pet shelters across America
1143 comments

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.
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.
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.
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.
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!

The Zootoo army of pet lovers has just begun to fight!


4 hours ago
http://www.fund.org/humanescorecard/
:~)
9 hours ago
http://www.fund.org/pdfs/HumaneScorecard2006_final.pdf
Summary= Obama 60%
Clinton 100 %+
McCain 40%
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Thank you, Mick Bennett
6 days ago
As an American citizen I feel deep shame when I hear the chilling statistics concerning the millions of animals that are euthanized in our country every year. Our animal shelters are inadequate and without support other than through the charity of doners and hard working volunteers. Indifference, cruelty and neglect of our fellow creatures reflects on all of us and lowers our standard of living. Please give us reason to celebrate our Americanism by making animal welfare a priority issue.
Martha Edwards, North Carolina
6 days ago
This is an election year, I am a registered voter, and my vote will definitely be swayed in the direction of someone who is willing to work toward ending the horrendous pet overpopulation crisis our nation battles. Until laws are passed requiring mandatory spay neuter of pets, we will continue to be required to senslessly euthanize millions of animals.
Come on Hillary, Obama, and John! Do something!! Make a difference!!! Within the next decade, lets be able to have shelters for lost pets waiting for their owners to reclaim them. Let the era of overcrowed shelters full of homeless, abused, neglected, and unwanted pets come to an end. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, so take it seriously.
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Our pets totally depend on us to love them, feed them and provide for them. It is so heart breaking to see people not take responsibility. We need animal shelters that can take in abused and neglected animals and be able to care for these animals properly, so they can get well and be adopted. Our animal shelter is one of the zoo.too.com makeovers and we are so excited. The facility is in need of larger areas so the pets can have plenty of room, exercising areas and clean up to date rooms. If the animal shelters are clean and bright and cheerful, more people will come and visit the animals and they will be adopted. Please help us educate people and children about the treatment of animals and to spay and neuter, which I think should be a law.
There are so many puppies and kittens that never have a chance and the mother cats and dogs would be healthier and more apt to be adopted.
This is an issue that is ignored, there needs to be additonal funding and volunteers to help the human societies. I hope that this will be addressed during the 2008 November campaign and I know I would vote for the one who intends to change and improve our shelters and rescue organizations. Millions of dollars are wasted on so many unecessary concerns. Let's work together to insure safe and happy environments for the less fortunate. These animals give us so much love and people who are home-bound, in hospitals and nursing homes need a loving animal to make them happy and feel loved.
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Let's get their attention, and, as importantly, their awareness and support! Animals are not disposible commodities, they are living, sentinent beings. What don't they have? Voices! We should and must speak for them, and the time to do so is now.
1 week ago
They politicans can't get seem to get the get the healthcare coverage system going, jobs and affordable housing I wondering what they would do for the animals.
I am going to leave the following quote:
"A nation can be judged by how it treats it animals" - Ghandi
Celebrate Be Kind to Animals Week May 6-12 2007
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innocent animals are needlessly put to death in shelters every year. Meanwhile there are over 10,000 pupply mills in the U.S. which force dogs to produce litter after litter just for profit. These dogs and their puppies are often plagued with suffering, resulting from disease, malnutrition, and loneliness. I find this to be outrageous! Isn't it important to do something about this? Changes are needed desperately because this doesn't make any sense. We are there voice!
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Marimac Smythe
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Issue of animal welfare are hugely important, and I'm glad organizations like ZooToo are around, but frankly, in the face of all the other pressing national and global issues I think bringing this to the presidential campaign would make ZooToo look silly, and more than a little myopic.
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I'm a pet lover, and I'm taking this venue to get your attention to the critical need of our stray and unwanted pets.
I 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.
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Barack Obama pledges support for nearly every animal protection bill currently pending in congress.
He has supported measures to allow the creation of pet trusts to provide for the long term care of campanion animals; to upgrade the penalties for cruelty to animals; to require psychological counseling for people who abuse animals and well as making cruelty to animals a Class 4 felony, and voted to create a new dog fighting section in the criminal code that makes it illegal to in any way, promote or facilitate dog fighting; he voted to require that vets report suspected act of cruelty and animal fighting and to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumtion. Please know that although I know a lot more needs to be done to support animal shelters and stop the needless killing of millions of animals, Obama has done and will continue to support the rights of animals.
For more information of what Barack Obama had done for our animal friends check out the Humane Society Legislative Fund 2007 Presidential Questionnnaire that he filled out:
http://hslf.typepad.com/political_animal/2007/12/the-president-3.html
Also check out "The Presidential Files: Barack Obama and the Dog-acity of Hope:
http://hslf.typepad.com/political_animal/2007/12/the-president-3.html
1 week ago
Jennifer Chiles
1 week ago
And candidates , if you are reading this , please understand that we need help in changing the laws dealing with the treatment of animal abuse offenders, and the laws need to be changed where shelters are concerned as well. Our shelters shouldnt be authorized to kill animals unless the animal is sick and can not be saved by other means. I believe governement monies needs to go into that part of shelters as well. Make it totally illegal and the penalties stiffer regarding breeding for profit.
These issues are mine and more than likely other Zootoo members here.
Please , senators, make this right and at least speak for the animals who can not speak for themselves.
Im in this fight with you topcat
1 week ago
http://www.la-spca.org/dedication/euthanasia.htm
http://www.la-spca.org/dedication/sam.htm
Beware, these are tough reading. Have your tissues handy.
But the sad fact of the matter is that currently there are *far more* dogs and cats, puppies and kittens, not to mention rabbits, ferrets, parrots, guinea pigs, iguanas, and every other kind of animal people have as pets being born, bought, sold, given away and abandoned than there are good homes for. I am an animal control officer and I see this EVERY DAY.
Until the pet industry stops churning out animals on an industrial scale, until everyone who acquires a pet truly understands that to take an animal into your home means making a genuine lifetime commitment to that animal, until all the dogs and cats are spayed, neutered, tagged, microchipped and kept safe as carefully as you would keep safe your toddler child, we will continue to have more strays picked up and more unwanted animals surrendered and abandoned than the shelters can hold or the well-meaning public can adopt.
Open-admission or "kill" shelters are the sad but necessary result of these current societal conditions. When all the cages are full, room must be found for today's admissions. And there are dozens of new admissions every single day, 365 days a year. So all the cages are always full, all the time. If you prohibit open-admission shelters from euthanizing - yes, from killing - , then where are those new admissions going to go?
A no-kill society is a wonderful goal. I support this goal whole heartedly. After all, I'm the one who has to deal with the grim reality of adoptable animals being put to sleep because there is no room and not enough homes for all of them. The day all of our shelters can hold and nurture all the animals they have indefinitely because there aren't enough unclaimed strays, owner surrenders, and abandoned kittens to fill every cage three times over is the day I start doing handsprings of joy because no more sweet, innocent, healthy adoptable animals have to be killed for sheer lack of space.
But that day isn't here yet, not by a very long shot. Let's all work for it, yes, absolutely. Work and hope and pray for it. But in the meantime we won't solve the problem by outlawing euthanasia. We need laws against puppy mills, that will help. But what will really change things isn't legislation - it's a change in our society's attitude. And that, my friend, is something that can't be legislated.
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After Katrina hit, there were hard lessons learned and the Pet Act was developed which required all municipalities to include pets in their disaster plans. Katrina showed that without providing for the pets, people and pets suffered and lives were lost. People who were not allowed to take their pets with them stayed behind and many lost their lives.
When I went to help with this rescue effort in LA, I spent many days out rescuing and the stories that I heard stick with me to this day. So many of them were heartbreaking stories of people that were refused into the shelters and so turned back home to be with their pets. This is just one example that legislators should stand up and take notice of. THey cannot ignore the pets if they truly care about the people. The two are fprever intertwined.
Pet laws across the country are old, outdated, and ineffective. It is long past time to get these laws fixed to help saves lives and make lives better for pets everywhere.
When the pet food scare happened, it brought to the forefront how few laws there were to protect the food that our pets consume. THis was another hard lesson learned. Obviously laws need to be made to protect our pets from this ever happening again.
On Zootoo's recent tour, I read where Richard asked a question to one of Obama's people about what they would do for animals. Richard received the standard no comment, I'll get back to you. In political translation, to me, that means I can't answer that because the subject was never discussed and so I don't have a stand on it. This is what is wrong.
Legislators need to make changes before the next Katrina or pet food scare. They need to help to end pet overpopulation. It can be done by simply pushing on the national level programs that will help. Several state programs have done things that are making a difference. Maine has a law that mandates that any pet bought at a pet store or breeding kennel has a $25. surcharge added. This money is put into a state fund for low cost spay programs. Massachusetts has a special vanity licence plate, the proceeds of which are given to low cost spay/neuter programs. These programs work. If these, or other similar programs, were made into national programs, we could end euthanasia in just a few years. Spay/neuter is the best solution to end suffering from overpopulation. Making it affordable and easy to obtain through programs like these could change things dramatically.
I am very optimistic that Zootoo could be that tool to bring animal people together into one voice that will speak loudly to legislators. Legislators need to know that their words need to be put into action and make changes. Words fade with time but actions live on. It is time to get legislators into action.
Thanks Richard and Zootoo for bringing legislation to the front and let's hope that
this is the start of real change in Congress for pets across the United States.
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to sanity, to daily humanity!
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To that extent, I am stating here, that I will do EXTENSIVE research trying to understand what each canidate has done to help animals and stop things such as "breed specific" laws, killing because they need space, and on an on.
While our economy is important, what will truly get us back on the right track is a president that has a heart and compasion for those less than us. If they (any of the 3) are voting to support things as inhumane or cruel to an animal that has no voice, what do you believe they will say to us? My thought is whatever gets them what THEY want and nothing will change.
On the flip side, if they are in support of helping animals, it shows they really do care and have a heart. That heart will guide them through their presidency to make wise and just decisions, something everyone including the animals will benefit from.
I hope who ever reads this see's a new point of view about the canidate they support and do some research on the web.
Thank you.
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I have no interest in politics. I have no interest in politicians but I would have an interest, belief and could support one that might reach out to an area that affects millions of Americans every day. I would give my vote to one that was bright enough to see that we have a problem in this country that involves animals. We're killing millions each year because some people are not responsible enough to spay and neuter. We're allowing millions to suffer in puppy mills and deplorable conditions because states don't mandate proper care nor strong enough laws to keep this from happening. People are still fighting dogs for sport, drugging horses and abusing animals because our local hands are tied by the weakness of our laws made by our elected officials.
As candidates for office you should obviously be looking for ways to reach the majority. You should be looking for ways to make a difference in our communities. Ways to change our lives for the better. Animals are the great equalizer. Use it, take advantage of it, spin it however you please....but do something for the animals.
Richard Thompson was smart enough to not only see the problem but to recognize that he would bring people together because of it. And things will change through his efforts and ours.
But what about you?
Sincerely,
Carrie Roe
Humane Society of Parkersburg
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As an Animal Protector/Advocate, we desparetely need your support to protect our Animals. As a therapist, I know first hand that if a human being harm animals as a youngster that they tend to be harmful to humans too - as children, teens or adults. Anger and Violence towards animals needs to be prevented and those who do this should be ordered MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT and JAIL TIME. Please advocate for the animals. I am sure you would want to protect your own animals and family!
Thanks.
Laurie, MH Therapist, Pgh PA
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Niki
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I <3 my pets
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We need to do alot more to help the animals in need.
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The people in Washington will argue that setting humane standards of pet care is considered a problem that should be dealt with on a local and state level. The people in local and state government argue that it should be dealt with in Washington. HELLO!! Quit arguing people and DO something. WE,THE TAX PAYERS, HIRED YOU AND ARE PAYING YOUR WAGES. WE WANT SOMETHING DONE NOW! THE ANIMALS HAVE NO VOICE AND THEY CAN'T VOTE BUT WE, THE TAXPAYERS, CAN.
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Thanks!
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Let them know we want to hear from them.
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Since they can not speak, they need the so call humans to speak up for them. Therefore, if a candidate was to speak out for animal rights they would have my vote
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It would be wonderful if our presidential running canidates would include in their agenda some type of program or show some compassionate reaction to these animals' plight. Mr. McCain, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, please lend your ear to their cries for help.
Yours truly speaking in their behalf,
Caroline J. Berleman, Cincinnati Ohio
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