Dear SAOVA Friends,
In their end of year report, AVMA noted approximately 40,000
bills are projected to be enacted into law this year out of 150,000 bills
introduced, many of which were related to animals and veterinary medicine. Below
is a sample of the report highlights:
Iowa and Utah adopted bills that prohibit a person from
obtaining employment at an agricultural facility under false pretenses in order
to record images or commit any other act not authorized by the owner of the
agricultural facility. Missouri took a somewhat different approach by requiring
employees who videotape suspected animal abuse to provide the unedited
recording to law enforcement within 24 hours.
Nebraska became the second state to enact legislation
prohibiting local governments from defining legal status of animals in a way
that is not consistent with personal property.
Legislators in 10 states introduced bills that would
restrict tethering of companion animals.
Delaware and Rhode Island adopted laws that provide
penalties for confining or tethering a dog for more than a set number of
hours.
Tennessee adopted a bill that provides that noneconomic
damages are not permitted for any claim arising out of harm or loss of
property, except as authorized by statute. Courts in North Carolina and New
Jersey ruled against expanding emotion-based damages in pet litigation, while
an appeals court in Texas accepted the award of sentimental damages in such
cases. The Texas Supreme Court has been asked to review the opinion as contrary
to established precedent in the state and has scheduled oral argument for early
next year.
Massachusetts adopted legislation making it the 45th state
to specifically allow for the creation of pet trusts for the care of
animals.
Full report at AVMA website: http://tinyurl.com/b95boxn
ANIMAL
LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (ALDF)
Scott Heiser, Director of ALDF's Criminal Justice Program blogged
on November 21st, 2012: “Regardless of how you voted in the presidential
election, if you are someone who cares about the welfare of animals, you’ll
have to agree that November 6, 2012 was a bad day at the polls.” Heiser lashed out at the defeat of Measure 5
in North Dakota stating Opponents of Measure 5 seemed to take great pride in
the success of their smear campaign characterizing supporters as extremists who
were advancing a radical agenda. Heiser continued
his post by lamenting passage of constitutional amendments in 4 states that
guarantee the right to hunt, fish, and trap; he writes, “the misguided Cartesian
view of animals reflected by these results is disheartening for all who work to
advance legal protections for animals.”
ALDF ended the year by convincing Representatives Gerry
Connolly (D-VA11) and Sam Farr (D-CA17) to introduce legislation that would
amend the Animal Welfare Act to include regulation and inspection of birds,
rats, and mice bred for use in research.
ALDF and their followers introduced 14 animal abuser
registry bills in 9 states during 2012. Beginning
with Colorado in 2002, activists have now introduced a total of 76 registry
bills in 25 states – all of which have failed to date. Registry campaigners have wasted no time, beginning
the New Year with bills in South Carolina, New York, and Vermont (see http://saova.org/news.html )
The ALDF website lists the formation of 171 U.S. Chapters
and 15 International Student Animal Legal Defense Chapters; with State Bar
Animal Law Sections and Committees in 24 states, 15 cities and counties, and
the American Bar Association.
ALDF is the creator of the Center for Animal Law Studies
(the Center) at Lewis & Clark Law School which now houses the most
extensive animal law program in the nation. ALDF continues to collaborate with
the Center in the rapidly developing field of animal law through classes,
conferences, scholarship and clinical opportunities. With the help of ALDF the Center brought its
first visiting professor, activist and attorney Mariann Sullivan, to teach “Animals
in Agriculture: Law and Policy”, a course previously taught by ALDF founder Joyce Tischler. ALDF’s winter newsletter discusses the course
noting, “These law students will one day change the way animals are protected
by our legal system.” Quoting Sullivan, “Animal
ag is going down and lawyers are going to be the ones to take it down.”
A
BAD YEAR FOR HSUS
HSUS Pres Wayne Pacelle began 2013 blogging that Congress passed
no significant animal welfare legislation in the last session. He writes,
“For as long as I have been spending time on Capitol Hill and advocating for
The HSUS and its concerns (18 years), that’s the first time that’s
happened.” He noted that a handful of senators blocked floor
consideration of the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act – a bill to
phase out research on chimpanzees which, according to HSUS, “are our closest
living relatives”. Pacelle promised HSUS
would “do our best to attach the egg industry reform bill and the animal
fighting legislation as amendments to the Farm Bill in 2013.”
Although Pacelle did not mention the demise of HR 835 PUPS
in his post, we are very pleased to report that SAOVA and its allies were
successful in convincing four congressmen to drop their support for PUPS and any
future HSUS versions.
Only through YOUR donations is our work possible. Help
financially support SAOVA's advocacy.
Cross posting is encouraged.
Susan Wolf
Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting Alliance
Working to Identify and Elect Supportive Legislators
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