VVAW Alert 2-9-08 Gas Chamber Bill and More Need You!

Alert 2/9/08 Gas Chamber Bill & More Need You!

THERE ARE THREE IMPORTANT BILLS TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY, 2/11/08, AT 8:30 AM.

They are HB5 (gas chambers), HB673 (adequate water), and HB999 (owners post bond if abandon or abuse).

The process:

All 3 bills will be heard on Monday, 2/11/08, at 8:30 am by the Senate Ag committee.

Each bill passed by the Senate Ag Committee on Monday will go to the full Senate for a vote (and next to the Governor for signature!).

Can you come on Monday?

Whether you come or not, please contact your own Senator and ask the Senator to support the passage of HB5, HB673, and HB999. This is an especially critical step if your Senator is on the Senate Ag committee; if this committee doesn’t pass these bills, they are dead for this session.

The list of members of this committee to contact is at the end of this message. Check to see if your Senator is on that list.

Tofind the name/contact info of your own Senator, click here:

http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

Make your contacts simple. Call, or if you prefer to email, make the subject line read “support HB5”, filling in the appropriate bill number as you go along.

The text of the message can say something like “I am your constituent and want you to support HB5” (or the appropriate bill number), and then sign with your full name, address, and phone.

An email for each bill is ideal if you will take time to do this. And sending them over the weekend is fine.

1. Gas Chamber bill – HB5

This bill eliminates gas chambers as a means of killing excess pets in Virginia. If you recall, Del. Jim Scott’s HB40 and Del. Clay Athey’s HB1289 were rolled into Del. Bobby Orrock’s gas chamber bill, HB5.

Please support HB5! Contact your Senator as they will vote on this come Monday, 2/11.

To see the language of HB5, click here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb5++++

2. Definitions – standards of care – HB673

This bill, patroned by Del. Kenny Alexander, provides a new definition of “adequate water” for companion animals.

As you did for the gas chamber bill just above, ask your Senator to support HB673, up for a vote on Monday.

To see the language of HB673, click here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb673+++

3. Bond Posted by those who abandon or abuse – HB999

This bill, patroned by Del. Rob Bell, allows the court, before the case is heard, to order the owner of an animal held by a humane investigator or animal control officer to post a bond for the cost of boarding the animal, providing some funding to defray expenses of custody.

As you did above, ask your Senator to support HB999. This bill is up for a vote on Monday.

To see the language of HB999, click here:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?ses=081&typ=bil&val=hb999++

Please make your contacts as quickly as possible.

Thank you so much.

Lillian Clancy and Don Marro

____________________

Here are the Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee:

Sen. Patsy Ticer 804-698-7530

Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee

district30@sov.state.va.us

Harry B. Blevins 804-698-7514