Alert 6/10/07 Dogfighting Letter Went Out – Great Response!
Below is the dogfighting letter that went out to Governor Kaine, other elected officials, sports people, newspapers, and more.
The response to asking for your signatures was fantastic. It showed that there are many, many people who care about animals and who are horrified by animal abuse – but are not part of any official animal welfare organization.
With the news that continues from the Surry County dogfighting case, we must continue to make as many as possible know there are countless people in Virginia who oppose this – and they are voters.
Thank you very much.
Lillian Clancy/Don Marro
______
We the undersigned Virginians involved with animal welfare, oppose blood sport, particularly cock- and dogfighting, and want it stopped.
The current case involving suspected dogfighting in Surry County begs for maximum prosecution of those involved, and we support and exhort all who can make this happen.
Dogfighting is already illegal.
Dogfighting itself is enough to warrant maximum penalties for those involved. But when drugs, gambling, and minors so starved for credible role models are harmed, it becomes an imperative for taking action.
Penalties should be increased and applied more vigorously for blood sport participants and those attending.
National reporting of court cases involving blood sport proceedings, state by state, is in order, so there is no opportunity to cross the state line as has happened between Virginia and North Carolina.
Governments should resolve that those in professional football or in any professional sport convicted of involvement in dogfighting or other blood sports should be permanently prevented from playing professionally in the United States.
Perhaps it is appropriate to boycott the companies which contract with suspended and convicted professional athletes to endorse their products.
Because of your position and your ability to advocate in this situation, we ask you for action by signing this letter.
Lillian Clancy and Donald C. Marro, Co-Founders,
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare and Virginians for Animal Welfare
and
the Board of Directors of VVAW/VAW: Peyton
Coyner
Debra
Griggs
Kim
Kincheloe
Mollie
McCurdy
Patrick H. Weakland
Signatories:
Kyleen N. Abel, Volunteer
Carole A. Adams,
President/Founder, The Mosby Foundation
H. Cary Adams, Richmond,
Virginia
Jeanette Allard, St. Seton’s Orphaned Animals
Francesca Allen,
Member, Great Dane Rescue of the Commonwealth
Linda R. Allison,
Independent
Rita Altman, Independent
Pamela W. Anderson, former Virginia
resident
James Andrews
Lois R. Angeletti
Mary E. Archer
Michelle
Ashley
Doris C. Baker, Member, PETA; Member, Virginia Beach SPCA; Member,
Animal Rescue of
Tidewater; Member, Rikki’s Rescue
Cindi P. Banach,
Independent
Valerie Bannister, CFO, BOD, Home Stretch Animal Rescue, Reston,
VA
Rebecca Barlow, Independent
Edwin Ronald Batten, Jr.
Jennifer Nicole
Batten
Robert Beck
Paula Bee, Volunteer, Cat Rescue, Inc.
Christine
Benitez, Volunteer, Woodbridge Cats/Noah’s Ark
Sarah Bennett
Mary L.
Beverley, President, Bedford Humane Society
Debra Bishop
Jimmy
Bishop
Lea A. Blake
Jeanne M. Blue
Michael Bosch
Jill Boyle
Edith
Nadine Brackman
Chris Brandewie, Blacksburg, VA
Susan Daley Bray, Action
for Animals Network, Alexandria, Virginia
Aleta Breen, Independent Rescuer,
Fairfax, Virginia
Patricia Breen, Independent Rescuer, Fairfax,
Virginia
Deborah A. Bronk
Jeanne Brown, Independent
Judy W.
Brown
Jamie Buckmaster
Darlene Bulmer
Andrea Bureman, Orange County
Humane Society
Anne M. Byers
Cheryle Caldwell, Virginia Beach
Susan H.
Call
John Canning, Member, Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare; Westmoreland
County Animal
Shelter Volunteer; Fuzzy Face Rescue of the Northern
Neck
Pat Canning, Member, Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare; Westmoreland
County Animal
Shelter Volunteer; Fuzzy Face Rescue of the Northern
Neck
Connie Capone
David Cariens
Janice Cariens
Heather Carrington,
Del Ray Animal Hospital employee
Robin Carrington, Oldies But Goodies Cocker
Spaniel Rescue
Dawn Carter
Terry Cazer, Foster, Animal Welfare League of
Northern Neck; Foster, Southern Maryland
Beagle Rescue
Tony Cerqua,
Independent, Monroe, Virginia
Pat Clinch, Member, Wythe Bland Animal Welfare
League
Jerry Coalgate, Animal Shelter Volunteer
Barbara M. Cohen, Vice
President, SPCA of NOVA; Court Appointed Humane Investigator
Thomas Cole, St.
Louis Park, Minnesota
Mary Anne Conmy, Animal Welfare Advocate
Georgia
Conrad, Board Member, PACC (Partners Among Cats & Canines)
Mary S.
Cooper, Isle of Wight County Humane Society & High School Teacher of Michael
Vick
Sharon Cornett, Independent
Louise V. Cortright
Trish
Corvelli
Julia R. Cottrell, Board Member, SNAP (Spay/Neuter All Pets,
Inc.)
Kenny C. Craig, Vice President, The Mosby Foundation
Phyllis J.
Craig, Volunteer, The Mosby Foundation
Cynthia A. Crisler
Suri Crowe,
Virginia German Shepherd Rescue
Gwen David, Member, Humane Society of Loudoun
County
Leslie Davis, Board Member, North Carolina Voters for Animal
Welfare
Alexandra Decker, Volunteer, HSFC
Frank DeFazio, Board Member,
Prevent a Litter Veterinary Hospital
Susan DeFazio, Director/Chairperson,
Care About the Strays d.b.a. Prevent a Litter Veterinary
Hospital
Judy
Sweeney Delorey, Retired Henrico County Animal Shelter Tech
Kimberly
Detrick-Riley, Independent Resident/Voter in the Commonwealth of
Virginia
Renee E. Deutermann
Jeanne L. Deveau
Kimberly
Devereaux
Laurie Dickerson
Lisa Diehl, Auburn, VW
Anthony
Dietrich
Barbara Dietz, Member, Animal Welfare League of the Northern
Neck
Michelle Dix, Wythe County Humane Society; Wythe-Bland Animal Welfare
League
Donna Dixon, Member, Humane Society of the United States; Member, Best
Friends
Allen B. Dobey, Volunteer, A Forever Home Animal Rescue
Foundation
Virginia T. Dobey, Volunteer, A Forever Home Animal Rescue
Foundation
Kathryn A. Dobyns, DVM, Board Member, The Mosby
Foundation
Jeanne Dosky, Independent
Margaret Drzal
Sarah Dutton,
Found, Lost Fantasy Rescue; Vice President, Wythe County Humane Society
Karen
R. Eastes, Volunteer, Fredericksburg SPCA
Ina Eaves, Virginia Member,
Dachshund Rescue of North America
Sonja S. Eckhart, President, PAWS of SWVA;
Secretary, In His Hands Dog Rescue
Craig Edwards, Independent
Susan
Edwards, Richmond Animal League
Doreen Ehasz, Executive Director, Bedford
Humane Society
Donna Essig, President, Franklin County Humane Society Inc.
(dba Planned Pethood Clinic)
David E. Evans, President, Southside
SPCA
Elizabeth A. Evans, Secretary, Southside SPCA
Karen Evans
Kelly A.
Farrell, DVM, Director & Sr. Veterinarian, Angels of Assisi; Member,
Association
of Shelter Veterinarians
Maureen Federico, Member, Virginia
Voters for Animal Welfare
Barbara Feild, Member, Virginia Voters for Animal
Welfare
Jon Fink
Kristina Fink
Richard W. Firth
Denise Flora,
Independent
Lois Flynne, PhD, Professor Emerita, San Francisco State
University
Susan Frost, Animal Owner, Animal Lover
Dr. David Gaines,
FerretsFirst Shelter & Rescue
Eileen M. Galvin, Non Abusive Pitbull
Owner
Kathy Galvin, K9 New Life
Kendra Ganobsik
Glenn Gardner
Carla
P. Garris
Teresa Garrison, Home Again, Richmond, Virginia
Lecia Gaugler,
Virginia Voter
Connie M. Gay, Foster Parent, OBG Cocker Rescue
Deborah
Geary, Volunteer, HART
Frances Germanos, Vice President, Friends of Virginia
Beach Animal Control
Janet T. Gilbert, Volunteer, Virginia Beach
SPCA
Susan E. Gilbert, President, Friends of Homeless Animals
Cathy
Gilbert-Silva
Brenda Gill
T. Michael Gilley, Member, PAWS of SWVA
Inc.
Rose Given, Farm Cor Unum Animal Rescue
Gerri Glass, Co-founder &
Board of Directors, Pounds Pals of Radford, Inc.
Dina B. Godfrey, Radford,
Virginia
Bette Grahame, President, Humane Society/SPCA of Nelson
County
Mary Ellen Graine, GoodDogz Organization
Marcene M. Graves,
Independent
Charles (Sam) Green
Janet Green
Carrie Maher Greenwald
Mark A. Greenwald
Joanne Griffin
Julie Guy
Chris Harman,
Spay/Neuter Inc.
Pamela Harmon, Friends of Homeless Animals
Catherine M.
Harold, Citizen of Virginia
Cynthia L. Harris, Virginia Voters for Animal
Welfare
Judith E. Harvell, President, Animal Welfare League, Inc. of the
Northern Neck
Lisa Hatcher
Craig Havenner
Dee Hawkins, Pet Rescue
Foundation, Charlottesville, Virginia
Robin L. Heeley
Aldene P.
Helwick
William R. Helwick
Brandy Henderson
Kim Herman, Centreville,
Virginia
Maureen Herth, Concerned Dog Owner
Lisa C. Hetrick, Richmond Area
Representative for Dogs Deserve Better; Member, Virginia
Voters for Animal
Welfare
Cindy Hiddemen
Carie Hill, Independent
Sharon Jones
Hill
Maxine Hillary
Jennifer Hines, Independent
Bobbi A. Hoffman,
Roanoke, Virginia
Grace M. Holden, Independent
Heidi Hooper, Executive
Director, Home Stretch Animal Rescue
Deborah Hudson, Elberon, Virginia (Surry
County)
James J. Hughes, Member, SPCA of Northern Virginia
Joan V.
Hughes, Member, SPCA of Northern Virginia
Kim Hunter, Dachshund Rescue of
North America; Hotdog Hill Rescue
Carolyn Hurley
Clark L. Jackson,
Member, Winchester, Frederick, Clarke Counties SPCA
Sylvia L. Jackson, Vice
President, Winchester, Frederick, Clarke Counties SPCA
Bev Jacobs, Volunteer,
BARK, Midlothian, Virginia
Barbara B. Jahreis, Volunteer, HART and
FOHA
Tammy Javier, Executive Director, Franklin County Humane Society
Anne
E. Johnson
Micheline Johnson, Volunteer, OBG Cocker Rescue
Jacki
Jones
Jimmie Jones
Cindy Jordan, Independent
Maria E. Juanpere
Ronnie Kahn, Pet Rescue Foundation & Rainbow Pet Sitting Services
Jan
Karpel
Kelly Keech, Board Member, The Mosby Foundation
Rachel Kelley,
Hanover Humane Society
Brian Kerchner, Volunteer, Virginia German Shepherd
Rescue
James Bruce Kerr
Sandra Kerr
Diane Keup, Virginia
Beach
Rosanna Keyes, Independent
Kristine Kieswer
Loretta Killen,
Independent
Michele King, Board Member, North Carolina Voters for Animal
Welfare
BB Knowles, President and Board Member, North Carolina Voters for
Animal Welfare
Roberta Knussmann, Prince William SPCA
Wendy
Koritko
Alison Kruk, Member, Humane Society of the United States
Donna
Lambert
Bill Lane
Linda Lane, Shelter Coordinator and Program Manager,
BARK
Jane Lanham, Concerned Citizen
Jim Lanier, Virginia German Shepherd
Rescue
Theresa H. Lanza
Vola Lawson
Ellen Leckar, Local Dogs Deserve
Better Representative; Member, Animal Rescue of Tidewater
Cindy Leggett,
Dogs Deserve Better Representative for Virginia
Pamela A. Lehman
Christa
J. Leight, Vice President, Cresa Partners, Bethesda, Maryland
Rosalie
Lesser
Sallie Levitte, Cats Cradle Ltd., Suffolk, Virginia
Anita Lewis,
President, Spay/Neuter, Inc.
Kenneth Lippy, Aylett, Virginia
Robin Lippy,
Aylett, Virginia
Anne Little
Kim Lockhart
Christine Lofgren,
Independent
Lori Logan, Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control
Frank G.
Logan, III
Chrissy Lopez, Independent
Max Lopez, Independent
Karen
Loveless, Board Member, North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare
Becky Lowe,
Treasurer, Partners Among Cats and Canines
Susan Lumpkin, Somebuddies,
Inc.
Nancy Luz, Kids & Kritters of the NRV
Patricia Lynch,
Tallahassee, Florida
Jill Mahoney
Jill Mahoney
Victoria E. Maiocco,
Spotsylvania, Virginia
Kaye Makarski, Suffolk Humane Society, Suffolk,
Virginia
Sharon Maloney, Vice President, Fauquier SPCA
Pamela A.
Manning
Albert Manville
Carrie Mariotti, Volunteer, Noah’s Ark Foundation
of Virginia
Allison T. W. Markert
Lisa Markow, Volunteer, Richmond City
Animal Care and Control
Margaret Marsh, Volunteer, Charlottesville-Albemarle
SPCA
Victoria Marshman, Director, Appalachian Great Pyrenees
Rescue
Deborah Marson
Shannon May, Dublin, Virginia
Eileen McAfee,
Co-Founder, Save Our Shelters (SOS)
Pamela McAlwee, Founder, Lost Dog and Cat
Rescue Foundation
Mary K. McCall, Independent
Michelle McCall
Terri
McCallister, Ft. Worth, Texas
Sharon Grove McCamy, Independent
Cheryl
McGruder
Craig McGruder
Karen Meagher
Dorris Mediate, Member, Animal
Rescue of Tidewater, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Debra R. Milby
Connie
Miller, Hickory Hills K-9 Rescue
Gary Miller, FURS Supporter, Richmond,
Virginia
Nancy Miller, Mathews Animal Welfare Group Supporter
Pam Miller,
Feral Friends
Connie Moore, Independent
Anne Nelson Morck
Wesley C.
Morck, Jr.
Elizabeth P. Morris
Maryjo Morris, Board Member, North
Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare
Donna Mosera, Animal Advocate,
Pennsylvania
Joe Murgo
Dr. Joyce E. Myers, Director, Paws & Whiskers
Animal Rescue, Inc.
Carla Nammack-Wenger, Founder, The Chance
Foundation
Cabell Nelson
Patricia M. Nelson
Kathy Norman
Kate
Norris
Lauren Otto
Judith Ourand-Swartz, Animal Welfare Advocate and
Rescue Volunteer
Joyce Page, Vice President & Adoption Officer, Animal
Welfare League of the Northern Neck
Dona L. Pate, Virginia Voters for Animal
Welfare; Friends of Homeless Animals
Susan Patton, Independent Thinker and
Voter
Pam Peck, Henrico Humane Society
Sylva Penkov, Private Party
Doug
Penner
Leigh Penner
Nancy Peterson, Independent
Dr. Katherine
Pfaltz
Dan Phelps, Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART)
Kristie Phelps,
Communications Director, In Defense of Animals
Pat Phelps, Homeless Animals
Rescue Team (HART)
Sigrid Phillips, Independent
Linden Pierce, Animal
Rescuer
Gaylen C. Pierson, Member, Indian Rivers Humane Society,
Tappahannock, Virginia
Joe Pillera, Director, Friends of Homeless
Animals
Donna Pinnix, Independent
Dr. Timothy Poland, Independent
Rescuer
Kim S. Powell, Concerned Citizen and Animal Lover
Matthew
Prestone
Gretchen Price, Director, Humane Society/SPCA of Nelson
County
Michele E. Price
Vicki Prince, Vice President, K-9
Lifesavers
Lisa Qualls, Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare;
petstorecruelty.org; Action for Animals
Network
Vicky Ratliff
Lisa M.
Reid
Laura Riley
Patricia A. Reilly, Animal Welfare League of Northern
Neck
Virginia S. Reynolds, Secretary, St. Francis Humane Association
Lynne
Rhode, Henrico Humane Society
Regina Risseeuw, Independent
Tina
Roach
Sheila B. Robinson
Lisa Roosa
Liz Clancy Ross, former Staff
member, Doris Day Animal League, Washington, DC
Sandra Rowe-D’Agostaro,
Friends of Homeless Animals
Annelie Rudlaff, ZZ Cats, Inc.
Betty Russo,
Independent
Joan Rust
Kathleen D. Sanders, Richmond Animal League;
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare
Cheryl Spencer Scher, Director of Humane
Education, The National Humane Education Society
Michael Schick
Melanie
Schlaginhaufen
Andrea Schmahl, Supporter of Animal Welfare Organizations and
Issues
Lois Schneider, Volunteer, Caring For Creatures, Palmyra,
Virginia
Sandy Scholar, Homeless Animals Rescue Team
Rita Scott,
Volunteer, Animal Welfare League of the Northern Neck of Virginia
Ronald C.
Scott
Stephanie S. Scott
Erica Selekman
Rabiah Seminole,
Founder/Director, Blue Horse Mukwa Equine Retirement and Rescue
Center
Danielle Shafer, PACC
Susan Shank, Virginia German Shepherd
Rescue
Cathy L. Shelley, President, Shelley’s Bed & Biscuit Rescue,
Hamburg, NY
Brenda Shiflett, Troy, VA
Leo Silvan, Member, Orange County
Humane Society
Susan Kimberly Sizemore, Homeless Animals Rescue Team
(HART)
Pat Small, Independent, Mechanicsville, Virginia
Robert C. Small,
Jr., Secretary, Pulaski County Humane Society
Andrea Smith, Volunteer,
Friends of Animal Care & Control, Montgomery County, Virginia;
Administrator, Buddy’s Burrow
Angela R. Smith, Supporter of Virginia
Beach SPCA and Animal Rescue of Tidewater
Debi Smith, Founder, Dalmatian
Rescue of Southwest Virginia
J. R. Smith, Animal Control Officer, City of
Petersburg, Virginia
Jacque Smith, Animal Rescue of Tidewater
Molly Smith,
Independent
Margie Sobczynski, Independent
Cynthia T. Solenberger, Member,
Winchester SPCA
Janie Spears
Lea Spickler, President, Virginia German
Shepherd Rescue
Connie L. Spitler, Secretary, The Mosby Foundation
Jason
Stafford
Meranda Stafford
Caroline Stalker, Volunteer, Richmond Animal
League
Holly Sternberg, Found, petstorecruelty.org
Jim Steven,
Mechanicsville, VA
Michael P. Stevens, M.D.
Dan Stewart
Annette Still,
Pet Guardian Pet Service, Inc.
Patti Stinson, Animal Welfare Advocate,
Sumerduck, Virginia
Margaret Stokely, Independent
Jennifer Stone, School
of Public Policy, Arlington, Virginia
Jessica K. Stovall, Virginia Voters for
Animal Welfare
Leah Thomas, Independent
Judi A. Tilley
Dorothea
Toleman, Board Member, Animal Welfare League of Northern Neck
Joan Urban,
Board Member, Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART)
Sally Valk, Virginia
Beach
Bonnie VanAlstyne
Gary VanAlstyne
Judy VanFossen, Richmond Animal
League
Kathy G. Vann, Member, PACC
Vicki Walter, Blacksburg,
Virginia
Lisa Walthers, Arlington, Virginia
David Waters, Member, Virginia
Voters for Animal Welfare; Member/Board of Directors,
Homeless Animals
Protection Placement and Education
Sue Watson, Cat Rescue, Inc., Norfolk,
Virginia
Susan M. Watson, Volunteer, Fredericksburg SPCA
Bobbye Diane
Weatherford, Member, BROOD; Member Basset CARE
Donna Webster, RN, Prevent A
Litter Vet Hospital, Richmond, Virginia to be confirmed
Sarah Webster, Noah’s
Ark Foundation
Debby B. Weinstein
Michelle Westervelt,
President/Co-Founder, PACC – Partner Among Cats & Canines
Lana Westfall,
Legislative Aide, Senate of Virginia
David K. White
Robin
White
Samantha Whitesides, Independent
Dani J. Whitfield, Independent, St.
Stephens Church, Virginia
Linda T. Wickham, President, Hickory Hill K-9
Rescue
Margarita B. Wiggs, Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART)
Elizabeth
Williams, Save Our Shelters
Kim Williams
Patricia A. Wilmoth, Volunteer,
Henrico Humane Society
Sheryl Winkler, MSW, Fredericksburg, VA
Pat Wise,
Co-founder/Treasurer, Friends of Virginia Beach Animal Control
John Witt,
Independent
Jacqueline S. Wolfe, Independent
Suzanne Wolstenholme, Past
President and Board Member, Hanover Humane Society
Bud Woodward, Animal
Connections; Beath Animal Shelter
Sheila Worley, Independent
LaShawn
Wright
Deborah Young
Susan K. Zacharko
Mary Zoeter, President, Action
for Animals Network, Alexandria, Virginia