Alert 9/4/07     Come Meet Peter Marsh

 

We are pleased and honored to tell you that Peter Marsh will be with us in late September.

 

He has offered to meet all who can attend a VVAW meeting then.

 

The meeting will be on a Saturday rather than our usual Sunday.

 

Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 11 am to 1 pm

 

Meeting will be at the home of Lillian Clancy and Donald Marro in The Plains.

 

Peter is probably best known for the work he’s done as an attorney and animal lover in New Hampshire where the pet overpopulation has been controlled to the point that dogs from other parts of the United States – including Virginia – find homes there. Imagine a place where virtually every dog that is adoptable has a home.

 

Peter is also devoted to finding ways to support spay/neuter programs and was the inspiration (along with Esther Mechler) for the rabies surcharge bill (HB2295) from the last session of the General Assembly which sought to fund existing or establishing new spay/neuter programs.

 

He is also an advocate of making change for animal legislatively. Does that sound familiar?

 

Peter has been an inspiration and source of encouragement to VVAW for a number of years and it is with great pleasure that we ask as many as possible to come and hear him. He will address spay/neuter and more, and we hope will help us be more active and creative as we prepare for this legislative session.

 

In his words:

I'll be happy to talk about s/n programs if that is your preference. I could also speak about legislative work on behalf of animals in general, too. Over the years I've worked on a lot of other issues including hunting and trapping initiatives, classroom vivisection, felony animal cruelty, etc. Almost nothing else I've done in my life, including work trying cases for many years, has approached the "thrill of victory and agony of defeat" of animal legislative work. We could also discuss the legislative planning process and the strategic decisions you make as you set out on a long term endeavor. As Gandhi put it, "first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."

 

We need head count for this and hope you will let us know you will be able to come. Directions to get here later. And if you are new to animal welfare issues, google Peter Marsh’s name.

 

Hope to see many of you on the 29th.

 

Lillian Clancy and Donald Marro

Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare

540-253-5309