August 6, 2006

VVAW- Alert Change in meeting date: VDACS meeting

VVAW-ers:

There are 2 topics in this alert:

1. change of date for regional Newport News meeting

2. contact VDACS

1. change of date for regional Newport News meeting

We have had to change the Newport News meeting date.

It is now to be on Sunday, 10/15, from 11am to 1pm. (It was originally scheduled to be on 8/20/05.)

The regional meeting schedule now reads:

Sunday 9/10/06 11 – 1 Roanoke

Sunday 9/24/06 11 – 1 Charlottesville

Sunday 10/8/06 11 – 1 Fairfax

Sunday 10/15/06 11 – 1 Newport News

If you haven’t already done so, please let us know which meeting(s) you will attend.

Locations will be determined by head count.

2. contact VDACS

VDACS (Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services) is the group which has supervision of the office of the State Veterinarian. The State Veterinarian is Dr. Richard Wilkes.

We will be presenting at the 8/24 meeting of VDACS. The meeting will be held in Harrisonburg at the Holiday Inn and will begin at 2pm.

The thrust of the presentation will be to ask for privatization of certain activities currently done by the State Veterinarian’s office which we think are done inadequately and to the detriment of Virginia’s companion animals. We therefore will ask to privatize the collection of animal records (the info about intake and disposition of animals jurisdiction by jurisdiction) and for privatization of inspection of pounds, shelters, rescues, and pet shops. We have heard horror story after horror story, sufficient enough to make us know that there must be change in the attitudes, practices, and financing of Virginia’s custodial facilities.

We would like you to come to the Harrisonburg meeting and support this viewpoint. We would also like you to contact the member on the VDACS Board who represents you and let them know by phone or note of your support, whether you come or not.

Finally, regardless of where you live, we ask that you contact the Board members covering districts that still use gas, whether you live in that district or not. Let them know that the use of gas is both barbaric and, when done following Virginia regs, far more expensive than euthanizing by injection (EBI).

Here is information about VDACS:

The VDACS Board is headed by Commissioner Carlton Courter (more formally, J. Carlton Courter, III.). He has served as the Commissioner since his appointment in 1994.

Courter’s details:

ofc: 804-786-3501

fax: 804-371-2945

There are 11members appointed by the Governor to serve no more than two 4-year terms. By Virginia law, a minimum of 7 VDACS Board members must be "practical farmers". They geographies they represent are the same geographies as the federal House of Representatives.

In addition to the Commissioner and the 11 Board members, there are 2 ex-officio Board members plus Roy Seward who serves as Secretary to the Board.

Seward’s details:

ofc: 804-786-3538

fax: 804-371-2945

Individual numbers for Board members are below, but a message can be left for any of them at:

804-786-3538

fax: 804-371-2945

Should you want further information:

Here are the VDACS Board Members. Note that each member has the name of the member of the House of Representatives for that same district; we thought this might help you determine which VDACS Board member is yours.

The Honorable Steve Wolfe
16136 BrickhouseRoad

King George, VA 22485-5237

540-663-3544 or 540-644-9344

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Jo Ann S. Davis

NOTE: Wolfe is also on the Board of Supervisors for King George County.

2nd District

L. Bruce Holland
Duncan Farm
28321 Holland Lane
New Church, VA 23415-3037
757-824-5296

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Thelma D. Drake

3rd District

Paul W. Rogers, Jr.,
1233 Southampton Road

Wakefield, VA
757-899-6043

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Robert C. Scott

4th District GAS CHAMBER in his district (Southampton County)

Theodore M. Hardison
21402 Garrison Drive
Windsor, VA 23487-5151
757-242-6309 (res)

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Randy Forbes

5th District GAS CHAMBERS in her district (Appomattox and Buchanan counties;

Martinsville City)

Wanda G. McDowell
120 Chatham Road

Vernon Hill, VA 24597

434-349-3779

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Virgil H. Goode

Andrea L. Lohr
10311 North Valley Pike
Broadway, VA 22815-3701

540-896-8798

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Edward Stevenson Fleming
1020 Seay Road
Manakin Sabot, VA 23103-2015

804-749-3734

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Eric Cantor

Gregory Galligan
3508 Woodside Road
Alexandria, VA 22310-2174

703-597-5369 (# for his campaign team)

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman James P. Moran

9th District GAS CHAMBERS in his district (Lee, Scott & Wythe counties)

Charles C. Clark Jr.
4672 Valley Road
Saltville, VA 24370-4174

540-496-4502 or 276-624-3272 (res)

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Rick Boucher

John D. Hardesty
517 Longmarsh Road
Berryville, VA 22611-2475
540-955-3397 or 540-327-6373 (cell)

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Frank Wolf

Melvin E. Murphy
9314 Clanbrook Court
Fairfax, VA 22031-1911
703-352-9114

NOTE: this district is covered at the federal level by Congressman Tom Davis

__________

Thank you very much for your help.

VVAW Board