11/18/07

VVAW met at 11 am on Sunday, 11/18/07, at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA in Char-lottesville, VA

In attendance: * denotes member of Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare Board of Directors

Jeanne Brown
*Lillian Clancy
Gale Davis
Karen Flynn
Lesley Fore
Deena Hambsch
*Kim Kincheloe
Bonnie Kliamovich
Susane Kogut
Gail Lowe
*Don Marro
Margaret Marsh
Grace McCabe
George McCabe
Sigrid Sweitzer
Betty Weakland
*Pat Weakland
Brenda Weintraub
Steve Weintraub
Samantha Whitesides
Alison Wilson
Sally Wilson

Don Marro brought the meeting to order and asked each person to introduce themselves. Each provided something of their background, and some mentioned their particular reason for attend-ing the meeting.

1. The Court Watch program was discussed and a handout made available covering the ration-ale for the program.

2. Pat Weakland discussed the releasing agencies bill and the possibility of seeking a budget amendment for the proposed spay/neuter program patterned after the Peter Marsh/New Hamp-shire model.

3. Sally Wilson discussed the positive impact endorsements by groups can have on the passage of legislation.

4. Means to get veterinarians more universally involved were brought up and so was the vet postcard project being conducted primarily in the Tidewater area in which vets are mailed sev-eral postcards over time with information geared to gain their interest and support for VVAW legislation, particularly tax credits for pro bono work.

Susanne Kogut suggested we note other groups getting tax credits as a way to diffuse opposition.

5. Gale Davis spoke of the importance of having rebuttals at one’s fingertips.

6. The state budget was discussed and core services identified, such as public safety, health, transportation, and education. Once these services are funded, Don said there is a “chasm” that separates other funding items.

7. Steve Weintraub asked that the word “as” be eliminated in a section of the HI bill, so it would read “inspectors would be certified Humane Investigators”, not “would be certified ‘as’ Humane Investigators”.

8. That some jurisdictions appear not to have money to pay for companion animal welfare is-sues was raised.

Kim Kincheloe said money must be found.

Don indicated there is money, but it is just not for companion animals. He and Margaret Marsh cited the ABC study done a few years ago which showed jurisdictions had plenty of money for alcohol and drugs.

9. Gale Davis asked about the term of office for the State Vet and learned the State Vet serves at the pleasure of the Governor.

10. Steve Weintraub spoke to the HI bill saying there are spaces available for training HI in the places that do ACO training. There are several places offering such coursework. As a fallback for training, Steve felt the old program could be reconstructed. This was a course under the su-pervision of the State Vet with additional hours of education and training required which was typically filled by attendance at the VFHS convention.

11. Kim Kincheloe said she will be the point person on the dealer permit bill this year.

12. Gail Davis wants to work on the humane ed bill and wants to be put in contact with Debbie Olech about it.

13. The tethering bill was discussed briefly. Susanne says Charlottesville has a tethering bill.

The meeting was adjourned at 1:15.