3/11/07
VVAW
met at 11 am on Sunday, 3/11/07, at the
In attendance: * denotes member of Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare Board of Directors
Susan Adams
Diana Artemis
Azar Attura
Valerie Bannister
Ruth Burton
*Lillian Clancy
*Peyton Coyner
Gwen David
Kym Detrick-Riley
Terry Dunn
Juanita Easton
David Gaines
Val Garcia
Kim Herman
Grace Holden
Heidi Hooper
Joan Hughes
Kim Lockhart
Gary Loewenthal
Rebecca Manners
*Don Marro
Debbie Marson
Pam McAlwee
Dana Meeker
Annette Minnis
Kristin Minnis
Robbyn Minnis
Mary Mulrenan
Joe Pillera
Brie Sansotta
Del. James M. Scott
Anita Sharkus
Holly Sternberg
Donna Thompson
Edith vonStuemer
Lisa Walthers
Spencer Warren
Bernice Warrington
Betty Weakland
*Pat Weakland
Naomi Wheeler
Samantha Whitesides
Suzanne Wolfe
Josseline Wood
Rob Wood
Don Marro brought the meeting to order. Lillian Clancy asked each person to introduce themselves; each gave a brief background of themselves and their experience in animal welfare.
Don Marro led the meeting thereafter.
1. Because of his continued support
and patroning of the signature issue of VVAW – the elimination of gas chambers
in
The first was a glass platter with an inscription which read:
Delegate James M. Scott
Thank you for being the champion of bills to ban gas chambers.
HB 2846 2005
HB 1091 2006
HB 3004 2007
The second was a
Del. Scott remained for the almost the entire meeting and offered several comments and suggestions, allowing the group to see things from a legislator’s viewpoint.
2. Don noted that the introductions
made by those at the meeting showed what a spectrum of backgrounds and interests
are represented. That so many work
so hard on VVAW in addition to all their other causes is gratifying, he
said. Don then mentioned the 35 who
came to
3. As a result, that leads us to focus on the next election cycle. If there are legislators who do not want to hear from us, perhaps there is a need for others in those seats.
Further, even with 41 co-patrons on the gas chamber ban bill, the bill still didn’t pass. Those who are indifferent to animal welfare or do not otherwise favor change need to be educated or defeated.
Del. Scott offered that the November election, if it follows the usual pattern, will be a low turnout year, so the impact an individual can have is more important - and possible. He recounted having won his first election – and this on the basis of a recount – by a single vote, illustrating the profound impact an individual can have.
4. It was asked whether those opposing VVAW are legislators from rural areas. In terms of those on the House Ag Subcommittee, the subcommittee which hears most of VVAW’s bills, it was pointed out that Ken Plum, Beverly Sherwood and Jim Shuler are on that committee and not from rural areas.
5. Brie Sansotta asked that ideas VVAW people are being asked to promote have several accompanying aids: a way to get the legislators each person has with a simple link to so determine, and by having 3-4 ideas about why this idea/bill has merit. She would find it much easier to make calls armed with this kind of information, and would be able to ask others to do the same.
6. Azar (Ace) Attura will get names of local (free or limited-distribution) newspapers regarding the placement of a “teaser” ad concerning gas chambers with a link to the VVAW website.
7. Don mentioned several times during the meeting that the ideas proposed by participants were very good, but the issue is delivering on those ideas. The VVAW Board is only 8 people, and help is needed not just on our current efforts, but on the other ideas that surface. In both cases, someone is needed to actually do that work.
8. David Gaines wondered if legislators do not want to hear from people who were not their constituents, even if that person was on a committee which speaks for the entire state. The response was that if these legislators have time for lobbyists, they most certainly should have time for Virginians.
9. Ace Attura spoke of the 2 years
animal law program being offered at
10. Holly Sternberg asked what specifically should be done. Is it time to go to the legislators already? The answer is “yes”, and to go to others as well, as discussed below.
11. Diana Artemis asked that each bill be given a title and 3 bullet points about it – why it should be supported or opposed.
12. Samantha Whitesides favors having a visual of what happens in a gas chamber. This prompted a discussion of how this could be done, whether it should be done, who should see such a video.
Don discussed the work VVAW had
done with The Martin Agency (an ad agency in
Spencer Warren said something could be done without “grossing out” the viewer.
13. Getting the State Veterinarian to do his job in regard to inspection of gas chambers and actually levying civil fines against those not in compliance was discussed.
Spencer Warren said he would work on a writ of mandamus directed at the State Vet.
Don said VVAW has brought enough pressure to bear that the four remaining jurisdictions had to acquiesce to transition, and Teresa Dockery and Sandy Lerner were obliged to fund the transition even though this funding is more a bribe ($25,000 per jurisdiction) than a necessity. (Last year Teresa Dockery made the same representation when there were eight jurisdictions using gas, and the going rate then was $1500 to $2500 per jurisdiction, and that didn’t materialize.)
We dealt with the inspection issue of custodial facilities and gas chambers last year, and going forward may also need to consider the “nuclear option” of mandamus writs as to both.
14. The potential for privatization of
inspection of
15. Gary Loewenthal asked the best way to write a letter to a legislator.
Del. Scott suggested saying:
here is the problem; here is how to fix it; and here is why to fix it.
16. Kim Lockhart pressed for specifics about what to do next.
Pat Weakland suggested starting
with the local Board of Supervisors.
Look at the animal records for that jurisdiction. Getting the
Don added that VVMA (Virginia Veterinary Medical Association) opposed VVAW, and even opposed the VVAW bills for tax credits. He suggested going to your own vet and asking for their support. He said VACA (Virginia Animal Control Association) and the animal control officers should also be approached. VACA was, at best, neutral on VVAW legislation, so animal control officers should also be approached for support.
Don repeated that a good deal
of important information is available on the VVAW website and said folks should
be familiar with budget numbers (available locally or from VVAW) when
approaching local officials.
Kym Detrick-Riley spoke about the Loudoun County Animal Advisory Committee which oversees various animal functions in the county. She thought this would be another place to go to have concerns voiced.
17. Don spoke of the use of property taxes to support animal welfare programs locally. Compliance in terms of purchase of dog licenses (and cat, where required) is dismal and animal welfare funding is nowhere near being self-sustaining.
Peyton Coyner added that ACOs seldom enforce license ordinances and so it has become a “voluntary tax”.
Lillian Clancy added that trying to pass a breeder permit ordinance as has been done in several counties including Fauquier is another step to take locally to improve funding and accountability.
18. Marty vanDuyne suggested that VVAW people be willing to speak before organizations to get the word out. She mentioned specifically that talking with Jewish organizations regarding gas chambers would be effective.
Kym suggested looking for the community announcements in local newspapers for groups that may want speakers.
19. Diana Artemis would like to go to the State Vet regarding gas and wants talking points for her presentation.
20. Don mentioned the book The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and suggested borrowing some ideas from it might be useful. It might help with “what are we missing”? Don mentioned the law of “the few” and “stickiness” from that book, and suggested we would be well-advised to find effective advocates (“the few”) and have effective arguments (“stickiness” elements) framed before both the November elections and before the next session of the General Assembly in January, 2008.
21. Ruth Burton said
22. The meeting ended with a brief discussion of each bill from the 2007 session, one having passed and two others almost having passed.
Meeting attendees were asked to review each of the 2007 bills and suggest any additional bills which they would like to propose, making those suggestions in the next 6 weeks.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:30.