4/1/07
 
VVAW met at 11:10 am on Sunday, 4/1/07, at Angels of Assisi in Roanoke, VA.
 
In attendance: * denotes member of Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare Board of Directors
Carter Blaylock
*Lillian Clancy
Pat Clinch
*Peyton Coyner
Kelly Farrell, DVM
Jeb Ferguson
Lisa Ferguson
Bobbi Hoffman
Tammie Lowry
*Don Marro
*Mollie McCurdy
Lisa O’Neill
Rebecca Reiff
Don Thorne
*Pat Weakland
 
Don Marro brought the meeting to order and asked each person to introduce themselves. Each gave both their background and experience in animal welfare.
 
1. Don Marro described the focus of VVAW, indicating it was not in competition with other groups, but instead attempts to be a catalyst for change. Animal welfare issues receive legislative treatment from VVAW because change is not happening fast enough to stop all the killing.
 
2. Pat Clinch brought up a situation in her neighborhood where 13 dogs are tied outside, and asks what can be done. The dogs appear to have sufficient water and food and have shelter, but they are tethered permanently.
 
Mollie McCurdy suggested that talking with the owner may be productive. Her years of humane investigator work showed her that there are times when people don’t realize the problems they are causing, and talking may turn things around.
 
Pat Clinch said there are situations where reporting isn’t done for fear of retaliation. Instead, it might be useful to ask this owner to talk with authorities voluntarily or evaluate humane education literature.
 
However, when a situation needs to be reported, it was suggested that the ACO might be asked to check on the status of the dogs in terms of rabies shots, licenses, and amount of fecal matter that could result in a public health issue.
 
2. Mollie says she feels every jurisdiction should have at least one humane investigator, and a humane investigator could help in the case Pat describes.
 
Peyton Coyner added that the justification offered by the Farm Bureau for the humane investigator bill not to be passed in the last legislative session was that the training of humane investigators would use up the space and funds which would better be spent on ACOs. Peyton pointed out that no public funds were sought in the bill for training. In addition, there shouldn’t be a problem in getting sufficient training classes run.
 
3. Humane education might be effective in handling the case Pat Clinch described, yet the Farm Bureau was instrumental in defeating the VVAW humane ed bills, the opposition based on a reluctance to focus on animals, even companion animals, fearing that change would next come to the care of farm food animals.
 
Kelly Farrell wondered if the legislation wasn’t too "over-arching", and if calling it something other than "humane education" might help in passage.
 
Rebecca wondered if the state ed department couldn’t include humane ed because of being asked to do so rather than having a law passed regarding humane education.
 
Lisa Ferguson said she is a teacher and includes humane ed in her work with students.
 
Don feels there is a problem with passage because there is kneejerk opposition from closed-minded groups and no voices in contact with them that have their attention.
 
4. As to the situation (above) described by Pat Clinch, Don suggested that passage of a tethering bill and passage of the bill to re-instate the humane investigator program would go a long way in such instances.
 
He also asked whether any attorneys would be willing to work pro bono on getting a writ of mandamus against the ACOs, therefore legally requiring them to do their job – i.e., police the condition of companion animals.
 
5. Don Thorne said he would be doing more pro-animal work with his new endeavor, having recently retired from serving as head of the Roanoke Valley SPCA.
 
He advocated working with various groups to get things done. He described a situation where rabies shots were needed, saying that such shots can only be administered by a vet, or by someone else with the vet on site. He tried to use video cameras between two sites to accomplish a vet "being on site" through technology. His idea did not move forward.
 
6. Bobbi Hoffman said VVAW alerts can inadvertently deliver the wrong message to the reader if they are too negative.
 
She said she knows her legislators and has worked with them, noting that Sen. Edwards has opposition this election cycle.
 
Lillian Clancy said every member of the General Assembly – delegates and senators both – are up for election this November, and each person should be aware of what is going on about the election for their own delegate and senator.
 
7. Don Marro said that change can be made by local contact with one’s legislators, and also with local county/city Board of Supervisors.
 
He asked that all commit to getting involved with these elected officials. Kelly spoke for everyone when she offered to do as much as she can even though already stretched thin in her operation of a spay/neuter clinic.
 
The meeting was adjourned at 1:10 pm.