Animal Protection Voters' 2009 Agenda
Seeks to Create Equine Protections,
and Expand Felony Cruelty Definition
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A few of APV's staunchest supporters.
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Animal Protection Voters has set an ambitious, yet achievable, agenda for the 2009 New Mexico legislative session.
APV will work to broaden the scope of the state's fourth degree felony animal cruelty laws, and to include reptiles under the statute’s protection. Given the current challenging economic times and the increase in the number of people unable to adequately care for their equines, APV will work to minimize the suffering of horses by seeking solutions to their most immediate needs.
Broaden Fourth Degree Felony Definition in State Animal Cruelty Law
— Add language to the statute to make it a criminal offense to leave an animal unattended and confined in a motor vehicle when physical injury or death to the animal is likely to result.
— Add language that makes the intentional abandonment of an animal a criminal offense.
— Ensure that the denial of sustenance, defined as food, water and shelter, when it leads to great bodily harm or death, is considered extreme cruelty to animals, punishable as a fourth degree felony.
— Close loophole that allows research laboratories to escape prosecution under the current state anti-cruelty law.
— Ensure reptiles are included in the scope of the state anti-cruelty law.
Create State Bonding Law to Facilitate Seizure of Cruelly-Treated Animals
— Pass a law that requires those charged with animal cruelty to pay for the care of their animals if they are seized. This will provide a system that allows law enforcement officials to always seize animals who are being starved or mistreated. Given recent increases in reporting and investigation of cruelty, some agencies often cannot afford to pay for seized animals' care, making it financially impossible for them to remove animals from bad situations.
Protections for Horses
— Create a New Mexico Equine Protection Fund that will provide financial support to sanctuaries for abandoned or relinquished horses, and that will subsidize humane horse euthanasia and disposal.
Capital Outlay Funding for Animal Protection Projects
APV will work hard to secure capital funding for priority spay/neuter and facility projects, despite being fully aware of current state budget woes.
Other Important Legislation in 2009
Attorney General's Legislation, Supported by APV,
Will Protect Animals of Domestic Violence Victims
New Mexico Attorney General Gary King will introduce amendments to the Family Violence Act that includes amendments to the temporary Domestic Protection Order, which will help victims of domestic violence who leave, or are escorted from, their homes to seek safe shelter, by mandating that law enforcement or animal control officers remove companion animals from the home at the same time for their protection. The animals will be moved to a safe shelter and cared for until the victim is able to reclaim the animals, or determine where they should be placed. In many instances, victims of domestic violence linger in abusive situations because they are fearful of what will happen to their animals if they are left in the care of their abusers. Abusers often use animals to control, threaten and frighten the primary victim of domestic violence. Animal Protection Voters believes this legislation is necessary, and will advocate strongly in favor of it.
Animal Protection Voters will work to ensure that current laws that protect domestic animals and wildlife are not rolled back.
Please support the serious work of Animal Protection Voters with a donation today.
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Final Meeting for Bernalillo County Ordinance
Mark Your Calendars for Wed., November 12!
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Livestock need basic protections to ensure humane treatment, such as hoof care and shelter. |
Calling all animal advocates in Bernalillo County! Wednesday, November 12 at 5 pm, Bernalillo County Commissioners will meet to vote on the animal ordinance. Maybe you saw the Op-Ed by Animal Protection Voters’ Laura Bonar, which was published in Wednesday’s Albuquerque Journal and which discusses the ordinance in more detail. Come to this important meeting with your friends and family to let the commissioners know that animals matter to us.
Here are six topics to focus on:
1) DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN SPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR HOBBY BREEDERS
AND PROFESSIONAL ANIMAL ESTABLISHMENTS
Scrap the changes to Sec 6-39A! Animals kept by hobby breeders need more space than what is currently proposed.
2) DOG CHAINING
Bravo to the County on banning direct-point chaining! Please ensure that dogs on a tether trolley have more room for exercise and less risk for entanglement than chained dogs by adding a minimum tether length of ten feet.
3) COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SPAY/NEUTER
In 2007, over 15,050 animals were euthanized in shelters in Bernalillo County. The County could save money and lives by investing in spay/neuter and encouraging residents to get their pets fixed!
4) LIVESTOCK CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Livestock need basic protections to ensure humane treatment. Please add hoof care and simple shelter to the ordinance.
5) SALE OF COMPANION ANIMALS AT PET SHOPS
Pet shops are a burden on the county: they harbor diseases such as Giardia and Parvovirus which spread to humans and household pets, contribute to pet overpopulation by taking homes away from shelter animals, and get their animals from puppy and kitten mills.
6) THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFECTIVE ANIMAL CONTROL TO A SAFE COMMUNITY
There is a strong link between violence done to animals and violence done to humans. Effective animal control is necessary to protect all members of our community.
Speakers must keep their comments to two minutes in length, and are only allowed to speak on one topic. The meeting starts promptly at 5 pm in the Vincent E Griego chambers (downstairs) at One Civic Plaza NW in Albuquerque.
View the Bernalillo County ordinance online at bernco.gov//upload/images/animal_care/ordinace_propose.pdf. If you would like additional information for talking points, contact .
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