Wild Animal Ownership Limited in WV

 Paws Up!
To The West Virginia legislature for passing the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.

Tigers like this one will no longer be  legally treated as captive house pets in West Virginia.

According to a news story , “The West Virginia legislature has passed a bill that would prohibit the possession of dangerous wild animals in the state.” Under this bill, future ownership of wild animals, such as wild cats, bears, primates, venomous and constrictor snakes, and alligators, would be prohibited. The legislation has been sent to Governor Tomblin for his signature.

Take Action: West Virginia residents, contact your governor and urge him to sign the Dangerous Wild Animals Act into law. Residents of other states, make sure your state has adequate laws to protect its citizens against the unregulated ownership of wild animals.

 

Wild Animal Ownership Limited in WV

This is not a pet.

Paws Up!
To The West Virginia legislature for passing the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.

According to a news story, “The West Virginia legislature has passed a bill that would prohibit the possession of dangerous wild animals in the state.” Under this bill, future ownership of wild animals, such as wild cats, bears, primates, venomous and constrictor snakes, and alligators, would be prohibited. The legislation has been sent to Governor Tomblin for his signature.

Take Action: West Virginia residents, contact your governor and urge him to sign the Dangerous Wild Animals Act into law. Residents of other states, make sure your state has adequate laws to protect its citizens against the unregulated ownership of wild animals.

Spay/Neuter Assistance

The Spay/Neuter Assistance Fund bill will help control pet overpopulation in states such as West Virginia.

Paws Up!
To the West Virginia legislature for enacting and Governor Tomblin for signing into law SB 202, the Spay/Neuter Assistance Fund bill.

With more cats and dogs being born in West Virginia than can be adopted, the West Virginia legislature has decided to do something about spay/neuter on a statewide scale. The Spay/Neuter Assistance bill will help fund these vital surgeries to reduce the number of unwanted companion animals entering shelters, being left to succumb in the wild, or abandoned on other people’s property.

West Virginia joins several other states in recognizing the need to help relieve shelters and animal control agencies in the state with the burden of housing unwanted puppies and kittens.

Take Action: West Virginia residents, thank your legislators and governor for helping reduce the number of unwanted companion animals in the state. Residents of other states, contact your legislators to see if such an assistance program is needed where you live.

Puppies Are Protected in WV

West Virginia has recently passed SB 437, a bill that will ensure proper standards of care for dogs in commercial breeding facilities.

Paws Up!
To the West Virginia State legislature for enacting and Governor Tomblin for signing into law SB 437, the puppy mill bill.

West Virginia has joined with a number of other states that want to ensure safe, healthy standards of care for dogs living in commercial breeding establishments often referred to as puppy mills.

According to a bill recently signed by the governor, a “‘Commercial dog breeder’ means any person who (A) Maintains eleven or more unsterilized dogs over the age of one year; (B) Is engaged in the business of breeding dogs as household pets for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return for consideration;”

Take Action: West Virginia residents, please thank your legislators and governor for protecting dogs in commercial breeding operations in West Virginia. Residents of other states, if you do not have laws protecting dogs in commercial breeding facilities, please contact your legislators and urge them to introduce legislation today.

Update to Animal Abuser Registries

Texas, Washington, and West Virginia now have legislation pending regarding animal abuser registries.

Update: New states introducing animal abuser registry legislation include: Texas (HB 3747), Washington (HB 1786), and West Virginia (SB 468).

Legislation is currently pending for several states that would create animal abuser registries for those convicted of crimes involving animal abuse. Read our previous post for the full story.

Fewer Unwanted Puppies in West Virginia

Paws Up!
To the Mercy County Commission for approving a new spay-neuter ordinance.

According to a news story, “…the ordinance would require pet owners to alter any cat or dog more than 6 months old unless they pay a $50 fee….” The ordinance also establishes an annual fee for breeding animals and requires all animals to be at least seven weeks old with proper vaccinations prior to sale.

Sterilization programs will slowly reduce the amount of animal suffering in the area by reducing the number of unwanted animals who die in shelters or on the streets. These progressive measures also save the county money while setting an example to neighboring communities.

The fees and regulations put on breeders in the county will help curb unscrupulous individuals who breed and sell unhealthy animals at the cost to both consumers and animals while earning money to help care for the homeless animals waiting in shelters.

Take Action: Write a letter to the Mercer County commissioners applauding their efforts to reduce pet overpopulation in their area and to continue the good work. Also, look into the regulations in your area. If your location does not have a spay-neuter ordinance, write to the local commission.

Also, do your part to end overpopulation and ensure that the animals around you are spayed or neutered.

Commissioner Joe Coburn
Commissioner Jay Mills
Commissioner Karen S. Disibbio
Mercer County Commission
1501 West Main Street, Suite 210
Princeton, WV 24740
Tele.: 304-487-8308
Fax: 304-487-8370
Email: mercercocommission@frontier.net

Source:
Bluefield Daily Telegraph
WVVA.com

When you think about it…sometimes you just don’t want to think about it

Photo by Peter Renshaw

Often, we read stories about horrific and inhumane treatment of animals. For example, a Hancock County, West Virginia, man was arrested recently for allegedly torturing and killing 29 dogs while holding a woman captive for several months.

Few of us want to think about this. Few of us can comprehend the mind that finds torturing animals appropriate behavior, while forcing another to watch and, according to a news source, clean up the bloody mess. Few of us want to see the pictures or contemplate the terror the dogs experienced. But as a compassionate society, we have to envision all the horrors that can befall those who cannot speak, let alone care, for themselves. And then, we must take action when one of our own violates the standards of our community.

Yet, for many of us we simply gasp when we read the headlines, shake our heads, wring our hands, and move on to the next story. We may shed a tear for the lost souls or reach out in an attempt to adopt one of the survivors of the tragedy. Is that all we can do?

When you think about it there is much we can do. According to one news story, “[the accused] obtained dogs, mostly puppies, through classified ads – fooling unsuspecting individuals into believing that he would be providing their dogs with a safe, loving home.” So, there’s an easy action we can take. We will never advertise an animal free to good home. We are not selling linens or an unused wedding dress. We are trying to find a loving home for a living being.

Animals are considered property under the law. In fact, they have as much status as those linens and that wedding dress. But we do have animal cruelty laws that go a step further in protecting living, breathing property. Some communities consider starving an animal a simple misdemeanor; others view such behavior as bordering on torture and will indict on felony level charges. Regardless of what the laws are in our locale, we can fight to improve them, to protect the animals of our community.

In addition, we can make sure our law enforcement and judicial personnel appreciate and accept the well-established connection that violence to animals, regardless of their legal status, may escalate into violence toward humans. While violence to animals should not be condoned under any circumstances, violence to animals is often an indicator of potential future violence to humans. The perpetrator in this instant case is 19. Without stiff penalties and sound judicial findings, he has a long life ahead of him to continue his alleged violent, inhumane behavior.

When you think about, make sure you do something about it.

Greyhounds Still Racing in West Virginia

Photo by almogaver

Greyhound racing is illegal is most of the 50 states. However, West Virginia still continues to support this brutal sport at several tracks around the state. Recent statistics indicate that at least 3,208 greyhound injuries have been reported at the Tri-State Racetrack since 2005 and nearly 200 dogs have died. Additionally more than 3,200 injuries were reported for the same time period at Mardi Gras track and at least 152 dogs were so severely injured they had to be euthanized.

Dogs suffer serious injuries during training and racing. These injuries are rarely treated. Dogs who are not able to race are often shot. While on the racing circuit, dogs are continuously confined in cages barely large enough for them to move around in, are given minimal veterinary treatment, and suffer from poor nutrition. To ensure dogs race well, trainers often use performance-enhancing drugs. Dogs often race in extreme temperatures in both summer and winter. In addition, live animals, usually rabbits, are used in greyhound training.

West Virginia residents, take a moment to contact Governor Tomblin and Racing Secretary Amores and let them know you want greyhound racing eliminated in the state now. Let them know their actions will go far in fostering a public understanding and respect for the humane treatment of animals in West Virginia.

The Honorable Earl Ray Tomblin
Governor
State Capitol Complex
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E.
Charleston, WV 25205

Jon Amores, Racing Secretary
West Virginia Racing Commission
106 Dee Drive Suite 2
Charleston WV 25311

Retire Nosey the Elephant; Encourage WV to Protect Elephants

Elephants are often seen as the symbol of the circus. Yet, these living, breathing, symbols often experience horrendous treatment at the hands of their handlers/owners. Elephants are best left in their natural habitat; but when that is not possible, transferring them to sanctuaries is the only humane answer to their continued incarceration. Please help one elephant in particular who needs rescuing from the horrors of life under the “big top.”

Nosey has been with the Hugo Liebel family for over a decade during which time numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act have been noted. Yet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not removed her from this circus.

The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare studied the lives of circus animals and found that circus animals spend an average of 1-9 percent of their time training and the rest of their time confined to cages, wagons, or other enclosures entirely inadequate for their size and natural behaviors. The animals most negatively affected by the limitation of space are elephants, lions, tigers, and bears. Circus animals also suffer from stress induced by travel. The presence of the stress hormone cortisol in the saliva of circus animals is at abnormal levels for up to six days after transport.

The study further identified that circus animals are kept in conditions dramatically different from their natural habitat. Elephants can be shackled for 12 to 23 hours a day in areas of only 7-12 square meters. In contrast, elephants in the wild spend 40-75 percent of their time feeding and move up to 50 kilometers a day.

Nosey has suffered enough at the hands of the Liebel family. Please write a polite letter to the Deputy Administrator for Animal Care requesting that Nosy be removed from the Liebel family and sent to a humane elephant sanctuary where she can be free of the torment she has received while forced to perform in Liebel’s circus.

Chester A Gipson, DVM
Deputy Administrator, Animal Care
US Department of Agriculture, APHIS
4700 River Road Unit 97
Riverdale, MD 20737-1234

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The state of West Virginia has before it HB 2372, which would prohibit an owner or manager of an elephant from engaging in abusive behavior toward his or her elephants. No animal should be subjected to deprivation of food, water, or rest nor should any animal receive physical punishment of any kind severe enough to injure or maim the animal. Elephants whose owners or managers are found to be engaging in abusive practices must be brought to justice. Passage of HB 2372 would protect elephants in the state of West Virginia.

Residents of West Virginia, please write a polite letter to the chair of the House Agriculture Committee urging him to report out favorably this important animal protection measure. Also, write your state delegate urging his or her support of HB 2372.

The Honorable Greg Butcher
Chair
House Agriculture Committee
Room 216E, Building 1
State Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25305

Pups May Get Protection

Paws Up!
To the West Virginia House of Delegates for introducing a law to protect dogs in commercial dog breeding operations.

Photo in public domain

HB 2015 sets out standards of care for dogs living in commercial dog breeding operations. Too often, dogs are found living in filthy conditions in what are called puppy mills. Without a clearly defined set of standards, these dogs wind up living in horrendous circumstances, suffering from extremes of weather, and living with medical conditions that go untreated. Their food and water may be frozen or contaminated with bacteria. Their paws sometimes become stuck to the bottoms of the wire cages they are forced to live in year-round. They rarely have any human contact.

Take Action: West Virginia residents, write your delegates requesting their support of HB 2015. You can also write to the chair of the House Agriculture Committee urging him to report this legislation out of committee for a favorable vote on the House floor this legislative session. Residents of other states, contact your state legislators to see if your state has legislation protecting dogs in commercial dog breeding facilities. If not, urge them to introduce such legislation.

Greg Butcher, Chair
House Agriculture Committee
Room 219E, Building 1
State Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25305
Tele.: 304-340-3112
E-mail: greg.butcher@wvhouse.gov

Source:
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/