Virginia Considering New Laws To Stop Animal Cruelty - National Humane Education Society
Paws Up!
February 8, 2018
To Virginia State Sen. Bill Stanley, R-District 20, for introducing three animal welfare bills to improve animal protection in the state of Virginia.
According to a recent news article, three new bills will be considered in the 2018 legislative session to protect the welfare of animals in Virginia. The
bills must be passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor to become law.
One of the bills (SB32) would establish a database of felony animal cruelty offenders. The database would be available to the general public and would help animal rescues – or anyone trying to find a home for animal – screen potential adopters. Tennessee is the only state to have passed an animal abuser registry, however many cities and counties across the U.S. have adopted them on a local basis. Read the bill here.
Another bill, which was introduced by both Senator Stanley and Senator Glen Sturtevant, R-District 10, (SB28) would bar public money from funding painful medical research on dogs and cats in Virginia. Read the bill here.
Last, Senator Stanley has re-introduced a bill (SB 175) that would require public animals shelters to wait three days before euthanizing a dog or cat for shelter space in cases where rescue/adoption of the animal may be possible. This bill passed the Virginia Senate last year, but died in the House. This bill is supported by co-patron Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria). Read the bill here.
Take action. Virginia residents, contact your legislators and urge them to support Senator Stanley’s proposed legislation to protect the welfare of companion animals. Feel free to use our sample messages below.
Re: SB32 to Establish Database of Felony Animal Cruelty Offenders
Dear Senator ___________,
My name is (Your Name) and I am deeply concerned with animal welfare issues in the state of Virginia. I am writing to encourage you to support SB32, to establish a database of felony animal cruelty offenders in Virginia.
Demonstrations of violence towards animals and depraved indifference to an animal’s suffering are well-documented as one of the earliest and most reliable predictors of later acts of violence against humans, and are seldom one-time occurrences. Furthermore, a public-facing database of this kind would be very valuable to the animal rescues and shelters in our state who are tasked with finding suitable homes for the thousands of homeless animals in our state. Please support a law to identify those guilty of the worst crimes against animals.
Respectfully,
{Your Name}
Re: SB28 to Bar Public Funding of Painful Experiments on Dogs and Cats.
Dear Senator ___________,
My name is (Your Name) and I am writing to ask that you support SB28 to end state funding of painful medical experiments of dogs and cats. Previous tests on these animals have forced healthy dogs to run on treadmills until cardiac arrest. The animals are then destroyed. Dogs and cats are both highly sentient, intelligent animals who have maintained a special relationship with human beings for thousands of years. To exploit these animals in such a way, knowing their capacity for feeling, is a terrible injustice. Please, support SB28 and other legislation to end or limit animal testing on dogs and cats in Virginia.
Respectfully,
{Your Name}
Re: SB175 to Require Public Animal Shelters To Wait Three Days Before Euthanizing a Dog or Cat When A Party Has Expressed Intent to Adopt/Rescue Animal
Dear Senator ___________,
My name is (Your Name) and I am writing to ask that you support SB175 to require public animal shelters to wait three days before euthanizing a dog or cat. The lives of these animals have intrinsic, individual merit. It is only moral, and suitable, that all options should be exhausted before a healthy animal is destroyed simply to make room for another. Please, support SB175 and other legislation to safeguard the welfare of homeless animals in Virginia.
