Help Unchain Dogs in Washington State, And Put an End to Cruelty

The bill to establish humane limits and conditions for dog tethering, HB 1755, is scheduled for a hearing this Thursday January 19 at 10 A.M. before the House Judiciary Committee. 

We urgently encourage you to support this bill's passage by contacting your representative in support of HB 1755.

Email Tara Weaver, tara.weaver@leg.wa.gov and ask her to forward your written testimony to House Judiciary Committee members no later than 7 P.M. on Wednesday January 18.

Use this letter template to help formulate your message—pick 1-2 bullet points for your e-mail.

Please refer to the bill advocates' website for specific details on the hearing time and location, guidance for submitting testimony, and directions to the state capitol.

Let us know after you take action by forwarding a copy of your message to publicaffairs@paws.org!  With your help, we can be a voice for all dogs in Washington State. 

Thank you for your support!

Take Action to Protect Cougars

Help protect cougars—send WDFW survey feedback today!

Today, September 20, is the last day to give the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) your input on how wildlife, especially our fragile cougar population, is managed in our state.

If you live in Washington, please take a few minutes today to fill out WDFW's survey!

HELPFUL HINTS: WDFW’s survey is short and fast—the first page is the only required field to answer. The six question quiz should be quick to take, but if you are really short on time, skip to Issue 3 and 4, regarding cougar management. Please choose “other” and include some, or all, of the message below in your survey comments:

• Cougar populations are an essential part of Washington’s ecosystem. Scientists have found that stable cougar populations get into less trouble with humans and livestock, and consequently reduce the risk of conflicts with humans. Researchers have defined a stable cougar population to be one that does not exceed a 12% human-caused mortality rate, of the estimated adult cougar population, in any given Game Management Unit (GMU).
• Please do not exceed a 12% mortality rate when deciding cougar management policy. Also, please do not extend cougar management to include the indiscriminate and inhumane practice of sport hound hunting.   

Your feedback will play an important role in shaping wildlife management and associated hunting regulations for 2012-14. Final recommendations will be presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission for adoption next spring. 

Help us track who responded to the survey. Send your comments, or simply a quick note, that you took the survey, to publicaffairs@paws.org.

Thank you! Together we can be a voice for wildlife management in Washington State. 

Historic Agreement for Hens—and You Helped!

This week the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the United Egg Producers (UEP) announced a historic agreement to work jointly on federal legislation which would ban battery cages and phase in more humane standards nationwide. This agreement would not have been possible without the hard work of caring citizens on state ballot initiatives, such as our very own Yeson1130! Campaign!

In Washington State alone, the Yeson1130! Campaign gathered 360,000 signatures to help 6.5 million egg-laying hens statewide. Little did we know our collective efforts would create a tipping point on discussions between HSUS and UEP, changing the course of humane standards for 280 million hens nationwide!

If passed, the new federal legislation would be the first federal law to protect farmed birds, as well as the first to address the treatment of any species of factory farmed animal. Sadly, farm animals are not currently protected under the Federal Animal Welfare Act.

The proposed legislation would transition hens from barren, cramped battery cages (with only 48 to 67 square inches of space to move) to larger enriched colony housing (with 124 to 144 square inches of space to move). The colony environment would also be equipped with nesting boxes, perches and scratching areas, to enable hens to express their natural behaviors.

Read more about the proposed legislation in the HSUS and UEP’s joint statement: http://www.unitedegg.org/homeNews/UEP_Press_Release_7-7-11.pdf

This agreement also means ballot measures in Washington and Oregon are currently on hold so that all work can be focused on quick passage of the new federal law. Thanks to all of you who supported the Yeson1130! Campaign! PAWS has been proud to endorse Yeson1130 and we look forward to seeing how hens will be positively impacted by all our combined efforts.

Read more about HSUS’ announcement. Also, checkout other ways you can positively impact farm animals in your daily life.

Celebrate Freedom by Giving Hens Some of Their Own

The Yes! On Initiative 1130 campaign is down to the last week of signature gathering to get I-1130 on the November voting ballot. Your help is still needed!

Since July 4 weekend is filled with fun, parties and celebrating our freedom, why not help hens’ freedom too? Bring your I-1130 petitions to parties and get family and friends to sign your petitions to get I-1130 on the November ballot. Don’t forget to mail your petitions no later than July 6.

The Yes! On Initiative 1130 campaign, will provide basic standards on cage size for six million egg laying hens in Washington state—simply a little more room to humanely live. The good news is the campaign currently has 327,632 total petition signatures (241,153 valid signatures are required to qualify for the November ballot). Totals are looking great but the gathering goal is about 340,000 signatures to account for a possible 12-27% signature invalidation rate. So every signature still counts a great deal!

Thank you for supporting hens in Washington state!

Another legislative victory for animals

Late April marked another victory for animals in Washington State—Governor Gregoire signed into law SB 5065, the prevention of animal cruelty bill. The new law will gives greater protections for animals by clarifying animal cruelty law definitions and helping with compliance and enforcement of the law.

Under current law, anyone convicted of felony animal cruelty (or repeated animal cruelty violations) can own or reside with a similar animal to the one they had abused. In other words, if a person was convicted of abusing a dog, under our current law they could still own a cat. The new law closes these gaps so that people convicted of animal cruelty cannot easily become repeat offenders. Also, while the current law applies to only those who have been ordered by the court to forfeit their animals, the new law will apply to any person convicted of felony animal cruelty. The bill also steps up jail time and penalties for those convicted of second degree animal cruelty.

PAWS supported this important legislation and empowered citizens at our 2011 Humane Lobby Day in February to voice their support to their legislators. Visit our Take Action webpage for a reminder on our 2011 Humane Lobby Day wrap-up. Stay tuned for a wrap-up of the 2011 legislative session coming soon. You can plan to get in on the action in 2012—consider joining next year’s Humane Lobby Day to support legislation that will improve the lives of animals throughout the state.

Your Voice Helps Cougars

Every voice matters when it comes to influencing legislation. On April 13, we watched a perfect example as the calendar deadline hit 5 p.m. in the House Rules committee. A bill allowing sport hunters to hunt cougars with hounds was stalled in its tracks.  PAWS, along with other concerned organizations and citizens, voiced opposition for this bill and legislators listened.

SB 5356, and its companion bill HB 1124, were introduced this session by the Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) requesting full authority to use hounds statewide to sport hunt cougars. While WDFW currently has the statewide authority to use hounds to remove cougars that threaten public safety, they currently do not have authority to extend the practice to recreational hunting.

HB 1124 died.  But the senate version moved through the legislature, aided by an amendment that forfeited WDFW’s request for statewide authority to sport hunt with hounds, in exchange for a 5-year extension of their pilot program which uses hounds to hunt cougars in designated counties (Chelan, Okanogan, Ferry, Stevens, Pend d’Oreille). This hound hunting pilot program was introduced in 2004 and has repeatedly been granted extensions ever since.

The impact of defeating SSB 5356 remains to be seen for cougar populations in Washington. For today the wishes of the majority of Washington State citizens have been upheld.

URGENT! Tell your Representatives to Vote NO on Cougar Hound Hunting Today

Your action is needed today to stop SSB 5356 in the Washington State House of Representatives. This bill would grant the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) full authority to extend hound hunting of cougars to sport hunters for another five years in designated counties. Although WDFW presents SSB 5356 as a conservation bill that also protects public safety, it’s really a bill which goes directly against the will of the voters and is driven by misinformation and weak science.

The companion version of this bill (HB 1124) was successfully stopped. We now need your help to stop SSB 5356 from passing!

Please take 5 minutes today to tell your representatives you oppose SSB 5356:

1. Enter your address to identify your district and representatives.
2. Call/ e-mail (or both) your representatives urging them to vote NO on SSB 5356, allowing the hunting of cougars using dogs, on the full House floor.

HELPFUL HINTS: Calling is fast, easy and very impactful. Legislative staff will take your call. Follow up with a polite e-mail to thank them, and to solidify your action. To avoid forms, use the legislator e-mail directory.

You can also use the template below to assist with your phone message or e-mail. Pick 1-2 bullets to keep the message short.

SUBJECT: Your subject line should be short, on point and personal.

Dear (Representative’s Name),

As your constituent, I respectfully ask that you oppose SSB 5356 allowing the hunting of cougars with hounds. This bill would grant the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) full authority to extend hound hunting of cougars to sport hunters for another five years in designated counties.

(Please choose ONLY 1-2 bullets below to personalize your message.)

• SSB 5356 will not increase public safety. This bill would allow the use of hounds by sport hunters to tree and kill cougars. It is not designed to target cats that have had conflicts with humans. There is no clear scientific evidence to support the idea that random sport hunting reduces human/cougar conflicts. In fact, recent studies suggest that the opposite may be true.
• SSB 5356 goes against the will of the people. In 1996, voters overwhelmingly passed Initiative 655 by 63%, banning the use of hounds for sport hunting of cougars. There have been repeated attempts since that time to overturn the will of the voters. Support for this ban is still strong among Washington voters. A 2008 survey sponsored by WDFW showed that only 33% of people support sport hound hunting.
• WDFW already has the ability to remove “problem cougars” with hounds when necessary—The WDFW claims they need hound hunting in their “toolbox” to effectively manage cougars. Even since the passage of I-655, this tool has always been available to the WDFW to remove cougars that pose legitimate threats to public safety. There is no scientific evidence to support the idea that extending the use of hounds to sport hunters increases public safety. Recent studies indicate that increased hunting may actually lead to an increase in human/cougar conflicts.
• Heavy hunting may actually disrupt the social order of Washington’s cougar population and lead to increased conflicts. Cougar populations are an essential part of Washington’s ecosystem. Researchers have found that heavily hunted areas have fewer adult males and a younger overall age structure. Younger, inexperienced cougars are more likely to be involved in conflicts with humans than older cats who have learned to avoid them.

Please vote NO on SSB 5356 on the full House floor! I look forward to your response and thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
(Your name, phone number and home address)

Help us report back to key legislators—please let us know when you take action. Send a copy of your e-mail, or simply a quick note that you called, to publicaffairs@paws.org.

Want more info?

• Review SSB 5356, establishing seasons for hunting cougars with the aid of dogs.
• Find out how your district voted on I-655 election results for 1996 [PDF].
• Read about the impact of hunting on cougar population age structure in Conservation Magazine’s article, “Troubled Teens”.
• Check out the article “Cougar-hunting bill still faces opposition” in the Olympian.

With your help, we can be a voice to conserve cougars in Washington State.

Help Hens in Washington Receive Basic Humane Treatment

PAWS has joined Washingtonians for Humane Farms in endorsing the Yes! On Initiative 1130 campaign, to prevent the extreme confinement of egg-laying hens.

About six million egg-laying hens in Washington State are forced to live their entire lives in cages so small they barely can move an inch. Initiative 1130 ensures that these animals have enough room to simply stretch their wings.

You can help PAWS with this effort today!

1. Gather signatures for Initiative 1130. More than 300,000 signatures are needed by July in order to get this initiative on the November voting ballot. Sign up at YESon1130.com to receive your signature gathering kit. Pass this message on to family and friends, inviting them to join in the effort also.
2. Help to stop a “bad egg laying bill” currently in legislation. Tell your Washington legislators  you oppose SB 5487, an egg-industry backed bill which only gives the illusion of reform. SB 5487 proposes minor changes in cage size, changes so small they still don’t support humane husbandry practices for caged hens. HELPFUL HINT: Calling your legislator is the fastest and most impactful action. Find your legislators here. Staff will take your call and are often amiable. If you have time, following up with a short, thankful e-mail solidifies your action. Find your legislators’ e-mails here.
3. Ask your veterinarian to endorse Initiative 1130. Download and share this flyer with them, and contact us if they are are interested or have further questions at publicaffairs@paws.org.

Adding your voice to the movement for more humane treatment of egg-laying hens is an important step in getting Initiative 1130 on the ballot this November. Thank you!

Humane Lobby Day a Huge Success

Despite the fear of snow, Thursday was the most successful Humane Lobby Day to date, with more than 50 participants!

The day started with an interactive presentation by Rep. Hans Dunshee of District 44 (co-sponsor of the spay-neuter assistance bill and the prevention of animal cruelty bill).

Rep. Dunshee captivated the audience with his broad knowledge of this session’s animal welfare bills. (He even posed for our "team photo" with Abby the PAWS Humane Education wonder dog.)

After two hours of briefing, dozens of bagels, and a sea of coffee, attendees headed off to visit with their representatives. Topics on the agenda included: strengthening animal cruelty enforcement (HB 1147 & SSB 5065), anti-tethering protection for dogs (HB 1755 & SB 5649), creating a spay-neuter assistance program (HB 1226 & SB 5151), opposing the hunting of cougars with hounds (HB 1124 & SB 5356), and the battery cage initiative (I-1130).

Among the 50 attendees, were a unique group of youngsters from the Seattle Jewish Community School. These fourth-graders are veterans of the PAWS Humane Education Program and have won national awards for their essays on circuses that exploit animals.

After taking some tours and running their own mock legislative session, these little lobbyists sat with Rep. David Frockt and Sen. Scott White (of their own District 46). Their lobby was well prepared, well written, and amazingly persuasive.

Look for more on this group in the upcoming spring edition of our PAWS magazine!

Sign up for Humane Lobby Day today—beginners welcome!

Humane Lobby Day is next Thursday, February 17. This session is proving to be fast and furious and our fight for animal protections is in the thick of it. Don’t delay! Sign up today to join us in Olympia for Washington Humane Lobby Day.  Please pass this on to family, friends and co-workers.

To participate in Humane Lobby Day, you don’t need to be an expert in lobbying or legislation. Simply show up the day of and we’ll prep you with all you need to know to meet with your legislators.

Still not sure? Read below for more answers to frequently asked questions about attending Humane Lobby Day.
 

Why should I attend Humane Lobby Day?

You’d be amazed how a small number of people can change the course of a bill and impact future legislation. Your legislators want to hear from you—the people who put them in office—and Humane Lobby Day is the perfect group experience to meet your representatives face-to-face about issues that matter to you.

What kind of animal-related legislation are we fighting for this year?

2011 is an exciting year to support animals. Many bills are up, including: strengthening animal cruelty enforcement (HB 1147 & SSB 5065), anti-tethering protection for dogs (HB 1755 & SB 5649), and safeguarding  cougars from being hunted with hounds (HB 1124 & SB 5356).

What will I learn at Humane Lobby Day?

You’ll learn about 2011 legislation that impacts animals, and key talking points about each, to help you in your meetings with legislators. You’ll also get tips on how to appropriately meet with your legislators.

How long is the event?

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be filled with presentations about the issues, lobbying basics, special guest legislators, snack breaks, and chances to network with other animal-welfare groups. If you can’t attend the entire day, don’t worry. Simply let us know and we’ll tell you when your scheduled appointment is with your legislators so you can plan your trip accordingly.

How will I get there?

It’s ideal to get a group together to carpool to Olympia. We will be sending out an update the week of the event concerning where the meeting room is. To help you determine your trip now, visit the Washington State Legislature website for a campus map, visitor parking and intercity transit shuttles.

What should I wear?

You’ll want to make a good impression during your meetings, so dress in a manner that shows respect for the office. No need for a three-piece suit, but slacks and a nice shirt are fine. Also, wear comfortable shoes as you may have to walk across campus more than once.

Your help preserving past victories and gaining support for animal protections will be paramount this year. Now is your chance to talk to your newly elected officials and incumbents in person. RSVP for Washington's Humane Lobby Day today and help shape future policy that impacts animals!

With your help, PAWS and our partner organizations can make a difference for animals in 2011.