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Advocacy
Education is the Goal; Legislation is the Tool
The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but our stray and feral animal overpopulation problem (in many areas of this country) rivals that of some of the poorest countries of the world. The saddest fact is that the "pet overpopulation" problem is not one of money, it is one of education.
Research has been conducted (including long-term studies) by many experts around the world that proves effective methods of animal control exist that are both cost-efficient and humane. Yet we continue to spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on animal control that is not working despite the fact that low-cost effective methods of companion animal population management exist. The vicious cycle of continually funding "trap and kill" programs cannot be broken without education with the goal of adopting proper policies, programs and legislation. Our number one priority must be education with the goal of changing our current thinking, policies and laws on companion animal rights and population control.
Articles and Links - updated Feb 2010
Born Free USA / Animal Protection Institute Legislation.
Stay up to date on state and federal legislation, the status of bills, and who to contact to support or oppose the legislation.
If you have trouble with this link, please copy and paste this web address into your browser:
http://www.bornfreeusa.org/b4_legislation.php - Sep 2011
Best Friends Animal Society No More Homeless Pets! Best Friends Animal Society is the leader in the "No More Homeless Pets" movement and has extensive advocacy resources. Best Friends also provides information, assistance, and training to people and grassroots groups. Visit their resource library, or participate in their online forum. If you have trouble with the hyperlink, please copy and paste this link into your browser: http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/ - Sep 2011
Alley Cat Allies. Essentials for: Feral Cat Caregivers, Veterinary Professionals, Animal Control, Shelters, Humane Societies & Public Officials.
Alley Cat Allies are the foremost experts on feral cats. The organization promotes non-lethal control for feral and stray cats with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs that effectively reduce their population by sterilization - not euthanasia. They have created and host extensive resources for organizing and advocacy in addition to resources for implementing TNR programs and caring for feral colonies. If you have trouble with any of the above links, please visit the Alley Cat Allies' Resources page directly at: http://www.alleycat.org - Sep 2011
International Society for Animal Rights Special Reports include:
- The AKC and Dog Overpopulation
- Animal Behavior & Animal Rights
- Conservatives and Animal Rights
- Dog & Cat Overpopulation
- Dog & Cat Survey (to aid in planning spay/neuter programs)
- Early Age Spay/Neuter; How to establish a high volume/low-cost spay/neuter clinic
- Model Adoption Sterilization Statute
- Model Department of Animal Affairs Statute
- Model Euthanasia Statistics Statute
- Model Mandatory Spay/Neuter Statute
- Model Spay/Neuter Tax Deduction Statute
- Organizing a Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinic
- Puppy Mills
"The International Society for Animal Rights (ISAR) was founded in 1959 to expose and end the injustice and exploitation of animals and the suffering inflicted on them. Since that time ISAR has become a leader in the fight for Animal Rights, living up to the commitment in its name. ISAR's philosophical foundation is unique from other animal welfare organizations because ISAR believes that animals have rights just as humans do and ISAR is 100% dedicated to defending them." www.isaronline.org . If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.isaronline.org/ - Sep 2011
Learn More About Lobbying! At the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. learn more about:
- Government Affairs & Public Policy Departmental Description
- How We Do It
- How to Begin
- Introduction & Movement of Legislation of Bills in the Legislature
- How a Bill Becomes Law
- Grassroots Advocacy: Working With Your Elected Officials
- Letter Writing Campaigns
- Advocacy Brigade
- Model Letter Format
If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this address directly into your browser: http://www.aspca.org/ - Sep 2011
Society & Animals Forum (Formerly Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Since 1981, Society & Animals Forum (formerly Psychologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) works with social scientists, mental health providers and other animal protection organizations to reduce the suffering and exploitation of both human and nonhuman animals. If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this address directly into your browser: http://www.animalsandsociety.org/ - Sep 2011
Get the Facts on Puppy Mills! ©2003 The Humane Society of the United States. "Buying dogs from pet stores supports mass dog-breeding operations known as puppy mills. Learn what you can do to shut down this cruel industry." If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/qa/puppy_mill_FAQs.html - Sep 2011
Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights now Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA). The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) announced a 'corporate combination' with the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (AVAR) to form the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA). The HSVMA actively works toward the acquisition of rights for all nonhuman animals by educating the public and the veterinary profession about a variety of issues concerning nonhuman animal use. The HSVMA is actively seeking reformation of the way society treats all nonhumans and an increase in environmental awareness, as well. Visit their "Advocate for Animals" page. If you have problems with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.hsvma.org - Sep 2011
Find your Senators and Representatives! If you have trouble with the hyperlink, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.votesmart.org/ -Sep 2011
Adopt an Animal - Canada Advocacy Links - Links to Canadian Advocacy sites. If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.adoptananimal.ca/links/advocacy.php -Sep 2011
Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) Advocacy
TNR Proposals and Model Programs in Stray Pet Advocacy's Non-Lethal Control section.
"What do you say when they just want the cats gone?" Becky Robinson, national director of Alley Cat Allies, talks about ways to get elected officials, animal control and your neighbors on your side. If you have problems with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.bestfriends.org/archives/forums/political.html - Sep 2011
Prevent Unwanted Pets. Site hosted and maintained by The Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman Family Foundation. "An alternative and more humane method of pet population control is the modern concept of spaying and neutering animals on a large scale. The findings of a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to the USA and Canada to study the Role of Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinics in the Control of Stray and Unwanted Animals' provides conclusive evidence that these clinics can and do play a vital and humane role in any animal control programme." If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.all-creatures.org/pup/otherlowcost.html - Sep 2011
The Cat Debate: Synopsis article of discussions regarding feral cats and TNR programs at the November 2003 AVMA Animal Welfare Forum. If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/jan04/040115a.asp -Sep 2011
Humane and No-Kill Shelter Advocacy
Maddie's Fund Resource Library Maddie's Fund has commissioned hundreds of articles by experts in animal welfare, veterinary medicine, organizational development, law, marketing, media relations and other disciplines, all in an effort to bring new perspectives to animal welfare issues and generate additional support for the no-kill nation goal.
If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.maddies.org/Resource_Library.html - Sep 2011
Community Assessment and Planning for the Humane Movement by Aimee St. Arnaud, Best Friends Animal Society, 2003. " ... how can we get further ahead when most of us are already working as hard as we can, running only on adrenaline much of the time? The answer lies in working smarter, not harder. That is where a community assessment and plan comes in. An assessment will help to identify the gaps in our efforts to end the homeless pet problem. A plan can help us set goals and stay focused on where we want to go." If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/pdf/Assessment.pdf - Sep 2011
Building a No-Kill Community by Nathan Winograd, Tompkins County, New York SPCA. How one county, without additional funding or legislation backing them up, turned their traditional animal control facility into a No-Kill Shelter with full support from their community. If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://catnet.stanford.edu/articles/nokillcommunity.pdf - Sep 2011
Community Approaches to Feral Cats: Problems, Alternatives and Recommendations by Margaret R. Slater, 2002, Humane Society of the US (HSUS) "Veterinarian Margaret R. Slater offers a comprehensive, compassionate review of the issues surrounding feral cats and a variety of solutions to feral cat problems in communities large and small. She also provides a blueprint to veterinarians, feral cat caretakers, animal shelters, and public agencies for finding common ground in their approach to feral cats."
A synopsis of the book: http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/hsp/PUBS_Slater1.pdf - Sep 2011
"Companion Animal Overpopulation: Trends and Results of Major Efforts to Reach a "No Kill" Nation" by Joshua M. Frank, Ph.D and Pamela Carlisle-Frank, Ph.D for FIREPAW. "Human companion animal overpopulation is a problem of human creation, with significant human costs, and that can only be addressed through human action." If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.firepaw.org/cao.PDF - Sep 2011
"No Kill Nation (NKN)" "At NKN our mission and passion is to educate, enlighten and inspire all of us to know that there is a better way. That the status quo is a betrayal to our kindred spirits. The mass systematic shelter killing of the innocent loving souls, whose only crime is that they are unable to find a loving, caring home, is immoral, unacceptable, and unnecessary. With compassionate dedication we will and must finally end this injustice, for only then shall we find true redemption." If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.thenokillnation.org/ - Sep 2011
"No Kill Advocacy Center" The No Kill Advocacy Center is working to end the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters. Please visit the site for more information.If you have trouble with the above link, please copy and paste this web address directly into your browser: http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/ - Sep 2011
Books:
Save Our Strays: How We Can End Pet Overpopulation and Stop Killing Healthy Cats and Dogs by Bob Christiansen, 1998, 104 pages. A comprehensive blueprint for community homeless animal management. Nineteen programs that save animal lives. To purchase, mail a check for $15 ($10 plus $5 for S&H) to:
Bob Christiansen
Save Our Strays
PO Box 450715
Atlanta, GA31145
Animal Control Management: A Guide for Local Governments International City/County Management Association (ICMA), by Geoffrey Handy of the HSUS, 2001, Item # 43008, 107 pages. This book "provides a wealth of practical information about funding, structuring, and running an effective animal care and control program that protects both citizens and animals. Created primarily for city and county managers and legislators, the book is also a great resource for humane advocates interested in selling proven concepts in animal care and control to those officials.
To obtain a copy, send a check for $11 to The HSUS, Dept. ICMA-ASM, 2100 L St., NW, Washington,DC20037. Please specify order number AC4037.