Alabama Residents - The animals & AVRAL need you!

Alabama Residents - The animals & AVRAL need you!  Many of the issues in AL are not unique to our state, but they are WRONG and changes need to be made.  If you need a reason to join AVRAL, here's a short list:

1) State legislators refused to pass a single animal welfare bill in 2012:

·         The cockfighting bill died thanks to filibusters

·         Abuse/neglect reporting for animal welfare professionals (e.g. vets & ACOs) killed because the definition of abuse was thought to be  "PETA extremist" by legislators.

·         Bill to ban bestiality was "lost in the pipeline" of bills being rushed through at the end of the session.

2) Alabama's low-cost spay/neuter clinics are endangered:

·         In 2011, the Alabama State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (ASBVME) began trying to close down the Alabama Spay/Neuter clinics. 

·         In early 2012, HB 156 was introduced to protect the clinics and keep them open.  The spay/neuter clinic protection bill died for one reason - Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (Lee County) refused to let it go to the floor for a vote.  Had it gone to a vote, it would have passed. 

·         In October 2012, ASBVME met to vote on closing the clinics.  Thanks to news coverage; a large attendance by citizens & media; email, letters & faxes; and those who spoke at the meeting, ASBVME members declined to vote.  They will likely try again at some point.

3) Abuse and neglect are rampant - a few stories from 2012:

·         Dog euthanized because of being driven insane by being chained 24/7.  This dog's miserable past had wasted his body and destroyed his temperament. His life had been surrounded by the most cruel form of abuse - absolute neglect and isolation.  And there is no law against it. 

      - News Article: http://ow.ly/hihjM | Picture: http://ow.ly/hihhz

·         Animal advocates had to 'fight' behind the scenes for months for the Blountsville Police to open an investigation and the DA to bring the case to the Grand Jury for indictment. - http://ow.ly/hihuf (Note: article does not mention the work of the advocates; that info is from AVRAL)

·         Over 200 starving animals (some dead) at Summerdale Purple Heart “Rescue” - http://ow.ly/hiiwI

·         Animal cruelty at the Calhoun Co. Animal Control Facility - http://ow.ly/hiiH5

·         Organized dog fighting in Walker County - http://ow.ly/hiiU6

·         Countless dogs starve in plain view of Walker County, AL residents, officials - http://ow.ly/hijAX

·         Prichard, AL: Abandoned, abused dog chained to tree in full sight for 3 weeks - http://ow.ly/hijHZ

           

4) There is NO Alabama agency that investigates or oversees substandard animal pounds/shelters.:

·         Rotting corpses, Dog Pound dumpster; discarded pregnant Beagle begs for shelter - http://ow.ly/hijSA

·         Mobile County Animal Shelter (MCAS) killed 49 dogs - including those that had been recently adopted - because of 1 sick dog - http://ow.ly/hil4N

·         MCAS does not quarantine or vaccinate upon intake - http://ow.ly/hikn1

5) Out of 50 states + 6 territories, Alabama ranks in the bottom tier at #43 according to the ALDF - http://ow.ly/hilV8

The 2013 legislative session starts soon.  AVRAL will be presenting legislation and we expect some pushback from rather disappointing "groups." Without BIG NUMBERS, we can't help Alabama's animals. 

Join Alabama Voters for Responsible Animal Legislation (AVRAL) if you are sick and tired of the way animals are treated in Alabama. We can change laws. We can elect people who care about animals. Join today - it's free and easy. Go to www.alabamavotesforanimals.org

Follow AVRAL on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AVRALvotes