WOOOF - IMPOTENT - SAVE them
In his effort to solve the budget crisis, California Governor
Schwarznegger has taken a hatchet to years of laws enacted to protect
abused and abandoned animals. The result is the "behind closed doors"
repeal of the Hayden bill and other pieces of humane legislation,
passed
through the years. Whether an act of omission or commission, the result
will be a return to the horrible pre-1998 status quo for California
animal shelters if you don't act TODAY.
The two most disturbing elements of the Governor's budget are the
return of the animal holding period to only 72 hours for all animals
(stray and relinquished) and the elimination of the requirement that
shelters seek veterinary care for animals at the shelter.
Among the other policies that will be repealed if the current budget
is adopted:
*The requirement that people convicted of cruelty to animals to pay for
the costs of the animals' care while the issue of guilt is being
determined. 
*The requirement that as a condition of probation, people convicted of
animal cruelty can be prevented from owning animals for three years. 
*The law that made it a duty for shelters to use all currently
acceptable methods of identification ñ including microchips ñ to
determine the lawful owner of any seized or impounded animals.
*The State's policy preference for adoption instead of killing
animals.   
*The requirement that shelters allow qualified animal adoption/rescue
groups to take responsibility for animals if they pay the required fee.
*The requirement that shelters give owner-relinquished animals a chance
to be adopted. 
The extent of the repeal caught everyone by surprise. We have only
one last chance to have these draconian measures removed from the
budget. The budget conference committee meets one final time... this
weekend. They must be convinced to revisit the inclusion of the
Hayden legislation as part of the budget or at least to only suspend
the
fiscal provisions of the Hayden legislation until the budget crisis has
passed.
Years of your work and the countless hours of hundreds of volunteers
can be erased THIS WEEKEND if this repeal is allowed to occur.
Listed below is contact information for the legislators who will be
meeting this weekend to approve the proposed budget. Please contact
them as many times as you are able before 5pm Friday, June 25th.
THE FATE OF MILLIONS OF ANIMALS ARE RELYING ON YOUR ACTION. SEND AN
EMAIL, SEND A FAX AND MAKE A CALL. Tell them NOT TO REPEAL THE HAYDEN
LAW!
QUESTIONS? Contact Rich Mc Lellan, Animal Legislative Action Network,
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose OR Jennifer Fearing, United Animal Nations,
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose
Conference Committee Members
Chesbro, Wes (D) - Chair   
(916) 445-3375 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 445-3375 fax
Dede Alpert (D)
(916) 445-3952 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 327-2188 fax
Ross Johnson (R)
(916) 445-4961 tel
*doesn't use e-mail
(949) 833-0696 fax
Darrell Steinberg (D)
(916) 319-2009 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 319-2109 fax
Judy Chu (D)
(916) 319-2049 tel
*doesn't use e-mail
(916) 319-2149 fax
Rick Keene (R)
(916) 319-2003 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 319-2103 fax
Senate Budget Committee Staff
Keely Martin Bosler
Consultant
(916) 445-5202 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 323-8386 fax
Assembly Budget Committee Staff
Kasey Schimke
Consultant
(916) 319-2099 tel
<us.f805.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose email
(916) 319-2199 fax