LEGISLATIVE ALERT – ACT NOW!



Please call your State Senator today and ask in a friendly manner that they vote against SB 1151. This bill is sponsored by Senator Ryan McDougle of Mechanicsville (Hanover County). The bill may come up for a vote in Senator Agriculture Committee as early as Monday. You must call now. Agriculture Committee members, particularly important Senators to call, are listed below. Remember to leave a voice mail message if do don’t get a real person. Ask for a call back. If you are in Senator McDougle’s District ask him to withdraw the bill! YOUR CALLS WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Be Friendly McDougle has been one of the good guys.



SB 1151 would require VA animal shelters to require owners to sterilize their dogs and cats if they get picked up twice by Animal Control (or dropped off by someone). In other words, the second time you go there to get Queen or Ranger, you have to sign a contract that you'll have her spayed or him neutered, same as you would if you were adopting them. There are no exceptions!

Those who want to research the bill for themselves can go to:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504 ... sum+SB1151



To read the actual text, click the blue line under 'Full text:' As usual, plain type is existing law and italics are language added by the bill.

The claimed reason for this bill is 'overpopulation' as shown by shelter euthanasia. However (except for the notorious PETA operation) Virginia's shelter euthanasia rates are good and have been improving for decades. This is actually hard core Animal Right legislation: HSUS is frantic to get some sort of Mandatory Serialize/Neuter bill passed in some state as a springboard to getting a federal bill in the next four years. At the shelter level, the goal is simply to have another way to punish animal owners.

Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee members:

IF YOUR SENATOR IS ON THE LIST BELOW PLEASE, PLEASE CALL HIM OR HER AND BE SURE TO SAY "I AM A CONSTITUENT OF SENATOR XXX"!

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR VA SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

Chairwoman
Patricia S. Ticer
district30@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7530
Fax: (804) 698-7651

John Watkins
district10@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7510
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Mary Margaret Whipple,
district31@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7531
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.
district24@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7524
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Wm. Roscoe Reynolds,
district20@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7520
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Frank M. Ruff, Jr.
district15@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7515
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Phillip P. Puckett
district38@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7538
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Harry B. Blevins
district14@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7514
Fax: (804) 698-7651

R. Creigh Deeds
district25@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7525
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Mark D. Obenshain
district26@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7526
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Ryan T. McDougle
district04@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7504
Fax: (804) 698-7943

A. Donald McEachin
district09@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7509
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Chap Petersen
district34@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7534
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Ralph S. Northam
district06@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7506
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Richard H. Stuart
district28@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7528
Fax: (804) 698-7651


Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance
P.O. Box 657
Powhatan, VA 23139