The Humane Advocate

Politics and Animals

So you wonder how the two go together? For some elected officials it's like oil and water. For others animals are an easy mix.

Electing humane minded individuals to office is one of the best things we can do to help animals. So much of what is need to stop the senseless suffering of animals depends on the support and leadership of decision makers at the local, state and federal level.

Case in point, the most recent puppy mill bust in Sullivan County, IN. Clara Vowell, the operator of this long-time Indiana puppy mill was in the end allowed to keep over 100 animals in horrific conditions that no reasonable person should think is humane or an acceptable life for any animal.

Why did this happen?  One, there has to be a willingness of local prosecutors to prosecute these cases. Animal cases get dismissed on a regular basis as not high on the priority list, not taken seriously and if they do make it through to court, the charges are often minimal. And, sadly many times corruption and complacency in local law enforcement often results in abusers being tipped off or protected.

Two, current Indiana state laws protecting animals are some of the weakest in the nation. Period. It should be an embarrassment to our legislators that Indiana has a national reputation as being a backwards state soft on animal protection issues. We can do better than this and the citizens of Indiana should demand it. Currently, Indiana state law basically only requires that companion animals have some form of shelter, food and water. Based on this definition, proving and charging neglect of animals such as the animals in the Sullivan County Mill, is nearly impossible. See what the Herald-Times had to say here.

Bloomington and a select few other cities and towns across Indiana have taken matters in their own hands and enacted local ordinances to protect animals and punish abusers. But, we are in the minority as there are 29 counties across the state that do not have a shelter, animal control and few if any resources to protect animals.  Sullivan County is one of those counties and a prime example of what happens to animals when local ordinances don't exists, state laws fail and local "politics" meant turning a blind eye for years. It took outside pressure and the help of the Indiana State Police to accomplish anything.

The status quo and message sent to us from our decision makers is that abuse stands a good chance of going unpunished and unchecked in Indiana. If it can be ignored, brushed under the rug or actually protected by small town politics, it most certainly will be. I've seen it and witnessed first hand the types of abuse that have gone unpunished and unchecked. It is morally and ethically wrong and must be stopped.

So this is where you come in. Educate yourself about your local, state and federal representatives. Ask them where they stand on animal welfare. Check their voting records to see if they voted for or against animals. You may be surprised at what you find.

One tool you can use to check on your federal representatives and senators is the Humane Scorecard produced by the Humane Society Legislative Fund. It's election time and you should know if your vote is helping or hurting animals.

A true animal hero

Meet Cathi Eagan, a remarkable local animal advocate who has recently been nominated and is in the running to be Animal Planet's 2008 Animal Hero of the Year. 

Cathi is the inspiration and energy behind the Canine Express transport program that is responsible for transporting over 3,434 Indiana shelter dogs to various New England area shelters to be adopted. Many of those dogs came from our very own City of Bloomington Animal Shelter. 

With a caravan of 4 -5 cargo vans, Cathi and a crew of volunteer drivers start out once a month early in the morning making the rounds to local shelters to pick-up the precious cargo that has been selected to make the trip to New England. They then drive through the night on a two-day trip to drop-off the lucky pups at the various shelters that have agreed to take them.  

Thanks to aggressive spay/neuter programs and laws, the New England area has seen a decline in the number of dogs in shelters. Lucky for many Monroe County dogs, Cathi has created an opportunity for a happy second chance at the life they deserve. 

This is what you would consider a labor of love as the trip is grueling for the drivers, who along the way make stops to walk each and every dog, sometimes taking up to an hour or two to finish the job. 

As all of us who work to protect animals have had our defining moment, committing ourselves to the animals, Cathi's moment involved standing afoot the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy.

St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment and quite the appropriate figure to inspire Cathi's work. 

Cathi without a doubt earns the title of Animal Hero and serves as inspiration to everyone who cares about the welfare of animals. We all can make a difference.

 

Make sure to visit the Animal Planet website and vote for Cathi. To find out who wins, watch Animal Planet Heroes, Dec. 4 at 10PM e/p.

 

As a side note, if you are Catholic ask your church if they will be holding a ceremony on October 4th, which is the feast day celebrating St. Francis. Many churches hold pet blessings on October 4th in his honor.