April 16 is day of reckoning for animals of Texas-Cross-Post Widely, Please

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Please urge your Texas legislator to pass HB 2328, which will make it illegal to torture, fail to provide food/water, or use farm animal for fighting. Isn't this reasonable to expect from civilized humans? Urge your representative to include horses in this protection. See THLN talking points below. To find your Texas representative, go to:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ Margaret

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Dear Friends of Animals:

 

 

 

After four difficult years of fighting to get a good animal cruelty law passed we have reached THE critical moment. This is it guys—the best chance we have ever had to finally bring the Texas cruelty law into the 21st century. But it is a nail-bitingly close fight. The other side has pulled out all the stops. Below is the most important Action Alert that THLN has ever put out. Please cross-post. We must overwhelm every member of the legislature.

Thanks!!!!

Randy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACTION ALERT

 

YOUR HELP NEEDED AGAIN NOW ON HB 2328 - THE ANIMAL CRUELTY BILL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 11, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Humane Society Executive Directors,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Good News: HB 2328, the Animal Cruelty Bill is scheduled for a vote by the entire Texas House of Representatives on Monday, April 16th.

 

The Very Bad News: HB 2328 still does not give horses any protection against violent acts of animal cruelty. As currently written, HB 2328 gives horses no more protection than they have under the existing "loophole ridden" animal cruelty statute. For example, under HB 2328 it is still legal for a person to intentionally kill or seriously injure his own horse. It is also legal for a person to intentionally kill, seriously injure or poison someone else's horse. We simply cannot let this happen!

 

Please call, write, fax or, as a last resort, email your state representative immediately and ask him or her to support HB 2328 and an amendment to HB 2328 to give horses the protection from violent acts of animal cruelty they need and deserve.

 

Talking Points:

 

! By giving horses the same protection from violent acts of animal cruelty as we give our other companion animals, no horse owner will loose his/her agricultural property tax exemption or the right to administer drugs to his/her horse without a prescription.

 

 

! The existing animal cruelty statute is antiquated and does not reflect the emotional bond most horse owners have with their horses today nor the typical role that horses play in our lives. In today's culture, horses are often exposed to urban and suburban environments which in turn expose them to the same horrific acts of animal cruelty perpetrated on other companion animals such as dogs and cats.

 

! Horses are much more than just a livestock animal and are very different from food animals such as cattle, swine, goats, sheep and poultry. Horses are our companions; they are animals we use for entertainment such as pleasure riding, hunter jumping, barrel racing, pari-mutuel racing, carriage rides, etc. They also protect us as part of the equine police force. They also help heal our wounds by providing us with therapeutic riding treatments. Animals that play such an integral part in our day to day lives deserve the maximum protection possible against animal abusers.

 

! Just recently a horse was dragged by its owner behind a pickup truck at over 30 mph until the hoofs were bleeding and the horse collapsed and died. Because of "loopholes" in our current law and in HB 2328 the perpetrator will go unpunished. Also, there have been numerous recent attacks against horses throughout the state while in their paddocks. In one case, two A & M students clubbed a horse with a polo mallet; cut her throat and stabbed her multiple times; finally, in one last horrific act they impaled her through the heart with a broken golf club. Under our existing statute and under HB 2328 this is not a crime!

 

! It should also be noted that farming, ranching and other agriculture activities are totally exempt from prosecution under HB 2328 and will not be negatively affected by giving horses more protection.

 

REMEMBER WHEN CONTACTING YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE, ALWAYS BE RESPECTFUL AND POLITE. PLEASE ACT TODAY!

Texas Humane Legislation Network

 

http://www.thln.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Click on the "Find Your Incumbent" link below and enter your address in the appropriate box and you will immediately be provided the names and contact information of your state senator and representative.

 

 

 

 

 

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Texas Humane Legislation

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Promoting the humane treatment of animals through

legislation, education and advocacy.

 

 

 

 

 

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Texas Humane Legislation Network | P.O. Box 685283 | Austin | TX | 78768-5283

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~Albert Schweitzer