ANIMAL BALLOT MEASURES ACROSS COUNTRY.

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ANIMAL PROTECTION MEASURES TO APPEAR

ON BALLOTS ACROSS THE NATION

 

WASHINGTON (September 27, 2000) ¯

 

Voters will decide eight ballot measures in seven states relating

to animal protection in the November general election on

subjects ranging from trapping to greyhound racing to hunting

rights, according to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS),

which is actively involved in many of these statewide campaigns.

This month, Campaigns & Elections magazine reported that

animal protection measures were the number one topic on

statewide ballots this year.

 

" Frustrated by inaction or obstructionism by elected officials,

citizens Are taking matters into their own hands and placing animal

protection measures on ballots for direct voting by the people, "

states Wayne Pacelle, a senior vice president at The HSUS, the

nation's largest animal protection organization. " Citizens can halt

animal cruelty simply by exercising the franchise during this year's

general election. The Humane Society of the United States urges

all humane-minded citizens to vote in favor of the pro-animal

measures and to vote against the measures designed to limit

Their voting rights. " Citizens have approved more than a dozen

animal protection measures on statewide ballots since 1990.

 

In this year's general election, voters in Oregon and Washington will

decide measures to restrict the use of cruel and indiscriminate

steel-jawed leghold traps and poisons. Voters in Massachusetts

will decide the first-ever measure to ban greyhound racing.

Alaska voters will be able to restore the state's ban on

land-and-shoot killing of wolves. A measure in Oklahoma to

ban cockfighting is tied up in the courts and is unlikely to be decided

during this year's election. The Massachusetts, Oregon, and

Washington measures qualified thanks to all-volunteer signature

gathering efforts by animal advocates.

 

Hunting groups worked to cajole state legislatures to place four

constitutional amendments on ballots to protect hunting rights. A

measure in Alaska seeks to ban any citizen initiatives that would

protect wildlife.

 

A measure in Arizona would require a two-thirds majority of votes to

pass any wildlife protection initiative. And in North Dakota and

Virginia, measures will appear on ballots to ensconce hunting rights

in the state constitutions.

 

" An extremist segment of the hunting lobby is seeking to gut the

principle of majority rule and prevent citizens from advancing

measures to restrict any hunting practices, " states Pacelle.

" These deceitfully worded measures, collectively speaking,

amount to an outrageous attack on the voting rights of Americans.

These measures should be rejected by any people concerned

about democratic decision-making and retaining their right to

decide future animal protection issues. "

 

The hunting rights measures reflect the industry's concern with

successful initiatives during the 1990s to limit inhumane and

unsporting practices such as bear baiting, hound hunting, and

trapping.

 

(Source : from HSUS).

 

PLEASE CLICK THE FOLLOWING TO SEE WHAT YOU

SHOULD VOTE IN YOUR STATE FOR ANIMALS :

 

http://www.hsus.org/programs/government/2000_ballot042700.html

 

Please encourage your friends, neighbors to come out to

vote and explain to them to vote for animals protection.