Westchester legislators fail to protect animals: Letter
From Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW)
We advocate on all animal protection and exploitation issues, including
experimentation, factory farming, rodeos, breeders and traveling animal acts.
Westchester legislators fail to protect animals: Letter
Letter as published on
Lohud.com
November 1, 2017
Two years ago, we urged Westchester Legislator David Gelfarb to write
legislation to restrict circuses and other traveling animals acts coming
into Westchester.
Finally, to our happiness, he and Legislator Margaret Cunzio agreed to write
legislation.
We went to a meeting and demonstrated circus instruments of "training"
torture and reported onhorrible living conditions for circus animals. We
provided information and copies of similar bills in other jurisdictions.
Two years later, nothing has been done.
While elephant performances are now banned in New York, Gelfarb and Cunzio
still need to act. Circuses are still free to exploit bears, lions, tigers,
horses; rodeos force bulls to appear "wild" by employing electric prods,
spurs, straps painfully cinched on their abdomen, calves yanked by the neck.
Veterinarians report the worst fractures and injuries to these otherwise
peaceful animals.
In the meantime, 50 miles away New York City has introduced and passed a
dynamic bill restricting these cruel traveling animal acts; large areas of
New Jersey have done the same, so have Rhode Island and other localities
across the U.S.
It is absolutely unconscionable that Westchester legislators have
deliberately done nothing to protect animals. It's not just circuses: Why no
action on a puppy mill bill, first proposed by legislator James Maisano
three years ago, that would ban pet shops from selling commercially bred
dogs, cats, rabbits and more? Many other venues taking similar action,
including a sweeping, comprehensive law just passed in California?
We've worked with officials for many years in many areas — Bronx, Queens,
Connecticut — never once have we had the problems we faced in our own
backyard.
Animal protection is a community issue: Animals in circuses and puppy mills
suffer in silence. Our local legislators' apathy and a lack of compassion
and decency toward helpless beings is totally unacceptable.
We care about animals — and we vote. For those who cannot speak for
themselves, we ask that the public speak for them.
Please contact us for information on how you can help:
[email protected].
Kiley Blackman, Animal Defenders of Westchester
Anne Muller, Wildlife Watch
Deborah Pangle, Coalition to Help Fight Animal Abuse
Paula Garber, Lifeline Cat Behavior Solutions
Taffy Williams, NY Whale and Dolphin Action League
Kathleen Pistone-Carucci, Building Hope for the New Yonkers Animal Shelter
Julie Serenson, Friends of the Yonkers Animal Shelter
Susan Heywood, TNR Adocate
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