Calling all dogs (and cats, rabbits, fish, etc…)

Yes. We. Did.

Now, it’s time for animals to DEMAND the change we voted for!

President-elect Barack Obama is working to fill key positions in his administration, among them the Secretary of Agriculture and Secretary of the Interior. These positions have a tremendous impact on the treatment of animals and the enforcement of a broad range of laws—including those covering puppy mills, humane slaughter, animal fighting, and wildlife. It is critical that President-elect Obama appoint individuals who have a demonstrated track record of support for policies that protect animals.

Among the candidates being considered for these two positions, there are several who have taken a strong stance on animal protection. Please, ask the human in your life, to join me in urging President-elect Obama to seriously consider animal protection when appointing these positions.

Sincerely,

Preston Casanova

A message from the President of The Humane Society:

With oversight of the Animal Welfare Act and the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, the Secretary of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing a broad range of laws — including those covering puppy mills, animal slaughter, animal fighting, and food safety. We believe that John Boyd Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, and former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, would be excellent choices for this post. However, we strongly object to former Representative Charlie Stenholm, who has been extremely hostile to even the most modest animal protection reforms, and has been a paid lobbyist for the factory farming and horse slaughter industries. It would be a disaster for animals if he were to be appointed to this position or any other position of authority over animal welfare matters.

The Secretary of the Interior oversees the enforcement of key wildlife laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and wildlife management practices on hundreds of millions of acres of federal land. We think the best candidates for this position are Representatives Raúl Grijalva and Jay Inslee and former Interior Department Deputy Secretary David Hayes. Conversely, we oppose Representative John Salazar, as he has been hostile to a wide range of animal protection policies, including efforts to halt the trophy hunting of polar bears and to protect wild horses from slaughter. Salazar was even aligned with former Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo in an attempt to weaken the Endangered Species Act. Click here to learn more about these candidates and add your voice to these recommendations.

We hope that President-elect Obama will consider the importance of animal protection when appointing these positions, and that you will join us to express your support for individuals who embrace animal protection as a worthy goal. And don’t forget to tell your friends and family to take action, too.

Thank you for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States