HSUS HUMANE LOBBY DAY 2017

Yesterday was Humane Lobby Day, sponsored by the Humane Society of the United States.  Animal advocates from across Minnesota came together to speak to their state legislators about passing laws to protect animals and to also alert them to an extremely cruel activity called "wildlife killing contests."

Senator Scott Dibble speaking at Humane Lobby Day

The top three issues at hand yesterday were (taken from HSUS handout):

1. COMPANION ANIMAL CRUELTY BILL (bill introduced): increase the penalty for egregious acts of cruelty against companion  animals.

The punishment in Minnesota for felony level crimes against companion animals (great bodily harm and death) is up to two years in jail and/or a $5,000 find.  S.F. 252/H.F. 453 increase that penalty to up to eight years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine.  

S.F. 252 Sen. Karen Housley (R) and Sen. Charles Wiger (DFL)
H.F. 453 Rep Kelly Fenton (R) and Rep. John Lesch (DFL)


2. PROHIBIT THE USE OF GAS CHAMBERS IN ANIMAL SHELTERS (bill not yet introduced): make animal shelter gas chambers illegal.

Currently 27 states have banned the use of gas chambers.  Euthanasia by injection is more humane, safer for staff and less expensive.  Gas chambers are inhumane and cannot provide a true euthanasia for sheltered animals.  The HSUS has grant money available to help any Minnesota shelter transition to euthanasia by injection, so the financial burden will not fall on taxpayers.

3. END WILDLIFE KILLING CONTEST (support needed): wildlife killing contests are organized events held in Minnesota where participants compete for prizes - cash or weapons.  Killing contests are cruel, unethical and counterproductive.

The goal of our meeting with state reps was to get support for increasing the penalty for animal cruelty, prohibiting the use of gas chambers and make them aware of the "wildlife killing contests" going on around our state.  My two state reps weren't aware we had such a thing in Minnesota, they thought that activity was confined to Alaska.  This is something we need to make sure those that represent us at our state capitol are fully aware of what these contests entail and what kind of "alternative facts" people are using to  rationalize their existence.  If you want to know more you can start HERE.  I blogged about the annual coyote killing contest in Marshall, MN a while back.  Send your rep an email, letter or give them a call and let them know that this is happening and that you oppose it.  You'll find that most of them are not even aware of it, which is exactly what the organizers of these contests like.  It's why they are very careful about how they advertise.

Click HERE to locate your representative