Deep Roots: Animal Rights Blog

2/8/10 Update: HB 1258 passed through the Indiana House of Representatives and is now heading to the Senate

This past week, the animal bill, HB 1258, passed out of committee with a strong bi-partisan vote of 11-0.

There were some minor changes to the bill while it was in committee, but it still addresses pet store posting/disclosure, dog fighting, and shelter for horses that is free of standing water. The latter was added as an amendment. You can read the full language of the bill here.

Next, the bill will have to pass through the full Indiana House of Representatives before going to the Senate. We will post on our blog to let you know when we will need to start making phone calls to legislators again.

For now, take a quick minute to call the members of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee and thank them for voting in favor of HB 1258. Your call doesn’t need to be long to make a big impact. Here is a template for what to say:

“Hello, my name is_______________. I am calling to thank Rep___________ for voting in favor of HB 1258, a bill to protect Indiana’s animals. I hope that Rep___________ will continue to support this bill as it moves through the process. Thank you again.”

Names and phone numbers of committee members to call:
Chair – Rep Pierce – 317-232-9647
Rep Dvorak – 317-234-9290
Rep Dembowski – 317-232-9676
Rep Porter – 317-232-9634
Rep Smith – 317-234-9016
Rep Tincher – 317-232-9999
Rep Koch – 317-232-9793
Rep Clements – 317-234-3827
Rep Foley – 317-232-9815
Rep Steuerwald – 317-232-9677
Rep Truitt – 317-234-3827

From the Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls:

Roller derby season may have come to an end but BHRG’s commitment to making this world a better place for skaters, non-skaters, and furry creatures continues. On Saturday, November 14, BHRG will be hosting a benefit for Deep Roots Animal Sanctuary at The Bishop, complete with karaoke, snacks and prizes. All proceeds will go towards helping Deep Roots build and winterize shelters for the sanctuary animals.

In addition, BHRG will be holding their annual merch liquidation sale. All merchandise will be discounted!

So, come sing for the animals and get some holiday shopping done at the same time! And wherever roller girls are, good times are sure to follow!

Saturday, November 14, 2009, 7:00pm – 10:00pm

The Bishop is located at 123 S. Walnut St., Bloomington, IN [map]

The Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls have been really generous to us the past couple of years. In 2009, they made us the Charity of the Year and handed us a $2000 check at the last home bout in October. Several of the rollergirls have also helped us out by volunteering at the sanctuary and donating critter food and materials for construction (one of them also adopted a cat from us). We would love to show them how much we appreciate all they’ve done for us by having our supporters come to this event and buy up the last of their 2009 merchandise.

So bring friends and come join in on the fun.

By the way, the Bleeding Heartland Rollergirls is also a volunteer-ran organization. If you are interested in volunteering in their 2010 season, contact volunteer (at) bleedingheartlandrollergirls.com.

House Bill 1468, known as the Puppy Mill Bill, passed the Indiana House last week in a landslide vote of 81 to 14! Thank you to everyone that contacted their representative. This vote would not have been nearly as successful without you.

The bill has now entered the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters. Because of the great success of the bill in the House, the pro-breeding lobby (including Indiana Farm Bureau, Pet Breeders Association and the Amish puppy millers) has begun to meet in great numbers to try to kill this bill in the committee. It is vital that animal lovers contact the members of this committee to let them know that you support HB 1468 and to encourage them to do the same. You can call any of them at (317)232-9400 or (800)382-9467. The committee members are as follows:

Brent Steele, Committee Chair
Mike Young, R.M.
Richard Bray
Mike Delph
Randy Head
Brent Waltz
John Waterman
Lindel Hume R.M.M.
Tim Lanane
Karen Tallian
Greg Taylor

Despite what some may claim or even believe, this bill does not affect small, responsible breeders. You can read the full bill at http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/HB/HB1468.1.html

Puppy Mill Legislation Passes Committee

Indiana House Bill 1468 passed through committee yesterday and is entering a vote in the House of Representatives in the next week. It is important that everyone contact their representative to let them know that you support HB 1468 because it will strengthen what is now a very weak animal cruelty code and will help put a stop to puppy mills in the state.

If you are not sure who your representative is or how to contact them, go to http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/

Although emails help, we strongly encourage you to take the time to call your representative. Calls are always brief. You will need to identify yourself as an individual from the representatives district and tell them you want them to support HB 1468.

Please act now and pass on to your own network of family, friends and coworkers! Your House Representative needs to know that you want to put an end to puppy mills and animal cruelty in Indiana.

To read the full bill, go to http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/HB/HB1468.1.html

From HSUS:

(Sept. 23, 2008) – The Humane Society of the United States applauds U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.) for introducing legislation today to combat “wildlife penning”— fenced enclosures where wild animals are ripped apart by packs of dogs in competitive animal fights. The Wildlife Penning Prohibition Act of 2008, H.R. 6988, would amend the Lacey Act to prohibit the interstate transport of animals used in wildlife penning.

In this staged animal combat, dogs with numbers painted on their sides are judged on how quickly they pursue fenced-in wildlife, usually foxes and coyotes. Scored trials in wildlife pens sometimes last for days with the dogs ripping apart and killing many of the captive animals. In a recent multi-state sting, federal and state authorities uncovered the interstate smuggling of thousands of animals to stock these enclosures.

“The grisly practice of trapping and selling animals to be used as ‘live bait’ in fenced enclosures is not only inhumane, but also could spread diseases across state lines,” said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Humane Society of the United States. “We are grateful to Congressman Holt for introducing this important animal protection bill that protects native wildlife from being used in gruesome animal fights.”

“The practice of fox penning is inhumane and unsportsmanlike,” said Rep. Holt. “The foxes and coyotes captured for these purposes are mistreated from the moment they are trapped to the moment they are torn apart by dogs in an escape-proof enclosure. I have introduced H.R. 6988 to stop this practice by outlawing the transport of animals for the purposes of fox penning.”

The appalling practice of wildlife penning begins when wildlife are caught in the steel jaws of a leghold trap and suffer excruciating pain. The wild animals are removed from the traps and packed into a cage with other injured animals. A recent investigation revealed that coyotes and foxes are shipped hundreds of miles in cramped cages with no access to food or water. Some animals die on the trip. Those who survive are bought by wildlife pen owners.

Facts:

* The import of foxes and coyotes to stock enclosures is illegal in many states. The Indiana Natural Resources Commission unanimously voted in July to stop the live trapping of coyotes in that state for transport to wildlife pens.
* During the recent interstate investigation, in Alabama alone 18 individuals were charged in connection to smuggling foxes and coyotes for sale to wildlife pens. Authorities brought charges against wildlife pen operators and trappers in half a dozen other states.
* Studies have found that transporting live, wild animals for penning purposes has directly led to the spread of rabies and other diseases dangerous to wildlife, pets and people.
* The International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the American Veterinary Medical Association have encouraged regulations against the transporting of wildlife for penning purposes.

The HSUS works to stop wildlife abuse across the country. Visit humanesociety.org/wildlifeabuse for more information.