Pro Critter Politicians

If you believe all living creatures should be treated humanely, make your voice heard on Election Day this November 2 by supporting proposals and candidates that will benefit animals.

U.S. SENATE: Barbara Boxer

Boxer currently represents California in the U.S. Senate and she is a strong supporter of animal protection issues in Congress. Among her many pro-animal votes and actions, Senator Boxer was the lead sponsor of the Captive Primate Safety Act to prohibit interstate commerce of primates for the pet trade, which she passed in the Environment and Public Works Committee she chairs. She cosponsored legislation to require humane euthanasia of livestock too sick or injured to walk, and to prohibit USDA certification of meat from such animals for human consumption. Boxer also sponsored the Southern Sea Otter Recovery and Research Act to promote the recovery of this threatened species and cosponsored a bill to establish felony-level penalties for violations of the federal law on dog fighting, cockfighting, and other animal fighting ventures and to ban interstate and foreign commerce in cockfighting implements.

CONGRESS, 23rd DISTRICT: Lois Capps

Capps has been a huge supporter of pro-animal bills and she recently cosponsored a bill banning “crush” videos. HR 5566 makes it a federal crime to sell crush videos, which show kittens, puppies, and other small animals being crushed, burned, suffocated, or impaled. For more information on crush videos, read a previous Pet Chat column. Capps has even been honored by the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund with a Humane Advocate Award for her leadership on animal protection legislation.

CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY, 35th DISTRICT: Das Williams

Williams currently sits on the Santa Barbara City Council and has been a wonderful advocate on animal issues. He was helpful with a number of animal issues that have come before the City Council, including helping to reduce proposed cuts to Animal Control. He has also supported the new Santa Barbara pet ordinance, which is basically a slight revision of the county ordinance implemented last January that raised fees for the licensing of unaltered dogs and requires pet owners to discuss the responsibilities of owning an unaltered pet with a veterinarian.

BALLOT MEASURE: VOTE YES ON PROP. 21

Chronic underfunding is starving state parks, causing them to fall severely behind in needed maintenance and repairs. Twice in the past two years, state parks were on the brink of being shut down. Only last‐minute budget reprieves kept them open. Last year, nearly 150 state parks were shut down part‐time or suffered deep service reductions because of budget cuts, and more park closure proposals and budget cuts are expected this year. California’s parks are becoming less available to the public and are at serious risk of irreversible damage. Prop. 21 will create the State Parks and Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund. The fund will provide a stable, reliable, and adequate source of funding for the state park system, for wildlife conservation, and for increased and equitable access to those resources for all Californians. Prop. 21 will give California vehicles free day-use admission to the state parks in exchange for a new $18 vehicle license fee, which will be specifically dedicated to state parks and wildlife conservation. Prop. 21 is endorsed by major conservation and state park organizations such as the Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, and Conservation Action Fund.

Speak up for the animals on Election Day, if they could, they would thank you!

* U.S. SENATE: Barbara Boxer

* CONGRESS, 23rd DISTRICT: Lois Capps

* CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY, 35th DISTRICT: Das Williams

* BALLOT MEASURE: YES ON PROP. 21

Adoptable Pet of the Week

Fancy and her cat housemate lived in a quiet home as indoor-only cats. Their owner gave them both up because the family was moving out of state. According to her former guardian, Fancy was playful, sometimes to the point of being crazy wild. However, Fancy did not adjust well to shelter life and spent most of her first year at the Humane Society hiding under her bed. Her former housemate was much less shy and got a new home almost immediately. Now Fancy is finally starting to feel more comfortable and she is ready to show herself to someone who likes shy, soft, beautiful cats. She has very good manners and likes to be indoors, so she will not be the type who tries to sneak out every time the door is opened.

For more information, visit the Santa Barbara Humane Society at 5399 Overpass Road, or call 964-4777. Shelter hours are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. You can also visit www.sbhumanesociety.org for more information.