October 10, 2006

Animal Welfare Group Urges Michigan Voters to Re-Elect Stabenow to the Senate on November 7th, Announces Other Endorsements for Michigan

WASHINGTON — Citing her as a leader on animal welfare policy in the U.S. Senate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund announced that it has endorsed U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow for a second term in the U.S. Senate.

“In order to pass humane laws, we need humane lawmakers like Senator Stabenow,” said Richard Patch, political director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “Voters in Michigan who care about animal welfare should support her re-election.”

In her six years in the U.S. Senate, Debbie Stabenow has consistently supported animal welfare bills, such as the following:

• Animal Fighting: She has co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act to strengthen the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights.
• Horse Slaughter: She has voted to end the slaughter of tens of thousands of American horses for food exports to France, Belgium, and other countries. And she has co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
• Enforcement of Animal Welfare Laws: She has consistently supported efforts, led by Senator Carl Levin, to increase funding to improve enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and federal animal fighting law.
• Downer Livestock: She has co-sponsored the Downed Animal Protection Act, to stop the sale of sick and injured farm animals who are dragged to slaughter with ropes, chains, bulldozers, and forklifts. These “downers” pose a greater risk of “mad cow disease” and other threats to our food supply.
• Puppy Mills: She has co-sponsored legislation to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” that treat the dogs like they are production machines.
• Canadian Seal Hunt: She has co-sponsored a resolution, introduced by Senator Carl Levin, calling on the Canadian government to stop the annual slaughter of 300,000 baby harp seals for their fur pelts.

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue. A complete list of HSLF’s endorsements is available online at www.humanevoting.com.

In the U.S. House of Representatives, HSLF is backing Vern Ehlers (R-3rd), Dale Kildee (D-5th), Fred Upton (R-6th), Sharon Renier (D-7th), Mike Rogers (R-8th), Thaddeus McCotter (R-11th), Sander Levin (D-12th), Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-13th), and John Conyers (D-14th).

HSLF is also urging Michigan voters to keep the 100-year tradition of protecting mourning doves, by voting “No” on Proposal 3. Mourning doves have been protected in Michigan since 1905, and are the state’s official bird of peace. Doves are not overpopulated, and they are not harmful to people, property, or crops. There are already more than 40 game bird species in Michigan, and there is no reason to add mourning doves to that list. Doves are so small that they’re not shot for food, and would be used only for target practice. More information is available at www.stopshootingdoves.org.

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Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Contributions or gifts to HSLF are not tax deductible. Your donation may be used for lobbying to pass laws to protect animals, as well as for political purposes, such as supporting or opposing candidates. HSLF does not accept contributions from business corporations or labor organizations. On the web at www.fund.org.