Don't Moan, Organize!

Ponder two interesting statistics regarding the animals and animal lovers of Maryland, startling in their contrast to each other:

The bad news:  Maryland ranks 32 out of 50 in the relative strength and general comprehensiveness of our animal protection laws.*

The good news:  Maryland is filled with people who care deeply how our animals are treated.  For example, Congressional District 3 (which encompasses a huge area running from Timonium to Annapolis) has more members and contributors to the Humane Society of the United States than any other district in the entire country, save one district in California.**

So why the stark contrast in these statistics?  Why do the citizens of Maryland care so deeply about our animals and, yet, not have it reflected in our state animal protection laws?  Why do we allow our lawmakers, for the most part, to ignore the terrible need for better animal protection laws, as demonstrated, for instance, in the horrific burning of the pit bull, Phoenix, and in the unconscionable torture of cats in Baltimore City.  And why don't we have effective spay/neuter laws?  Why no puppy mill ban?  Why do we shoot our black bears and kill our mute swans when humane population control is available?  Anyone who cares about animals knows that the list of abuses goes on and on right here in our free state, Maryland, right under our lawmaker's noses. 

These are just some of the questions I pondered recently; questions that have led to the formation of Maryland Votes For Animals (MVFA).  Because Maryland can do better for her animals.

A bit of history: Maryland Votes For Animals started as Annapolis For Animals, a grassroots effort to organize humane voters and insist that our lawmakers enact stronger animal protection laws.  The response has been phenomenal, in fact nearly everyone immediately understands the importance and significance of our work.  I see it all the time.  I'll be manning an MVFA information table at an event, explain to someone our purpose and who we are, and I see the light turn on in their eyes.  They often say, "Wow, that makes sense, where do I sign up? or  "What a good idea.  Of course, I'll join."  And so Annapolis For Animals has grown exponentially in the last year and a half, we've gone statewide and changed our name to Maryland Votes For Animals.

If you care about animals---and I know you do---you're probably asking yourself what you can do to help us create a humane voting bloc and get stronger animal protection laws passed in Maryland.  The answer comes in a quote from author Julie Lewin, a quote that we've adopted as MVFA's rallying cry, "Don't Moan, Organize!" 

If you're sick and tired of having our animals mistreated and unprotected, send us the contact information for all of your family members, friends and colleagues who care about animals.  We're organizing by legislative district so we need their name, address, email (if they have one) and phone number.  You can send this information to us in one of three ways:

1. Fill out the "Spread the Word" form on the right side of our home page and then click the blue "Spread the Word" button.
    
2. Ask friends to visit www.VoteAnimals.org and sign-up online.
   
   
3. Download our MVFA sign up sheet, print it, take it to your workplace, school, church or local rescue group, and politely ask people to sign up.  Then mail the completed sheet (or sheets) to:

Maryland Votes For Animals
P.O. Box 6423
Annapolis, MD 21401-6423

Never doubt that you and I together have the power to end the suffering and stop the cruelty.  We can have a real and positive affect on the lives of Maryland's animals simply by creating a voting bloc of humane voters.  Because we don't moan for animals, we organize for animals!

 Don't moan, organize! --- Julie Lewin, author of Get Political for Animals and Win the Votes they Need

 ^*  Animal Legal Defense Fund's 2008 State Animal Protection Laws Rankings, December 16, 2008