Maryland Votes for Animals

Maryland Votes for Animals (MVFA) is an organization with one overriding mission: To create an ever-growing voting bloc of animal advocates who will elect representatives willing to champion and vote for animal protection legislation, and to hold politicians accountable to their constituents.

Want to get involved with helping animals? Start here!

Think Like a General to End Animal Suffering

Imagine you’re a top general in a war and it’s your job to save your country by winning the war. You’ve got to think big, you’ve got to think long-term, and most of all, you’ve got to think strategically if you plan to win. Moreover, you can’t expect to win every battle and, sadly, there will be casualties. But if you make your decisions based on the big picture then your chances of success are much greater.

MVFA testifies for S.B. 505

Now translate that idea to animals and imagine that it’s your job to end animal suffering in Maryland. Huge job. How would you do it? You’d think like a general. You’d realize that rescue alone won’t solve the problem; that’s like trying to win a war using only the Red Cross. You’ve got continue the rescue work but do more. You’ve got to get political for animals.

Maryland Votes For Animals is dedicated to thinking like a general whose job it is to win the war of animal suffering. This means that MVFA will think long-term, strategically and politically. Here's how:

Animal Protection is not a Joke!

Last week, Maryland Votes For Animals testified at the hearing for Spay/Neuter of Dangerous Dogs, H.B. 15, which was sponsored by Delegate Haddaway-Riccio. Thank you Delegate Haddaway-Riccio!

Unfortunately, not all the delegates on the committee were sensitive to the issue of dangerous dogs and the related problem of dog fighting. Some made comments that showed woeful ignorance to the benefits of neutering dogs, acting embarrassed and squeamish about the surgery and saying, "Are we going to penalize the dog for being aggressive?" Others made jokes like this one:

"Imagine that the dog from the Little Rascals was in a dog fight and won. Are we going to neuter him and punish him for winning a fight?" Much snickering and inaudible comments from several male delegates.

If you care about animals, then I'm sure you're as frustrated reading this as I was when I heard it. So let's take action...

MVFA meets with Speaker of the House, Michael Busch, to discuss Animal Protection Laws for Maryland

On Monday, July 12th, three Maryland Votes For Animals board members, Carolyn Kilborn, Valerie Pringle, and Joe Lamp, met with the Speaker of the House, Mike Busch, and his chief of staff, Kristin Jones, to discuss animal legislation in the state of Maryland.

Of particular concern to Speaker Busch was Maryland's dismal state rating by the Animal League Defense Fund; Maryland is currently in the lowest tier, 40th out of 50 states. Last year we were ranked 32nd out of 50 and without a concerted effort on the part of Maryland Votes For Animals, we will continue to fall...possibly into last place.

We also shared our concerns about committee head Joseph Vallario, whose committee hears most of the legislation targeting animals in our state and who rarely allows animal bills out of his committee.

We handed Speaker Busch an article detailing the Animal Cruelty Syndrome, published in the New York Times recently. Once again, Maryland was humiliated: the article's first sentence described the absolute horror of the pit bull Phoenix, who was set on fire by two boys in the city of Baltimore last summer. Humane education as a mandatory course in all public schools was also discussed with Speaker Busch.

Speaker Busch was also interested in hearing about Pennsylvania's new puppy mill legislation when it was pointed out that, despite continuing efforts, puppy mill legislation continues to fail in the state of Maryland.

Maryland Votes For Animals is excited to begin a working relationship with Speaker Mike Busch, head of the House of Delegates for the state of Maryland. We will continue to share our concerns with speaker Busch and all legislators as we head into election day and the upcoming legislation session. Remember, Maryland Votes For Animals is the voice of Phoenix and all abused animals in Maryland. We are also your voice because, as members of the our political action committee, you also know that giving a voice to the voiceless abused animals in our state, is our mission.

Great News for Maryland's Deer

Guest blogger Joseph Lamp, Ph.D., Wildlife Advisory Commission:

Our decades of prayers have been answered. I can now report Fawn in flowers that on September 29, 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved drug #56228-40, GonaCon, a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) immunocontraceptive vaccine for white-tail deer, developed by the National Wildlife Research Center. This EPA approval sets the state for ConaCon's actual usage in the public domain, and it is not longer merely an "experimental drug" with all the caveats previously surround it as such. No longer can anyone make the argument that you must kill the deer to control them as the only viable management option.

Joe Lamp's blog
Login or register to post comments
Read more

Marvelous Michigan! Marvelous Maryland?

There's great news for animals in the state of Michigan! The Michigan House has voted 87-20 to phase out some of the most cruel and abusive farm animal practices including gestation crates for pigs, veal crates for calves and battery cages for laying hens. In fact, the Associated Press has reported that some lawmakers in Michigan say the measure passed so easily in order to avert possible animal treatment initiatives similar to those recently passed in Arizona, California and Florida.

So how does this good news in Michigan help the animals of Maryland?

The Problem and the Solution to Animal Cruelty

Let's face it, Maryland has a terrible and unconscionable problem with cruelty to animals. Most recently it has come to light in the torture of an innocent kitten in Edgemere (article here), and in the burning of the poor pit bull, Phoenix, in Baltimore. And in neither of these cases does Maryland have laws to protect the animals and properly punish the perpetrators. Justice is NOT being served for these animals. You know it, I know it, and most of all the perpetrators know it when they get a mere slap on the wrist for torturing and taking the precious life of an innocent animal.

Thankfully, help is on the way because this week a bill to increase the penalties for animal abuse is being drafted by Senator James Robey, Democrat in District 13, Howard County. Senator Robey is taking a courageous stand for animals by asking that Maryland increase the penalty for misdemeanor cruelty to animals from 90 days in jail and a $1000 fine to 3 years in jail and a $5000 fine. And, yes, in Maryland the torture of a kitten is only considered a misdemeanor.