Daisy Mae on her way to the Capitol in Harrisburg
Three years ago I attended my first Humane 101 with former Senator Roy Afflerbach. I wanted to do more to help animals on a broader scale and that’s why I decided to attend. There were about eight of us in the room, but Roy is such a great speaker that I felt like he was speaking just to me and his words were music to my ears. I was already a volunteer for the Humane Society, adopted and rescued all of my animals, fostered (mostly failed as some are still with me), spayed and neutered each of them, did my part to help promote adopting instead of buying from a breeder or pet store and donated as much as I could to animal welfare organizations, but I wanted to do more. Each day I would read or hear stories of animal cruelty and suffering that would bring me to tears. I knew there must something more I could do, more I HAD to do.
What Roy taught us that night at the Humane 101 was very simple, but it changed my life and in turn has helped me to be a more effective advocate for animals. By learning a few simple tools and skills about how to effectively communicate with legislators, I have been able to help lobby for better animal protection laws and even watch some of them be signed into law (the puppy mill bill, greyhound bill, service dog bill, gas chamber bill, poaching bill, tail docking bill, and interstate wildlife violators compact).
I am only one voice, but I know there are many more voices out there…as evidenced by our Humane PA Facebook page there are more than 22,000 people in PA who care about animals! We need to be a loud, collective voice to help get more animal protection laws passed in PA, such as anti-tethering, cost of care, increased penalties for animal cruelty, tax credit for adopting from a shelter or rescue and of course ending live pigeon shoots.
Please join Sen. Afflerbach on Friday January 25th at the Humane 101 in Philadelphia to learn how you too can be an even more effective advocate for animals in PA.
Humane PA President, Elissa Katz will also be there to meet and greet fellow animal advocates and to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you there and seeing how many more of you can help us “Give Animals a Voice in Harrisburg!”
Humane PA 