What Was the Missing Piece in Animal Protection?

By Elissa Katz, President, Humane PA PAC

Animal protection is like a jigsaw puzzle: every piece is essential and must fit together to be complete – and to get the job done.   Rescue, foster, shelter, protests, humane education, advocacy, petitions; the animals are counting on each piece to do its’ part. Yet, all of those pieces, unfortunately, have proven not to be enough to complete the puzzle. Political power, until fairly recently, was the elusive missing piece. But thanks to Pennsylvania animal lovers who have embraced the importance of animals having their own political action committee – no more!

Why is political power so essential? Because it complements and works hand in hand with every other piece of the puzzle. For instance, innocent, vulnerable, mistreated dogs desperately need rescue from the cruelty of puppy mills, and foster homes to assist them in socializing, transition and getting well. But without political power, we are in a constant cycle of rescue, always trying to stem the tide of unending and exhausting numbers of dogs in need of help. With political power, we have the ability to elect and influence lawmakers to pass more and much needed anti-cruelty laws, to attack the problems at their roots.

Humane PA PAC was founded on the premise that without a powerful voice in politics, public policy would not change to benefit animals. While we would like to believe that elected officials will pass good and effective anti-cruelty laws because it is the right thing to do, that is naïve. And the animals cannot afford naivety on our part. A single law has the power to achieve a result that none of the other pieces of the puzzle can do – save or protect thousands of animals’ lives with a vote and a signature. A united, powerful voice, a voice comprised of thousands and thousands of voters, voters from each party and a variety of backgrounds and beliefs, is essential to influencing our lawmakers to pass more and better anti-cruelty laws. And that is why we need Humane PA PAC, our own single issue political action committee.

With the passage of Act 10, we have seen what happens when every piece of the puzzle fits together. We make history. We change the landscape for animals. We impact lives.

Humane PA PAC has grand plans for the future. We can envision an end to puppy mills. An end to live pigeon shoots. We can envision Pennsylvania being a leader in anti-cruelty laws, a humane example for other states to follow. But, a PAC is only as strong as its membership, can only achieve results with power. And that is why we ask each of you, rescuers, fosterers, shelters, advocates, educators, etc., to join with us to complete the puzzle for animals.

Click HERE to DONATE to help strengthen Pennsylvania’s only PAC for animals!

Elissa B. Katz is the President of Humane PA PAC and a partner in the law firm of Meranze, Katz, & Gaudioso, P.C. in Philadelphia. She is a regular volunteer with the Northeast Animal Rescue, assisting with cat care.  She is also a board member of  Woodstock Farm Sanctuary.