[Mardelin]

So that is where we find ourselves today. With the HSUS and PETA combined annual budges of over $124 million for political and lobbying efforts to take away our rights to own animals. And that figure does not include the many splinter organizations that have been formed from these two major organizations. We are in an uphil battle now, and it will be the fight for our lives to keep our rights to own pets.

There are going at it from many different angles. One way is to bet Breed Specific Legislation (BSL passed. The banning of Pit-Bulls all over the country is a good example. That has caught on like wildfire. The animal rights groups have said if they can just get one breed banned, then it will be easy to add others to it at a later date, until eventually all breeds are banned. Another way that they are going about it is to have mandatory spay and neuter laws in place. Just think about it, if all domestic animals are spayed and neutered, when they die, there will be no more comestic animals. Those same words have been said by Wayne Pacelle, the President of the HSUS. They have a very well thought out and planned agenda, and they are counting on the ignorance of the American people to get their agenda accomplished. Well gues what: Ignorance can be overcome by education. The American people may be ignorant about the facts, but they are not stupid. They can be educated. We were ignorant before 9-11, and look what effect that had. It caused all Americans to become educated and unite and fight to prevent that from happening again. The difference here is that we are being attacked from within our own country. We are under strong attack by the animal rights groups, and I hope that we don't just stand by and allow it to happen.

The animal rights groups are publicly stating that we need to get laws passed so that they can close down all the puppy mills and commercial breeding facilities that have their animals living in inhumane conditions. Just about weveryone would agree with the idea that animals should be treated humanely. But that is just the vehicle that they are using to try do do away with all animal ownership, period. And that is not a statement that they are being all that public about.

You can become active in this fight by telling your friends and neighbors what is going on. You can be an instrument of education. You can also fight this kind of legislation when it is presented in your area. Go to the City Council meetins and make your voice hears. Write letters to the state and federal government officials to offer your services to be on any animal related committee. In short get the word out to any and all your friends that own pets. Let them know what is going on. If enough people stop funding the animal rights organizations, we can put them out of business. There is not much that they can do without operating funds