Are you Californian's aware of this? >In his effort to solve the budget crisis, California Governor >Schwarzenegger has taken a hatchet to years of laws enacted to protect >abused and abandoned animals. The result is the "behind closed doors" >repeal of the Hayden bill and affiliated humane legislation, passed >through the years. Whether an error of omission or commission, the >result will be a return to the horrible pre-1998 status quo for >California animal shelters if you don't act TODAY. > >The two most disturbing elements of the Governor's budget are the return >of the animal holding period to only 72 hours for all animals (stray and >relinquished) and the elimination of the requirement that shelters seek >veterinary care for animals at the shelter. > >Among the other policies that will be repealed if the current budget >is adopted: > >* The requirement that people convicted of cruelty to animals to pay > for the costs of the animals' care while the issue of guilt is being > determined. >* The requirement that as a condition of probation, people convicted of > animal cruelty can be prevented from owning animals for three years. >* The law that made it a duty for shelters to use all currently > acceptable methods of identification - including microchips - to > determine the lawful owner of any seized or impounded animals. >* The State's policy preference for adoption instead of killing animals. >* The requirement that shelters allow qualified animal adoption/rescue > groups to take responsibility for animals if they pay the required fee. >* The requirement that shelters give owner-relinquished animals a chance > to be adopted. > >The extent of the repeal caught everyone by surprise. We have only one >last chance to have these draconian measures removed from the budget. >The budget conference committee meets one final time... this weekend. >They must be convinced to revisit the inclusion of the Hayden >legislation as part of the budget or at least to only suspend the fiscal >provisions of the Hayden legislation until the budget crisis has passed. > >Years of your work and the countless hours of hundreds of volunteers can >be erased THIS WEEKEND if this repeal is allowed to occur. > >Listed below is contact information for the legislators who will be >meeting this weekend to approve the proposed budget. Please contact >them as many times as you are able before 5pm Friday, June 25th. > >THE FATE OF MILLIONS OF ANIMALS ARE RELYING ON YOUR ACTION. SEND AN >EMAIL, SEND A FAX AND MAKE A CALL. > >Tell them NOT TO REPEAL THE HAYDEN LAW! THE GOVERNOR CAN ACCOMPLISH A >GOAL OF ZERO-BUDGET ALLOCATION BY SUSPENDING IT... HE DOESN'T NEED TO >REPEAL IT TO ACCOMPLISH HIS STATED GOAL! > >QUESTIONS? Contact Rich Mc Lellan, Animal Legislative Action Network, >[log in to unmask] OR Jennifer Fearing, United Animal Nations, >[log in to unmask] > >Conference Committee Members > >Chesbro, Wes (D) - Chair >(916) 445-3375 tel >[log in to unmask] email >(916) 445-3375 fax > >Dede Alpert (D) >(916) 445-3952 tel >[log in to unmask] email >(916) 327-2188 fax > >Ross Johnson (R) >(916) 445-4961 tel >*doesn't use e-mail >(949) 833-0696 fax > >Darrell Steinberg (D) >(916) 319-2009 tel >[log in to unmask] email >(916) 319-2109 fax > >Judy Chu (D) >(916) 319-2049 tel >*doesn't use e-mail >(916) 319-2149 fax > >Rick Keene (R) >(916) 319-2003 tel >[log in to unmask] email >(916) 319-2103 fax [Posted in FML issue 4554]