Here in Tennessee, animal welfare has been a major news
story as of late. In addition to on-going coverage of the abuse of Tennessee
Walking Horses (latest news story here: http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013304260097),
legislators are trying to pass what is being called an Ag Gag bill that would
require witnesses of animal abuse to turn over evidence to police immediately.
While it sounds good on the surface, the bill, if signed
into law, would mark a major setback for groups that fight animal abuse. If
you've ever watched Food Inc. or any of the other movies that show animal
abuse, you likely are aware that this footage was captured secretly over
several days and months, usually by individuals who go undercover as ranch
hands to get evidence of suspected abuse.
This bill, supported by big agriculture, would effectively
make it illegal for these groups to collect evidence over time to build a case,
making it that much harder to expose animal abuse.
Thousands of Tennessee residents, including myself, have contacted
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam asking him to veto this bill as it has already
passed the House and is likely to pass the Senate. National celebrities,
including locals like Carrie Underwood and non-locals like Ellen DeGeneres, are
also sending messages to Tennessee citizens and the governor to stop this from
happening.
If you live in Tennessee, I strongly encourage you to be a
part of fighting this bill by calling Governor Haslam or sending him an email.
The Humane Society has made it easy by posting his phone number and creating a
sample email: https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6037&s_src=A6047
If you don't live in Tennessee, I encourage you to post this
link out of Facebook or Twitter to inform your Tennessee friends and show your
support for the residents and organizations working hard to fight this
legislation.
Want to learn more? Check out these articles about the bill:
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