Your Senator Voted Against Two Important Animal Protection Bills—Ask That They Do Better!

The Senate of Virginia Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of two important bills that would advance animal protection in the Commonwealth, with only two senators—including yours—voting against reporting them to the full Senate.

House Bill 1531, introduced by Del. Kathy Tran (D-18), would ban the use of bullhooks in Virginia. A bullhook is a weapon used to terrorize, punish, and control elephants and break their spirits. It is steel-tipped, resembles a fireplace poker, and weighs about as much as a baseball bat. During “training”—which starts when baby elephants have just been prematurely separated from their distressed mothers—handlers strike, jab, poke, prod, and beat them. Trainers sink a sharp bullhook deep into sensitive areas around elephants’ mouth and eyes, behind their ears, inside their trunk, and in tender spots under their chin and around their feet.

House Bill 580, introduced by Del. Shelly Simonds (D-70), would require the creation of a task force that would study deficiencies in publicly funded animal testing facilities and submit recommendations on making available to the public information pertaining to instances of noncompliance with federal animal welfare regulations as well as the care, use, and numbers of animals used in experiments in Virginia. The task force’s report of recommendations would be due by November 1.

Please contact your state senator today. Let them know you’re disappointed that they opposed these important bills, and urge them to vote differently in the full chamber! The bills will be up for a vote on the Senate floor on February 23.

Here are some suggested points to include:

• You’re a constituent of their district who cares about animal welfare and protection.
• You’re disappointed that they were one of only two senators to vote against both of these important bills in committee, and you’d like them to vote in favor of them in the full chamber.
• You’ll continue to follow the issue as the bills are voted on in the Senate.

For those who live in Senate District 5 (all of Bland, Giles, Pulaski, Smyth, and Tazewell counties and the city of Radford as well as parts of Montgomery and Wythe counties), please click here to e-mail Sen. Travis Hackworth.

You can also call Sen. Hackworth’s offices at 804-698-7505 and 276-345-9112 to voice your disapproval of these votes.

For those who live in Senate District 9 (all of Charlotte, Halifax, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Nottoway, and Pittsylvania counties and the city of Danville as well as parts of Prince Edward County), please click here to e-mail Sen. Tammy Brankley Mulchi.

You can also call Sen. Brankley Mulchi’s office at 804-698-7509 to voice your disapproval of these votes.