[pyrnet] Fw: Help Virginia Rescues

["Barb Bowes" <bamb@monmouth.com>]

This situation is a bit more complicated than what is written below, but it
is a pretty good overview of the situation. If you are in Virginia, write to
the Governor and your state legislators, telling them you want this law
changed or repealed. Many more animals will die in local facilities if this
law is allowed to stand, as is. Even though I am not a Virginia resident, I
wrote to the Governor as well on behalf of all Virginia Rescues. If you
decide to do the same, please be extra polite. Getting angry or overly
emotional does not help the cause.  Barb Bowes


Subject: Help Virginia Rescuers Keep Rescuing


This is a dark time for rescuers here in Virginia.  In the
spring session, the General Assembly passed the bill SB 260.  This bill
places virtually all resuce organizations in Virginia under government
regulation.

This new law states that beginning July 1, 2002 any rescuer accepting more
than six animals a year must do the following:

* Pay a $100 annual fee to the Commonwealth of Virginia;

* Register with the State Veterinarian's office as a Companion Animal Rescue
Agency  (CARA).  (This information will be available to anyone who requests
it through the Freedom of Information Act;

* Register all foster homes that accept more than two animals per year.

* Publicly post name, phone number, and home address in every pound in
rescue's service area, regardless of how wide it is.

* Be subject to an inspection of home at any time by the State
Veterinarian's office. No warrant is required.


Because of this new law, many national rescue groups are
planning to, or already have, pulled out of Virginia completely.  Others
have decided, rather than give up their privacy and Fourth Amendment rights,
to cut back the number of pets they rescue to six a year.  Some of these
people, have previously saved as many as 100 animals annually.

Rescues are already rapidly losing foster homes, who are not willing to give
up their privacy for the privilege of providing a public service.

As you can see, more animals will die (and indeed are all
ready dying) in Virginia as a direct result of SB 260.

I urge you to take a few moments and visit http://www.no-sb-260.com  There
you will find more details on this new law.  You will also find how to
subscribe to the VA Rescue Law e-mail list.  This list was specifically set
up to help people learn about, and fight VA
SB-260.

All is not lost.  There is still the possibility that we can
get this law changed, if we all act now!  The problem thus far has been that
very few people even know of SB 260's existance, much less what it is going
to do to rescue in Virginia.  If rescue is going to have any future in
Virginia, we all must pitch in and exercise our rights as citizens to get
this law changed at the next General Assembly meeting.

Regards,