PAWS
Actionline

A weekly opportunity
to make a difference
for animals

PAWS Exotic Animal Campaign

PAWS Farm Animal Campaign

PAWS Campaign Against Circuses That Use Performing Animals

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Important Links

PAWS Home Page

PAWS Animal Cruelty Resources and Links

Volunteer with PAWS Advocacy

Animal Welfare Links

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Legislative Links

Washington State
- House of Representatives
- Senate

Federal
- House of Representatives
- Senator Maria Cantwell
- Senator Patty Murray

Vote Smart is an excellent resource for all sorts of legislation.

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PAWS Mailing Address:
PO Box 1037
Lynnwood WA, 98046

PAWS Physical Address:
15305 44th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98037

City of Edmonds STILL Fails to Implement Spay/Neuter Law
Last year, the City of Edmonds passed a law (December, 2002) requiring that all shelter animals be spayed or neutered prior to adoption from the City's municipal shelter. The City has had over a year to implement this new law, yet Edmonds continues to adopt out shelter animals UNALTERED!

Edmonds City Council will meet next Tuesday, January 27th at 7:00 pm to discuss implementation of this spay/neuter policy. Time will be allowed for public comment. If you are an Edmonds citizen, please attend this council meeting to express your dissatisfaction that the City of Edmonds continues to stall on this issue. It is imperative that City Councilmembers hear from their constituents that this failure to implement such a basic, common-sense policy is unacceptable, not to mention illegal. There are two new members on the Council since the spay/neuter law passed last year, so it is especially important for them to be made aware of their constituents' stance on this issue. If you cannot attend the meeting, please call or e-mail councilmembers (contact information below). If you would like more information, contact PAWS Advocate, Tamar Puckett at 425.787.2500, ext. 257 or tamarp@paws.org.

Talking points:

• Spaying and neutering is good public policy. Altering shelter animals prior to adoption is mainstream policy these days since it is widely recognized that doing so is the only humane and effective way to reduce pet overpopulation.
• Since the City of Everett passed a spay/neuter law last Spring, Edmonds is now the VERY LAST municipality in the Puget Sound region, from the Canadian border down to Olympia, failing to alter its shelter animals. Surely this is not the reputation the City of Edmonds desires.
• There is no financial burden on the City or the shelter provider as a result of this spay/neuter policy. The City Council voted to increase adoption fees in October, 2003 rendering this a revenue-neutral policy.
• The contractual framework for implementing this law is in place: certain Edmonds' veterinarians have agreed to spay and neuter the City's shelter animals at a reduced rate; the City's Police Department has agreed to transport the animals to the contracting veterinarians; the administrative process for handling this policy has been established.

Washington's Cougars Need You. Please Help Protect Initiative 655
In 1996, the citizens of WA State passed Initiative 655 by a landslide (63% of the vote). I-655 banned the cruel, unfair and unsporting practices of bear baiting and hound hunting of bears, cougars, and bobcats. The initiative specifically maintained the authority of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) to use bait or dogs if needed to deal with "problem" bears or cougars.

Even so, the WA State legislature, partly in response to media hype about "dangerous cougars," pressure from the hound-hunting community, and lobbying by the WDFW, passed SSB 5001 during the 2000 legislative session. SSB 5001 allowed the WDFW to permit hound hunting to cull cougar populations in areas where there are perceived problems with the big cats. In other words, the bill essentially allowed for a return to the practice of using hounds for the hunting of cougars.

Yet some legislators still aren't happy with the number of cougars being killed in our state, even with the latest increase to that figure. SB 6118, a newly introduced bill, would establish a three-year pilot program in Ferry, Okanogan, and Stevens counties that would allow the counties to establish their own rules and seasons for the pursuit of cougars with hounds (a period of time when hunters and dogs can chase, but not kill, the cougars) and hound hunting of cougars.

What these three counties have requested is the unlimited ability to hold hound-hunting seasons on cougars, with no qualifications, no restrictions, no monitoring, and no oversight. In fact, their proposal simply and blatantly reinstates sport hunting of cougars with the use of hounds. SB 6118 would essentially allow trophy hunting of cougars.

What you can do:

Please Contact your State Senator and Representatives, and ask them to oppose SB 6118. Point out that problem cougars can already be addressed through I-655 and SB 5001, and that existing law specifically allows for hound-hunting seasons of cougars in "problem" areas. SB 6118 is an attempt to undermine a decision of WA voters, who decisively proclaimed that they do not accept the use of dogs for sport hunting of cougars. Always include your name and address in your message to your legislators.

If you do not know who your State representatives and senator are, go to the WA State Legislative District Lookup site at: http://dfind.leg.wa.gov/ or call the toll-free Legislative Hotline at 1-800-562-6000 and give the operator your address - they will know who represents you.

Forum to discuss the long-term vision for Magnuson Park
Seattle Parks and Recreation proposes to install 30 acres of lit, synthetic-turf sports fields at Magnuson Park, plus nearly 1,000 parking spaces (with lights on as late as 10 p.m., year-round). The plan calls for the “mass-grading” of 151 acres in the heart of Magnuson Park, and could alter the seasonal nature of the park while displacing critical species. Interested neighbors and citizens are invited to a forum to discuss the City's plan for the park and its potential impacts on the environment and area wildlife.

Date: Monday, February 2, 2004
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave NE, Seattle

Gala Evening Benefit for the Animals at PAWS
PAWS Presents Roger Fouts Thursday, March 18th at the Renaissance Madison Hotel in downtown Seattle.

Roger is a professor of psychology at Central Washington University and Co-Director of the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute. He has been a part of Project Washoe since 1967. Washoe was the very first nonhuman animal to acquire a human language, American Sign Language for the Deaf (ASL).

Enjoy a gourmet animal-friendly dinner, live auction and inspiring presentation!

Ticket Information:

$95 Individual - Admittance for one to Roger Fouts presentation, auction and dinner

$150 Select Individual - Admittance for one to all of the above, plus pre-event reception to meet Roger Fouts

Tickets can be purchased online or call PAWS Development Office 425.787.2500 x261 or x262.