Promoting compassion in your community
June 22nd, 2009 by admin
Local politics is not for everyone, but if you have the courage to approach elected officials with an idea to help animals, the stubborness to follow-up on your meeting or correspondence, and the patience to sit through city or county commission meetings that can be excruciatingly long, then you can make a big difference for animals in your community.*
Last week there were three great examples of local government taking action for animals.
After numerous complaints about a miserable pet store in the city, the City of Hallandale Beach (Broward County) drafted an ordinance to strengthen its regulation of pet shops. The ordinance which passed last Wednesday requires that cages at pet shops be clean and provide animals with enough space to stand and turn around, prohibits animals in pet shops from being left unattended for more than 12 hours, and requires appropriate exercise for animals. (The ordinance also prohibits the cruel chaining of dogs, by making it illegal to chain or tether an animal outdoors for more than 15 minutes unless the owner is present.)
Please send a quick e-mail to Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper thanking the city for its actions to protect animals. E-mail Mayor Cooper: jcooper@hallandalebeachfl.gov
Last Tuesday, city commissioners in Tarpon Springs (Pinellas County) approved an ordinance restricting the chaining or tethering of dogs for longer than one hour at a time or for more than three hours a day. The ordinance also requires a three-hour interval between each time a dog is tethered.
Send a quick thank you to Tarpon Springs Mayor Beverley Billiris: bbilliris@ci.tarpon-springs.fl.us
On Thursday, the Town of Southwest Ranches (Broward County) also unanimously approved a tethering ordinance, prohibiting the tethering of dogs in bad weather or for longer than 16 hours a day.
Send a thank you to Mayor Jeff Nelson: jnelson@swranches.org
*Contact ARFF; we can help by providing you with model ordinances, and by mobilizing compassionate individuals in your community.