|
Be Our Voice was created as a result of the
true events of the largest animal cruelty case to date that unfolded in July of
2010 in Harris County, Texas.
Be Our Voice began as a
song
inspired by this animal cruelty case and progressed to a
video (video
may take a few minutes to load).
BeOurVoice.org was launched on
March 1, 2011 in an attempt to end animal cruelty to birds by educating the
public on how to recognize the signs of cruelty and how and where to report it.
Animal cruelty can
be found anywhere and in any form. Animal
cruelty can be found in (but not limited to) pet shops, rescues, shelters,
breeding facilities, and your neighborhood.
Recognizing animal cruelty is essential
in reporting it.
In order to know what unacceptable conditions look
like, one must first be able to recognize what acceptable conditions look like. Please
click
HERE for a slide show presentation to see examples of good living conditions
for birds.
Then click
HERE to view photos of the Harris County animal cruelty case.
It is best to consult with
knowledgeable individuals (species-specific veterinarians, animal welfare
experts, local Animal Control officer, local law enforcement agency, etc.)
regarding specific species before filing reports to help determine what is and
what is not considered cruelty.
Passive Cruelty and Active Cruelty are the two types of cruelty. Passive cruelty involves cases of
neglect (starvation, dehydration from lack of water, etc), whereas active
cruelty involves intent to cause harm to an animal (malicious physical abuse). When you see possible cases of
neglect or abuse, it is important to
document your phone calls, complaints, and take clear photos.
Some rural parts of the country may not have a designated Animal Control
Department, but there may be a local humane society that has been assigned the
power to investigate cruelty cases.
However, if your town has neither, cruelty cases may fall under the jurisdiction
of the sheriff's department or local police.
If you witness animal cruelty in
progress and do not know the number to the appropriate agency, CALL 911. Animal cruelty is a crime, and the
police dispatcher will be able to determine which department should respond.
Many laws do not clearly define neglect so prosecuting these cases have
not always been successful. The grey
areas in the law need to be clarified as to what constitutes neglect such as
cages caked with excrement, lack of proper food, water contaminated with fecal
matter and/or fungus/bacteria, no perches in cages, and sick or injured birds
being denied veterinary treatment just to name a handful of issues. You can help motivate our legislators
by writing to them with your concerns regarding these issues.
Effective letter writing is important. Begin your letter by briefly explaining who
you are and where you are writing from.
Be polite and take a firm position in your letter. Be brief by limiting your letter to
one page and one issue. Include a
brief summary of the crime or issue you're writing about, and make sure your
facts are correct. Choose the three
strongest points to support your position and develop them clearly and
concisely. Make it personal by
stating how it affects you, your family, and your community. Connect with the legislator by
stating that you voted and/or contributed to his/her campaign.
Be specific as to what you'd like to see happen. "Please make sure
this person can never hurt another animal" is less useful than "Please ensure
that this person is sentenced to the maximum jail time allowable by law,
required to undergo mandatory psychological counseling and banned from owning
animals for as long as possible." If
you live in the area where the case is being prosecuted, let the official know
that the issue is important enough to you to affect future voting decisions. If you do not live in the area, let
the official know that their position on the issue may make you reluctant to
visit the county, state, or province and that you may be inclined to spend your
money elsewhere.
Spellcheck and proof-read your letter and never write in ALL CAPS as this tends to imply "shouting." Include your real name and mailing
address. Letters with fictitious
names and addresses will not be taken seriously and can only hurt the cause. Use the proper title and salutation
in your letter and always address your letter to a specific person.
Find and Write to
your legislator
You can also help by staying current on bills and amendments that safeguard bird welfare and by writing to those committees
with words of encouragement. If you
have concerns about a specific detail in a bill, please state exactly what that
is and offer a possible alternative to it.
Animal Welfare
Bills
Animal Welfare Legislation
Every
state has its own version of animal cruelty laws. They may also vary from county to
county so be sure to check with the county for variations on those laws.
Listing of Animal
Cruelty Laws by State
Back to Top
| 
