It’s been a while since I’ve taken the time to write a blog post. Perhaps a year or two, to be exact. Life has been awfully busy with all the shelter consults, board meetings, and family. I’m realizing it’s time to get this started back up again. It’s the perfect venue for sharing ideas and thoughts about the various aspects of shelter medicine, without it needing to be a formal setting.
Everyday we are all learning, so here’s the what I learned today:
I am at the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) Management Subcommittee meeting in Illinois, learning about legislation that’s being proposed in Congress on a wide range of animal welfare topics.
One specific bill that has been proposed by Republican House Representative Louie Gohmert (R-1st/TX) is H.R.2603, dubbed the “SAVES Act” which amends the Endangered Species Act of 1973 such that nonnative species in the United States shall not be treated as endangered species or threatened species for purposes of that Act.
So, what does this mean? To be honest, I’m not exactly sure. What it sounds like is that animals that are currently protected (who happen to not be native species), would no longer be protected. That opens up the option of transporting these animals across state lines, breeding, etc., without oversight. It also seems to make sport hunting of these animals a possibility. Overall impact would be to threaten wildlife that are at risk internationally.
Not surprisingly, those in favor of this proposal include the Dallas Safari Club (DSC), Safari Club International (SCI), and the NRA.
The World Wildlife Fund is opposed to this legislation.
Personally, I am skeptical that there is anything positive in this legislation. Definitely seems like a great way to get rid of protections that are meant to safeguard animals. Something to keep an eye on for sure! Do you have any thoughts on it?
#legislation #SAVESact #Animalwelfare