We are a mainstream voice for the animals of Texas:
companion animals, homeless animals, horses, farm animals, native Texas wildlife and exotic animals alike. THLN is the voice at the Texas Legislature for untold numbers of animals throughout Texas who suffer horrific abuse and tragic neglect at the hands of callous humans. If you agree that animals deserve compassion and their abusers deserve punishment, we invite you to answer the call to justice by joining the Texas Humane Legislation Network today. Protecting those who cannot protect themselves is a noble cause for which your life will be much better for having served.
Click here to join us today!
Quick Summary: Animal-welfare advocates are looking to the Legislature to help, saying Texas' size and lack of strong laws regulating breeders have allowed cruel operations to flourish. Click here to take action now!
Quick Summary: Please join us for our 2nd annual THLN conference featuring key note speaker Wayne Pacelle - HSUS President/CEO. Click here to take action now!
6.16.10 - A criminal dog-fighting DNA database has been created to help the criminal justice system investigate and prosecute dog-fighting cases. More...
A national report from Washington revealed this week what those of us in the animal welfare community have known all along: USDA-licensed inspectors are allowing commercial dog breeders to get away with murder. A sweeping multi-state audit of commercial dog breeding facilities cited the same types of conditions typically found in unregulated puppy mills discovered here in Texas -- dogs found dead or starving with untreated wounds and infections.
Among other shocking findings, this report, issued by the USDA's Office of Inspector General, found that:
guidelines were not being enforced;
more than half of the dog-breeding facilities found to be in violation of the Animal Welfare Act were repeat offenders; and
large breeders are using loopholes in the federal regulations to sell animals over the Internet.
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and David Vitter, after reading what they described as a "scathing report," called for immediate changes within the agency to crack down on irresponsible breeders and have now introduced legislation to regulate online puppy sales.
While we enthusiastically support reforms at the federal level, we must do everything possible to crack down on puppy mill cruelty through state regulation. We hope we can count on your continued support to stop puppy mills in Texas.
If you have not yet made your "Stop Puppy Mill Cruelty" contribution, please click here to make your online donation now.
Thank you for supporting THLN and for the many other ways that you help animals. Your participation is vital to our efforts.
Browse to this URL - http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ - and enter your address. You will be given a list of all of the legislators that represent you.
The Humane Society of the United States is under a very aggressive, very well funded attack by big agriculture, puppy millers, seal hunters, and other animal profiteers. HSUS is fighting for humane treatment of farm animals, fighting to end the scourge of puppy mills, end the inhumane hunting of seals and generally improve the welfare of ALL ANIMALS. HumaneWatch is fighting to protect their clients' rights to abuse and exploit animals for a profit. Click here to watch video Who is HumaneWatch?
As animal protection advocates, we face well-funded special interest groups that oppose animal welfare laws at both the state and national levels. Their strategy? Spread misinformation about effective animal welfare groups such as Texas Humane Legislation Network and The Humane Society of the United States in an attempt to destroy our organizations' credibility.
The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), led by Washington-based lobbyist Richard Berman, enjoys a tax-exempt, nonprofit status while being paid millions of dollars to spin deceptive messages on behalf of tobacco, alcohol, and agribusiness interests.
The CCF attacks The HSUS through a website called "HumaneWatch," a site Berman created specifically for the purpose of spreading misinformation about The HSUS.
Other groups on Berman's hit list include Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and groups that work to expose the health risks of second-hand smoke, mercury in fish and processed foods.
To find out more about CCF founder and corporate front man Richard Berman, click here.
At the state level, a Texas-based group that calls itself the "Responsible Pet Owners Alliance" will be a highly visible and vocal force at the Texas Legislature next year to lobby against the puppy mill bill and other animal protection measures. RPOA -- representing pet breeders, pet dealers, retail sellers and related commercial interests -- propagates the CCF's false claims against The HSUS and uses similar tactics to attack THLN and its members.
To learn more about "Responsible Pet Owners Alliance," click here.
These groups pose a serious threat to animal protection efforts ONLY IF we allow their campaigns of deception to prevail.
Click here to make your voice heard for the animals by supporting THLN today. Every dollar helps and any amount is appreciated.
This law is cited as Texas Health and Safety Code - Title 10 - Chapter 821, Subchapter C, Sections 821.051 - 821..055. (specific language available at THLN.org). The law is accompanied by Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Rules and Regulations dealing with: training for euthanasia technicians, specifications for CO2 chambers, operating standards for CO2 chambers, methods for the administration of Sodium Pentobarbital, etc. These Rules are cited as Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 169, Sections 169.81 - 169.83 (specific language available at THLN.org). These Rules are reviewed and revised periodically by DSHS, at which time comments are solicited from various animal organizations throughout the state, including THLN.
Each time that THLN has had the opportunity to submit a recommendation to DSHS concerning gas chamber usage, we have recommended that it be eliminated. DSHS, however, continues to reject our recommendation.
History THLN has worked closely with DSHS, the state agency that oversees animal shelter euthanasia. Despite our repeated efforts to stop the use of "gas chambers" in Texas, we've been told by the agency and animal control staff statewide that there are many animal control agencies in Texas that employ only one individual. In many cases, the animal control authority is the sheriff. In these counties, gas chambers are used because one individual can perform the euthanasia easily - whereas DSHS feels two individuals are required to correctly and humanely administer the injectable euthanasia solution. Based on these arguments, the Texas Legislature allowed Carbon Monoxide euthanasia as an acceptable method of euthanasia. Fortunately, the law mandates that the only gas which can be utilized is cooled, commercially compressed carbon monoxide, administered in chambers that meet specific standards.
An increasing number of states now ban the use of ANY gas to euthanize shelter animals and we will continue to work toward that same goal in Texas. We strongly urge you to contact both your state representative and state senator and explain your concerns, urging them to work on this issue during the upcoming state legislative session.
Help Bring About Change at the Local Level Community activism is often the quickest and most effective way to bring about change for the better to help the animals at your local animal shelter.
We encourage you to contact your locally elected officials - your mayor, city council members and county commissioners -- with documentation of the problems and the unacceptable cruelty that is involved in gassing animals. Organize a citywide or county effort to educate people about this issue and try to get the support of as many local citizens as possible to show that this is a major concern in the community. Address the issue at city council and county commissioners' court meetings. The more people who voice their opposition, the more likely the problem will be resolved. (Speakers should be polite, respectful, well prepared and brief in their statements.)
Contact your local media through press releases and make them aware that a group of concerned citizens have launched an effort to ban "death by gas chamber" euthanasia at the local shelter. You might want to have a media event, such as a peaceful, well-organized rally on the steps of City Hall or in another high visibility public area, possibly in front of the shelter. (Make sure you go through the proper channels to get permission to hold an event, even if it is in a public area.) If possible, enlist the help of a local public relations person to help plan the event, contact the media, provide factual information for distribution and select speakers who will provide the most effective sound bites.
Finally, if your local shelter is using gas euthanasia, make sure they are complying with all the rules required by state law.
Two legislative sessions ago, THLN was successful in getting a law passed that limited the means of euthanasia to sodium pentobarbital or commercially compressed carbon monoxide. The law requires other steps be taken and safeguards imposed to ensure that if a gas chamber is used, that it is as humane as possible. It is certainly the second choice for humane euthanasia but, if done properly and in accordance with the regulations passed by the Department of State Health Services, it is said to be humane.
