Winning a needed veto & making fear-free shelters

                                                                           APLNJ pic

Which tactic worked to cause Governor Phil Murphy to veto the “beaver trapping” bill that would have allowed more trappers to kill more beavers?  Much as we appreciate his move, we still need to know what reaches him so we might try the same approach with other pro-animal bills.

It’s doubtful he has a fondness for beavers -- or most wild animals. Was his veto just one small way to appease animal welfare advocates who have been on his case for breaking his campaign promise to stop the bear hunt?

The end of the legislative session brought one other (temporary) triumph for animals; the “deer poaching” bill (A3242) was not posted for a vote, as had been expected.  Why not?  Because “We lobbied very hard and educated legislators.  Members reached out to their assembly members and met with them in their districts.  A number of legislators were not in favor of the bill,” says Janine Motta, programs director with the Animal Protection League of NJ (APLNJ.org).

But, she warns, “This bill has reared its ugly head for 5 sessions (since 2011) and sure enough, Senator Smith, the prime senate sponsor all along, has already introduced it this session -- S335. So we continue our fight.”

To the question “What tactic works,” the answer seems to be: “Fight for animal welfare issues on every possible front.”

 

Fear-free animal shelters

Animal shelters: In my experience, not desirable places for animals to be, although sometimes a necessary evil. My visits to seemingly “good” shelters were infrequent; who knows what they were like day-to-day.

Animal shelters: held to be particularly bad for cats by an organization that should know:  the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, the group that released “Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters” in 2010 -- guidelines that even today very few shelters have met.  

When I volunteered at an area shelter, I wished I could “transform how shelters make animals (and people) feel,” to borrow a phrase from a recent Animal Sheltering magazine article describing that very thing.  Preferring a gentler way of treating shelter animals than what she saw, author Brenda Griffin, DVM, tried different techniques “to calm nervous animals.”   

“Nervous”?  Well, of course.  Who wouldn’t be, in a new place with many other animals, strange noises and smells, and people coming and going, often moving fast and talking loud. 

We know how our own negative emotions can affect how we feel and behave; it’s the same with animals in a stressful new place.  Calmly and purposefully, Dr.  Griffin writes, we should approach an animal slowly, from the side, instead of approaching her quickly head on.  And because direct eye contact can be threatening, we should gaze off to the side.

Buster

Affiliated with “Fear Free” Shelters and Homes, she advocates minimizing potential stressful sights, sounds and smells by closing doors, limiting foot traffic and draping a blanket or towel over a cage door to provide privacy for the occupant.  Speaking softly and playing calming music at low volume also helps. 

Do’s and don’ts for creating the desired shelter atmosphere include positioning an animal on a pillow or padded (familiar) bed, rather than on a slippery, cold table top for an exam or procedure.  Tasty treats raise the comfort level too.  

Using “classical conditioning” helps shelter pets learn to associate things there with positive emotions, rather than with stress or frustration -- which can lead to suppressed immunity, increased risk of infectious disease and behavior problems.

We would prefer such treatment if we were in the animals’ position, wouldn’t we?  The golden rule applies.

https://www.animalsheltering.org/magazine/articles/taking-fear-out-shelteringhttps://www.animalsheltering.org/magazine/articles/taking-fear-out-sheltering

https://fearfreeshelters.com/

Your reactions add value to these blog posts!  To comment, please go to 1moreonce.blogspot.com.