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Barack Obama Speaks up for Animals
 

Barack Obama

"I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other,   and it's very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals." -Barack Obama

 

Pasado's Safe Haven does not endorse any one candidate but we were very pleased to hear that Barack Obama pledged his support of animal rights this week.  We hope the other presidential candidates will let voters know where they stand on animal issues as well.
 

Obama's statement came after a woman had shouted out "What about animal rights?" during the candidate's town hall meeting outside Las Vegas on Wednesday. 


He explained that he cares about animal rights very much, "not only because I have a 9-year-old and  6-year-old who want a dog."
 

Pasado's very own Barack O'Llama was recently featured on CNN!  Read more about him here.		 "I've repeatedly voted to increase penalties for animal cruelty and violence and, importantly, to require psychological counseling for those who engage in this behavior as part of the punishment. In addition to being unacceptable in its own stead, violence towards animals is linked with violent behavior in general, especially domestic violence, and we need to acknowledge this connection and work to treat it. Strong penalties are important and I support them, but we know that incarceration alone can't solve all our problems. As president, I'd continue to make sure that we treat animal cruelty like the serious crime it is and address its connection to broader patterns of violence."

Obama pledges support for nearly every animal protection bill currently pending in Congress, and he says he will work with executive agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make their policies more humane. He writes of the important role animals play in our lives, as companions in our homes, as wildlife in their own environments, and as service animals working with law enforcement and assisting persons with disabilities.


In his eight years as an Illinois state senator he also voted for at least a dozen animal protection laws including issues such as - to allow the creation of pet trusts to provide for the long-term care of companion animals; to upgrade the penalties for cruelty to animals; to require psychological counseling for people who abuse animals; to require that veterinarians report suspected acts of cruelty and animal fighting; and to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption—which was significant because, at the time, Illinois was one of only two states (with Texas) where horse slaughter plants operated. 

We will continue to follow all of the presidential candidates and provide information about where they do stand on this very important issue.
 

 


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