[ SHOWGSD-L ] L.A.times PETPac Article #3...a FIGHT!
- From: "Carolyn" <marhaven@xxxxxxx>
- To: <Stormy435@xxxxxxx>, <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2007 14:05:10 -0700
Typical political rhetoric method.............accuse the other side of making
millions and accusing us who
have dogs and breed of selfish interest and financial gian......when in
actuality it is usually the opposite
situation......and then accuse the other side of fostering "emotions" when in
actuality it is usually the
opposite. Levine accuses our side of "distorting facts and using scare
tactics" when again....that can
be said of his side. Levine hoped to get a "step up" into a Senatorial
position with this bill I believe.....
All PETPac did was make a concentrated effort to fight back....and was
surprisingly successful
for the time being because of great efforts from many.
Levine had money AND emotions behind him in the beginning!!
Let's all strive to prove Levine wrong in his "skepticism that PETPac will
become a major force" and
help this Org. to be able to fight the same good fight in Kentucky or
Pennsylvania.....wherever needed.
Carolyn marhaven@xxxxxxx
www.marhaven.com
Message -----
From: Stormy435@xxxxxxx To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, July 16, 2007
10:51 AM
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] L.A.times PETPac Article #3...read the last couple lines
PetPAC launched a slick Internet website to solicit support from throughout
the country. It was so effective that backers of the bill put up a
counter-website called "PetPAC Nonsense."
Hemby, who has seven borzoi dogs at his home in Grass Valley, said he
received about $10,000 from PetPAC for three months of work on the Levine bill.
Moran
has received the same amount.
Hemby said he started the campaign to protect his and other pet owners'
rights, not to get rich, and said the committee did not accept money from any
major
corporations.
The largest contributor to PetPAC was the Cat Fanciers Assn., which donated
$25,000 to help the group rally opponents, organize a massive letter writing
campaign and air television ads against the Levine bill.
The second-biggest contribution was $5,000 from the Ventura Dog Fanciers
Assn., according to Moran, who is also director of political affairs for the
California Organization of Police and Sheriffs and previously worked on
campaigns
for Jessica's Law and former Rep. Richard Lehman of California.
Joan Miller, the legislative coordinator for the Cat Fanciers Assn., said the
opposition behind PetPAC is sincere and not based on financial gain, and she
gave the group a lot of credit in helping to defeat Levine.
"They provided expertise," said Miller, a San Diego resident. "They knew how
to bring people together. There was a huge outpouring.
"This bill really shocked a lot of people all over the country. I had calls
today from people in Minnesota and Washington and Texas. The whole country
watched this over the Internet."
The American Kennel Club launched a separate campaign against the bill.
Levine and PetPAC are likely to cross swords again in January, when the
legislator plans to revive his bill, but the group is already setting its
sights on
legislation in New Jersey, Indiana and Kentucky that its leaders believe
infringe on pet owners' rights.
Levine is skeptical that the group will become a major force.
"I don't think the group is legitimate," he said. "It formed for this
legislation. I don't know if they will be able to sustain it beyond this bill."
~~~~~~~~
Stormy HopeCalifornia Federation of Dog Clubswww.cfodconline.orgS.P. Region
GSDCA RALEEF Representative
----- Original Message -----
From: Stormy435@xxxxxxx To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Monday, July 16,
2007 10:50 AM
Subject: [ SHOWGSD-L ] LA Times PETPac article, #2
There are 9 million dog and cat owners in California, and Hemby envisions his
group becoming a national force for animal breeders, trainers and owners.
"When AB 1634 was introduced, I just knew that in order to impact that bill, w
e had to create a political action group," said Hemby, a veteran advocate in
Sacramento for the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs.
"The pet owners realized that they had been sitting on the sidelines watching
their rights erode and not doing anything about it."
Hemby, 69 and bearded, has a knack for political showmanship. When the Senate
Local Government Committee took up the bill on Wednesday, Lassie, the canine
film star, was sitting on the floor in the front row.
Former state Sen. David Roberti, who tried unsuccessfully to launch a
political action committee for pet owners in the 1980s called RoarPac,
believes the
timing and issues are right for Hemby to build a powerful new organization.
"They, along with all animal-oriented groups, have the ability to mobilize a
large, emotional membership. That is pretty powerful," Roberti said.
However, critics of PetPAC challenge the assertion that the group represents
the views of the majority of pet owners, thousands of which supported AB 1634
as a way to address the 454,000 unwanted dogs and cats put to death in
California shelters each year. The measure provided exemptions for show,
breeder and
work animals.
Levine, a Democrat from Van Nuys, and other backers of the bill note that
many of the supporters of PetPAC are people who make money from animals,
including breeders, trainers and veterinarians.
"It's ridiculous that they oppose this bill. They are doing it out of selfish
interest, for financial gain," said Ontario businessman Chris Majeska, one of
thousands of the legislation's supporters who flooded the Capitol with
e-mails and letters. Majeska has eight dogs, mostly mutts he found roaming
the
streets.
Levine and others say PetPAC crossed the line in distorting facts and using
fear tactics. The group printed posters opposing AB 1634 as the "Pet
Extinction
Act." Hemby went on television to allege that the proposed spay rules were
part of a campaign by PETA and other extremist groups to "eliminate all dogs
and
cats in California."
A similar message was included in TV spots put on Sacramento stations by
PetPAC.
"There is a lot of fear and it has been whipped up by my opponents," Levine
said.
"The best way to kill a bill is by creating fear and confusion, and they have
done a good job of that."
He called the "Pet Extinction Act" posters "ludicrous."
At one point Judie Mancuso, a campaign director for the bill, referred to the
opposition as the "PetPAC monsters."
Mancuso said the tactics of PetPAC were inappropriate. "They really distorted
the facts to scare people," she said.
Kelley Moran, state campaign director for the fledgling group, said the ads
refrained from personal attack, although he acknowledges he raised questions
about Levine's qualifications.
"He is not a pet owner. I don't believe he understands what being a pet owner
is all about," Moran said.
~~~~~~~~
Stormy Hope
California Federation of Dog Clubs
www.cfodconline.org
S.P. Region GSDCA RALEEF Representative
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