FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Kiley Blackman  
adow@adow.org
www.adow.org   

HUMANE VOTERS COMING TO WESTCHESTER COUNTY

September 7, 2006 Westchester, NY Animal Defenders of Westchester (ADOW) is pleased to announce the creation of “League of Humane Voters of Westchester,” in recognition of the need for a voting bloc adjunct; we intend to make animal rights a mainstream political issue here by building support among citizens, activists, political parties, candidates and elected officials.

ADOW already has five items in Westchester County Board of Legislators Committees:

Committee on Legislation (Clinton Young, Chair):

1) No rodeos in Westchester County
2) No foie gras sold in food-dispensing facilities here
3) No traveling animal acts on County Property
4) Establishment of a spay/neuter mobile in this County Committee on Public Safety (William Burton, Chair):
5) Sprinker systems in facilities that house animals for more than 24 hours

Some of these issues are being advanced on a state level as well, such as for sprinkler systems and foie gras, both recently in the press.  We feel that Westchester can and should enact these items on a local level, which would probably predate any activity on the state level.

Kiley Blackman, founder of the LOHV Chapter here, said, “This is an exciting and innovative step for animal protection in Westchester; anyone who thinks we’re ‘little old ladies in tennis shoes will have to look again: We’re working people...we’re taxpayers...we care about animals...and we vote!”