The Humane HEART - helping those who need it most - helping where it's needed most
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Purposes To respond, as necessary, to critical situations as they arise. To rescue animals in need of rescue. To protect animals from abuse through direct action, campaigns, and legislation. To promote kindness and understanding; and to advocate for justice. To promote good health, and oppose damaging influences (regarding children). Methods Be humane; having a heart, especially for children and animals. Offer help as a "Good Samaritan". Correct unintentionally abusive or nuisance situations through cooperative efforts. Avoid using force of law that may de-stablize; ending badly also for the abused. Use the force of law to the fullest extent with regard to intentional abusers. |
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Special Guest Presentation for the LAWCA and the Humane HEART: A VALIANT STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE
VAL'S STORY - With Link To Slide Presentation
Last month (September, 2012) a truck ran over a dog. The dog was seriously injured. And, the driver of the truck left the scene.
People in the neighborhood called for help from the authorities so that the dog could be cared for. The authorities did respond as a matter of record, but without diligence. The situation was considerably mis-handled.
One of the neighbors: Nancy Oliver, very upset over the incident, made a slide presentation to tell the story. You can see it at: http://lawca.org/Valiant/#slides (best viewed using the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser which allows the poigniant background music to play).
Featured Campaign: HELP PRESS THE LEGISLATURE'S RESOLUTION TO END GAS CHAMBERS RIGHT AWAY
On August 15th, 2011, laws enacted in the 2011 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature went into effect.
During the session, a resolution was enacted to "urge and request" local governments to cease using gas chambers for the killing of animals in pounds and shelters as soon as possible.
In the 2010 Regular Session, Senate Bill 73 by Senator David Heitmeier of New Orleans was enacted into law to prohibit the use of gas chambers as of January 1, 2013. But, that was taking into consideration that local governments might not have been able to comply with an immediate ban, because they would require time to train technicians to do intravenous injection of an over-dose of a barbiturate, the preferred method of "euthanasia". However, circumstances have changed, and training of technicians is more do-able over a much shorter period of time. There are to be at least three times as many training sessions.
While killing by room-temperature carbon monoxide gas is painless in itself, the other circumstances involved in the use of gas chambers have been, in probably most circumstances where they were/are used, notoriously cruel - with animals being bunched together where they attack one another in terror, and eliminate into the mix; and where especially young and old animals don't assimilate the gas as readily, and sometimes have to go through the process more than once.
The resolution as originally drafted would have required state government to notify local governments, through the offices of the parish presidents, of the "urge and request" by the Legislature to move expeditiously to end the use of gas chambers. Unfortunately, that requirement was removed. It was replaced by a requirement to notify the Louisiana Police Jury Association and the Louisiana Municipal Association. That may be ineffective in getting the information where it needs to go. An attempt to have local media publicize the resolution so that local governments would know about it, and hopefully comply with it, was apparently met with little success.
WHICH PARISHES STILL HAVE GAS CHAMBERS IN OPERATION?
We still need verified information on some parishes. Here is a listing of parishes that do not use gas chambers: (Needs checking.)
Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, La Salle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Landry, Tangipahoa, Union, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, Winn
[Click: CO gas or Euthanasia by Injection List (c. 2009) supplied by Ola Ayers. It is more than 84% complete. Fifty-four of the sixty-four parishes are listed.]
Let's pay particular attention to these five (initially): Iberville, Lafayette, Livingston, St. Tammany, and Vermilion!
Note: Representative Nancy Landry and Senator Jonathan Perry (unopposed for re-election) are in both Lafayette and Vermilion Parishes.
Note: If your "on-board" e-mail (e,g., Outlook Express) doesn't work, click mail and "copy-and-paste" the e-mail address into your Internet e-mail.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. PLEASE refer everyone you can to this request for ACTION: http://humaneheart.org/#cause, along with a personal note.
2. Click:http://humaneheart.org/HCR160.pdf; read the resolution; and then if you like, copy it, or print it out, for distribution.
3. If you reside in a Louisiana parish, and it is not in the list of parishes (above) that do not have gas chambers, you have a significant opportunity to effect the banning of gas chambers in your parish:
4. If you do not live in one of those parishes (even if you reside in a place that is not in Louisiana), your participation in this campaign can still be effective in expediting the end of gas chamber use in Louisiana.
Just compose an appropriate (and polite) letter (or e-mail) targeting any of the parish and state officials for which contact information is provided in this Action ALERT. If you are particularly motivated to do it, you may also want to make a few phone calls to selected officials. Thank You very much for your involvement in this campaign!
[Epilog: Incidentally, the Resolution was authored by Representative Tony Ligi of Metairie at the request of Humane HEART President Pinckney Wood who wrote the original draft. During the 2010 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, after consulting with fellow Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission Member Hilton Cole, Director, East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control, Wood requested in a letter to Senator Heitmeier that he shorten the time to the gas chamber ban from 5 years (as it was in the senator's original bill) to 3 years, which was done. Naturally, an immediate ban would have been preferable, but there were practical considerations that precluded an immediate ban. The original push to ban gas chambers was apparently the result of pressure from a lot of people. The Humane HEART only learned about the bill after it was filed, but naturally was very happy to hear about it. One of the leading voices was Joelle Rupert of gas chamber using Vermilion Parish, as was Ola Ayers of gas chamber using Lafayette, and others. Joelle also happens to be a member of the Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission. But, the LAWC was not an organizer of the effort.]
During the session, a resolution was enacted to "urge and request" local governments to cease using gas chambers for the killing of animals in pounds and shelters as soon as possible.
In the 2010 Regular Session, Senate Bill 73 by Senator David Heitmeier of New Orleans was enacted into law to prohibit the use of gas chambers as of January 1, 2013. But, that was taking into consideration that local governments might not have been able to comply with an immediate ban, because they would require time to train technicians to do intravenous injection of an over-dose of a barbiturate, the preferred method of "euthanasia". However, circumstances have changed, and training of technicians is more do-able over a much shorter period of time. There are to be at least three times as many training sessions.
While killing by room-temperature carbon monoxide gas is painless in itself, the other circumstances involved in the use of gas chambers have been, in probably most circumstances where they were/are used, notoriously cruel - with animals being bunched together where they attack one another in terror, and eliminate into the mix; and where especially young and old animals don't assimilate the gas as readily, and sometimes have to go through the process more than once.
The resolution as originally drafted would have required state government to notify local governments, through the offices of the parish presidents, of the "urge and request" by the Legislature to move expeditiously to end the use of gas chambers. Unfortunately, that requirement was removed. It was replaced by a requirement to notify the Louisiana Police Jury Association and the Louisiana Municipal Association. That may be ineffective in getting the information where it needs to go. An attempt to have local media publicize the resolution so that local governments would know about it, and hopefully comply with it, was apparently met with little success.
WHICH PARISHES STILL HAVE GAS CHAMBERS IN OPERATION?
We still need verified information on some parishes. Here is a listing of parishes that do not use gas chambers: (Needs checking.)
Acadia, Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bossier, Caddo, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Concordia, East Baton Rouge, East Carroll, Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, La Salle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Orleans, Plaquemines, Rapides, Richland, Sabine, Saint Bernard, Saint Charles, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Landry, Tangipahoa, Union, Vernon, Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West Carroll, Winn
[Click: CO gas or Euthanasia by Injection List (c. 2009) supplied by Ola Ayers. It is more than 84% complete. Fifty-four of the sixty-four parishes are listed.]
Let's pay particular attention to these five (initially): Iberville, Lafayette, Livingston, St. Tammany, and Vermilion!
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TAKING ACTION
Informing and Pressing Parish Officials Is The Key.
So, That's What We Must Do. Louisiana Residency Is Not Necessary. But, If You Are A Constituent, All The Better. Please Participate, Regardless Of Where You Reside. To Assist You, We Put Parish Contact Information In Easy-To-Get-To Web-Pages. Just Click On A Parish Name (In RED Below) To GOTO The Contact Info Web-Page.
There you will find the available contact information, as well as pictures and links to web-pages about the officials. [Note: The information was current as of November, 2011. It is still usable, for the most part. And, it can certainly guide anyone with an interest in helping. Because of very light participation in this campaign, and almost non-existent use of this material, the Humane HEART (with regret and disappointment at the paucity of use) cannot justify taking the time to keep it strictly "up to date".]
There was an election for state and local level officials on October 22nd. The election for races requiring run-offs is to be held on November 19th. The "at-risk" incumbents (including one parish president: Mike Grimmer of Livingston Parish, and a number of councilmen) are especially eager to please as many people as possible. By honoring the resolution and ending the use of gas chambers right away, they can please many without offending any. That's a perfect situation for an elected official. Especially one who is trying to muster as many votes as he can get in the November 19th election. Besides the President, pay particular attention to the CAO [Chief Administrative Officer]. The CAO is the person "behind the scenes" that takes care of most of the business for the parish, and who has authority over the various departments of government and their sub-divisions, including animal control. In every parish, there are some Council (or Police Jury) members who seem more likely to be responsive to this campaign. Unfortunately, it's really not possible to make such an assessment based only upon the web-site information. But, for the benefit of those who want to help, but who can only write to a few people or send only a few e-mails, we have indicated in GREEN the names under the pictures of those officials that seem to us more likely to be responsive. The same goes for the senators and representatives in the lists under the parish names below. The resolution was in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and all, except absentees, voted on it. There were no votes against the resolution. It is appropriate to contact the legislators, and ask them to use their influence with parish officials to do as the resolution urges and cease using the gas chambers in their parishes as soon as possible.
PLEASE COPY The Humane HEART at e-mail: BanGasChambers@humaneheart.org
On Any Letter Or E-mail You Send, So We Can Know Which Officials Have Been Contacted, And How Many Letters and E-mails Have Been Sent. THANK YOU! |
Note: Representative Nancy Landry and Senator Jonathan Perry (unopposed for re-election) are in both Lafayette and Vermilion Parishes.
Note: If your "on-board" e-mail (e,g., Outlook Express) doesn't work, click mail and "copy-and-paste" the e-mail address into your Internet e-mail.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1. PLEASE refer everyone you can to this request for ACTION: http://humaneheart.org/#cause, along with a personal note.
2. Click:http://humaneheart.org/HCR160.pdf; read the resolution; and then if you like, copy it, or print it out, for distribution.
3. If you reside in a Louisiana parish, and it is not in the list of parishes (above) that do not have gas chambers, you have a significant opportunity to effect the banning of gas chambers in your parish:
Please use the above information to contact as many parish and state officials from your parish as you can, especially the ones that represent your district.
Visit, call, or politely write (e-mail, but preferably a letter) each official in your parish, asking them to move to end the use of any gas chamber in the parish as soon as possible. If you reside in one of the five parishes listed above, you can get the contact information on the parish contact information web-page by "clicking" on the parish name (in red) above. Also, provide either a copy of the resolution, or this link to the resolution: http://humaneheart.org/HCR160.pdf.
Click: State Officials to find your state senator and your state representative. Then, at that web-page, enter your address. When they are displayed, click on the links to your state representative and state senator. Those links take you to their web-pages where you can get their contact information.
Send or bring a copy of the resolution to your state senator and your state representative; or at least call and explain your concern and give them the Internet address for the resolution: http://humaneheart.org/HCR160.pdf. Ask them to notify parish officials about the resolution, and request them to act on it.
Finally, please inform the Humane HEART about any response you may have gotten by e-mailing us at BanGasChambers@humaneheart.org. Thank You!
4. If you do not live in one of those parishes (even if you reside in a place that is not in Louisiana), your participation in this campaign can still be effective in expediting the end of gas chamber use in Louisiana.
Just compose an appropriate (and polite) letter (or e-mail) targeting any of the parish and state officials for which contact information is provided in this Action ALERT. If you are particularly motivated to do it, you may also want to make a few phone calls to selected officials. Thank You very much for your involvement in this campaign!
[Epilog: Incidentally, the Resolution was authored by Representative Tony Ligi of Metairie at the request of Humane HEART President Pinckney Wood who wrote the original draft. During the 2010 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, after consulting with fellow Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission Member Hilton Cole, Director, East Baton Rouge Parish Animal Control, Wood requested in a letter to Senator Heitmeier that he shorten the time to the gas chamber ban from 5 years (as it was in the senator's original bill) to 3 years, which was done. Naturally, an immediate ban would have been preferable, but there were practical considerations that precluded an immediate ban. The original push to ban gas chambers was apparently the result of pressure from a lot of people. The Humane HEART only learned about the bill after it was filed, but naturally was very happy to hear about it. One of the leading voices was Joelle Rupert of gas chamber using Vermilion Parish, as was Ola Ayers of gas chamber using Lafayette, and others. Joelle also happens to be a member of the Louisiana Animal Welfare Commission. But, the LAWC was not an organizer of the effort.]
Special Adoptable Dog
Mr. Blue Eyes... with the most gorgeous blue eyes you have ever seen.
Picked up on a desolate country road, his emaciated body weighed only 39 lbs. With some TLC, he is now around 55 lbs. and ready to undergo heart worm treatment. Mr. Blue Eyes is housebroken, crate trained, updated on vaccines, and he is neutered. He gets along well with children and other dogs, and is very social.
Contact MBE's foster mom, Carolyn Kerner, at doggoneright@eatel.net or (504)376-4035. Please visit www.sfas.org (St. Francis Animal Sanctuary).
Special Adopable Cat
PetuniaA precious kitten (healthy and spayed) was rescued with her mother and littermates from a space that was about to be closed with concrete. The prettiest and smartest of them all, yet, since July, she is still waiting at the Cat Hospital in Metairie, Louisiana (1500 Veterans near Bonnabel) for someone to love her, and keep her indoors and safe. All of her littermates have been adopted. Please adopt, or at least pass the word about this adorable kitten.
Contact: Anastasia Crider at anastasiacrider@yahoo.com or (504) 462-1968.
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Contact Information
Contact Information
6759 General Haig Street
New Orleans, LA 70124
Phone: (504) 717-3895
Fax: no fax
e-mail:
contact@humaneheart.org
contact@humaneheart.org
© 2011 P.A. Wood Ltd.
The Humane HEART
The Humane HEART
Health, Education, & Abuse Resolution Taskforce
Health, Education, & Abuse Resolution Taskforce
The Humane HEART (Health, Education, & Abuse Resolution Taskforce) is a Louisiana non-profit corporation established in 2000 to bring together animal welfare advocacy, educational inovation in health and social reform, and interests in matters of law and law making.
