It's time to gear up for animal-friendly legislation in 2008!

The Washington State legislative session for 2008 begins January 14 and will last for only 60 days. PAWS will again be monitoring activity on public policy affecting animals and will alert you of urgent action needed to ensure protection for animals in our state. Now is a great time for a quick refresher on the Washington State legislative process.

• Bookmark the Washington State Legislature's official website. This site offers great information on:
• Our state's legislative process.
• How to research bill information by tracking current bills, reviewing specific text for bills, and learning how a bill becomes a law.
• Identifying your representatives.


• Bookmark Washington Votes, a nonprofit organization that monitors legislation. With this website you can search for proposed legislation, check your legislator's voting record, and even stay updated by e-mail as bills move through the process.

Want more info on lobbying and advocacy?

• Visit the ASPCA lobbying 101 webpage to read more about state and federal legislative processes.
• Go to the HSUS Citizen Lobby Center to learn some basics on grassroots lobbying.
• Browse the National Institute for Animal Advocacy website, where you can order Julie E. Lewin's book: Get Political for Animals, which outlines how individuals and organizations can become politically effective for animals.

Keep the momentum going from the Vick verdict

Last week, the New York Times reported Michael Vick was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison and three years probation, more than the 12 to 18 months prosecutors originally pleaded. Vick's case has shed light on the horrific "sport" of dog fighting—he participated in crimes such as electrocution and hanging of dogs that performed poorly when forced to fight. Although the abuse is painful to read about, this highly publicized story helps raise awareness of this wide-spread, violent bloodsport, often thought to happen only in a few, well-secluded corners of the country. Vick's case has also sent a strong message that dog fighting carries strong penalties. The Humane Society of the United States reports arrests of dogfighters have tripled in 2007 since the Vick case was exposed.

Help keep the momentum gained in this case by finding out what codes exist in your community to safeguard against animal fighting.

• Research the Municipal Research and Services Center of Washington website. On the city and county codes page, you can follow the bulleted instructions to research codes by key word, or you can select city or county at the bottom of the page to begin your search.
• Contact your city and town officials and let them know you want to ensure your community has strong laws to protect animals. Politely ask them how they plan to strengthen animal protection laws in 2008.

Thanks for 40 years of advocating for animals!

December marks the month PAWS is officially 40 years old—we were incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1967. PAWS has a vibrant history of advocating for animals, both on the state and local levels. Below is merely a sample of how you helped us to take action on behalf of animals this year:

• Of the seven animal-friendly bills we monitored and asked you to support, three passed the state legislature—severely restricting ownership of exotic animals, establishing a new funding stream for wildlife programs, and strengthening animal abandonment penalties.
• You helped PAWS to provide feedback to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in designating old growth forest to save the spotted owl.
• With your help, we handed out over 1,500 postcards informing circus-goers of the heart-breaking cruelty of Ringling and Barnum and Bailey's use of exotic animals for entertainment.

As our fortieth year comes to a close, thank you for all you do to advocate for animals in need. Together we are creating a better world for animals.

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Northwest leader in protecting animals since 1967, the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) shelters homeless animals, rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife, and empowers people to demonstrate compassion and respect for animals in their daily lives.

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