Winning a needed veto & making fear-free shelters

January 27, 2020/Pat Summers
                                                                           APLNJ pic

Which tactic worked to cause Governor Phil Murphy to veto the “beaver trapping” bill that
would have allowed more trappers to kill more beavers?  Much as we appreciate his move, we still need
to know what reaches him so we might try the same approach with other
pro-animal bills.

It’s doubtful he has a fondness for beavers — or most wild animals. Was
his veto just one small way to appease animal welfare advocates who have been
on his case for breaking his campaign promise to stop the bear hunt?

The end of the legislative session brought one other
(temporary) triumph for animals; the “deer poaching” bill (A3242) was not
posted for a vote, as had been expected. 
Why not?  Because “We lobbied very
hard and educated legislators.  Members
reached out to their assembly members and met with them in their districts.  A number of legislators were not in favor of
the bill,” says Janine Motta, programs director with the Animal Protection
League of NJ (APLNJ.org).

But, she warns, “This bill has reared its ugly head
for 5 sessions (since 2011) and sure enough, Senator Smith, the prime senate
sponsor all along, has already introduced it this session — S335. So we
continue our fight.”


To the question “What tactic works,” the answer seems to be: “Fight for
animal welfare issues on every possible front.”
 
Fear-free animal shelters

Animal shelters: In my experience, not desirable places for animals to
be, although sometimes a necessary evil. My visits to seemingly “good” shelters
were infrequent; who knows what they were like day-to-day.

Animal shelters: held to be particularly bad for cats by an organization
that should know:  the Association of
Shelter Veterinarians, the group that released “Guidelines for Standards of
Care in Animal Shelters” in 2010 — guidelines that even today very few
shelters have met.  


When I volunteered at an area shelter, I wished I could “transform how
shelters make animals (and people) feel,” to borrow a phrase from a recent Animal Sheltering magazine article
describing that very thing.  Preferring a
gentler way of treating shelter animals than what she saw, author Brenda
Griffin, DVM, tried different techniques “to calm nervous animals.”   


“Nervous”?  Well, of course.  Who wouldn’t be, in a new place with many
other animals, strange noises and smells, and people coming and going, often
moving fast and talking loud. 

We know how our own negative emotions can affect how we feel and
behave; it’s the same with animals in a stressful new place.  Calmly and purposefully, Dr.  Griffin writes, we should approach an animal
slowly, from the side, instead of approaching her quickly head on.  And because direct eye contact can be
threatening, we should gaze off to the side.

Buster

Affiliated with “Fear Free” Shelters and Homes, she advocates
minimizing potential stressful sights, sounds and smells by closing doors, limiting
foot traffic and draping a blanket or towel over a cage door to provide privacy
for the occupant.  Speaking softly and
playing calming music at low volume also helps. 


Do’s and don’ts for creating the desired shelter atmosphere include positioning
an animal on a pillow or padded (familiar) bed, rather than on a slippery, cold
table top for an exam or procedure.  Tasty
treats raise the comfort level too.  
Using “classical conditioning” helps shelter pets learn to associate
things there with positive emotions,
rather than with stress or frustration — which can lead to suppressed
immunity, increased risk of infectious disease and behavior problems.

We would prefer such treatment if we were in the animals’ position,
wouldn’t we?  The golden rule applies.

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