What
to do #4: Find a state pet law list
There's
a list of these state lists on this
site, but there are always some we don't know about. Use Google,
search Yahoo, ask on email lists. If you don't have a state list,
start one. Be sure it covers all pets: Breed Specific Legislation,
even "dog-law" is too narrow. But "animals"
is too broad -- farm animals have their own issues and their own
very effective groups. Use a name like 'XX-pet-law@yahoogroups.com,
or 'XX-petleg,' etc., where XX is your state two-letter postal
code.
This
must be an open list -- if you try to check everyone's
credentials or keep the animal rights people out, you'll never
get enough members to do useful work and you'll spend all your
time looking under the bushes for moles. Just accept that you'll
have them, don't make strategic plans or divulge anything on the
list that should be a secret. (Nothing's secret on the internet
anyway!) You can steal as much as you want of the description
and welcome message for the main Pet-Law
list, or NC-Pet-Law
and VA-Pet-Law,
which we also own. We suggest you either moderate the list or
monitor it closely for trolls
and moles.
State
lists are invaluable in doing whatever isn't being done by someone
else. The most important thing in almost every case is education;
people come to the lists to find out what's going on. Sometimes
you'll have to start from square one and educate them about animal
rights. But there's no other place people can ask questions, get
answers, and discuss issues. These lists also give you a place
to spread the word when instant action is needed. Federations
sometimes have more clout, you can't beat a good lobbyist if one
is available, but there's no better way to get a hundred or a
thousand suddenly scared pet owners ready to work or to get 1000
phone calls to a committee tomorrow than on a state email
list.
