Animal
Welfare – Animal Rights - Animal Advocacy
What
is Animal Welfare??
Animal
welfare refers to the state
of the animal;
the treatment that an animal
receives is covered by other terms such as animal
care,
animal husbandry, and
humane treatment. 1.
Protecting an animal's
welfare means providing for
its physical and mental needs. As stated by (AVMA
-
https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Reference/AnimalWelfare/Pages/what-is-animal-welfare.aspx)
The
term animal welfare is often used interchangeably with animal rights.
So what are animal rights?
Living
in southeastern Kentucky as an animal lover and advocate can be
extremely difficult. Year after year we are voted worst for animal
laws. In Kentucky, animal laws are few and often not enforced. So
what can be done?
What
rights do animals have?
- FREEDOM FROM HUNGER AND THIRST. by ready access to fresh water and diet to maintain health and vigor.
- FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT. by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY OR DISEASE. ...
- FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOR. ...
- FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS.
Driving
down the back roads of Kentucky you will undoubtedly see many animals
tied by chains 24/7, see animals starving from lack of care, abused,
abandoned, injured, with no shelter, without fresh water...the list
goes on and on. Is that meeting their 5 freedoms? Absolutely not.
So why
is this happening?
Because
we as a society, as a community, are LETTING THEM DOWN.
Kentucky
State Law
Curious
of what Kentucky animal laws actually are? This website has a list of
laws that have been put into place for the state of KY. However, it
is extremely clear that in order to see a real change in our state,
it's going to have to happen COUNTY by COUNTY! But just in
case you are still interested...please check out this website for KY
law resources.
Animal Law Resource
Center
COUNTY
BY COUNTY
Many cities, including
the city of London, have adapted ordinances to help ensure the safety
and welfare of animals. This not only helps protect the animals but
also makes the community a better place to live in. (Making citizens
become responsible pet owners is a win win for everyone!) The city of
London put ordinances in place in 2012. Here is a copy of what those
ordinances entail:
But...these ordinances do
not extend to the county. WHY NOT?? After much research, I have found
no ordinances for Laurel County. Sure, citizens are “supposed” to
abide by State Laws in reference to animals but lets be honest
here...out of sight out of mind. So what does that mean for our
county animals and citizens??
It means no accountability
to pet owners. It means no ensuring the rights of animals. It means
no concern or drive to deal with animal issues in the county that are
not reported. Does this mean that our Animal Control is to blame?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. This means that as a community it is time to step up
and speak for the animals in our county. It is time to look to places
like JESSAMINE COUNTY and FAYETTE COUNTY and CLARK COUNTY for
example...they have successfully begun implementing ordinances in
their counties.
Mind you, there are people
in our community behind the scenes looking into ordinances from other
counties and working to help make this something feasible for our
county. But we still need YOUR
help!! We must unite as a team and work together to encourage our
leaders to implement change.
Think
About It
Whether
you are an animal lover or not....is this how you want others to see
our county? Is this what you want to be known and remembered for?
It's past time for us to stand up and demand that citizens begin
doing the right thing. We can see CHANGE if we are willing to go
after it!
What
can YOU do?
There
are several things that YOU can do as a Laurel County citizen.
- Contact the County Judge Executive : David Westerfield and share your concerns on the need for county ordinances and enforcement of those ordinances.Judge Executive David Westerfield101 South Main Street, Suite 320
London, KY 40741-2301
Office :(606)
864-4640
Fax: (606) 864-3867 Email -lcjudge@windstream.net |
Office
Hours
8:00-4:00 Eastern Time
8:00-4:00 Eastern Time
Contact:
Kelly Sutton, Executive Assistant
Fiscal
Court Meetings
4th Thursday at 9:30 AM
4th Thursday at 9:30 AM
Served
as judge/executive since 2011
- Contact your magistrate and voice your concerns for the need of county ordinances for animals.
Dist. 1: Roy Crawford 878-8200
Dist. 2: Danny Smith 862-8258
Dist. 3: Teddy Benge 864-9574
Dist. 4: Jeff Book 843-7862
Dist. 5: Billy Oakley 864-5046
Dist. 6: Richard Bales 864-7685 - Like & Share our Facebook page to help us reach more community members. Feel free to post on our page about ordinances and what you would like to see for our future in Laurel Co.
- Write our Kentucky Legislators
- Support and be involved with the local Laurel County Animal Shelter
- Attend Fiscal Court Meetings!Fiscal Court Meetings
4th Thursday at 9:30 AM
7. Attend Committee Meetings - Every 2nd Wednesday at 9am
8. Sign our online petition! - Link Below..
Support Animal Ordinances for Laurel County - Be Their Voice
We
will continue to update on this issue as new developments occur. Join
us and follow us on this journey to help make Laurel County a great
place for both people and animals.
Barks
& Meows,
WPEL
