October 10, 2006

Animal Welfare Group Urges 7th District Voters to Re-Elect Ferguson to the U.S. House of Representatives on November 7th

WASHINGTON — Citing him as a leader on animal welfare policy in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Humane Society Legislative Fund announced that it has endorsed U.S. Representative Mike Ferguson in New Jersey’s 7th District congressional race.

“In order to pass humane laws, we need humane lawmakers like Representative Mike Ferguson,” said Sara Amundson, executive director of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. “Voters in the 7th District who care about animal welfare should support his re-election.”

Representative Ferguson has introduced, with Representative Jim Moran of Virginia, the Truth in Fur Labeling Act, H.R. 4904, which would require all garments trimmed with real animal fur to be clearly labeled to provide consumers with important product information. A federal labeling loophole currently leaves shoppers in the dark about the type of fur trim on everyday apparel—faux or fox, even cat or dog fur. Representative Ferguson’s bill will protect consumers and protect animals from cruelty.

In addition to his leadership on animal welfare issues, Representative Ferguson has consistently scored a perfect 100% on the Humane Society Legislative Fund’s Humane Scorecard, supporting the following animal welfare bills:

• Animal Fighting: He has co-sponsored the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act to strengthen the penalties for illegal dogfighting and cockfighting, making it a felony to transport animals across state lines for these gruesome and barbaric fights.
• Horse Slaughter: He has voted consistently to end the slaughter of tens of thousands of American horses for food exports to France, Belgium, and other countries. And he has co-sponsored the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
• Pets in Disasters: He has co-sponsored the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act to require emergency planning for pets and service animals, keeping people and pets together during disasters.
• Downer Livestock: He has co-sponsored the Downed Animal Protection Act, to stop the sale of sick and injured farm animals who are dragged to slaughter with ropes, chains, bulldozers, and forklifts. These “downers” pose a greater risk of “mad cow disease” and other threats to our food supply.
• Puppy Mills: He has co-sponsored the Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS) to crack down on abusive “puppy mills” that treat the dogs like they are production machines.
• Enforcement of Animal Welfare Laws: He has consistently supported efforts to increase funding to improve enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act, Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, and federal animal fighting law.
• Shadowy Pet Dealers: He has co-sponsored the Pet Safety and Protection Act to stop unscrupulous “Class B” dealers from trafficking in stolen pets for animal research.

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue. A complete list of HSLF’s endorsements is available online at www.humanevoting.com.

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Humane Society Legislative Fund (HSLF) is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Contributions or gifts to HSLF are not tax deductible. Your donation may be used for lobbying to pass laws to protect animals, as well as for political purposes, such as supporting or opposing candidates. HSLF does not accept contributions from business corporations or labor organizations. On the web at www.hslf.org.