WASHINGTON (March 20, 2009)— Citing his leadership and support of animal protection policies, the Humane Society Legislative Fund today announced its endorsement of Jim Tedisco for the U.S. House of Representatives in the special election for New York's 20th Congressional District to be held on March 31.

"During his 26 years in the New York State Assembly, Jim Tedisco has been a leading advocate for the protection of animals from cruelty and abuse," said Michael Markarian, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "In order to pass humane laws, we need to elect humane lawmakers. Voters in the 20th District who care about animal welfare should support Jim Tedisco for Congress."

The animal protection issues that Tedisco has supported include the following:

• He was the lead author of "Buster's Bill" which was signed into law in 1999, enacting felony-level penalties for aggravated cruelty to animals. Buster's Bill was named after an 18-month-old tabby cat who was doused with kerosene and burned to death by a Schenectady teenager in 1997. Previous to Buster's Bill becoming law, animal cruelty resulted in misdemeanor charges if any charges were brought at all.
• Since the passage of Buster's Law, he has introduced measures to upgrade the anti-cruelty statute, by requiring psychiatric evaluations before convicted animal abusers could ever own pets again, and by making it a felony offense to harm an animal in the commission of another crime.
• He has supported a wide range of animal protection bills, such as strengthening the penalties for spectators at dogfights and cockfights, cracking down on abusive puppy mills, requiring the use of alternatives to animals in cosmetics testing when available, establishing a task force on the slaughter of sick and crippled cattle for human consumption, banning the electrocution of animals for their fur pelts, prohibiting live animal markets near public dwellings where they pose a public health risk, requiring the accurate labeling of fur-trimmed apparel, and making it a crime to keep pets locked in cars during extreme temperatures.

HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based on their positions on animal welfare policies. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.

--30--

Media contact: Kristen Everett: 301-721-6440, keverett@hslf.org

The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The 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. On the web at hslf.org.

Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 519 C Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002.