Issues surrounding animal welfare, from current practices, to animal welfare research will be the focus of the “Ohio State Animal Welfare Symposium: Building Partnerships to Address Animal Welfare,” on Friday, October 16 at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center in Columbus, Ohio.
“It should be an opportunity to listen to folks who may have a very different perspective on farm animal welfare, and hear why those individuals have formed the perspective they have,” said Dr. Candace Croney, Associate Professor of Animal Behavior at The Ohio State University.
Dr. Croney believes the symposium will also appeal to a wide ranging audience, from livestock producers, to elected officials, to those with an interest in animal care.
“Anyone who might potentially be named to the livestock care board, if the proposed Ohio ballot initiative passes, should use this as an opportunity to get some information they might not get otherwise,” Dr. Croney said.
AUDIO: Dr. Candace Croney-OSU Animal Welfare Symposium (3:00 MP3)
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As a Farm Bureau member I worked on our local committee to find ways to fight and defeat HSUS and PETA at their own game.
My problem with this constitutional amendment is the excessive power it places in the hands of a 13 member group of non-elected bureaucrats.
This issue should not have been a constitutional amendment. The same objective to thwart PETA and HSUS could have been accomplished by including the key words “agricultural best management practices for such care and well-being” in section 900 of the Ohio Revised Code.
The big question for me is, “What did it take to twist the arms of all the members of both the House and Senate to make them take such a draconian measure?” If we change the Constitution every time the wind blows from the wrong direction, what value remains in it? What next? Change the US Constitution to remove free speech and religious freedom?
VOTE NO on ISSUE 2
Re: Issue 2. Please remember there is a difference in animal welfare and animal rights: Animal Rights is based on the idea that humans must not use or own animals at all. The organizations who support this philospphy work by changing the laws to eliminate the raising of farm animals for food and clothing, hunting, trapping, fishing, rodeos, circuses, zoos, the use of animals in lifesaving research, and the breeding and ownership of all animals as pets and companions. They are even against the use of guide dogs and service dogs.
Animal Welfare is based on the principles of humane care and use of animals. When one supports the idea of animal welfare it means they believe that humans have the right to use animals and own them, but with that use and ownership they must take responsibility to provide proper and humane care and treatment. Organizations that support animal welfare are those who work to improve the treatment and well-being of animals.
HSUS is an animal rights movement that uses emotions and extreme ideas to form their opinions not science and rational thought. I believe that a vote yes for Issue 2 is the lesser of two evils, HSUS animal rights agenda, or a board that has the interest in the welfare of the animals and food safety, realizing that cattle and pig, in the end become food to feed the USA but food safety and welfare of the animals are utmost importance. If Issue 2 is not passed we will see a big “mess” as we are now seeing in California with Prop. 2 and California can certainly thank HSUS for that.