'Networking' for Justice - Nashville Style

In August, nearly 800 lawmakers and 700 legislative staffers from across the country gathered in Nashville for the annual National Conference of State Legislatures, a bipartisan organization that “serves the legislators and staff of the states, commonwealths and territories.” Having so many elected officials in one place offered a unique opportunity to ALDF: the chance to spread the word about the need for stronger animal cruelty provisions, to some of the people who have the ability help animals through the law. That's why Stephan Otto, Director of Legislative Affairs and Eileen Stark, Education Director of the Criminal Justice Program, made the trip to Nashville for the 3-day exhibitor event. Here’s Eileen’s report:

While in Nashville, we had the opportunity to interact with state legislators and their staff from around the country about some of the vital issues facing animals, including animal cruelty legislation. We were able to meet with some of our staunchest allies and make new friends. Support from conference attendees was strong, with many expressing gratitude that we were there to represent the interests of animals, alongside other interests vying for legislators’ limited time, including many organizations that oppose our work.

One of our principal goals this year was reaching out to legislators about the issue of animal hoarding. We also focused on our recent comparative analysis of animal protection laws and spoke with attendees about how their home state measured up.

Download a copy of our "Animals Don't Vote, But Those Who Love Them Do" poster along with some of our other posters (in 8.5 x 11" size), including:

• "Your Constituents Are Sleeping With Our Clients"
• "Battered Women Share Their Homes With Battered Animals"