STRONG VOICE FOR THE DOGS!

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~



As many of you may recall from the good news shared last week, Ohio officials have cleared the way for supporters to gather signatures for a proposed Ohio ban on auctions of dogs (officially called the 'Ohio Dog Auctions Act')! We are incredibly grateful to the over 4,000 supporters (includes many hobby/show breeders) across 27 Ohio counties (and beyond) who assisted us in meeting this very critical milestone in our campaign!



WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW...



A unanimous 4-0 vote last Tuesday from the state Ballot Board means we may now proceed to 'Phase 2' of our signature drive; collecting a minimum of 120,700 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters by December 14, 2009. The signatures are necessary to put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2010. If our lawmakers do not move on the proposed legislation within 90 days, our team will proceed to 'Phase 3'; gathering another 120,700 valid signatures to put the Ohio Dog Auctions Act on the 2010 ballot.



WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR 'PART 2'...



Phase 2 of our signature drive will require us to move fast and smart in collecting 120,700 signatures! To ensure this signature drive is successful and meets the requirements mandated by the Secretary of State, three important steps must take place:


The total number of signatures collected for our Petition must equal at least three percent (3%) of the total vote cast for the office of governor during the 2006 gubernatorial election, Signatures must be collected from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio, and from each of these 44 counties, the number of signatures must be equal to at least one and five tenths percent (1.5%) of the total vote cast for the office of governor in that county during the 2006 gubernatorial election.

Because so many people across Ohio and beyond feel passionately in supporting an ban on dog auctions, we are confident we can meet this goal! All we need is dedicated folks to collect signatures from each of the 88 counties and our Committee will handle the rest!



WHERE WE NEED YOUR HELP!



We are reaching out to groups and individuals from across Ohio (and beyond) asking for their assistance to help us gather signatures by December 14, 2009! THIS INCLUDES YOU!



Helping to collect signatures is very quick and easy - you only need to be a resident of Ohio. To assist you in this effort, we have attached the following:

Informational Flyer. This document can be given to interested parties wishing to learn more about the Ohio Dog Auction Act and our campaign.

Circulator Instructions. This document contains easy-to-follow instructions for collecting signatures.

Petition (Ohio Dog Auction Act).
It is important to note that supporters who signed our Petition during 'Phase 1' of our signature drive may also sign as 'Part 2'!



NOW IS THE TIME TO SERVE AS A STRONG VOICE FOR THE DOGS!



The next Ohio Dog Auction is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 31. Over 300 dogs are expected to be placed on the block, including many from the state of Pennsylvania where public dog auctions are illegal. Now is the time to send a strong message to our state legislators that dog auctions are an embarrassment to Ohio and its humane minded citizens, and voters and taxpayers are committed to supporting a 2010 ballot initiative to ban these events from our community! Again, we greatly appreciate all your dedication and support for the dogs!



P.S. If you haven't done so already, we invite you to join the over 960 voices who have become members of our FaceBook group, "Ohio Voters Against Puppy Mills and Dog Auctions." Membership is FREE, and our portal serves as a great vehicle in which to receive timely updates on issues and campaigns addressing Ohio dog auctions, puppy mills and the entities that support and keep them in business. For more information on how you can become a member, click here.



P.S.S. If you are interested in purchasing any of our low cost 'Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions' gear (t-shirts, car magnets, lawn signs, banners, etc.), please reply to this message.



Mary O'Connor-Shaver

http://www.banohiodogauctions.com/