Subject: MEDIA RELEASE! Ballot Initiative (Ohio Dog Auctions Act) - 'Phase 2 Relaunch'

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~



The momentum for our ballot initiative 'Phase 2 Relaunch' is gaining tremendous speed, and once again (as was the case with 2009), two national animal welfare organizations, Animal Law Coalition and the ASPCA, are offering their full support in helping us promote this campaign to their 55,000-plus members across the country! (Please see attached Media Release.)



IN THE NEWS...



If you didn't get the chance to read:


> Pet News and Views blogger, Michele Hollow's January 12 article, Efforts to end Ohio's Dog Auctions Continues, please click here. (Thank you Michele!)

> News-Herald reporter Jason Lea's January 11 article, Activists want to ban dog auctions, please click here. (Thank you Jason!). Also, a very special thanks to Jason's fellow reporter, Sandra Klepach, who continues to provide timely updates on her blog, News-Herald Blogs > Pets Unleashed. To read her latest article, Meeting with Senator Grendell to Discuss Ohio Dog Auctions Act, please click here. (Thank you Sandra!)

> Cleveland Plain Dealer reporter Donna Miller's January 8 article, Petition drive to ban dog auctions and curb Ohio puppy mills: Animals in the News, please click here. And her December 11 article, Effort to ban dog auctions requires 120,700 signatures: Animals in the News, please click here. (Thank you Donna!)

> Supporter Jeanie Antonacci's December 14 Sun Messenger - Letter to the Editor, Voters need to sign a petition to ban dog auctions in Ohio, please click here. (Thank you Jeanie!)

We are very grateful for these news stories and letters (which resulted in our team receiving over 781 calls and e-mails from readers across the state asking how they can support the Ohio Dog Auctions Act), and hope Michelle, Donna, Jason, Sandra and Jean (along with other reporters, bloggers and concerned citizens across the Ohio) will continue writing about this very important campaign!

For a complete listing of media releases relating to our ballot initiative, please click here.

WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW...


As of January 1, we have collected a total of 7,202 of the 120,700 signatures needed to successfully complete Phase 2 of our drive. A HUGE THANKS to the 228 volunteer Petition Circulators who helped raise awareness of the Ohio Dog Auctions Act by helping to collect signatures from 64 counties! We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of these dedicated individuals, many of whom work full-time jobs, are raising families as single parents and/or contribute time and energy to various humane organizations across the state.



Despite reaching just under 6% of our signature goal, this still represented a very strong showing given that Phase 2 of our signature drive was not launched until after the November 3, 2009 election (efforts from our volunteers and supporters were focused on defeating Ohio Issue 2).



Because so many people across Ohio and beyond feel passionately in supporting a ban on dog auctions, we are continuing to move full steam ahead with 'Phase 2 Relaunch' of our signature drive; collecting a minimum of 113,498 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters by December 1, 2010. The signatures are necessary to put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2011.



If our lawmakers do not move on the proposed legislation within 90 days, our team will proceed to 'Phase 3'; gathering another minimum 120,700 valid signatures from registered voters to put the Ohio Dog Auctions Act on the 2011 ballot.


WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR 'PART 2 RELAUNCH'...



Now more than ever, 'Phase 2 Relaunch' of our signature drive will require us to move fast and smart in collecting a minimum of 113,498 signatures by December 1, 2010! To ensure this signature drive is successful and meets the requirements mandated by the Secretary of State, two 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, and
Signatures must be collected from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio.
To view the minimum number of signatures required for each of the 88 Ohio counties, as well as where we stood as of January 1 relative to our goal of ensuring we have a minimum of 120,700 signatures by December 1, 2011, please scroll to the bottom of this page!



TO HELP US SUCCEED WITH 'PART 2 RELAUNCH'...



New Campaign Kits! To help everyone hit the ground running, we have created a new campaign kit which contains a media release, an informational sheet on the top questions (with answers) everyone needs to know on Ohio dog auctions and an informational sheet onbest strategies in helping to raise awareness and gather signatures from registered voters.



To download these and other informational materials, including a copy of the Initiative Petition (Ohio Dog Auctions Act), please click here.



Town Hall Meetings! If you've been following our Facebook messages, you've probably read that part of our strategy will include Town Hall meetings throughout Ohio. The purpose of these events is to introduce attendees to the team who have been instrumental in leading and supporting our campaign for the various counties, and to provide everyone an opportunity to ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue on the proposed legislation.



The first (of what we anticipate will be many) is scheduled to take place on Monday, January 25 from 10-11:30 a.m. at Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village. Senator Tim Grendell (R-18) will also be joining our discussion.



In addition to Geauga, we are currently working in partnership with dedicated animal advocates to hold meetings during February, March and April in the following counties - Athens, Butler, Columbiana, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Jackson, Lorain, Lucas, Montgomery and Richland. Additional details concerning dates, times and locations of each Town Hall Meeting will be posted to our website the week of January 18.





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


The next Ohio Dog Auction is scheduled to take place in February. Over 300 dogs are expected to be placed on the block. 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 2011 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 1,650 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, please click here.



P.S.S. If you are interested in purchasing any of our low cost campaign gear (car magnets, lawn signs, t-shirts, etc.) or making a donation through PayPal to help raise awareness of Ohio dog auctions and their relationship to puppy mill breeders, please click here.

County Total votes cast in 2006 governor's race 3% (the MINIMUM number of signatures we need to collect by 12/1/10) The total number of signatures we have collected as of 1/1/10 Percent of Goal
Adams 8,685 261 14 5.36%
Allen 36,229 1,087 0 0.00%
Ashland 19,355 581 14 2.41%
Ashtabula 33,865 1,016 5 0.49%
Athens 19,840 595 114 19.16%
Auglaize 16,907 507 0 0.00%
Belmont 23,996 720 0 0.00%
Brown 14,044 421 1 0.24%
Butler 115,895 3,477 65 1.87%
Carroll 11,152 335 5 1.49%
Champaign 14,264 428 2 0.47%
Clark 49,056 1,472 1 0.07%
Clermont 65,010 1,950 31 1.59%
Clinton 12,646 379 0 0.00%
Columbiana 36,223 1,087 2 0.18%
Coshocton 13,408 402 419 104.23%
Crawford 16,744 502 0 0.00%
Cuyahoga 454,100 13,623 1,986 14.58%
Darke 20,223 607 0 0.00%
Defiance 13,638 409 0 0.00%
Delaware 64,773 1,943 192 9.88%
Erie 30,106 903 10 1.11%
Fairfield 54,004 1,620 23 1.42%
Fayette 8,402 252 1 0.40%
Franklin 373,258 11,198 1,071 9.56%
Fulton 16,141 484 1 0.21%
Gallia 10,165 305 0 0.00%
Geauga 39,148 1,174 304 25.89%
Greene 59,113 1,773 0 0.00%
Guernsey 13,375 401 2 0.50%
Hamilton 287,496 8,625 162 1.88%
Hancock 25,675 770 249 32.34%
Hardin 9,723 292 13 4.45%
Harrison 6,095 183 0 0.00%
Henry 11,473 344 0 0.00%
Highland 13,158 395 0 0.00%
Hocking 9,860 296 330 111.49%
Holmes 8,108 243 12 4.94%
Huron 18,917 568 3 0.53%
Jackson 10,423 313 103 32.91%
Jefferson 26,133 784 0 0.00%
Knox 20,780 623 12 1.93%
Lake 88,006 2,640 299 11.33%
Lawrence 19,109 573 1 0.17%
Licking 59,051 1,772 24 1.35%
Logan 16,080 482 7 1.45%
Lorain 100,632 3,019 348 11.53%
Lucas 142,784 4,284 52 1.21%
Madison 13,441 403 17 4.22%
Mahoning 95,251 2,858 4 0.14%
Marion 21,691 651 11 1.69%
Medina 65,511 1,965 110 5.60%
Meigs 7,707 231 13 5.63%
Mercer 15,646 469 1 0.21%
Miami 37,054 1,112 23 2.07%
Monroe 6,066 182 0 0.00%
Montgomery 189,201 5,676 90 1.59%
Morgan 5,516 165 11 6.67%
Morrow 12,575 377 8 2.12%
Muskingum 28,719 862 9 1.04%
Noble 5,072 152 0 0.00%
Ottawa 17,207 516 0 0.00%
Paulding 7,479 224 0 0.00%
Perry 11,291 339 1 0.29%
Pickaway 17,960 539 141 26.16%
Pike 9,776 293 0 0.00%
Portage 54,970 1,649 60 3.64%
Preble 15,553 467 2 0.43%
Putnam 14,161 425 0 0.00%
Richland 45,799 1,374 18 1.31%
Ross 23,839 715 2 0.28%
Sandusky 22,736 682 1 0.15%
Scioto 26,369 791 0 0.00%
Seneca 20,051 602 1 0.17%
Shelby 17,029 511 0 0.00%
Stark 139,414 4,182 269 6.43%
Summit 197,747 5,932 297 5.01%
Trumbull 81,128 2,434 18 0.74%
Tuscarawas 31,585 948 43 4.54%
Union 16,877 506 14 2.77%
Van Wert 10,409 312 0 0.00%
Vinton 4,422 133 12 9.02%
Warren 68,091 2,043 21 1.03%
Washington 22,788 684 0 0.00%
Wayne 38,546 1,156 113 9.78%
Williams 13,033 391 0 0.00%
Wood 45,616 1,368 13 0.95%
Wyandot 8,160 245 1 0.41%
TOTAL COUNTIES 4,022,754 120,682 7,202 5.97%