Abbott Hates Dogs

10/04/2022

Just a friendly reminder! If you’re unsure how your favorite legislator voted, here’s the naughty/nice list. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/texashumane/pages/87/attachments/original/1622760184/2021_VOTING_RECORDS_FINAL.pdf?1622760184

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott As a 6th generation Texan, we grew up hearing funny phrases to describe behaviors, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" was a favorite. Guess what? You did it. I'm selling yard signs to spread awareness of what you've done. Half the people who are sporting them in front of their homes are Republicans. You are SO far removed from the reality of this subject neither you nor anyone around you knew what the response would be.

Another favorite was "too big for your britches". From the masses of people of both parties horrified by your decision, we'll leave it right there.

10/04/2022

If you’re unsure how your Texas legislators voted on animal welfare bills, here is a snapshot.

*This page is, in no way, affiliated with THLN or any other group.*

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/texashumane/pages/87/attachments/original/1622760184/2021_VOTING_RECORDS_FINAL.pdf?1622760184

10/04/2022

🇺🇸November 11 🇺🇸 is around the corner!Time to remember the folks who voted against the safer outdoor dog bill. Although Abbott ultimately caved to pressure after his veto, all of those “no” votes haven’t gone away. Those same people have and will vote against humane legislation if they are re-elected. You can judge a state by the way it treats its animals. 💯

09/21/2021

Thank you animal advocates for speaking up for the chained dogs of Texas! It worked! We were heard!!! A slightly edited version of SB 474, which is now SB 5 is one of five bills to be heard in the Texas Legislature's third special session. That session commenced 9/20/2021. Look for upcoming action alerts. Finding actual information on the bill has been difficult. This is the original bill with edits showing changes in SB 5.

For now, please reach out to Office of the Governor Greg Abbott to say thanks for getting this on his agenda. Phone: (512) 463-1782
Online: https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact/opinion.aspx

08/07/2021

Great news from Houston, TX! City animal control/shelter, BARC , held the first in a series of town hall meetings. They too are mystified about why Office of the Governor Greg Abbott vetoed the law enforcement endorsed bill. They are taking the initiative to draft new Section 6 animal ordinances which will be almost identical to those laid out in SB 474. Houston's current ordinances are inadequate and near impossible to enforce. This is in the early stages and we will continue to update.

Please continue to contact your local City Council members and suggest they update their ordinances where needed.

https://www.austintexas.gov/austin-city-council
https://www.cityoftyler.org/government/government/mayor-and-council
https://dallascityhall.com/government/Pages/city-council.aspx
https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/government
https://www.sanantonio.gov/council
https://ci.lubbock.tx.us/pages/city-government/city-council

AHD is neither endorsed nor opposed by BARC. This is a lobbying/awareness/action alert group, complete separate.

08/03/2021

Since you brought up the topic of summer and dogs Office of the Governor Greg Abbott…..

Imagine those two beautiful dogs tied up with a 4’ rope in the blazing Texas sun and no access to water. Imagine it. How would you feel? Would you be heartbroken? Day after day. Just enough scraps and water to keep them alive. What if they died on that rope after days or even years of neglect. Would you feel anything?

These aren’t Golden Retrievers and they don’t live in your neighborhood but they are no different. They feel pain. They feel fear. They feel hunger. They feel themselves dying from the elements.

We will not forget

07/30/2021

❗️ACTION ALERT❗️
MONTGOMERY TEXAS

07/22/2021

In his feeble attempt to justify the veto of SB 474, Office of the Governor Greg Abbott expressed concern about dog owners being forced to tailor their dog's collar or face criminal charges. NOT TRUE. "Tailoring" is insulting and minimizes the issue.

Like the rest of the bill, the collar portion was to clarify what constitutes "humane" so law enforcement can enforce. From SB 474: "'Collar" means a band constructed of nylon, leather, or similar material, specifically designed to be placed around the neck of a dog.". (5) "Properly fitted" means, with respect to a collar
or harness, a collar or harness that:
(A) is appropriately sized for the dog based on
the dog's measurements and body weight;
(B) does not choke the dog or impede the dog's
normal breathing or swallowing; and
(C) is attached around the dog in a manner that
does not allow for escape and does not cause pain or injury to the
dog."

Do these seem like things a good owner would need to concern themselves with? Should they feel "micromanaged"? Of course not! This bill isn't for the dog loving Texans out there.

If an owner does not comply with the above standards they could be charged with a Class C misdemeanor (the equivalent of theft under $50). Failure to comply resulting in a second offense would be a Class B misdemeanor.

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott clearly states that causing an animal suffering by an improper "collar" is not worth a fine. Look at these pictures. Are they worth a fine? Should repeat offenders spend a few days in jail?

So no. This is not micromanaging or overcriminalization Greg.

07/04/2021

It seems like we've heard just a bit about Abbott supporting law enforcement...? Actions speak louder than words Office of the Governor Greg Abbott!

In addition to The Texas State Animal Control Association and Texas Sheriffs Association there were several other statewide LE agencies supporting the bill. Together, they represent thousands of LE officers. Office of the Governor Greg Abbott Do you really ?

SEE YOU IN AUSTIN ON THE 8TH!

Dogs kept outdoors in Texas are NOT SAFE, especially in extreme weather conditions! Dogs are dying in our state and Animal Control Officers in our state NEEDED this bill to do their JOBS.

As always, we greatly appreciate the support from the Texas Animal Control Association and their President, Jamey Cantrell.

To express your disappointment in the Governor’s decision to veto the Safe Outdoor Dogs bill ( ), click the link: https://gov.texas.gov/apps/contact/opinion.aspx and fill out the form. Or you can call 1-512-463-2000. THLN will not give up and continue advocating to make Texas a safer and better place for all animals.

07/03/2021

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott As a 6th generation Texan, we grew up hearing funny phrases to describe behaviors, "Don't cut off your nose to spite your face" was a favorite. Guess what? You did it. I'm selling yard signs to spread awareness of what you've done. Half the people who are sporting them in front of their homes are Republicans. You are SO far removed from the reality of this subject neither you nor anyone around you knew what the response would be.

Another favorite was "too big for your britches". From the masses of people of both parties horrified by your decision, we'll leave it right there.

07/03/2021

‼️ACTION ALERT‼️
Special session begins 7/8. Cecil Bell Jr. and others who voted against basic humane legislation have said they just don't think this is "as big a deal to people" as animal advocates think it is. Is it? Is it a big enough deal you'll show up in Austin in person 7/8. This is one of many groups heading that way. They'll be leaving from Houston (The Heights Area). If you want to meet up with them in Austin, just look for the bright pink shirts!
Houston H4M Street Team
July 8th 11am
112 E 11th St,
Austin, TX 78701
We are meeting up at 1215 west 19th street
Houston 77008 leaving 7am sharp. Be back by 4pm.
🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚
Please share any other group information in the comments and we'll add here.

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS (AND SOCIAL MEDIA)

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott

*Outcome: Dog had been used for breeding. Always on a chain so was attacked by other dogs and not able to escape. Her owners said they loved her and wouldn't surrender. They were persuaded with $ to give her up. Other dogs remained on the property.

07/02/2021

😍Look at how cute Pancake is! This is Office of the Governor Greg Abbott's beloved Golden Retriever.😍

The other dog doesn't have a name. He doesn't have a tennis ball. He doesn't live inside or have a deck to hang out on. He's never experienced a kind touch. People throw things at him when he barks. Sometimes humans will throw out food for him. The cord around his neck slowly eats away at the flesh on his neck. Flies begin laying eggs in the wound and his suffering worsens.

Finally, after months or years, he thinks help has come for him. Because of weak laws in Texas, the owners are given 24 hours to "comply". They may or may not have time to come back. The owners may or may not shoot him for causing them trouble.

Simply eliminating the 24 hour waiting period was called "micromanaging" by our Governor. Providing basic standards of care like having something other than a tangled up 3' telephone cord as a tether were referred to as "Texan being told they have to tailor their dog's collar."

Ignorance is one thing. Knowing the reality and vetoing a bill that would help is unconscionable. It is so far from the "values" and "morality" he espouses it is sickening.

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott We aren't letting this go. You went too far.

07/01/2021

This picture illustrates a trend among those who voted against SB 474 and the person who vetoed after it passed. There is an undeniable disconnect between the worlds in which they live and the world in which millions of others live. They have never walked the streets of 5th Ward. They've never seen children have to walk by dead, rotting dogs on their way to school. There aren't Golden Retrievers on chains because so many people would care, something would be done.

A comment was made on Briscoe Cain's page that animal welfare people should spend more time on "pro life" issues. Because of the disconnect between the two worlds they are not familiar with the correlation of child abuse to animal abuse. By identifying and holding accountable animal abusers, at-risk families stand a chance at being helped. Children in underserved communities deserve not to see animal torture every day just as much as the children of the privileged.

Dog picture courtesy of a street rescuer. Children live in this house. Does Office of the Governor Greg Abbott even know they exist?

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott

PICTURE FROM THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE. Houston Chronicle

06/30/2021

Today's face behind the torture is that of Briscoe Cain. Cain hails from Deer Park, TX and is now senior partner at Fulton Strahan Law Group in Northwest Houston. He prides himself of his "values" and "commitment to community". Maybe it's only his community? He's never actually seen the areas with the most tortured animals. He's never tried to get help for them only to be told the laws are too weak to do anything. The image of the pregnant dog shivering in the rain with no shelter is Houston, TX 6/29/21. This man is partially to blame that little to nothing can be done.

06/29/2021

In our efforts to put names to the faces of those okay with animal torture in Texas, we have House Representative Klick. She's been chair of the Tarrant County Republican party for many years. Her previous career was nursing and she champions a variety of children's causes and has 10 grandchildren of her own. She is an active member of her church and considers herself a proponent of supporting law enforcement. This hardly seems like a person who could see a momma dog with 10 puppies tied to a tree with a rope so short she had to lay in her own f***s to nurse and not feel anything. She hardly seems like the type of person that would vote against law enforcement agencies. Stephanie Klick please explain.

If you are Republican then by all means, vote Republican. Just look for those who actions align with the principles which they claim to fight.

To contact Klick:
(512) 463-0599
(817) 281-0079
https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/email/?district=91&session=87

06/28/2021

👎👎Introducing today's person of dishonor......Republican State House member, Cecil Bell!👎👎
Mr. Bell is a salt of the earth 6th generation Texan. He's a family man that has served as Deacon in the Magnolia Church of Christ for many years. His voting AGAINST SB 474 couldn't possibly be due to him being callous and indifferent about animal torture. Could it?

He couldn't possibly have listened to what over 100 different law enforcement agencies told him about the suffering and their inability to do anything and simply felt nothing. Could he? He couldn't have seen the sickening videos and not feel a sense of duty to help them. Could he? He especially couldn't JUST vote no, but actively work against the bill even making it to a vote. Could he? He couldn't hear of the countless hours of gut wrenching work his constituents do to save them and not care. Could he?

Well he didn't. Not only did he vote no for the second time, he actively tried to block the legislation. Mr. Bell needs to explain the disconnect between the values he espouses and the actions he's taken to continue horrific suffering of animals and his constituents who help them.
Cecil Bell, Jr.
Office of the Governor Greg Abbott
https://www.facebook.com/CecilBellJr
(512) 463-0650
(281) 259-3700
https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/email/?district=3&session=87

06/27/2021

✏️Thanks for all the letter writing✏️

☎️Keep up the noise ☎️

Please take 10-20 seconds and sign this petition urging Office of the Governor Greg Abbott to resend his veto of SB 474. Turn that outrage into action because the animals can’t do it for themselves!

http://chng.it/NT4R5Rt9Zg

Pass TX-SB474 overturn GREG ABBOTT'S VETO!!!!

06/26/2021

🎊🏆The award for this week's Person of Dishonor goes to......(applause).......Texas Republican Senator Bob Hall!🏆🎊
Hall, whose district encompasses a large part of the Dallas area voted against SB #474. Points were given for being consistent and voting against basic humane dog bills two sessions in a row.

Additional points were awarded to Hall for loyalty and friendships. In his role as the most conservative member of the Texas Legislature, he remained loyal to his friends and leaders by voting against any bill introduced by the opposing party. He stood by those friends even after hearing the horrors of animal suffering in Texas.

He stood by Dan Patrick even after hearing multiple branches of law enforcement, animal control officers, humane legislation experts and veterinarians. That's some incredible loyalty. You see a puppy on a tangled up chain with no access to food or water and stick to your guns.

If you'd like to congratulate Mr. Hall on this great honor he can be reached by one or all of these methods:
https://www.facebook.com/SenatorBobHall/
Email: https://www.senate.texas.gov/memberform.php?auth=7bG6QSZ8bD3%2BtBk2ygPa3BwO9i%2FwhzO3OstQb9AH9Ww6XzpfOuJ94h%2BkaO%2FBPs9Z8EBCTtFfTAVCudiTfXi8L3pZ4zeSY7k6fDp8Oua9Knb5UTm%2BllTCwotizBk%3D&lang=en

06/26/2021

❗️ACTION ALERT❗️

If your representative voted FOR the bill 👍please reach out to thank them and urge them to consider overthrowing the veto.

If they voted against 👎, now is your chance to express your concerns. Tempting as it is, ranting like a lunatic does not help our case. 😅

How did your representatives vote on SB 474? Find out here from THLN: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/texashumane/pages/87/attachments/original/1622760184/2021_VOTING_RECORDS_FINAL.pdf?1622760184
To find out who represents your district look here 🔬 https://www.thln.org/contact-legislator

animal welfare, animal organization, stop animal cruelty, report animal abuse, animal cruelty laws in Texas, animal advocates, animal rights issues, animal rights movement, animal rights groups

06/25/2021

☎️ACTION ALERT 6/25☎️
If you haven't already reached out to Governor Abbott's office to express your concerns and disappointment about his veto of SB 474, please do so today! Turn that anger and disappointment into ACTION! Call, write, and more than once is OK.
https://gov.texas.gov/contact

Connect with Gov. Abbott and his staff.

06/24/2021

Office of the Governor Greg Abbott The dog on the left was pushed out of a car at a highway intersection yesterday. Thousands of people drove by him while he laid there terrified and confused. The dog on the right has been in front of a pawn shop for days, emaciated, infected eyes and slowly dying. We are not talking about your Golden Retrievers you bought from a breeder here. These are the dogs that could be better protected by SB 474 which you vetoed.

06/24/2021

We're heartbroken to share a perfect example of . SB 474 would have eliminated the 24 hour waiting period for owners to comply. This dog was seen being punched by his owner of video. Precinct 1 tracked them down and went to the home the next day. They found the dog tied to a tree with no food or water and 3 puppies on a cage. Since Greg Abbott wanted to keep the 48 hour period the dog was left tied to the tree. The 3 little puppies were left in a cage with no food or water for another 48 hours. When investigators returned the next day the dog was gone and hasn't been seen. Those of us in the real world not in the know exactly where that dog is. He was probably beaten to death and dumped in a trash heap, shot or just thrown out of a car somewhere. This is on you Office of the Governor Greg Abbott
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2021/06/24/animal-rescue-launches-investigation-after-man-caught-on-camera-punching-dog/

A video on social media that shows someone punching a grey pit bull in the chest area has some concern and upset.

06/23/2021

No one in Houston has dealt with more chained dogs than Houston Huts 4 Mutts. They've witnessed the horrors and suffering of dogs with no legal recourse to hold the owners accountable. Imagine having spent years of going out almost daily to try and help. Then imagine hearing help was denied them by Office of the Governor Greg Abbott because he thinks dog owners shouldn't have to tailor their dog's collar. It's a slap in the face to the people suffering themselves in areas he's never seen.
https://fb.watch/6i0LGqs1X8/

06/23/2021

https://www.facebook.com/KHOU11/posts/10161644587184062

Gov. Greg Abbott is taking heat from animal-loving Texans who created the hashtag on Twitter to express their disgust with the veto.

06/23/2021

Abbott "explains" his decision to veto a basic humane animal care bill. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-vetoes-sb-474-87r

Pursuant to Article IV, Section 14, of the Texas Constitution, I, Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, do hereby disapprove of and veto Senate Bill No. 474 as passed by the Eighty-Seventh Texas Legislature, Regular Session, because of the following objections:  

06/23/2021

As crushing as the veto was, it leaves us with an opportunity to spread awareness to the general public. Yard signs will be available next week. $10/each. Please order now and be the voice for the voiceless.

06/23/2021

The rescue community was shaken when Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, unexpectedly vetoed a bi-partisan humane legislation bill. The bill would have defined the most basic animal care guidelines related to dog tethering. This page is to share personal stories of the chained dogs you've dealt with (share city). It is also to discuss how to keep this from ever happening again.