Measure 5 is being promoted and funded by the Humane Society of the United States.
The HSUS is not related to your local animal shelter. The HSUS contributes less than 1 percent of its multimillion-dollar budget to local humane societies and pet shelters.
The HSUS spends millions on lobbying, including costly ballot initiatives that target family farmers. It spends extensively on anti-agriculture campaigns and promoting political agendas. Learn more at www.humanewatch.org.
Once a measure passes, it takes seven years or a two-thirds majority vote of the Legislature to make changes to the ballot initiative language.
A ballot initiative only gives voters a yes or no option. We have no say in the language of the measure.
The humane treatment of animals is a very important issue that deserves thoughtful consideration and development by the citizens of North Dakota, not a Washington, D.C.-based animal rights organization.
North Dakota animal stewards like farmers, ranchers, veterinarians and shelter workers don’t tolerate abuse of animals of any species.
If this is about animals, why does Measure 5 only focus on dogs, cats and horses? It is because the goal is to get their foot in the door with something passable to make more sweeping changes later.
North Dakotans for Responsible Animal Care is composed of representatives of the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association, North Dakota Stockmen’s Association, North Dakota State Board of Animal Health, North Dakota Department of Agriculture, North Dakota Farm Bureau, North Dakota Farmers union, Humane Society Fargo-Moorhead, Central Dakota Humane Society and Dakota Zoo.
This is a group with the best interest of North Dakota animals at heart.
Please let them develop a really good law to protect all animals by voting no on Measure 5.
Measure 5 is wrong for North Dakota.
Please, do your homework before you vote! Visit www.ndanimalstewards.com for more information.
Vern Brown, Baker, Mont., Little Missouri Grazing Association president, Amidon
Tags: measure 5, opinion, letter, letters
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