WASHINGTON (October 9, 2018)—Today the Humane Society Legislative Fund, the nation’s leading political advocacy organization for animal welfare, announced its endorsement of Gov. Phil Bredesen of Tennessee for election to the U.S. Senate.
Gov. Bredesen has long been a proponent of animal protection in Tennessee, and has pledged to continue this mission in the U.S. Senate. As governor, Bredesen signed H.B. 386 into law, mandating basic humane care standards for dogs kept by commercial breeders, and requiring these facilities to operate as legitimate businesses, subject to licensure and inspection. In 1999, as mayor of Nashville, he issued an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Advisory Board on Animal Control. The members of this advisory board recommended policy changes to maximize adoptions and govern animal control in the city, while increasing communication and coordination between groups that help animals.
"Phil Bredesen will be an effective voice for animals on behalf of the Tennesseans who love them," said Sara Amundson, president of the Humane Society Legislative Fund. "The Humane Society Legislative Fund is pleased to announce our support, and we encourage voters to back his election to the U.S. Senate."
In a stark contrast to Bredesen’s proven record of animal protection, his opponent Rep. Marsha Blackburn has repeatedly supported legislation that enables cruelty to animals. She blocked efforts to strengthen the federal law against the cruel practice of “soring” Tennessee Walking show horses—using caustic chemicals and other painful substances to injure the horses’ hooves and legs, thereby inducing a high-stepping gait. She supported an amendment to H.R. 3354 that allows hunters to kill defenseless hibernating mother bears and cubs in Alaska for sport alone. Blackburn also failed to support common sense measures to crack down on puppy mills, protect horses from slaughter for human consumption overseas, or protect women and pets from domestic violence.
For those in Tennessee who value the humane treatment of animals, this election carries high stakes. The Humane Society Legislative Fund encourages them to choose Phil Bredesen.
Media Contact: press@hslf.org
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HSLF is a nonpartisan organization that evaluates candidates based only on a single criterion: where they stand on animal welfare. HSLF does not judge candidates based on party affiliation or any other issue.
The Humane Society Legislative Fund is a social welfare organization incorporated under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and formed in 2004 as a separate lobbying affiliate of The Humane Society of the United States. The HSLF works to pass animal protection laws at the state and federal level, to educate the public about animal protection issues, and to support humane candidates for office. Visit us on all our channels: on the web at hslf.org, on our blog at animalsandpolitics.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/humanelegislation and on Twitter at twitter.com/HSLegFund.
Paid for by Humane Society Legislative Fund and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. HSLF, 1255 23rd Street, NW, Suite 455, Washington, DC 20037.
