HSVMA Praises Landmark Ohio Animal Welfare Agreement

July 2, 2010

HSVMA joins veterinary professionals and the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association in praising the landmark animal welfare agreement reached among The Humane Society of the United States, Ohioans for Humane Farms, Governor Ted Strickland and leading livestock organizations. The agreement paves the way for important animal welfare improvements in Ohio on a raft of issues including animal agriculture, cockfighting, puppy mills, and the keeping of wild animals as pets. The agreement puts on hold a planned factory farming initiative on the fall ballot.

The agreement was reached on the same day that Ohioans for Humane Farms was prepared to submit more than 500,000 signatures to qualify a measure for the November ballot, which would have addressed intensive confinement on Ohio's factory farms, as well as methods used to transport and euthanize farm animals. HSVMA had joined with Ohio veterinary professionals in providing critical support for this initiative in order to address some of the most inhumane agribusiness practices in the state.

"This historic agreement represents tremendous progress for animals in Ohio," said Dr. Susan Krebsbach, an HSVMA veterinary consultant who coordinated the HSVMA veterinary outreach on the Ohio ballot initiative. "HSVMA thanks all of the veterinary professionals who stepped forward publicly to support the initiative and helped us reach this important milestone."

More than 75 Ohio veterinary professionals publicly endorsed the measure, and others took additional steps to promote the initiative in their practice, among colleagues and in a variety of public venues. Veterinarians wrote letters to the editor to Ohio publications, spoke at public events, organized fundraising initiatives and signature-gathering events, and even collected signatures at their clinics.

With the agreement reached to move forward on substantive animal welfare reforms, HSVMA now looks forward to working with Ohio veterinary professionals and other key players in support of these measures.

"As experts in animal health and well-being, the public looks to the veterinary profession for leadership on animal welfare issues," said Dr. Krebsbach. "This historic agreement gives us the opportunity to demonstrate our professional commitment to that role by showing strong support for these important reforms."

Read more on the landmark agreement reached in Ohio.