We will be celebrating some recent wins for animals as well as identifying where our attention is most needed to protect animals in this coming year.
Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran is our guest speaker, who will share her own story of compassionate leadership and answer your questions related to animal-friendly legislation.
Light refreshments will be served.
RSVP for free, but please consider making a donation or becoming a member to support our work being done to protect animals.
The East Bay Animal PAC is proud to endorse the following candidates in the June 2022 elections:
*Rebecca Kaplan, Alameda County Supervisor, District 3 *Mia Bonta, California State Assembly, District 18 *Aisha Wahab, California State Senate, District 10 *Alex Lee, California State Assembly, District 24 *Yesenia Sanchez, Alameda County Sheriff *Kate Harrison, Berkeley City Council (early endorsement)
Thanks to all the candidates who completed our questionnaire and participated in our interview process. We so appreciate your responsive answers and thoughtful engagement during the Q&A. We were truly impressed with the quality of people of running for office.
Those of you in California in the 18th Assembly District, you may know we had a special general election. After interviewing the two leading candidates and vetting their questionnaire responses, The East Bay Animal PAC was thrilled to announce our endorsement of Mia Bonta.
Photo by David Paul Morris via The Humane Society of the United States
Last week, the Oakland City Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for companies to immediately begin coming into compliance with California’s Proposition 12. This resolution urges food corporations with locations in Oakland to implement the requirements of the ballot initiative as soon as possible by only selling eggs, pork and veal from cage-free facilities.
In 2018, California voters passed Proposition 12 with a landslide margin. Proposition 12 ensures that calves used for veal, mother pigs and egg-laying hens aren’t locked in tiny cages. By the end of 2021, eggs sold in the state must come from birds in cage-free housing systems, and pork cannot come from facilities that use cramped cages for mother pigs. (California’s ban on confining calves used for veal went into effect on January 1, 2020). California’s historic law paved the way for other states to ban certain methods of extreme confinement for farm animals, including Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Michigan and Utah.
Since Proposition 12’s deadline for eggs and pork is rapidly approaching, this resolution will help corporations start coming into compliance with the law now. A chaotic rush in the final weeks of 2021 would put companies at risk of not having enough product. Being in compliance prior to the last possible date will ensure a smooth transition for retailers, keep costs down for consumers, and help suppliers plan ahead.
Proposition 12 is part of a nationwide push to end factory farming abuses. By passing this resolution, the Oakland City Council demonstrated that the city is in support of the local benefits of Proposition 12, including food safety, public health, and the promotion of the humane treatment of animals.
The passage of this resolution was celebrated by residents throughout Oakland! East Bay Animal PAC, along with Oaklanders, are grateful for Councilmember Dan Kalb and the Oakland City Council for sending a strong message that Oakland is committed to preventing animal cruelty.
Ann Dunn, founder of Cat Town and now the director of Oakland Animal Services, will be sharing her vision for ALL of Oakland’s animals. Don’t miss this chance to connect with one of the most effective leaders in animal welfare. Q&A will follow Ann’s presentation.
Once you register, you’ll receive recipes for some easy-to-make plant-based nibbles and cocktails (perhaps a SALTY DOG or BEE’S KNEES?) so we can pretend we’re all in the same room.
WHEN: Friday, March 12, 2021 — 5:00-6:00 p.m. PT WHERE: Online! WHO: Ann Dunn, founder of Cat Town and now the director of Oakland Animal Services, will be sharing her vision for ALL of Oakland’s animals. Don’t miss this chance to connect with one of the most effective leaders in animal production. Q&A will follow. WHY: To further our mission of protecting animals and creating community.
Once you register, you’ll receive recipes for some easy-to-make plant-based nibbles and cocktails (perhaps a SALTY DOG or BEE’S KNEES?) so we can pretend we’re all in the same room.
You can also begin submitting your questions now by leaving comments below! We will be sure to add them to our Q&A section!
Upon learning of the East Bay Regional Park’s inhumane policy of shooting free-roaming cats, we issued a letter to the board. There is a better, non-violent solution to this problem.
Dear President Corbett,
I am writing to you on behalf of the East Bay Animal PAC regarding a recent report on ABC7 News that the East Bay Regional Park District has a policy whereby they can shoot and kill free-roaming cats, which may be abandoned, lost, or feral cats that they deem a risk to wildlife. ABC7 filed a California Public Records Act request and confirmed that at least 18 cats have been shot this year.
We find this policy highly troubling, as the Bay Area has model programs for rescuing cats, spaying them and placing them in safe environments, including the city’s own animal services, which was never contacted to find a humane solution.
We understand and care about wild birds who may be threatened by feral cats; however, studies have shown that cats and birds can coexist in natural habitats. When threats occur, it is vital that decision-makers ensure that proper resources exist and that they are utilized to capture and spay cats, rather than shoot them.
We encourage the district to adopt a policy that prevents the killing of cats except under extreme circumstances. We further suggest that the District work with local cat and animal agencies and organizations to learn about proper adoption, spaying and placement programs.
Thank you, Michael Colbruno Chair East Bay Animal PAC
With early voting already underway and mail-in ballots already being sent out, we wanted to make sure you know what animal-friendly candidates we’re endorsing. The East Bay Animal PAC membership has voted, and we’re proud to endorse the following candidates in Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda for the November 2020 election:
*Jesse Arreguin for Berkeley Mayor
*Jovanka Beckles for AC Transit Board
*Malia Vella for Alameda City Council
*Jim Oddie for Alameda City Council
*Terry Taplin for Berkeley City Council, District 2
*Ben Bartlett for Berkeley City Council, District 3
*Elizabeth Echols for East Bay Regional Parks Board 2020
*Dan Kalb for Oakland City Council, District 1
*Noel Gallo for Oakland City Council, District 5
*Barbara Parker for Oakland City Attorney
*Rebecca Kaplan for Oakland City Council at Large
*Elena Condes for Alameda County Judge
Please share this news to help support their campaigns! And don’t forget to join other East Bay Animal PAC members in helping to elect animal-friendly candidates! (As a member, you have voting privileges!)
Oakland’s son Jack London was an adventurer, a writer, a reader, and a vocal opponent of the use of animals in performance — whether the animals were dogs, horses, elephants, lions, or tigers.
Using his fame and talent, he urged the public to oppose animal acts in circuses and even wrote two novels specifically to raise awareness about the violence and abuse that takes place in any situation where animals are being forced to perform.
In 1925, in response to public outcry, Ringling actually removed animals from their circus and said they would do so forever. Unfortunately, when the depression hit, they used it as an opportunity to provide cheap entertainment for the public. After 5 years of being an animal-free circus, they brought animals back.
Fast forward to 2014 when the Oakland City Council approved the ban of the bull hook (a weapon used to control large animals as elephants). Knowing they couldn’t fight municipal ordinances city by city, Ringling Circus removed elephants from their circuses altogether. Soon after, they realized that without elephants, they could not be profitable, and so they closed down.
That’s right. A municipal ordinance — in Oakland CA — led to the closure of a commercial animal enterprise. Good news, indeed, but there was more work to be done.
Before other traveling shows could fill the void left by Ringling, cities around the country began passing ordinances to ban wild and exotic animals in any type of performance. Now it was Oakland’s turn.
In early 2020, Councilman Dan Kalb introduced an amendment to the city’s municipal code that would prohibit the display of wild or exotic animals for public entertainment or amusement. In February 2020, after passing unanimously through the Community & Economic Development Committee the week before, the amendment was passed by the city council 7-0 (one council member was absent).
Credit is due to local advocates, compassionate voters who contacted their city council members, the city council members themselves, and City Councilman Dan Kalb and his dedicated staff.
We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we look forward to doing it with you. With your help, we can create the compassionate cities we all envision. Jack London would be proud!
The conversation with Nancy Skinner on Thursday, April 25 was a smashing success! A longtime environmental activist, Senator Skinner talked about the environmental and animal welfare impacts of the animal-based meat industry. She also discussed how a bill she introduced last year that was signed into law, SB 1138, will require licensed California health care facilities and state prisons to make available plant-based meal options containing no animal products or by-products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, or eggs.
She vowed to continue to be a voice in the state legislature to advocate for practical policies that make a difference to animals and the environment. The work of animal-friendly elected officials like Senator Skinner is critical for creating a humane world for all beings.
East Bay Animal PAC with Nancy Skinner
Please join our mailing list if you want to join us for future events and help us help give animals a voice at city hall in in the halls of the state capital!
Although Political Action Committees (PACs) are a powerful tool to give animals a voice in the political arena (which directly impact their lives), they’re underused by animal advocates — some of which has to do with a misunderstanding about what PACs are and why they’re so important.
In short — and as it relates to us — a Political Action Committee (PAC) is a type of organization that raises money from individuals to support or oppose a campaign, candidate, ballot initiative, or legislation. PACs can also spend the contributions on advertising or other political efforts meant to support or oppose political candidates.
We all know that in politics, money is power – so to increase our power for the animals, we have formed the East Bay Animal PAC!
Our mission is to support animal-friendly candidates; to promote and propose animal-friendly legislation; and to educate candidates, board and commission members and other relevant public officials about issues related to animal protection.
Opponents of animal-friendly legislation financially support their candidates, and for every animal-unfriendly voice candidates hear means a missed opportunity for those who speak on behalf of animals. Compassionate people who care about animals must show that we can support our leaders who will fight for humane legislation.
The animals are counting on us to be the constant voice in the ears of legislators, city officials, and basically anyone with power in local governments.
This means that East Bay Animal PAC members should be present at as many political events as possible – and that costs money.
This means that we will be identifying animal-friendly candidates to support in local elections — and that costs money.
This means that we may need to oppose animal-unfriendly candidates — and that costs money.
So we turn to you to help us be a voice for animals in the cities we live in and love so much. Join us today! And help us leverage the power we have as humans with a voice to help those who have no power and no voice: the animals.
