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.
Congratulations to the following East Bay elected officials who East Bay Animal PAC endorsed in their races. We can’t wait to work with you to advance pro-animal welfare measures in the East Bay. And a very special thank you to our supporters for contributing and participating in the endorsement process. With your help, we can make a more animal-friendly East Bay!
Libby Schaaf — Oakland Mayor
Shanthi Gonzales — Oakland School Board, District 6
Kate Harrison — Berkeley City Council, District 4
Rigel Robinson —Berkeley City Council, District 7
Lori Droste —Berkeley City Council, District 8
John Knox White — Alameda City Council
The East Bay Animal PAC is also pleased with the passage of Prop 12. Prop 12 will require cage-free housing and improve space requirements in California for veal calves, mother pigs, and egg laying hens who are typically confined in tiny cages on factory farms. It will also ensure that veal, pork, and eggs sold in the state come from operations meeting these modest standards.
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 2018 election:
Libby Schaaf — Oakland Mayor
Abel Guillen — Oakland City Council, District 2
Natasha Middleton — Oakland City Council, District 6
Shanthi Gonzales — Oakland School Board, District 6
Igor Tregub — Berkeley City Council, District 1
Kate Harrison — Berkeley City Council, District 4
Rigel Robinson —Berkeley City Council, District 7
Lori Droste —Berkeley City Council, District 8
John Knox White — Alameda City Council
Please feel free to share our post and graphics to help support their campaigns, and join other East Bay Animal PAC members in helping to elect animal-friendly candidates!
East Bay Animal PAC announced today that its Board of Directors and voting members unanimously voted to endorse Libby Schaaf for a second term as Mayor of Oakland.
Mayor Schaaf has a long-standing commitment to promoting the welfare of Oakland’s animal residents. From creating and supporting animal-friendly legislation as an Oakland city councilmember to her ongoing support of Oakland Animal Services and Oakland Veg Week, Mayor Schaaf has demonstrated an alignment with the mission of the East Bay Animal PAC. “There is much more work to be done for animals, and we believe of all candidates for the office of Mayor of Oakland, Libby Schaaf is the most likely to achieve meaningful outcomes for Oakland animals,” said Michael Colbruno, co-founder and chair of the board of East Bay Animal PAC.
East Bay Animal PAC will host Mayor Schaaf on Thursday, September 20 at 6 p.m. at Temescal Works, 490 43rd. St. in Oakland for a discussion about protecting Oakland’s vulnerable animal residents. Following Mayor Schaaf’s words, attendees will hear from other candidates on November’s ballot that the East Bay Animal PAC is considering endorsing. PAC members will be eligible to vote on endorsements.
(Pictured above: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, founding board members Colleen Patrick-Goudreau and Tim Anderson, and PAC member David Goudreau)
The East Bay Animal PAC is pleased to endorse YES on Prop 12. Prop 12 would require cage-free housing and improve space requirements in California for veal calves, mother pigs, and egg laying hens who are typically confined in tiny cages on factory farms. It would also ensure that veal, pork, and eggs sold in the state come from operations meeting these modest standards.
The vast majority of egg-laying hens, mother pigs, and veal calves caught up in the food system come from animals unable to engage in important natural behaviors, virtually immobilizing them for the duration of their existence. This important legislation would make it illegal to subject these highly intelligent, sensitive animals to this extreme confinement and illegal to sell products that come from operations that use those intensive confinement practices.
Farm animals and California consumers deserve protection from such inhumane and substandard products in the marketplace. Many other states and food retailers have adopted cage-free standards – it’s time for California to to follow suit and become a leader with cage-free standards.
The East Bay Animal PAC overwhelmingly endorsed Dan Kalb in the race for Assembly District 15, which encompasses Richmond, Berkeley, El Cerrito, Albany, Piedmont, as well as parts of Oakland and Contra Costa County. Kalb has been a leading voice on the Oakland City Council in defending the rights of animals, including spearheading a ban on plastic straws, which are harmful to wildlife and waterways, and a ban on bullhooks, which are used to coerce elephants to perform tricks in the circus. The bullhook ban led Ringling Brothers to stop using elephants in its shows nationwide. Kalb has also been a leading voice regionally and statewide in protecting our parks, waterways and open spaces.
Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin spoke to East Bay Animal PAC supporters on October 2, 2017. Mayor Arreguin continues to lead the fight for animal welfare in the East Bay. He spoke about why he fought to ban the declawing of cats and dogs, as well as the primate guardian issue, the prohibition of discriminating against renters with pets or guide dogs, the ban on animal testing, the plastic straw ban and this week’s ban on live animal giveaways.
