Going On Offense To Protect Working Animals

Imagine having your livelihood banned by a small group of lawmakers because your legal business doesn’t align with their ideology or, perhaps, they just don’t like what you do. 

The businesses getting banned, outright, legislatively, at the local municipal level might surprise you. Businesses such horse-drawn carriages, pony rides, elephant rides, educational zoos, and exotic animal exhibits at fairs and circuses. All legal businesses, heavily licensed, regulated, and inspected. 

For the past eight years, our team at The Cavalry Group has had a front row seat to the animal rights-driven onslaught of 67 exotic animal exhibiting bans and transport bans at the local level in 28 states, negatively impacting those who exhibit at fairs, circuses, and educational venues.

In addition, 14 horse carriage bans have passed at the local city council level throughout the United States in recent years. 

Why, you ask? 

Look no further than the animal rights movement.  "Animal rights," not to be confused with animal welfare, is a political agenda chipping away incrementally by altering Americans’ views about animal ownership and animal use through media, through our schools, through legislation and even through litigation. Their goal is to end animal use in every possible capacity.

The animal rights movement is an ideology that has gradually gained a foothold in universities and government throughout the past 50 years.  What was once a radical, ragtag group of extremists is now a multi-million-dollar coalition of organizations that raise money under the guise of running pet shelters and ultimately, spend that money on the promotion of increased regulation on animal ownership and animal enterprise.  

Namely, these organizations are the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Direct Action Everywhere (DXE), and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to name just a few.   There are hundreds of off shoot organizations with animal-friendly names that exist with the same motive and mission. 

The most insidious way in which the animal rights strategy has taken form has been in the subversive way these organizations pressure, infiltrate, and influence government. Hence, the way in which local legislators in city and county councils have been persuaded to ban, outright, these legal businesses utilizing working animals. 

The animal rights extremists have found that it is easier to promote their agenda to inexperienced legislators at the local city council or county council levels, persuading these lawmakers with false information and propaganda. 

It is because of this onslaught that The Cavalry Group worked with Missouri State Representative, Bryan Spencer to create legislation with the intent to slow down the animal rights steam roller at the local level. Accordingly, the Working Animal Protection Act was written and introduced and is moving through several states in the 2019 legislative session. 

If passed, Missouri HB559 would amend the Missouri state agriculture statute, Section A. Chapter 262, prohibiting an outright ban by any political subdivision at the 

any LEGAL business utilizing working animals in education, transportation, exhibition, and entertainment. This legislation DOES NOT take away local control. It simply states that these legal businesses utilizing working animals cannot be banned, outright or have regulations imposed that would lead to a ban. 

On Monday, April 8, 2019, Missouri HB559, the Working Animal Protection Act, is going to be voted on in the Missouri House of Representatives. We look forward to seeing it pass the full House in Missouri and move on to the Senate (SB416)!  

The Working Animal Protection Act is an effort to go on offense to protect animal enterprise across America -- to protect legal businesses, but also to protect our American way of life and heritage by keeping animals in our lives!

Stay up to date on the progress of the Working Animal Protection Act in Missouri and other states by going to www.workinganimalprotectionact.com 

Please help us by supporting our efforts and donate below!

Mindy Patterson

President

The Cavalry Group