U.S Residents, Dogs need your help!

[AnimalLover]

Every year, thousands of pets and wildlife die agonizing deaths after drinking spilled antifreeze, attracted by its sweet taste. I have even heard stories of people purposely leaving out antifreeze to kill animals.

There is a pending Congressional bill, H.R. 1563, that would require antifreeze to contain a bittering agent so as to render it unpalatable to animals. The bill needs co-sponsors, so please contact your federal representative and ask him or her to cosponsor it. This will only take a few minutes of your time.

Here is a link to a pre-composed letter on the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) website: Action letter (http://cw2k.capweb.net/ddal/letterstate.cfm?letter_id=2655).
All you have to do is fill in your name & address and it will be sent to your representative.
(DDAL's Privcy Statement (http://www.ddal.org/privacystatement.html) says that they will not share, sell, or trade any of your information.)

Or, if you prefer, you can go to www.congress.org (http://www.congress.org), enter your zip code, and you will be provided with the names, addresses, and email links to your elected officials. You can copy the action letter from the DDAL website and send it whichever way you choose.

Here is the paltry list of current co-sponsors, so you can see if your rep. is already on board:
Ackerman [D-NY]
Bartlett [MD]
Berkley [NV]
Capps [CA]
Carson [IN]
Davis [IL]
Farr [CA]
Frank [MA]
Israel [NY]
Kildee [MI]
Kucinich [OH]
Lee [CA]
Lewis [CA]
Lofgren [CA]
Maloney [NY]
McNulty [NY]
Moran [VA]
Rohrabacher [CA]
Sabo [MN]
Schiff [CA]
Watson [CA]
Wexler [FL]
Wu [OR]

People, I am trying to make this as easy for you as possible.
Please take a few minutes of your time to help save the lives of innocent animals.
Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the oil! The more people who write, the better chance the bill has of becoming a law.

Please keep this thread in the forefront by replying to it after you've sent your letter.

Thank you

P.S. See my next post for more info and safety tips regarding antifreeze.

[AnimalLover]

Antifreeze is one of the most dangerous household hazards to pets, wildlife, and children. One teaspoon of antifreeze can kill an eight pound cat, and as little as two ounces can kill a twenty pound dog.

Antifreeze works quickly. Within 30-60 minutes, the animal shows signs of depression, has a look of fear, and loses coordination. Then vomiting is soon followed by paralysis, and within 6 to 12 hours, coma, then death. At the first sign of distress -- or when you have the slightest suspicion that the animal has ingested antifreeze -- rush it to the veterinarian's office or an animal emergency hospital. The quicker the animal is treated, the more likely it is to recover.

Some Safety Tips

When changing antifreeze keep your pets indoors and make sure any spills are washed away.

Avoid spilling antifreeze on the ground and don't drain radiators into ditches or storm drains.

Keep new antifreeze in its original container.

To store used antifreeze before disposal, put it into a clearly labelled, sealed container.

Recycle or dispose of it at a garage with appropriate facilities for disposing of antifreeze. It can
also be disposed of on Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days.

Keep antifreeze off the floor and away from pets.

Wipe up and wash away any spills.

Don't let your pet drink from or walk in puddles in streets or driveways.

If your pet returns home covered with an unknown substance, wash it off immediately.

Winter auto window washing fluids and products to prevent freezing in plumbing can also contain ethylene glycol (EG), the poisonous ingredient in antifreeze,. Check the ingredients, and if it contains EG, treat it the same as antifreeze.

Switch to non-toxic Propylene Glycol formulated antifreeze.

[Rachel]

My letter has been sent. You certainly did make this easy for us. I hope others will follow suit to try to make a difference. Your posting has articulated the nature of this problem so well. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Come on Pet Talkers...see if we can get a majority of our members involved.

[tatsxxx11]

I sent my letter as well, the other day from the link you posted on a previous thread. Sadly I see my rep. is not listed! I think I'll send another letter!! This is SO important. Making strides legally, where it comes to the welfare of our animals, requires all of us to make our voices heard. I hope others will see this thread and send a letter. It couldn't have been made easier. Thank you so much! I deeply admire your commitment.

[Aspen and Misty]

I sent one and my mom sent one. Thank you!!!

Ash

[Rachel]

Trying to bump this up so it gets a little more attention.

[Sevens]

My husband and I each sent letters. Thanks for posting the link.