Friday, April 2, 2021 | 2 a.m.
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I write to thank Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., for her continued work to protect animals. She recently cosponsored the Big Cat Public Safety Act, HR263, and the Animal Cruelty Enforcement Act, HR1016. Private ownership of big cats such as tigers, lions, panthers and leopards is a dangerous game of Russian roulette and HR263 would help keep children and families in Nevada safe from their harm.
HR1016 would simply create an Animal Cruelty Crimes Unit at the Department of Justice to better enforce existing anti-cockfighting and other laws to root out animal cruelty that we’ve recently seen in Las Vegas, where 300 fighting roosters were seized.
Titus recently reintroduced the Providing Responsible Emergency Plans for Animals at Risk of Emerging Disasters (PREPARED) Act, which would require zoos, commercial animal dealers and research facilities to have contingency plans in place to safely evacuate and care for animals in an emergency or disaster situation.
In 2020, Titus joined Animal Wellness Action and the Animal Wellness Foundation in shepherding a wild horse and burro protection amendment through the U.S. House, and cosponsored the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act that was signed into law Dec. 27, banning doping in U.S. horse racing — the first new federal horse protection measure enacted in 49 years.
The way we treat the most vulnerable among us is a direct reflection of our character as a society, and the good people of Nevada Congressional District 1 are fortunate to have Titus representing them.
The writer is executive director of the group Animal Wellness Action.
