Date
July 15, 2006
Contact
Kristie Phelps
(757) 423-0093
In Defense of Animals
3010 Kerner Blvd
San Rafael
CA 94901
IDA is an international, California-based animal advocacy organization dedicated to ending the abuse and exploitation of animals by defending their rights, welfare and habitats.
California Assemblymember Lloyd Levine Named IDA’s “Guardian of the Month”
Compassionate Legislator Honored for Work for Animals
San Rafael, Calif.—In Defense of Animals (IDA), an international animal protection organization with more than 85,000 members worldwide, is proud to honor California Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) for his dedication to California's animals and their guardians by naming him Guardian of the Month for July.
Lloyd Levine was elected in 2002 to represent 400,000 residents in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. The author of many important bills to help animals in the state, this 37-year-old legislator is fast becoming one of state politics' most powerful voices for animal protection, standing up for the interests of California's wild and domestic animals. From homeless cats and dogs to elephants in zoos, this compassionate legislator speaks for the voiceless and vulnerable by introducing and supporting important bills aimed at ending abuse and cruelty.
Levine's most lauded bill by animal protectionists is the Elephant Protection Act (AB 3027), which sought to radically improve the treatment of elephants in California's zoos and circuses. The bill would have required all zoos in the state to provide a minimum of five acres for up to three elephants, with another half acre provided for each additional elephant. All circuses would have had to provide hundreds of square feet—both indoor and out—for their elephants, and the use of bullhooks and chains would have been outlawed.
In response to the premature death of an elephant at L.A. Zoo, Levine sent a letter to the California Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez requesting the formation of an Assembly Select Committee on Animal Welfare with Levine as Chair. In a statement, he said, "The purpose of the Committee would be to investigate, highlight and understand what the state can do to move away from the often unnecessary exploitation of animals in California."
In addition to his many campaigns to benefit California residents - from education and the environment to health and fitness - Levine has introduced numerous bills to improve the lot of animals in the state from promoting spaying and neutering to humane control of dog and cat overpopulation
“Lloyd Levine embodies the true spirit of what it means to be an animal guardian,” says IDA President and Founder, Elliot M. Katz, DVM. “We are proud to name him our “Guardian of the Month” for July and look forward to a fruitful partnership that will benefit our animal friends.”
For more information on IDA’s Guardian Campaign, visit www.GuardianCampaign.com.