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2010 SESSION
WHEREAS, Paulette Dean, Director of the Danville Area Humane Society, has been named Person of the Year by Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare (VVAW); and
WHEREAS, Paulette Dean was chosen as Person of the Year by VVAW for her tireless efforts to help establish anti-tethering regulations in her community of Danville; and
WHEREAS, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) defines tethering as “the practice of fastening a companion animal to a stationary object or stake, usually in the owner's backyard, as a means of keeping the animal under control”; and
WHEREAS, devoted to the humane treatment of animals, Paulette Dean realized that there were hundreds of animals in the City of Danville alone that were subjected to tethering; and some animals were made to spend their entire lives on a chain, receiving little or no human attention, socialization, or adequate water, nutrition, and veterinary care; and
WHEREAS, investigating further, Paulette Dean discovered that 90 percent of dog complaints received by her agency involved companion animals that were tethered on chains; and
WHEREAS, over three years, Paulette Dean and her fellow volunteers easily gathered hundreds of photographs of chained dogs suffering in horrible conditions, as well as information on the ill effects of tethering from HSUS and other sources, such as psychological damage resulting in neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and potentially aggressive dogs; and
WHEREAS, armed with photographs and compelling information, Paulette Dean started an anti-chaining campaign to convince Danville’s leaders to pass regulations to stop the tethering of animals in order to address both animal welfare issues and community safety issues; and
WHEREAS, Paulette Dean was instrumental in Danville City Council's unanimously passing an ordinance, effective July 1, 2010, that bans the constant tethering of companion animals; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate Paulette Dean as the 2010 Person of the Year by the Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Paulette Dean as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation of her many accomplishments.