Where Do the Candidates Stand on Animal Issues?
Before I do into this article, I want to state that I am not a big political person and the only issues that I will be addressing here are the candidates’ stands on various animal issues. My feeling when it comes to politics is that I would not support someone who was not strong on animal welfare issues that were important to me but also I would not support someone solely based on their stand on animal welfare issues.
I’m only going to be covering the ‘major’ players in the race and do my best not to allow my own feelings, except for animal welfare issues, come through.
2008 Presidential Candidates
| Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton John Edwards Mike Gravel Dennis J. Kucinich Barack Obama Bill Richardson |
Republican Rudolph W. Giuliani Mike Huckabee Duncan L. Hunter John McCain Ron Paul Mitt Romney Fred Thompson |
Democrats’ Stands on Animal Welfare Issues |
 Hillary Rodham Clinton - Considered strong on animal welface issues.She has co-sponsered legislation regarding horse slaughter and animal fighting as well as legislation to stop the processing of ‘downer’ livestock and wants to crack down on puppy mills. |
 John Edwards - Weak on hunting issues - “Hunting and Fishing Bill of Rights and Responsibilities” that calls for giving hunters more access to federal lands, including, in some cases, national parks. He has supported and co-cponsered bills on the following issues though and was one of the first candidates to come forward and release a statement on animal welfare issues; stop cockfighting, bear poaching, and the processing of “downer” livestock, restricting abusive puppy mills, ensuring the safety of pet food, stopping the trade in pet primates,protect dolphins from tuna nets and prevent drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. |
 Mike Gravel - No readily available information on animal welfare issues. |
 Dennis Kucinich - He is considered very strong on animal welfare issues. Currently a co-sponsor of 14 animal protection measures, led the effort in 2001 and 2002 to secure more funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act at puppy mills, research laboratories, zoos, circuses, and other facilities. Had hosted an online forum to discuss animal issues and is an ethical vegetarian. |
 Barek Obama - He is considered strong on animal welfare issues. Has co-sponsored of measures to stop horse slaughter, upgrade the penalties for animal fighting, and crack down on dogfighting. You can read more about his stands on animal welface in his Human Society Legislative Fund’s questionairre. |
 Bill Richardson - Considered strong on animal welfare issues. As Governor of New Mexico he has provided more than ten million dollars for wildlife conservation, animal shelters, animal control, spay/neuter projects, cruelty investigations, and other animal welfare programs. Finally outlawed cockfighting and enacted a law to have a bittering agent added to antifreeze for the safety of children and animals. Weak on rodeos and hunting. |
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Republicans’ Stands on Animal Welfare Issues |
 Rudy Giuliani - Not much legislation except for a 2000 bill to promote the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats and open an animal shelter in each borough in order to help curb New York’s pet overpopulation. The first Republican candidate to release a public statement on animal issues - “Animals play an important part in the lives of many Americans. We should all work to reduce animal suffering by advocating for sensible public policies, investigating animal cruelty and strongly enforcing the laws that are already on the books. I will continue to support efforts to educate the public about animal issues, and work with corporations to develop animal-friendly policies.” |
 Mike Huckabee - Considered weak and poor on animal welfare issues. I think by now everyone had heard about his son and the cruel dog killing incident. Huckabee and his staff was further involved by attempting to have the matter not investigated and covered up. He is an avid hunter and has stood against pretty much any legislation to strengthen animal welfare and strongly sides with Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and Ducks Unlimited refusing to upgrade the penalties for animal cruelty saying they would have adversely impacted hunting, fishing, farming, and other Arkansas traditions. Oh, and one of his favorite foods is purported to be made with horsemeat! |
 Duncan Hunter - Considered basically poor on animal welfare issues but does support legislation against animal fighting, horse slaughter, and the processing of “downer” livestock. He’s weak on hunting issues to the point that he supports trophy hunting on Santa Rosa Island. He is also involved in a controversial battle over whether the animals will be exterminated from the island or allowed to remain in a canned hunt - a negative for animals with either outcome. |
 John McCain - Considered strong on various animal welfare issues. Voted for and/or co-sponsored legislation to stop horse slaughter, eliminate a $2 million subsidy for the mink industry, stop the interstate shipment of birds for cockfighting and to stop the poaching of bears. Weak on hunting issues |
 Ron Paul - Extremely weak and poor on animal welfare issues! to keep the federal penalties weak for dogfighting and cockfighting, providing some great pocket protection for would-be Michael Vicks. He against restoring the decades-old protections for wild horses and burros, instead opting to allow these majestic creatures to be sold for commercial slaughter. And One of only 31 members of the U.S. House of Representatives who voted against every single animal protection measure that came up for a vote in 2007. He voted in Marchvoted in Aprilhe voted in June to allow wealthy American trophy hunters to shoot polar bears in the Arctic and bring their heads and hides back home. |
 Mitt Romney - Relative poor on animal welfare issues. We all probably remeber the story about him tying his dog on the top on his car in a crate on a family vacation, not cool! That action seems to showcase his measure when it comes to animal welfare, don’t really care. He supports rodeos and appoints animal-unfriendly people to Wildlife boards. The only positive note was a bill to strengthen the Massachusetts animal fighting law and prevent a convicted animal abuser from getting the animal back. |
 Fred Thompson - Basically poor on animal welfare issues. Voted to continue spending tax dollars to allow the use of two particularly inhumane traps—steel-jawed leghold traps and wire neck snares—for commercial and recreational trapping on National Wildlife Refuges, opposed an amendment to protect dolphins from drowning in tuna fishing nets. The only positive was that he voted to eliminate $2 million subsidy for the mink industry |
This is a brief encapsulated overview of the candidates and their stands on various animal welfare issues.
You can find more and detail information on the above candidates and many other politicos in the HSUS Humane Scorecard which you can download HERE.
You can also find additional information at the Humane Society Legislative Fund and the Animals and Politics Blog, just two of the numerous sources I used to gather information for this article.
Please feel free to leave your comments. If you have any additional information that I missed or you feel is important, I’d love to hear, just leave a comment and no bashing - well, not too badly anyway, please 
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I have to say that I am extremely disappointed finding out the way many of the candidates stand. I would have thought that they would be more in tune with the public on animal welfare issues. Have to wonder how many people actually realize what their opinions are. Best this could change some minds if enough people get the word out. I’m going to be sending this to everyone I know!
WOW! Guess I know some that I definitely WON’T be voting for come election time!! How much do some of these candidates really care about people if they don’t give a damn about animals? It’s all about the money to them!
My opinion stands. I still have my 2 favorites which are both Democrats. Unfortunately my favorite of the two candidates will never beat the other one in the primaries due to popularity or lack there of so my vote has to go to the one that I believe has a chance in winning rather than wasting my vote.
Do you know if there is any way to find out about where these candidates stand on BSL?
Linlin, unfortunately BSL issues tend to be a state or local issue so as far as I know there is no centralize ‘place’ where you can find out candidates views. You can email and ask the candidates. Most of them do have contact information on their websites but to be honest since it is not something that would fall under federal guidelines I am not sure what you would get back from them.
If you do get any information, I would love to hear it and share it.
Deanna
Thank you for your help! I will endeavor to send some emails and if I hear anything from them, I will definitely let you know =)
Take care and thank you for everything you do.
Thank you so much. I’m happily surprised by some and appalled by other viewpoints and records. This is very helpful. Cruelty to animals surely shows a sad character reference. I wish everyone knew about cruelty and the sadness of puppy mills.
The research proved to be quite an eye-opener for me as well. I was very disappointed by so much of what I found out. Makes you wonder what some of them really do care about.
This is the best summary of the candidate’s record on animal issues.
I have to say I was also a bit surprised at some of the candidates stands. I am a registered republican but I guarantee I won’t be voting that way. I do have one issue I took offense to, though, I work twice a year at one of the bigger rodeos in Pa. I also know personally the man who runs the rodeos, I have helped feed and get the animals ready for the rodeo. This man has such a love for animals, that they get the best of feeds and medical care. They are very well taken care of, to a bystander it may look otherwise, but I can honestly tell you if one of the “boys” do something to upset the animals or hurt them they are punished accordingly, be it lose of pay for the night or even firing on the spot. I am not saying all promoters of rodeos are like this but don’t judge them all the same please.
Thanks for the article - I’ve eliminated a few candidates after reading this.
Thanks so much for this very important information. I am also interested in the candidates positions on BSL - even though it’s a “local matter” I think it would behoove those of us who own targeted breeds to at least know how a candidate you are considering voting for feels about the issue. I intend to email the only candidates I can possibly consider after reading this article to question them on this and will send on any responses that I receive.
PitBullMomma, I would to receive any info you get back regarding BSL. That is an issue high on my priorities list and I am always interested in what politicos have to say and what their stand is on it.
Deanna
I think it’s important to note that Hillary Clinton was heavily involved in cattle trading earlier in life. (Shady trading at that.) Her trade advisor was Jim Blair, who was the general counsel for Tyson Foods, the largest slaughterer of animals in the U.S.
Thanks Mark, very true!! She also got rid of their cat after they left the White House.
Thank you Deanna for posting this article on the candidates views about animal welfare. I have sent it to family and friends because I know that most of them don’t really know how the presidential candidates truly stand on this important issue. Some people I talk to think that Huckabee is great just because he is a Christian. I feel he is one of the worst candidates as well as the other Republicans that are running for office. By the way I am not Democrat but I did vote for Dennis who I think is the best not just for me but for our country. Most politicians know that the majority of the people in the U.S. are Christian minded so they use religion to manipulate the masses. Not all the candidates will have all the qualities we want in a President but I feel that it should be a candidate that has the best interest for all people living in the U.S. and for our environment which includes our wildlife and all animals.
Becky said–”I have to say I was also a bit surprised at some of the candidates stands. I am a registered republican but I guarantee I won’t be voting that way. I do have one issue I took offense to, though, I work twice a year at one of the bigger rodeos in Pa. I also know personally the man who runs the rodeos, I have helped feed and get the animals ready for the rodeo. This man has such a love for animals, that they get the best of feeds and medical care. They are very well taken care of, to a bystander it may look otherwise, but I can honestly tell you if one of the “boys” do something to upset the animals or hurt them they are punished accordingly, be it lose of pay for the night or even firing on the spot. I am not saying all promoters of rodeos are like this but don’t judge them all the same please.”
Well Becky, even the “nicest” rodeo’s are cruel to animals. If you work for them then you don’t care about animals.
Penny
While I really appreciate all the work that was put into this article and commend you for your helping us as animal lovers and their stewards in this world to vote in an informed way, I take exception to the fact that you used an unflattering photo of Hillary Clinton compared to your choices of the other candidate’s photo’s. Could it be your bias is showing?
FYI, I don’t intend to vote for her but come on, fair is fair!
Thanks again for your gathering this helpful information for those of us who care deeply about animal welfare issues and will vote accordingly.
Cheryl
Cheryl,
I got all the photos from the same place and to be honest, I didn’t think it was an unflattering photo. I tried to be as unbiased as possible in putting this information together using trusted sources.
Deanna
thank you for this important information. awesome job…