Humane Society Legislative Fund Endorses Bob McDonnell for Governor

McDonnell Led 2008 Effort to Crack Down on Animal Fighting in Virginia

RICHMOND- The Humane Society Legislative Fund announced yesterday it has endorsed Bob McDonnell, Republican gubernatorial nominee and former Attorney General of Virginia, in his campaign for governor.

Speaking about the endorsement, Michael Markarian, President of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, remarked, “Bob McDonnell included a crackdown on animal fighting as part of his anti-crime agenda, and he understands that the way we treat animals is a reflection of our basic attitudes and values in society. Virginians deserve a governor like Bob McDonnell who has demonstrated strong and consistent leadership in protecting animals from cruelty and abuse.”

Bob McDonnell stated, “As Attorney General I was honored to work with the Humane Society, the Richmond SPCA and leaders in the General Assembly to crack down on animal fighting in the Commonwealth. We passed tough new laws to raise the penalties for involvement in these inhumane and barbaric events, including making it a crime to simply attend an animal fight. We also took a positive step with legislation that enabled authorities to prevent the animals from being returned to their owner pending conclusion of the criminal proceedings.  There is often a direct connection between animal fighting and many other forms of crime, and the work we did in combating animal fighting was another important step in our overall effort to continue improving public safety in the Commonwealth. As a dog owner, I sincerely appreciate this endorsement, and the work done by the Humane Society and the SPCA on behalf of Virginia’s animals and animal lovers.”