Light A Candle, Save A Life - Worldwide Candlelight Vigil Against Breed Bans

Stop Killing Innocent Dogs!

One Hour, One Evening........

Those With Hearts Big Enough To Care and Those With Hearts Strong Enough To Take Stand Against InjusticeWill Join Together In Solidarity In Locations Around The World For The

My Dog Votes 4th Annual Worldwide Candlelight Vigil Against Breed Bans

DATE:  Sunday, August 24th, 2008

TIME:     8 PM - Your Local Time

PLACE: Your Location/Your Town

Light A Candle, Save A Life.

On Sunday, August 24th at 8 PM, dog lovers around the world will gather to Light A Candle, Save A Life, during the My Dog Votes 4th Annual Worldwide Candlelight Vigil Against Breed Bans.

From Alaska to Australia, from NewFoundland to New Jersey, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Canada, and Australia - will stand in solidarity to send a message to the world that we must stop breed bans, we must stop profiling dogs and owners based on breed, and we must stop the slaught of innocent dogs.

The My Dog Votes 4th Annual Worldwide Vigil Against Breed Bans is a peaceful way to send a very powerful message to the world that and we need laws based on Deed, Not Breed.   

Together, We Wil Light A Candle, Save A Life .............................   Stand up for innocent dogs and their owners and tell the world to stop killing innocent dogs!

Sign Up For The My Dog Votes Candlelight Vigil

Thank you for caring about innocent dogs.  No matter where you live, no matter who you are, can can sign up to participate in the 2008 My Dog Votes Worldwide Candlelight Vigil Against Breed Bans.

Thanks  to people like you,  in 2007 My Dog Votes Candlelight Vigils were held in more than 325 locations around the world. 

This year, wer'e thinking BIG!  Our goal is for 1000 locations around the world.  We'd like EVERY dog owner, EVERY dog club, EVERY rescue group to participate in the My Dog Votes Worldwide Candlelight VIgil Against Breed Bans.

You CAN make a difference, whether you're an individual or a group, big or small.  You can make a difference whether you own a Maltese or a Mastiff, a pitbull or a pug - we welcome all who oppose ignorance and hate.

Sign Up Today! Light a Candle, Save a Life.................

My Dog Votes World Vigil Map

Dog lovers! It's time to put this issue of breed bans on the world map!  Here are the locations of the My Dog Votes 3rd Annual Worldwide Candlelight Vigil Against Breed Bans!

My Dog Votes Worldwide Vigil Locations:

NOTE - In 2007 we had 325 vigil locations around the world. The image below represents the 2007 locations.  The mapping application was causing this blog to load extremely slowly so we temporarily took it down for people who are on dial-up.

Please use the sign up form to confirm your participation & we will coordinate & consolidate groups as we go.

The Vigil Is On YouTube!

YES! The My Dog Votes Vigil WILL Be Televised - On You Tube!

By popular demand, we now have an Official My Dog Votes Candlelight Vigil You Tube Group!

http://youtube.com/group/MyDogVotesVigil 

To upload your vigil videos:

Join the You Tube Group above and share your videos right here with all of your new, gloal, dog-loving friends!  Tags for your videos should include: BSL, "Breed Ban", "My Dog Votes", "Candlelight Vigil".

Can't attend a vigil? Then make a special vigil video message and share it with the world!   

Share Your Vigil Photos!

GOT PHOTOS?

We wanna see them! There are TWO ways to share your vigil pix with us!

Flickr

Share your pix on the Official My Dog Votes Vigil Flickr Photo Stream and share your message with the world! http://www.flickr.com/groups/mydogvotesworldvigil/ Join this group & stream your vigil photos!

Slide

Add our Slide to your My Space or Facebook account: http://www.slide.com/r/eXlFvEsV5z-Uxeh3VoaKgysGzEGlfWDS?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

Sign The Petition!

Your Signature Counts!

We're asking for every animal lover to sign their name to the My Dog Votes Worldwide Petition To Stop Breed Bans. 

Sign the petition online:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mdv2008/petition.html

Sign a hardcopy & fax it:

Download MDV.LightACandleBreedBanPetition.pdf

By adding your signature, you can help save innocent dogs and help stand up for responsible ownership.  No matter where you live, which breed or dog - or even - which species of animal you own - Send a message to the world to stop killing innocent dogs!

Breed Bans Hurt Everyone

Breed bans are insidious. 

They hurt ALL dog owners, regardless of breed, and in fact these laws hurt the public health and safety because they utterly fail to prevent dog bites. Breed bans are bad public policy.

Breed bans and other forms of BSL - aka breed-specific legislation - hurt good people and good dogs, but politicians don't seem to care about the facts, do they. Why is that?

Breed-specific legislation is like racial profiling, but for dogs, and punishes them for being the wrong breed (or mix) rather than for deeds.  Breed-specific legislation can include:

Breed Bans - Local town councils pass a law making it illegal to own a dog of a certain breed of dog - or any mix of any breed that has been banned. Responsible dog owners who try to keep thier dogs are now violators, and subject to

• Having their dog seized, impounded or killed
• Criminal penalties, large fines and even jail time
• Live underground with their dogs or forced to move

Breed-Specific Insurance Requirements - Local town councils pass or state legislatures pass a law that requires dog owners of specific breeds to obtain high levels of expensive insurance - AND - because most insurance companies may not even write these "required" policies, dog owners are unable to comply. Responsible dog owners who try to keep thier dogs are now violators, and subject to

• Having their dog seized, impounded or killed
• Criminal penalties, large fines and even jail time
• Live underground with their dogs or forced to move
• Make the choice of keeping the dog or keeping the home

Breed-Specific Mandatory Spay-Neuter  - Local town councils pass a law that required dog owners of specific breeds to sterlize their animals, which will effectively exterminate the breed.

Breed-Specific Mandatory Microchipping - Local town councils pass a law that requires dog owners of specific breeds to register in a database (just like a sex offender)  and mandates microchipping your dog so that you and your data will be tracked by the police.

Breed-specific legislation makes it harder to own, keep, or adopt dogs of a specific breed, mixed breed dogs, or dogs that even just "resemble" targeted breeds.

Each of these types of breed-specific laws or policies fails to keep children and communities safe.  Bottom line - BSL hurts good dogs and good owners.

The List - 75 Banned Or Restricted Breeds

Not Just For Pitbulls Anymore.

Breed bans and other breed-specific laws aren't just for Pitbulls or Rottweilers.  BSL has targeted many different breeds, not just here in North America, but all over the world. 

Breed bans and their supporters MUST be stopped. Otherwise, no dog  - and no dog owner - is safe from the ignorance, and more innocent dogs will die.   

Is YOUR dog on the list?  How about your friend's dog, your neighbor's dog, your mother's dog?  Will they come for your dog, like they do in Denver or in Merseyside in the U.K?    Will your dog be next?

Click the link below to see if you dog is listed............

Share Your Story

Are you a dog owner that's been impacted by breed bans and other anti-dog laws?  Or are you someone who cares deeply about saving animals?

Whether out of love for your own dog, or wheter out of concern for helping others, your presence here is a testament to the love we have and share for our dogs.

Just by talking about breed bans will make all of us stronger, so that together we help save our innocent dogs, and ourselves from these awful laws.

Please share your story here and tell us how you feel.

10 Steps To Stop Breed Bans

Dog lovers know how important dogs are to our daily lives. Dogs bring love - they enrich our lives.

Dogs don't care how old we are, or how much money we make, or what color our skin is.  Dogs are breed-neutral, why aren't we?

But ignorance, fear and political opportunism are driving the current political agenda, and that's why ALL dog owners MUST take action to protect innocent dogs. Here are some steps that ANY dog owner can do to protect their precious pets from breed-specific and other anti-dog laws:

JoinThe Vigil

Be Visible, Be Vocal

Recruit Friends, Family

Promote Responsible Ownership

Advocate For Breed-Neutral Laws

Be A Breed Advocate

Recognize Racism In BSL

Donate Your TIME

Donate Your Money

Vote Dog-Friendly

Stop Breed Bans With This Four-Letter Word

This four letter word will scare the pants off any elected official who thinks breed bans are a good idea:

VOTE.

This four-letter word was the entire inspiration for the My Dog Votes Tshirt company.  It's really simple - If you vote to ban my dog, I will vote you out of office, hence the company name,

My Dog Votes.

OK - dog owners - put your money where your mouth is and make sure you get out an vote on election day.