Call / Email Your Legislator
The Missouri Alliance is the only organization in the state of Missouri working full time to lobby in the state capitol on behalf of animals. But it's not a solo endeavor - it takes all of us together to make a positive impact. There are several ways for you to contact your member of the state legislature to express your position on an issue and serve as a voice for the animals.
Share on Social Media
Most of us are engaged in social media on one level or another. It has become a powerful outreach and communications tool in our collective arsenal. The Alliance is active on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram - please follow us and share our posts!
Write a Letter to the Editor
Letters to the editor are a powerful tool in the advocacy kit. Letters create awareness of an issue, shine a spotlight on it, and begin or maintain momentum on an issue. Often times, such letters lead to journalistic investigations which in turn gain widespread attention. Legislators (and/or their staff) closely monitor letters to the editor in order to learn what voters are thinking. Here are some tips for writing a letter to the editor:
- Be concise - most publications (online or print form) have a word minimum.
- A letter is more likely to be published when it is written as a response to something that already appeared in the publication. So when you write your letter, reference the previously published article
- Similarly, timeliness is everything. If you know of a related event coming up, that would be a good time (prior to) to submit your letter.
- Limit your letter to ONE TOPIC.
- Feel free to make your letter personal - but refrain from personal attacks.
- Include your name, organization (that is, reference the fact that you are a supporter of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation), address, email, and telephone number. Most publications seek to verify the submission.
Learn more about writing a letter to the editor.
Education/ Information Session
The Alliance is happy to make presentations to groups of individuals who want to learn about the plight of animals in Missouri and how to advance animal welfare. We are frequently asked to speak at organizational lunches or at community colleges. Many people understand the need for protective animal welfare laws - but they don't know how to assist in passing these laws. We can help. Call us at 314-361-3944 or email us at admin@maal.org.
Start an Online Petition
According to Dave Karpf, author of The MoveOn Effect: The Unexpected Transformation of American Political Advocacy, online petitions are an early stage political tactic that help build a broader campaign and serve a number of purposes:
- They can send a signal of public opinion to a decision maker.
- They tell the media there is enough public attention to do a story.
- They build a list of people who are interested in an issue.
- They can spur additional action and raise money.
Petitions can be a very useful first-step tool in spreading information quickly. (cited: Gail Ablow, producer for Moyers & Company)
There are a number of online petition sites. Here are a couple - you can find more online (click the following):
Change.org and Care2.com
Report Animal Abuse/ Neglect/ Animals in Distress
The Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Task Force is available 24/7 to respond to animals at risk from abuse or natural disasters - and they are in all 114 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis.
Click on Animal Abuse Cruelty Task Force and/or Animal Abuse Hotlines to learn more.
Report Unlicensed Dog and Cat Breeders
There are several avenues available for reporting suspected unlicensed dog and cat breeders in Missouri. The Missouri Department of Agriculture offers the following: Operation Bark Alert.
To follow up on the above report, contact Matt Rold, ACFA Coordinator at 573-751-3076 or Matt.Rold@mda.mo.gov
Additionally, anyone with information about unlicensed dog breeders, substandard dog breeders or pet stores (and the sale of sick dogs from dog breeders or pet stores) can file a complaint and follow up with the Missouri Department of Agriculture via the ACFA Program Inquiry (above).
Help Fund Our Work
Your donation supports our legislative work as well as helping to fund our ongoing public outreach and education efforts, all of which are costly for a non-profit organization. You are helping to raise awareness of the plight of animals and you are advocating with us to promote and ensure humane legislation. To learn more about how to donate to the Alliance, click here.