Maine Friends of Animals - MFOA - Legislation / Campaigns

Friday, 18 May 2012

Legislation / Campaigns

IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 1370 "An Act to Change the Membership of the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Council

TESTIMONY OF ROBERT FISK, JR.
President & Director of Maine Friends of Animals
IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 1370 "An Act to Change the Membership of the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Council"
COMMITTEE ON INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

April 5, 2005

Good afternoon Senate Byrant, Representative Watson and members of the committee. My name is Robert Fisk, Jr. I am president and director of Maine Friends of Animals. We are a moderate statewide animal protection organization that promotes the humane treatment of animals through education, advocacy and legislation. I am also a small businessman, former legislator and was director of the bear referendum.

IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 599 “An Act To Protect Household Pets

TESTIMONY OF ROBERT FISK, JR.
President & Director of Maine Friends of Animals
IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 599 “An Act To Protect Household Pets and Other Small Animals from Poisoning.”
COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

March 8, 2005

Senator Cowger, Representative Koffman and distinguished members of the committee. I am Robert Fisk, Jr., President and director of Maine Friends of Animals. We are Maine’s largest animal protection group, and our mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals thougheducation, advocacy and legislation. We are very pleased that Rep. Glynn and his wife Lori have submitted this legislation, which we strongly support.

Bear Trapping And Hounding Bills Before The Legislature

Although the bear referendum lost (53% - 47%), there is no question that the issue of humane and ethical hunting came to the public forefront like never before. The campaign to end bear baiting, hounding, and trapping significantly increased the awareness of wildlife animal cruelty, unethical hunting practices, and how we manage wildlife in Maine. Maine’s wildlife belongs to all its citizens and we cannot end our campaign until we end unnecessary animal suffering that is found in certain hunting practices, most particularly, bear hounding and trapping.

Bear Bill Hearing at Augusta Civic Center April 28, 2005

TESTIMONY OF ROBERT FISK, JR.
President & Director of Maine Friends of Animals
IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 628 “An Act to Amend the Bear Hunting Laws” and
IN SUPPORT OF L.D. 1460 “An Act to Ban Bear Hunting with Traps Except to Protect the Public”
COMMITTEE ON INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE

April 28, 2005

Good afternoon Senator Byrant, Representative Watson and distinguished members of the committee. I am Robert Fisk, Jr., president and director of Maine Friends of Animals, a statewide animal advocate group that promotes the humane treatment of animals with education, advocacy and legislation; and we initiated the bear referendum.

The bear referendum significantly increased the public awareness of wildlife animal cruelty, unethical forms of hunting and how Maine’s wildlife is managed and by whom. Most Mainers knew very little about how we hunted bear in this state until the referendum. They learned a lot. The view of bear hunting will never be the same after the referendum. Because of that I honestly believe what happens to these bear bills by this committee will set the tone for wildlife issues for many years to come. If this legislation is dismissed as this committee has done before I believe it will create a greater divide among non-hunters and hunters, increase criticism of the department as being pawns of sportsmen, and stimulate a call for future referendums.