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Political Critters

If animals were allowed to vote, Marianne Bessey wuld lead them to the polls.


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Published: Apr 4, 2007

activism

Telling Marianne Bessey that animals are allowed to vote in the upcoming mayoral primary might seem like a nasty April Fools' prank. But, at an April 1 meeting of the upstart League of Humane Voters of Greater Philadelphia (LOHV), held in the meeting room at Weaver's Way Co-op in Mount Airy, she said if it were true, she'd lead them straight to the polls.

Alas, Bessey will have to settle with spearheading the nonprofit political action committee that aims to help elect politicians who will promote and pass laws protecting the basic interests of animals. No stranger to animal-rights activism in the city, Bessey, an attorney, has vigorously campaigned to have the Philadelphia Zoo's elephants relocated. She also runs a circus-education campaign and wants to run the rodeo out of town. LOHV, which meets monthly, is based on the New York City chapter, which she says has 10,000 members. But thus far, Philly's group has only 10 members.

"Philadelphia could be similar in scope," says Bessey, LOHV's chief organizer. "We have very caring, animal-friendly citizens. It's a matter of getting organized and getting the word out."

Until now, she says animal-protection organizations haven't been effective in the political arena since designation as a 501(c)(3) organization kept them from influencing the political process. Now, a dozen LOHVs are at work around the country, she says, hoping that, at some point, they'll galvanize at state and national levels.

"We have always felt we could be more powerful," Bessey says. "We've educated people. But the political piece has always been the missing piece to creating true lasting change for these animals."

City politicians, she says, might sound sympathetic to animal-related issues, but they rarely take action. LOHV will endorse candidates strictly on their expressed commitment to passing protective animal-friendly legislation. First on its to-do list: legislation banning the chaining of dogs. Eleven municipalities across the country have already passed such ordinances, she says, and another 50 have limited the hours per day that a dog can be chained.

So which mayoral candidates are the friendliest to animals? "It's too premature [to say]," explains Bessey, who last week filed suit against the Police Department claiming her free-speech rights were violated at a recent elephant protest. "You'll definitely be hearing more from us."