Senator Stan Gerzofsky
www.mainesenate.org/gerzofsky
For Immediate Release — Friday, April 2, 2010
Contact: Tiffany Leonard — (207) 287-1515
-- Media Advisory --
Senator Stan Gerzofsky, Maine Legislator of the Year 2009
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AUGUSTA – The Sportsmen & Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance (SAOVA), a nationwide nonpartisan organization of animal owners and sportsmen, today named Senator Stan Gerzofsky (D-Cumberland County), “Legislator of the Year 2009.”
Susan Wolf, President of SAOVA, indicated that Gerzofsky’s commitment to continue working with animal owners and sportsmen to preserve property rights and assure the protection of the sporting heritage that Maine is known for, clearly distinguished him among other nominees for this award. Most notably, in 2009, Senator Gerzofsky listened to the concerns of hunting and sporting dog owners and strongly opposed LD 186, a bill involving the banning of animal fighting paraphernalia. Gerzofsky, a dog trainer himself, knew the bill had the potential to negatively impact responsible dog owners, especially those who train dogs for hunting and whose tools of the trade were being called into question.
“This award was unexpected and I am greatly honored by it,” Senator Gerzofsky said. “My work on the animal fighting paraphernalia bill came about because of the overwhelming email and phone response I received from dog breeders, trainers and groomers last year. Having been a dog trainer, I understood their concern and knew that gaining support from my fellow legislators to defeat LD 186 was the only way to protect these owners, breeders and trainers from being lumped in with those individuals involved in illegal animal fighting.”
The State of Maine has some of the best animal protection laws in the nation and is one of 45 states who list animal fighting as a felony.
John and Ann Short of Maine Hunting & Sporting Dog Owners presented the award on behalf of the SAOVA. Maine Hunting & Sporting Dog Owners is a grassroots initiative that monitors legislation of interest for Maine sportsmen and women, as well as others concerned about the animal rights movement here in the state.
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