Critter Corner: Nitro's Legacy Can End With a Bang or a Whimper

Unless you have been living in a bubble, you've been flooded with a surfeit of food, holiday gift ideas, shopping and holiday music. It doesn't matter if your life marches to the strains of Santa Baby or John Lennon and Yoko Ono asking "..and what have you done" the holiday spirit is all around us.

Politicians on the local level are also ready for a break. It is easier to sideline, stall or otherwise delay than to deal with important issues before the upcoming holidays. Like most of us, they have a lot on their plate, both figuratively and literally. Concerned voters still clamor for their voice to be heard while politicians maintain their own agendas.

The only ones left with a literal empty plate are those animals who can be intentionally starved to death, with minimal consequences. House bill 108 has lots of legal verbiage, but basically it calls for fair penalties for those found guilty of gross animal abuse. 

If you can stomach the details click on this link for more information. If at first blush, you believe that four months in jail is too short a term to serve for a "qualified" kennel owner who intentionally starved dogs to death, you can skip the details and call the elected officials below. 

December 11 is the last day to put House Bill 108, also known as Nitro's Law, on the agenda. No matter how full your plate is, no matter if you want  "an out-of-space convertible too, light blue" you must stop and ask yourself, "What have THEY done?"

Did Nitro and his fellows die in vain? Were their deaths hollow, and will they go out with a whimper?

Here is what you can do today:

• Call Ohio Senate President Niehaus and strongly encourage him to move HB108 to the floor for a Vote. 614-466-8082, email niehaus@ohiosenate.gov

• Call Governor Kasich and ask how, after all the calls, emails and letters, can Senate President Niehaus thwart Nitro's Law HB108? Governor John Kasich, Riffe Center, 30th Floor 77 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-6117. Phone: (614) 466-3555

You can also call the Rules and Reference Committee: 

• Faber - (614) 466-7584
• Wagoner - (614) 466-8060
• Jones - (614) 466-9737
• Widener - (614) 466-3780

Whatever you do, remember that December 11th is the deadline. Without your calls Nitro can die again.