WindChill’s Law goes before the Senate Wednesday March 3rd 10am
The public hearing for WindChill’s Law, WI Senate Bill #555 is set:
Criminal Justice Committee
Wednesday, March 3rd
10:00 a.m.
Rm. 400 SE, WI State Capitol in Madison
Everyone who wants to speak will get the chance to do so, and needs to keep it to 3 minutes or less. You do not have to be a WI resident to speak, and it is best if we do not all repeat the same thing.
Please email, snail mail or call The Senate Justice Committee Members and ask for their support on this bill.
Lena Taylor Sen.taylor@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-5810 CHAIR
Jim Sullivan Sen.Sullivan@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-2512 V CHAIR
Randy Hopper Sen.Hopper@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-5300
Jon Erpenbach Sen.erpenbach@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-6670
Glenn Grothman Sen.Grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov (608) 266-7513
WindChill REALLY needs his family to rally on this: whether or not this bill goes any further depends entirely upon the Criminal Justice Committee’s vote, and this hearing is before them. PLEASE help us convince them of the need to change the laws–
Kathi’s email: kat@raindancehorses.com
Polly email: pollyknoll@hotmail.com
From my blog post on February 23, 2008 - An answer to “Why?”
One thing I think that needs to be addressed is “why.” We’ve heard people say “why didn’t you just put him down… what a tremendous waste of resources…why spend the time keeping an animal alive…” That certainly would’ve been the easiest thing to do. Quick and easy, just the way our society has come to expect things. Who is going to miss an animal, right? I bet even those suggesting he should’ve “just been shot” (how do you become that callous?) have had a pet in their lifetime they would’ve done anything to save. Perhaps that’s why they’re hardened today. A special animal finds its way into your heart. It expects very little in return. For you business types the “return on investment” for what you spend feeding and taking care of your pet produces an incredible return in love, companionship and adoration. You don’t have to be a horse lover - you cat lovers know what it’s like to talk to your cat as you get ready in the morning or have it sit next to you at night while you read or watch TV. You dog lovers know what it’s like to be working on projects around your place and have that constant presence of a being that thinks you’re the greatest. (The difference between cats and dogs - and I have both - is that cats know they’re smarter than you, dogs think you’re just brilliant: “What! You’re letting me out to go potty! That’s great!….what? You’re letting me back in the house now? What a great idea - where do you come up with all these brilliant ideas master!”). We got a call from a gentleman who cares for gerbils. He had some tips to share. For virtually any species, there’s somebody who loves and cares for them.
So back to the “why.” We knew it was a battle with odds overwhelmingly stacked against the little guy even surviving the first night, much less the bitter cold that followed for night after night. We knew he’d have major expenses if he survived. Our assumption was that it would go on my charge cards and over time they’d get paid off - worry about that later. The “why” is a series of ‘because’ answers: Because we had to try; because we would want someone to try and save us if we were in the same awful circumstance; because humans had put him in this position and because it was our duty as humans to try and get him out of it - he didn’t ask to be born, he didn’t ask to be neglected — all he asked for when he called to us across that wind-swept, bitterly cold pasture was to please help him stop hurting. He needed us, he deserved that help, and he got it. And lastly, because he is as much one of the Lord’s beings as any one of us. He was no less deserving of a chance at life, and possibly even more so to make up for what his life had become up til then with his slow death march through the valley of starvation and neglect. I think someday we as people will in part be judged in how we treated those beings that God entrusted us with dominion over. It’s a measure of who we are.
Across this country and in fact the world, people have been praying and sending him notes of encouragement. They have been sending donations, and they have been coming out to see him and help with him in droves! The Ericksen’s (the Larry and Char - the horse people I told you about earlier) actually printed out his guestbook yesterday and put it in a three ring binder for us to keep near Windchill - all 193 pages. Windchill’s amazing will to survive, and his willingness to accept us humans even after all this is an inspiration to those who have been hurt in some way. Windchill probably doesn’t understand that he’s the definition of resolve. He doesn’t fight for his life every day because he will possibly be in the paper. He does this because he wants to live. It’s his quiet testament that there is power in hope. There is power in prayer. Unintentionally, he brought all of you together - and you have all made carrying the load so much easier. For that we are so grateful. And that’s “why.”
Windchill belongs to the world. We’re just lucky enough that he’s here with us.
Jeff Tucker
One other thing - we didn’t choose for Windchill to live - he did. He asked for our help across that pasture, we gave it. His continued existence is the result of his intense desire to live. Had he chosen to let go and die, at most we could’ve made him feel comfortable until he passed and then we’d have been there with him so he didn’t face it alone. Just wanted to clarify that for those that judge without having looked into Windchill’s bright eyes for themselves.
Where else you can help with Windchill’s Law
I think the letters you’ve been sending WI State Representatives and Senators are wonderful - very well thought out and respectful. My concern is that our State legislators are going to listen to people from across the country about as much as your State would listen to a letter from some guy in Wisconsin. While they may read them, some of the more polite responses I’ve seen go back to people respectfully ask for the person’s district or county - in other words if you’re not a voter, I’m not really listening as much to you as I would be to a voter…
BUT…you may have friends or family in Wisconsin…or you notice that some very powerful national associations are lining up to fight us on this bill - so perhaps there’s some national associations you may have heard of that have lined up their lobbyists and are sending emails to their members in large numbers with inaccurate information to get them riled up instead of supporting a law that you would think they’d want to see enacted because most of their members are law-abiding, caring citizens who care for their livestock, they care for their gun rights (hint hint) and the reality is there’s a cost to taking care of your animals properly - now if these decent, law-abiding citizens are paying that cost to care for their animals and the ‘bad’ people aren’t - doesn’t that mean that the bad people are competing with the good, law-abiding citizens but putting the good, law-abiding citizens at a competitive disadvantage because they aren’t spending the same amounts of money in the animal care realm on the farms they’re competing in?
There’s another avenue you can put for the efforts to influence. I believe we’ll be publishing supporters as well as detractors from the bill soon - they include some powerful national associations. Some are very misinformed. There is an opportunity in getting in touch from the grassroots level in your state all the way up to their national leadership so that it reaches our state. I’ve seen your power people - be creative, be tenacious - and get out in numbers and influence folks to support this law. The next State it comes to could be yours.
Jeff Tucker, President
The WindChill Legacy, Ltd.
Coming Soon The WindChill Legacy, Ltd. newsletter
Our first newsletter wil be coming out soon, if you have a submission pease send it to Darlene at wclnewsletter@hotmail.com .
We would like to do some member spot lights each time so dont be shy.
Thanks
Kathi
WindChill’s Law Hearing Notice - your input requested!
The public hearing for WindChill’s Law, WI Assembly Bill #747 is set:
Criminal Justice Committee
Wednesday, February 24th
10:30 a.m.
Rm. 412E, WI State Capitol in Madison
Everyone who wants to speak will get the chance to do so, and needs to keep it to 3 minutes or less. Nick’s office said you do not have to be a WI resident to speak, and it is best if we do not all repeat the same thing.
WindChill REALLY needs his family to rally on this: whether or not this bill goes any further depends entirely upon the Criminal Justice Committee’s vote, and this hearing is before them. PLEASE help us convince them of the need to change the laws–let Kathi or me know asap if you plan to do so.
If there are enough people going from this area we could consider a van or bus. This is it, family, and we need you all. Questions? Let me or Kathi know!
Kathi’s email: kat@raindancehorses.com
Polly email: pollyknoll@hotmail.com