The Louisiana State Senator has been one of the leading animal advocates in state politics
(Washington, D.C.) – Animal Wellness Action, one of the leading national organizations promoting federal policies to advance animal welfare and enforcement of our existing anti-cruelty laws, enthusiastically endorses Troy Carter for Congress.
State Senator Carter is seeking to win the seat in the upcoming March 20th special election. An absolute majority of votes is needed for a candidate to prevail on that date. If no lawmaker secures 50 percent of votes in that election, then the top two finishers compete in a run-off.
“Troy Carter has been one of the true champions of animal welfare in the Louisiana Senate, shepherding a number of major animal welfare bills into law and calling on lawmakers to embrace a set of other reforms,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action. “We value leadership on animal welfare issues, and Senator Carter has demonstrated his passion for these issues by introducing multiple bills to advance animal welfare. We urge animal lovers to vote for him on March 20th in the 2nd Congressional District.”
In 2016 Carter authored legislation to create the Louisiana animal shelter registry, requiring a clear, data-driven, picture of the population of animals in our public shelters. This has allowed for a better understanding of how to allocate resources to improve the lives of animals in parishes throughout the state.
In 2018 Carter authored and passed two bills that helped companion animals in immediate life-threatening situations. Act 360 allows for a “Good Samaritan” provision to the law to protect those who conscientiously act to save an imperiled pet or minor child trapped in a car under conditions likely to cause death.
Act 148 created criminal penalties for offenders who inexcusably leave their family pet tethered outside during extreme weather events such as hurricanes or floods. In the most recent legislative session, Carter agreed to work on legislation to strengthen the state animal fighting laws and improve animal shelter standards of care.
Louisiana was the last state to outlaw cockfighting in the nation, and enforcement of the law remains an urgent priority for animal welfare advocates. Carter responded favorably to a questionnaire from Animal Wellness Action, pledging to support the broad range of mainstream animal welfare issues now circulating in Congress – from the Bear Protection Act (to stop the trade in bear gall bladders and bile) to the Shark Fin Trade Elimination Act to creating an Animal Cruelty Crimes section at the U.S. Department of Justice. He’s also pledged to protect wildlife on our public lands and to stop imports of sport-hunted trophies of elephants and other threatened and endangered species.