Representative Stephen McMillan with the Alabama State Legislature 95th District (Baldwin) and August “Gus“ Palumbo, Daphne City Councilman District 7, will meet with animal advocates at the grass roots meeting on September 23 at the Fairhope Civic Center from 6 to 8 p.m.

Mindy Gilbert, Alabama State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, is the guest speaker. Recent laws Gilbert has been involved in are the state’s felony anti-cruelty law, ban on hog-dog fighting spectacles and to require animals to be spayed or neutered before they are adopted.

The Haven and the Baldwin County Humane Society (BARC!) are co-hosting this meeting to further protection of the animals, whether through legislation or corporate and public policy.

Bill Press, Fairhope Police Chief, will also attend.

Michael Graham, Executive Director of The Haven, encourages everyone to attend. “Albert Einstein once said that the definition of insanity is when something is repeatedly done over and over again.

We can learn a lot from this one statement by uniting and creating the change we need to help create new and improved laws to protect animals.”

Palumbo was instrumental in removing the Daphne City Animal Shelter‘s gas chamber in 2007. Palumbo commented “Every rescue group — big and small — and every animal advocate needs to unite and make a difference.”

Presley agreed. “Collectively, our voice is very powerful. We will have local, state-wide and national organizations present to hear what Baldwin County residents have to say.”

If you know of a puppy mill, have witnessed animal cruelty in your neighborhood or have responded to animals in danger from man-made and natural disasters, this meeting is for you.

The meeting is free to the public; for more information visit www.BaldwinHumane.org or www.HavenForAnimals.org or call 251.928.4585.