Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals

Advocating for animals through informed voting
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About Us:

The Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals is a grassroots, not-for-profit, companion animal advocacy group.

 

Mission:
To provide information and alerts relevant to the introduction of companion
animal legislation in the state of Wisconsin, provide ratings for individual
Wisconsin legislators with regards to activity on animal legislation, to inform
voters about the high scoring candidates, and to recruit members who will
support animal legislation and vote.
 
 
If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito. ~Betty Reese
 
Biographies:

Kathy Pobloskie
North Prairie, WI 53153
email: information@WIvotersforcompanionanimals.com

 

Kathy has a diploma in forest technology as well as a background in newspaper management.  She has owned, raised, and trained horses for almost 25 years. Kathy and her husband, Dan enjoy showing their two Arabian geldings in dressage. They also share their home with two rat terriers adopted from the local humane society.


She is currently a full time animal welfare advocate, volunteering for national and local organizations. This experience has led her to believe that true change for the animals will come from better legislation and stricter enforcement of existing laws. She feels that providing voters with credible data will help them make informed decisions at election time. This will speed the passage of better animal laws and convince our politicians that humane legislation is an important, bi-partisan issue for Wisconsin citizens.

   

Kathy Pobloskie is the Founder & Director of the Wisconsin Voters for Companion Animals, the Facebook administrator and volunteer for Lost Dogs of Wisconsin www.lostdogsofwisconsin.com 

 

Follow Kathy on her Blog where she addresses and discusses critical and thought provoking animal related issues.  She brings a wealth of knowledge from conferences, workshops, experience, and from being a good listener while networking/volunteering.  She reads extensively and is committed to humane policies and education.  Please visit Kathy at her blog:

Wisconsin Watchdog

Thank you to the following advisors for their tireless work in helping animals.  Together we share ideas about how to network with Wisconsin citizens regarding companion animal legislation, share our legislators' voting records, and then to help voters make informed choices.
 Advisors:

Frank Schemberger

Susan Taney

Sheila Johnston

EauClaire, WI

Hancock, WI

Racine, WI 

 

A Different Side of the Starfish Story

by Kathy Pobloskie

 

Most people in animal rescue have heard it a thousand times.  The first time I ever heard it was at church.  The pastor used it to exemplify how as Christians we should help each other - even if saving one soul at a time seemed like an overwhelming task. 

 

Animal rescuers say that is how they keep going - they save one animal at a time.


It's a beautiful story - I have two starfish necklaces and a starfish pin that I wear proudly. If you aren't familiar with it - here is the original version:

 

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a woman picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the woman, he asked, "What are you doing?"
The woman replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean.
The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."
"Ma'am," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish?
You can't make a difference!"
After listening politely, the woman bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, she said..."


I made a difference for that one."
 


But I have also seen problems with the single-minded focus of the story. I envision the animal rescuer carefully cupping the starfish (a rescued dog or cat) in her hands.  Focusing so intently as she carries it back to the water, she is oblivious to everything going on around her.


Thousands of people have come down to the beach - wanting to know how they can get involved, how they can help - but instead of looking up from her starfish and organizing the newcomers into teams and efficient distribution lines where they could save thousands of starfish - she can only focus on the one she carries. She says: "I'm too busy, I'm too overwhelmed - saving just this one - I don't have time to explain to you how you can help. I haven't had time to educate myself on the newest animal welfare practices and facts and figures."  And so the newcomers stumble around blindly - some get discouraged and quit, some waste time re-inventing the wheel, most fall into the trap of carrying one starfish at a time back to the water.


Sound familiar? How many rescue groups and shelters do you know that don't have time to organize a volunteer program, a proper foster home network, an efficient website and social media program or an offsite adoption program? All of these things have proven track records of success for saving lives. How many shelters and rescues are out there that miss out on conferences, free webinars and seminars because they don't have the resources and the time? Yet how can they not make the time? How can they not find the funds?

 

The knowledge gained by learning the cutting-edge methods will save lives, cut costs, and improve efficiency.


Please, look up from that one starfish once in awhile. See, read, absorb -  because there are so many new wonderful life-saving strategies that are working around the nation. It is time to run up and down the beach and join forces. We are a No Kill Nation and we are closer than you have ever imagined.

 

     

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