The 2016 Getting to the Goal conference will offer a session on Michigan legislation. 
Several important bills have been introduced into the state legislature with the potential to improve animal welfare. This session will provide overview of each bill, the current status and what you can do. Updates will include Breed Specific Legislation (SB 239), Logan’s law: animal abuse background checking (HB 4353 & 4355, SB 219 & 220), Stray Hold (HB4915), No-Kill Shelter License Plate (HB5349), Regulations for Large-scale Dog Breeders (HB4898) and Shelter Gassing Ban (SB403).
Richard Angelo, Best Friends Animal Society; Courtney Protz-Sanders, MiPACA; Pam Sordyl, Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan
Meet the presenters:
Richard Angelo, Jr.
Richard Angelo, Jr. is a Legislative Attorney for Best Friends Animal Society. His focus is on Best Friends’ Community Cat Initiatives and promoting legislation that will humanely and directly reduce the killing of cats in shelters across the country. He was previously a sole practitioner with an office in Davison, MI, focusing on companion animal-related matters and litigation. Richard has been a member of the Animal Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan and has served as a council member of that Section since 2009. He is also a member of the National Animal Care and Control Association, American Bar Association, TIPS-Animal Law Committee, and a vice-chair of the newly formed International Law Section, Animal Law Committee. In addition to his work for Best Friends, Richard also volunteers at his local animal control shelter, and several other animal welfare organizations in Michigan. Richard resides in Goodrich, MI with his wife, four dogs, and three cats.
Courtney Protz-Sanders and Bubba
Courtney Protz-Sanders began her career in animal welfare in 2000 at the Dumb Friends League, the largest open admission animal shelter in the Rocky Mountains. With more than 16 years of experience in animal welfare, Protz-Sanders has led or participated in numerous projects, coalitions and organizations, including the committee to reform Detroit Animal Control, the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance Rescue Certification Task Force and the National Disaster Animal Response Team. From wildfires to hurricanes, and from animal hoarding to dog fighting, Protz-Sanders is skilled in triage and emergency sheltering for animals. In 2014, Protz-Sanders was a professional speaker at the largest international animal welfare conference, the HSUS Expo. Protz-Sanders was also a presenter at three past Michigan No Kill conferences. In 2005, Protz-Sanders founded Paws for Life Rescue, a non-profit, foster-based, all-breed rescue for dogs and cats. She continues today as Board president and executive director. Protz-Sanders also currently serves as a founding member, Board trustee and spokesperson for Michigan’s Political Action Committee for Animals (Mi-PACA). In 2014, Protz-Sanders helped develop and launch Make Michigan Next, a coalition of advocates working to end breed discrimination in Michigan, and also served as the rally emcee at the state Capitol in September of that year.
Pam Sordyl
Pamela Sordyl started advocating for animals in 2007 when she learned about puppy mills and factory farming. It didn’t take her long to find an active local group, like Southeast Michigan Animal Rights Team (S.M.A.R.T), to start protesting Petland, the world’s largest puppy retailer. Protesting turned into leading public education campaigns and the formation of Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan. Last year, she worked to form a coalition called Michigan Friends of Companion Animals to focus on pending state legislation (HB 4898), the Large-scale Commercial Dog Breeder Act and local ordinances that would prohibit the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets, long lived birds and large reptiles. It is her hope that one day animal exploitation will be only found in history books.
For more information about the conference, to become an exhibitor or sponsor, or to register, click here.
