https://www.change.org/p/marco-rubio-hillary-clinton-florida-animal-are-not-objects
I would like to invite you to pay attention to this petition, nothing is more important in success than talking and learning from personal experiences, where the real life comes from. My name is Jessica Tacoronte, I am animal defender, I have been a volunteer in Orange County Animal Service at Orlando, FL, helpin
g animals and rescuing them, working with PETA and ASPCA. Also, I have been the supporter of many foreign similar organizations as Fundacion Apegate, Fundacion Huella Animal, Manos x Patas in Venezuela. I was forced to leave Venezuela for the reason you know, that all the laws and rights were violated and I know you understand the importance of this since your main goal is to fight and defend us in the Senate and ensure that what other countries suffer from, such as Venezuela, do not occur in our country U.S.A., so please listen to me. My family was a victim of animal abuse in an exceptional way, our tragedy is not described in the law, however it is a real story that have been happening to a lot of people. In my personal experience (talking as a public speaker) animal abuse affected my home. I have felt too much pain for all the abuse that many animals have been suffering all these years around the world. I thought the law and system where working together to improve their rights in United States in this matter. I know that Venezuela or other Latin American countries do not spend much effort for animal laws and that the conditions there are worst, but I trust in our country, U.S.A., and believe that we can make a difference. I live in a "safe neighborhood" where kids play outside all the time, people exercise and walk at all times of the day and night, stop each other and talk about their days, creating a feeling of a big family and that everything is perfect. Our neighborhood is gated, and we hired the local police to do rounds and keep us safe. Just to explain it quickly our neighborhood is about 10 years old and there is no house that has ever suffered from burglaries or similar crimes. Anyone can easily get a fine if speeding, people can even be towed for parking on the grass (even on your private property) or for parking on the wrong side of the road. We have strong rules, don't we? However, even with all this rules, last night an older man who suffers of visual problems (cataracts) was speeding while driving in front of my house and tragically ran over my princess Rossie Maria (my dog, but to me and my husband she was our only daughter). After he ran over my baby he tried to escape, but with the help from people who were exercising around the street, he was stopped. This is how it happened, my dog was outside of our home with me. I was getting ready to go on our usual bicycle ride. While she was waiting to start our ride, Rossie saw another friend and tried to cross the road to say hi. At this same time a driver, an older man with visual problems, who was speeding, and not paying attention since he was distracted from the people inside the car ran over Rossie. He was so reckless that he did not even try to stop for the speed-bump that is literally in front of my house, nor respected the 25 mph speed limit. We have witnesses, however, even having witnesses doesn't count, because the laws in FL considers dogs as "objects" and implies that it is not a crime killing an object (dog). I want us to think that this is the place where kids are running and playing all the time, so it could have been a kid and we all know that prevention is the secret to avoid all crimes. I know that people and the law are changing everyday, and slowly considering the rights of the animals in certain circumstances. For example it is a crime to leave a animal inside a car (which contradicts FL law of considering animal as objects or properties), however these changes had been very slow and we need to make more effort to defend their rights. I believe that is ironic that we understand that it is illegal to drive while being under the influence of alcohol, but we find it is legal to drive with a vision problem, don't they all represent the same risk? What's the difference of having visual problems from being drunk? What's the difference between killing a pet or a kid? Their death represents a tragedy and pain to their love ones and suffering during their accident, they must have rights too. There are people who can not have kids and make their dogs their kids, others who prefer animals as a sibling, or simply they want a pet being a part of the family when they choose to have kids. To our family our dog was our daughter because we chose to treat her so (I supposed to have freedom to choose what I want to have or to be and I chose being a dog's mother), we have not had any kids and respect the lives of every being from our hearts. We rescued and adopted Rossie as our daughter, just like we plan to adopt and raise a kid in the future (I choose to believe they are the same, kids and pets) , but Florida Law say that animals are objects. Let's talk about it. Does an object give you real love? Company? Can a object be beside you while you are sick, sad, working or happy? (Dogs have been saving lonely people from this system that represents just loneliness) If we talk about handicap people, who saves their life? I have seen dogs detecting bombs and saving millions of people, being used to control airports, to stop drug trafficking, healing illnesses as epilepsy, depression, anxiety, etc... So is a dog an object or an hero? How is an object capable of being a hero? If an animal is a object then it must be the most valuable object that money can not buy. So, my dog didn't have any right as an "object" but your tons of citizens have the right to buy guns and kill kids at schools? ROSSIE WAS THE ANGEL OF TONS OF KIDS. I ask, did my baby, my daugther deserve to die that way? Without justice because she was an object! The person who kill my baby kill me, too. What's the difference of being physically in this earth if I am died inside? We need to make a change together, little things make big changes. We are all the same. Please sign because the law needs to change, let's put our heart in the rules that we are creating, we are in a democracy, we create the law, the reason because nothing was changed or the change is pretty slow is because we do not involve the heart in the law. I came to this country looking for a true democracy as you, you Mr. Rubio represent the change for those who come from countries with lack of democracy. Those days people want real changes, people are aware of the value of animals and nature so make the difference and I bet you you will be the next president. Help me, help all pets in Florida. ANIMALS ARE NOT OBJECTS, THEY ARE BEINGS, WE ARE ALL THE SAME. DOGS MUST HAVE RIGHTS JUST AS HUMAN BEINGS DO. CHANGE THE LAW. In the name of Rossie. hashtag :
by Jessica Tacoronte
