Congressman Cohen Speaks in Support of Animals' Rights

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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from Virginia for this time.

This is my first year in the Congress. In my 24 years in the State senate, I was the leading spokesperson for animal welfare legislation, and I took great pride in that. So I am particularly appreciative of standing up on this bill.

I incorporate by reference all the things that have been said about the harmful effects of this practice, and they are well known. I think that the spread of avian flu and all the other pertinent conduct is to be prohibited.

But the main thing is, dogs are our best friends. Harry Truman said, if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. So far, I haven't been here 90 days, I have made lots of friends. I haven't needed a dog yet, but I have thought about the day. I saw a Congressman come in the other day, Congressman Whitfield from Kentucky, he had his dog with him. He has been here more years than me.

Dogs are our friends. We all have dogs that we feel that are part of our families. We shouldn't treat any of God's creatures the way that people treat dogs and cocks; and I guess if I was from Kentucky, Congressman Yarmuth, I could speak more fondly about chickens, because the Colonel and KFC have done a lot for his district.

But my particular interest is dogs, and we should treat them well. They are our friends. You can go back in TV lore, Lassie and Asta, and you think about Snoopy. To teach them to fight, to require them to fight, to watch them die is just not what God intended and not what we should encourage and condone.

Children shouldn't be exposed to this, and sometimes they are. This type of conduct leads to other types of harmful conduct and violence against women, violence against seniors. People who enjoy this type of violence and watching it are more often than not going to be the most likely people to pick on others who are unable to take care of themselves.

I am very proud to be a cosponsor of H.R. 137. I look forward to its passage and the day that we don't have people who get some type of great enjoyment out of watching dogs, cocks or any other of God's creatures fight to the death and find pleasure and enjoyment in it and teach their children by that association that violence is something good, when it isn't.