our story
We're on a journey towards change and we're not backing down
"Five dogs out, six dogs in"
Laws Saving Paws was inspired when founder, Meaghan Thiede, saw the effects of Tennessee's animal overpopulation first-hand when volunteering with her county's municipal shelter. "Five dogs would be adopted one day, and six would be come in the next day. It was discouraging." Even with all of the passionate shelters and rescues throughout the state, the amount of animals needing homes continued to rise exponentially. Meaghan spent some time looking for concerted efforts confronting the root of this problem, but to her surprise, she came up empty handed. Recognizing this void and the great need for change, Laws Saving Paws was born into existence.
Here's what we'll strive to do​
​Facilitate respectful conversations that allow all voices and perspectives to be heard
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Work collaboratively to enact changes that will benefit responsible pet owners and citizens
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Develop creative solutions to issues that are impacting each and every one of us
Here's what we don't want to do​
​Advocate for anything before understanding all angles of a situation
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Demand changes that fundamentally threaten the freedom that Tennesseans appreciate
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Ignore our opportunity to educate the public about the harmful effects of the issues happening now
We believe that pet overpopulation is the root of many of our issues today, making it our top priority. We've got some ideas that could help change this:
ADVOCATE FOR FOR TIGHTER LAWS THAT PROMOTE ONLY RESPONSIBLE BREEDING
All roads lead back to our problem with irresponsible breeding, making it the foundation for better laws. We need to fight for things like stricter limits on unaltered female dogs a person can have at one time, the amount of times a female dog is permitted to produce a litter, and find ways to regulate these violations better. Did you know that in Tennessee breeders who sell more than one litter of puppies per year must be licensed as a dealer and be inspected by the state? If this was upheld, our problem may be smaller. We need stronger enforcement, even if that means recruiting help from the community.
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DEVELOP SPAY AND NEUTER REQUIREMENTS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES
Not everyone wants to spay and neuter their pets, and they have the right to that decision. However, we need laws mandating these procedures in certain circumstances (for example, if a female dog has already met the maximum number of litters she is legally allowed to produce). These changes won't have any impact if the laws are not upheld and guilty parties are not apprehended.
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PUSH FOR HEAVIER CONSEQUENCES FOR ILLEGAL BREEDING AND ANIMAL CRUELTY
This is a broad topic that we need to improve and refine. We need to redefine what "illegal breeding" is and continue to educate the public about what animal cruelty is (did you know that even animal abandonment is considered animal cruelty?). Currently, violation of these laws carries the consequence of a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by fine only. A Class A misdemeanor carries fine of up to $2,500. We believe that these offenders should be served harsher penalties, even if that means finding a way to reallocate money in order for this to happen.
Change doesn't happen overnight, especially when it comes to legislation. With with great perseverance and action like petitioning, educating, fundraising and connecting with the community, we know that we can make a difference in our home state of Tennessee, and beyond.