Virginia Animal Owners Alliance

26/03/2025

GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN HAS VETOED THE BOTTLE-BABY/HYBRID BILL!!!

He courageously took a stand for agriculture and chose to defend small business owners and alternative livestock farmers from what would have been extreme government overreach. His veto protects the human-animal bond and preserves the relationship between owners and their local veterinarians. He recognized that this bill was precedent-setting and could affect future animal management.

We cannot thank Governor Youngkin enough for standing up for our industry and our animals. His decision brought an overwhelming sense of relief to citizens throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.

You can see the status of the bill here:

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB1125

We want to thank the Governor's staff who took the time to meet with us in Richmond. We appreciate Attorney Tim Anderson highlighting questions about this bill on his own platform. We want to thank every elected representative who voted against Senate Bill 1125 throughout the General Assembly session. We are thankful for the news stations that covered this issue and the national organizations that stood with us in support of animal husbandry practices.

We want to say a huge thank you to each one of you who supported us with your prayers, calls, and emails. It all made a difference and our voices were ultimately heard.

There will be more battles to fight and other challenges to overcome. But for now, we will continue making baby bottles and enjoying our hybrids. It may not be the lifestyle for everyone, but it is one that's worth protecting.

We're so thankful the Governor of Virginia agrees.

17/03/2025

PLEASE SHARE!!!

SENATE BILL 1125 VIOLATES THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE OF THE 14TH AMENDMENT.

THIS LEGISLATION SPLITS CITIZENS INTO TWO SEPARATE GROUPS AND TREATS ONE GROUP DIFFERENTLY FROM THE OTHER. THIS IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF DISCRIMINATION AND IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

The Britannica Dictionary defines discrimination as "the practice of unfairly treating a person or group of people differently from other people or groups of people".

This is exactly what SB 1125 will do if passed into law. Independent zoo owners, private keepers, and alternative livestock farmers have been selected by Senator Jennifer B. Boysko for criminal punishment for bottle-feeding while keepers at AZA and ZAA accredited zoos, wildlife rehabilitators, and traditional farmers are exempted and will be able to continue to raise their baby animals without fear or harassment. This is wrong and unconstitutional.

We need the Governor of Virginia to become familiar with the Yick Wo v. Hopkins case of 1886. C-SPAN offers the following on their site:

"It was the first case to use the 'equal protection' clause of the 14th Amendment, which prohibits states from denying any person within their jurisdiction the equal protection of the law. In a unanimous decision the Supreme Court ruled laws with discriminatory intent were unconstitutional. This landmark case has been cited over 150 times since the Court's decision."

This case resulted in the following decision:

"The Supreme Court overturned his conviction and ruled it was unconstitutional to discriminate against a group of people in passage or enforcement of legislation."

https://landmarkcases.c-span.org/Case/18/Yick-Wo-v.-Hopkins

Senate Bill 1125 is discriminating against independent zoo owners, private keepers, and alternative farmers in a very arbitrary way. There is absolutely no justification for it. The personal opinions of Senator Boysko and PETA should not equate to criminal punishment and unfair treatment for innocent citizens of the Commonwealth.

We have shared this information with the Governor's office and hope it will help him reject this bill in its entirety.

If you haven't already, please contact Governor Youngkin and urge him to veto SB 1125. He has until March 24th to make his decision:

804-786-2211

[email protected]

13/03/2025

We appreciate Attorney Tim Anderson using his platform to draw attention to SB 1125! This bill needs a strong veto from the Governor of Virginia.

09/03/2025

Senate Bill 1125 is what happens when PETA is allowed to draft legislation and be considered an "expert" in a State legislature. It's wrong and it's dangerous and it flies in the face of science.

There's plenty of information available about hybrids and the role they play in nature. They should not be outlawed! We need Senator Jennifer B. Boysko and every other elected official who believed PETA's propaganda this session to read the following articles. The Governor of Virginia must recognize that SB 1125 is built on many lies and misconceptions--the hybrid lie is only one of them. This bill will be a complete embarrassment to the Commonwealth if signed into law. Propaganda should not be dictating policy.

There is still time to contact the Governor. Please urge him to veto this bill:

[email protected]

804-786-2211

https://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/en/when-hybrids-are-fertile-3/

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/hybrids-hybrids-everywhere

https://www.earth.com/news/hybridization-evolution-life/

https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/hybrids-in-nature.php

https://today.duke.edu/2022/08/these-baboons-borrowed-third-their-genes-their-cousins

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.02831.x

https://www.dcceew.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/red-ruffed-lemur-applicants-assessment.pdf

https://now.fordham.edu/science/anthropology-professor-discovers-possible-hybrid-monkey/

https://www.livescience.com/mystery-monkey-rare-hybrid

https://theconversation.com/how-hybrids-could-help-save-endangered-species-154218

https://www.sott.net/article/452342-Hybrid-animals-are-not-natures-misfits

09/03/2025

Senator Jennifer B. Boysko should not be allowed to pass her opinions into law and ban hybrids such as the beefalo! We need a strong veto from the Governor of Virginia on SB 1125.

"Beefalo are a fertile hybrid offspring of domestic cattle, Bos ta**us, and the American bison, generally called buffalo in the United States. The breed was created to combine the characteristics of both animals for beef production. Accidental crosses were noticed as far back as 1749 in the southern English colonies of North America. Cattle and buffalo were first intentionally cross-bred during the mid-19th century.

Beefalo are primarily cattle in genetics and appearance, with the breed association defining a full beefalo as one with 3 ⁄8 (37.5%) bison genetics."

Many people wonder, what is a beefalo? A beefalo is an animal, bred for its high quality meat using a female cow and a male bison, yielding tender beef.

08/03/2025

Senator Jennifer B. Boysko is seeking to ban operations such as this from the State of Virginia. Please urge the Governor to protect animal agriculture and veto SB 1125!

[email protected]

804-786-2211

Most people have no idea that real Mozzarella is made using the milk from water buffalos, and not cows. One married couple has decided to bring this aspect o...

08/03/2025

If the Governor of Virginia does not veto SB 1125, projects such as this will become illegal in the Commonwealth. Hybrids are an important part of agriculture and should not be outlawed. This effort by Senator Jennifer B. Boysko and PETA is absolute government overreach!

"Bishop is thought to be the only person in Arkansas with a yak. And she has big plans for the animal, a 3-year-old female named Claire, which includes breeding with another yak and then with a species of Angus cattle to produce a hybrid, which would be another first, she said."

RUDY — Kayla Bishop was at National Western Stock Show in Denver two years ago in January to show her cattle when she glanced across a crowded livestock stall.

06/03/2025

"Hybrid Yaks (Yak-Cattle Crossbreeds)

Hybrid yaks, often created by crossbreeding yaks with domestic cattle, are becoming popular on farms looking to combine the best traits of both animals. Hybrid yaks can thrive in both high and moderate altitudes and often have improved productivity.

Physical Characteristics: Hybrids may vary in appearance but generally have stronger, more muscular builds.

Productivity: Crossbreeding often results in better meat and milk production than pure yaks, though fiber quality may vary.

Advantages: Hybrids are often easier to manage and may produce more milk, making them suitable for dairy-focused farms in milder climates.

Choosing the best yak breed for farming requires an understanding of each breed’s strengths and productivity traits. Domestic yaks are generally the best for small-scale farms due to their versatility in producing meat, fiber, and milk. For higher milk production, the Jiulong yak is ideal, while the Tianzhu White Yak offers a unique opportunity for luxury fiber markets. Plateau and Qinghai yaks are resilient choices for larger commercial operations, particularly for meat and fiber. Hybrid yaks also offer a valuable alternative, blending yak resilience with cattle productivity."

https://sites.google.com/view/howtostartraisingyaks/best-yak-breeds-for-farming

06/03/2025

This is a photo of Senator Jennifer B. Boysko with a yak named Lotus. She made this Facebook post on August 7, 2022. It's a nice, fun picture. But why is Senator Boysko trying to make it A CRIME to bottle-feed a baby yak in 2025? Why does she want to outlaw the cross-breeding of these animals when there are known benefits? What does the Senator suddenly have against alternative farming?

06/03/2025

THIS IS THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE BOTTLE-BABY BILL!

Senate Bill 1125 was communicated to the Governor on March 5, 2025. His action deadline 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2025.

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/SB1125

PLEASE KEEP THOSE CALLS AND EMAILS GOING!

URGE GOVERNOR YOUNGKIN TO VETO SB 1125 & PROTECT ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICES!

HE ONLY HAS TWO CHOICES. HE CAN STAND WITH AGRICULTURE OR HE CAN STAND WITH PETA. THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND!

[email protected]

804-786-2211

06/03/2025

One of the most disturbing things about PETA is the way they target children. Kids don't have the experience to recognize the lies and twisted narrative of this radical organization. They're young and impressionable and easily convinced.

The Center for Consumer Freedom put together a document about PETA's marketing strategy. The first five graphics for this post are taken from their pdf. You can read the entire document here:

https://consumerfreedom.com/downloads/reference/docs/040817_petakids.pdf

Photos 6 - 23 are taken directly from the PETA Kids page:

https://www.facebook.com/PETAKids

The Governor of Virginia must not promote this dangerous ideology. The citizens of the Commonwealth and the agricultural community around the nation need him to send a strong message to PETA and veto Senate Bill 1125. Bottle-feeding is not cruel and common animal husbandry should not be criminalized. This bill is currently awaiting his action. Please take a minute to call and email his office. He is making his decision now!

[email protected]

804-786-2211

02/03/2025

We very much agree with Senator Stanley's statement from 2015. However, we absolutely cannot believe that he sided with PETA on the bottle-baby ban and determined that this radical group is the "expert" on animal care. Nothing could be further from the truth!

https://religionnews.com/2015/03/12/petas-shelter-animals-put-peta-calls-mercy-killings/

02/03/2025

https://www.whypetaeuthanizes.org/maya/

Maya Meet Maya:   On October 18, 2014, in Parksley, VA, PETA took Maya, a happy and healthy dog, from her porch while her family was out. They killed her that very day. ——– A Virginia Senator calls for an investigation of PETA: http://bit.ly/1uAn44m The Richmond SPCA calls for an investigatio...

02/03/2025

“I know from first hand experience that the PETA leadership has no problem lying. I was told regularly to not enter animals into the log, or to euthanize off site in order to prevent animals from even entering the building. I was told regularly to greatly overestimate the weight of animals whose euthanasia we recorded in order to account for what would have otherwise been missing ‘blue juice’ (the chemical used to euthanize), because that allowed us to euthanize animals off the books. I was told regularly to say whatever I had to say in order to get people to surrender animals to me, lying was not only acceptable, it was encouraged… Contrary to what PETA maintains, the majority of animals it takes in are not beyond hope, in my experience many would be considered highly adoptable by a shelter, the ‘better off dead’ line is one that is dragged out in order to excuse what they do–and it’s a lie.”

Testify A First Hand Look Inside PETA’s Kill Room The current kill room at PETA’s headquarters. The room is euphemistically called the “exam room” by PETA leadership. No exam is done for purposes of placement or, if they are sick, treatment. No animal who enters the exam room ever comes out ...

01/03/2025

https://blogs.duanemorris.com/animallawdevelopments/2025/02/04/petas-animal-shelter-still-shows-grim-euthanasia-results/

Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) runs a facility that it calls an animal "shelter" in Norfolk, Virginia. All animal shelters in the Commonwealth of Virginia must report annually the number of animals the shelter takes in and what happened to them. These reports....

01/03/2025

Numbers don't lie. PETA does NOT care about saving animals.

Few things in life are guaranteed in life except for death, taxes…and PETA killing cats and dogs. New figures filed by PETA with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services confirmed this sad reality. PETA’s lone shelter, located at its Norfolk, Va. headquarters, killed 1,759 ca...

01/03/2025

We knew that Senator Jennifer B. Boysko's SB 1125 was extremely discriminatory towards small zoos and alternative livestock farmers, but did not realize that the Dormant Commerce Clause is intended to protect us from statutes exactly like this! This legislation meets all three criteria for discrimination and only needs to meet one in order to be ruled invalid. Senate Bill 1125 discriminates on its face, discriminates in effect, and the purpose behind the bill has been discriminating from the beginning. Daphna Nachminovitch of PETA--who speaks on behalf of Senator Boysko in advocating for this harmful legislation--actually talked about being over-inclusive in the Senate Agriculture Committee and her statement is recorded on video!

This document is very enlightening:

https://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/assets/bibarticles/larsen_discrimination.pdf

We need the Governor of Virginia to put an end to this illegal and prejudiced effort against the citizens of the Commonwealth. There is still time to contact his office! Tell Governor Youngkin to veto SB 1125!

[email protected]

804-786-2211

01/03/2025

The closure of this zoo is heartbreaking and an indicator of how hostile things have become in Virginia. The last two legislative sessions have been an added burden to this family:

"The Virginia Legislative season in 2024 and again in early 2025 has a climate of anti conservation and animal welfare for farms, zoos and pet owners alike across the Commonwealth. We want to thank our local politicians for their dedication to fighting this threatening legislation as it continues to arise. "

The reality is that without swift and needed reforms, many more animal businesses will close or choose to leave the Commonwealth. This will hurt our local communities as educational opportunities and tourism dollars are lost. Our elected officials need to .