For State Rep. Auden Grogins, the Blonde Banshee from Black Rock, furry friends are like her children. News release:
State Representative Auden Grogins (D-Bridgeport) received the National Humane Society’s “Legislator of the Year” award today during a ceremony at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Rep. Grogins is a member of the Legislators for Animal Advocacy caucus and has proposed and co-sponsored a number of bills over the years that advocate for animal protection.
“I am honored to be given this very important award today by the National Humane Society,” Rep. Grogins said. “I believe that animals need a voice in Hartford and deserve to have people advocating for their welfare.”
“Anyone who knows Auden Grogins knows she has always been a strong voice for protecting animals,” said Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden). “Since being elected to the General Assembly, Rep. Grogins has been passionate about animal rights and a strong leader on this issue.”
Rep. Grogins believes that there are two parts to standing up for animal rights. The first is stopping animal cruelty because it has been proven that animals have feelings and grieve like humans, but are unable to control their suffering. The second is teaching our youth humane education. This includes educating people about the feelings of animals, and how to treat them so they do not suffer.
“Representative Grogins has worked tirelessly to promote bills that improve the welfare of Connecticut’s animals,” said Annie Hornish, Connecticut State Director for The Humane Society of the United States. “The Humane Society of the United States is enormously grateful for her extraordinary work. Animals and citizens of Connecticut are lucky to have Representative Grogins’ skills, compassion, and tenacity representing them in the General Assembly.”
The National Humane Society’s “Legislator of the Year” award is given out annually to select state legislators who pursue meaningful animal protection legislation and advance reform in the policy-making arena.
Statement from Mayor Bill Finch:
“I’ve known Auden Grogins for many years, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of recognition for her animal rights advocacy efforts. As a state legislator she has provided a voice for animal protection and education throughout the state, and especially here in Bridgeport. Her dedication to the cause of animal rights is worthy of this commendation by the Humane Society.’
My Cat (Kitty Witty) thanks you.
Now if you can help Friends of Bugs; Danny & Bonnie would love it.
Tip of the cap to Auden for her activities on behalf of protecting animals of all kinds. I have not been with Auden on her walk, but she knows how serious I am about protecting watchdogs in Bridgeport.
1.) Dogs really can understand human beings and have the intelligence to respond to hand signals in a much more advanced way than other pets who have been around humans, cats for instance.
2.) Dogs have been trained to protect humans and property, showing great tenacity and perseverance in this role. We call those who serve well in this role ‘watchdogs.’
3.) Sometimes dogs can be overfed, poisoned or neglected in a number of ways and the Humane Society and legislators like Auden can assist with laws to protect them. (But the State legislature is not necessarily in favor of doing anything this year to assist our Bridgeport watchdogs, it seems.)
4.) Bridgeport City governance is averse to ‘fiscal watchdogs’ since BARKING questions cramp their style. Leadership has sought to eliminate those on the City payroll whose job was internal auditing or asking good questions as part of a City internal control system.
5.) Furthermore, this administration has made sure the only standing fiscal watchdogs are to be kept in the dark with a blindfold of late and inadequate information; deaf by Council rules that do not let the public speak at regular B&A meetings; and dumb due to lack of training, comments on important budget documents like the Annual audit, or awareness of how little they know about the City balance sheet at any given moment!
Imagine three dogs, blind, deaf and/or dumb, that are serving to protect your interests as taxpayers, and you have a visual of what is ongoing relative to fiscal oversight, monitoring, and commentary to the City. And those dogs elected a City employee to lead their Council. Can he bark? Or growl? Or just wag his tail while showing a friendly smile?
And those dogs in the City executive branch will soon be out strutting their stuff while begging for more of your money, taxpayers. They get fatter and more out of shape every year, refusing to change their spending habits. (Last night, one Black Rock neighbor showed up to listen to questions from the B&A ‘watchdogs’ and see their activity. It’s embarrassing to see, but true.)
So I keep BARKING by reporting this behavior and hope you will be on alert. You need to BARK as well. Numbers of informed citizen watchdogs will matter this year. Tax increases from City and State budgets? Revaluation in the fall to recognize decreased property values and overall reduction in taxable Grand List producing higher mil rate? City Council and BOE elections in the fall? Maybe you need to practice GROWLING in addition to BARKING. How about it Auden? Protect the WATCHDOGS! Time will tell.
New movie reprising “Harold and Aude” with music by Cat Stevens!
*** Good for her, she’s made some real improvements so far as a legislator; much more than when she was on the council or BOE! Let’s hope she can light a fire under some of the other capitol sleepwalkers representing Bpt. ***
Auden–well-deserved award. Auden is a hard worker, and listens to what the people she represents want and need.
Well done, Auden.