DC Voters for Animals

DC Voters for Animals

@dcvfa.bsky.social

DC's animal policy group: We lift up the policies and politicians doing the most for animals and our community. Sign up at DCVFA.com

84 followers129 following177 posts

DC Voters for Animals reposted

DC, the Election Day countdown is ON! Oct. 26–Nov. 1: Early voting Nov. 3: Election Day Nov. 3, 8 PM: Ballot drop box deadline Nov. 3: Mail-in ballot postmark deadline (must arrive by Nov. 13). Make your plan and let your voice be heard!

DC Voters for Animals reposted

A heartfelt thank you to DC Voters for Animals and Yala Ice Cream for hosting such a wonderful Ice Cream Social! Thank you again to our hosts and everyone who joined us for an evening of community, compassion, and, of course, delicious ice cream!

Ms Silverman's response to the DCVFA questionnaire especially stood out on approaches to thoughtful rat prevention and building better food systems for District residents.

DC Voters for Animals reposted

The Home Rule Act gives DC residents the right to propose ballot initiatives and referenda. Today, the Council will vote on a bill to gut that right by imposing dozens of new restrictions, requirements, legal barriers, and delays to effectively block any initiative before it reaches your ballot.

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We emailed the questionnaire to all SBOE candidates. Later, we will share their responses so voters can stay informed. You can help by telling your SBOE candidates that animal issues matter to you.

Elections are when political candidates are most incentivized to engage. We use questionnaires and endorsements to build allies, expanding from DC Council and ANC elections to working with education leaders.

Come on a Rat Walk with us... We just launched DC Rat Rangers; a citywide program helping neighbors stop the root drivers of rats. As part of this, we are doing Rat Walks in all eight Wards.

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Come on a Rat Walk with us... We just launched DC Rat Rangers; a citywide program helping neighbors stop the root drivers of rats. As part of this, we are doing Rat Walks in all eight Wards.

Experts in rodent ecology will guide this walk in your Ward. Learn how rats actually live, what environmental conditions allow them to thrive, and what behaviors unintentionally fuel their population. Get prevention‑focused tips for you and your neighbors to make your block less rat‑friendly.

Rat Walks are designed for everyone: renters, homeowners, business owners, ANC Commissioners, and anyone who wants to understand what really works. It is eye‑opening, empowering, and surprisingly fun.

Ward 5 — are you ready to turn the tide on rats? Join a guided walk to learn about rats in your neighborhood and how to prevent them. Head to Carver-Langston at dusk to learn about rat ecology through observation. Take solutions into your own hands; be part of this community-driven response.

This is why DC proposed the REMY Act! Unintended victims are harming biodiversity and wild animals, pets...even children in the District.

Anticoagulant rodenticides, a type of rat poison, cause a prolonged, agonizing death by internal bleeding—and tragically, this squirrel is not the only one to suffer this fate in DC. Wildlife, pets, and even children are regularly exposed to these poisons.

DC Voters for Animals reposted

A 5+ hr hearing on bills with regard rodent management today. Learned so much. Did you know that hawks can kill upwards of 1K rats a year? Did you know that rats can give birth every 21 days? 🤯 Thanks to all the witnesses who testified on REMY Act today!

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This bill gets at the core drivers of rat populations by clamping down on food waste. It also addresses a poison that is ravaging our ecosystems and even harms young children and pets: rodenticides.

Thank you @chenderson.bsky.social! This bill gets at SYSTEMIC solutions to manage rats while making our neighborhoods safer. As we say in DC Responsible Rat Management #PreventionNotPoison

Martin Austermuhle@maustermuhle.bsky.social

🐀 NEWS: @chenderson.bsky.social has a new bill (titled the REMY Act, after the main character in "Ratatouille") that would create a pilot program to bring rodent-free dumpsters to commercial areas and require certification for the use of rodenticides, which can harm kids and pets.

DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

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Vincent Orange “I will expand the Good Food Purchasing Program, strengthen contract oversight, require taste and quality reviews, and prioritize local businesses, CBEs, returning citizens, and community-based food providers.”

DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

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Ernest E. Johnson “I would use DC's purchasing power to push for healthier food, better jobs, and stronger local businesses everywhere the District serve meals. Raise standards in all settings. Expand Good Food Purchasing citywide.”

DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

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Robert Gross “I would also establish a phased 'DC Public Nutrition Modernization Initiative' focused on: Fresh produce integration, Reduced ultra-processed food dependency, Scratch kitchens where feasible Culinary workforce partnerships with local residents.”

DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

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Rini Sampath “I will expand the Good Food Purchasing Program to all DC agencies in my first term, starting with the agencies serving the most meals: DCPS, the Department of Corrections, and homeless shelters.”

DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

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DC is about to choose a mayor who will shape our food decisions for at least 4 years, and likely many more. A coalition of groups working in local food systems asked the candidates about issues DC residents and businesses are confronting. Here's one niche but important topic. 🧵

So often, cost is the central metric for food purchases. But DC institutions are starting to look at other values: sustainability, conditions for food chain workers, buying from local BIPOC- and women-owned farms, and the welfare of animals raised for food. This is called values-based purchasing.

DCVFA 2026 ENDORSEMENTS We asked candidates where they stand on humane rat management, sustainable food, pet‑friendly housing, and more. You weighed in. These are the candidates we believe will be the most compassionate voices for animals in DC.