Dear Editor:

Colleagues of U.S. Rep. Walter Jones remembered the long-serving North Carolinian as a humble, devoted maverick whose career was defined by conviction and kindness. Those principles extended to animals.

Jones was among the 150 co-sponsors of the historic Battlefield Excellence through Superior Training (BEST) Practices Act, which would have ended the shooting, stabbing, dismembering, burning and killing of thousands of animals each year for military medical training and required that service members be taught lifesaving medical skills using high-tech human-patient simulators.

A member of the Congressional Animal Protection Caucus, and companion to a dog and two cats, he co-sponsored bills to ban government experiments on kittens, protect human and animal victims of domestic violence and prohibit the import of dogs and cats for human consumption. Jones also introduced legislation protecting the free-roaming horses of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

To honor Jones’ legacy, commitment and compassion, we hope others will be inspired to protect animals, too. To learn about ways to help animals, visit www.PETA.org.

Sincerely,

Shalin Gala
Vice President, International Laboratory Methods
Laboratory Investigations Department
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

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