The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Social and Urban Affairs presented its Report #10 on Resolution D016 (The Protection of Animals from Cruel Treatment) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(D016)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 74th General Convention acknowledge as responsible stewards the Biblical call to respect and show concern for all God's creatures, recognize that animals have inherent worth and intrinsic value, and endorse as a basic guideline that no husbandry method for captive and domestic animals should deny the environmental requirements of the basic behavioral needs of these animals; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church encourage its members to do whatever they can to reduce the suffering of animals in the United States, to foster good care and husbandry of animals, to promote improvements in legislation protecting animals, and to promote its more effective enforcement.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring, That the 74th General Convention recognize that responsible care of animals falls within the stewardship of creation and expands our understanding of who is neighbor to include all animals; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church encourage its members to insure that husbandry methods for captive and domestic animals would prohibit suffering in such conditions as puppy mills, factory-farmed, and laboratory animals; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church's Peace and Justice Office undertake the task of developing appropriate guidelines to educate its members to adhere to ethical standards in the care and treatment of animals; and be it further

Resolved, That The Episcopal Church, through its Office of Government Relations, identify and advocate for legislation protecting animals and effective enforcement measures.

Deputy Martins of San Joaquin moved to amend the substitute resolution.

Proposed Amendment:

In the first resolve clause, delete the phrase "and expands our understanding of who is neighbor to include all animals".

Deputy Crew of Newark questioned the spelling of "insure." He believed the committee must have meant "ensure".

The House voted on the Martins amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Knoll of Kansas proposed an amendment to the resolution as amended.

Proposed Amendment:

In the second resolve clause, substitute the phrase "factory-farms and laboratories" for "factory-farmed and laboratory animals".

A vote was taken on the Knoll amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Snow of Alaska proposed an amendment to the resolution as amended.

Proposed Amendment:

In the third resolve clause, replace the phrase "undertake the task of developing" with the phrase "identifying existing".

A vote was taken on the Snow amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

Deputy Moore of Atlanta proposed an amendment to the resolution as amended.

Proposed Amendment:

In the fourth resolve clause, add the words "educate and advocate for animals as a part of God's creation".

A vote was taken on the Moore amendment.

Motion defeated

Amendment defeated

Deputy Menaul of Central Pennsylvania moved an amendment to the resolution as amended.

Proposed Amendment:

In the second resolve clause, delete the words "and laboratories."

Deputy Perry of Chicago moved to terminate debate on the Menaul amendment and the main motion.

Deputy Rehill of Newark questioned whether the Menaul amendment was in order in that the previous Knoll amendment had carried. The Vice-President ruled that the Menaul amendment was in order.

The vote was taken on the motion to terminate debate.

Motion carried

Debate terminated

The Vice-President called for a vote on the Menaul amendment. Deputy Rehill of Newark raised a parliamentary inquiry on the Vice-President's ruling on the Menaul amendment.

Deputy Renton of California raised a parliamentary inquiry about Deputy Crew of Newark's earlier question about the word "insure."

The House voted on the ruling of the Chair.

Chair upheld

The vote was taken on the Menaul amendment.

Motion carried

Amendment adopted

The Secretary read the resolution with the Martins, Knoll, Snow, and Menaul amendments, noting that the Menaul amendment deleted the words "and laboratories" from the Knoll amendment.

The Vice-President called upon the House to vote on the substitute resolution as amended.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted with amendment

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #107)