PARMA, Ohio – Parma becomes the first in the state to recognize pets as part of the family and change a term on all animal-related ordinances.

City Council members approved changing the phrase pet “owner” to pet “guardian” on all animal-related ordinances.

Holy Name High School student Brandon Yanak pushed for the change. “As more people begin to think and act as ‘guardians’ of their animal companions, I expect to see higher levels of animal care and appreciation, thus helping to end many animal-related problems such as people breeding animals and keeping too many in inadequate conditions on their property in Parma,” he said in a news release.

Parma joins 17 other cities in officially recognizing the value of the term “animal guardian” in reference to cherished animal companions.

The Guardian Campaign was created in 1999 by In Defense of Animals (IDA) to reflect and nurture the growing sentiment that “owner” does not reflect the bond that develops between people and animals. IDA believes “guardian” denotes a higher level of responsibility, caring and respect toward the animals with whom families share their lives. They feel as more people use the term “animal guardian” more animals will be adopted instead of purchased, and fewer dogs and cats will be killed in shelters.

For more information about the Guardian Campaign, visit www.guardiancampaign.org.

Updated: 08/27/2010 11:11:51 AM EDT

The power of words isn’t lost on the York County SPCA — especially the power words can have over those who can’t speak for themselves.

That’s why in late 2009, the Emigsville shelter changed a simple term in its adoption contracts.

Instead of being “owners,” people adopting dogs, cats and other pets from the shelter are now referred to as “guardians.”

The change has no legal ramifications, Executive Director Melissa Smith said, but the hope is that it will make a difference in the hearts and minds of adoptive families.

“Those two terms are so different in meaning,” she said. “I think it sets a different tone. You own your car, but your car is not a living thing. I think the term ‘guardian’ suggests a higher level of (moral) responsibility.”

The York County SPCA embraced the idea, which was introduced about eight years ago by retired veterinarian Dr. Elliot Katz, president and founder of In Defense of Animals, an international animal-rights group.

“We needed to change the language, just as so many other movements have done,” Katz said, including the civil-rights and women’s-rights movements.

“It’s clearly evident that action will oftentimes follow language,” Katz said. “My feeling was the term ‘owner’ denigrated the animal companions we share our lives with.”

‘Rhetoric’: If animals are viewed as property, it’s far easier “to think of them as a commodity that could be bought and sold,” Katz said. “There’s always the same rhetoric that protects the status quo.”

Katz said there are hundreds of animal shelters around the country that have adopted the “guardian” term.  In July 2000, Boulder, Colo., was the first city to do so.  Since then, 44 other U.S. cities have followed suit, as has the entire state of Rhode Island, replacing “owner” in codes, ordinances and legislation, according to Katz.

The campaign has been met with mixed reactions from members of the American Veterinary Medical Association, according to the group’s website. Some AVMA members have expressed concern about “the unintended legal implications” of pet owners being identified as guardians, specifically a flurry of malpractice lawsuits filed against veterinarians that could lead to “skyrocketing” malpractice insurance that forces vets to increase their costs to clients, according to the AVMA’s website.

Change doubted: Gary L. Francione, professor of law at Rutgers University and author of numerous books on animal rights and the law, isn’t opposed to using the term “guardian.” However, he said it isn’t going to change anything.

“The bottom line is, is the legal status of animals changing? … I don’t regard them as property, but the law does,” he said. “Can I still chain them outside? The answer is, of course I can. So I’m not sure what these campaigns do.”

Francione also disputes Katz’s philosophy that tweaking language can effect change in how animals are treated.

“It may work when you’re talking about civil rights or women’s rights, but it doesn’t work when you’re talking about property,” he said. “You don’t go from non-personhood to personhood through incremental changes … (including) language changes. Once somebody has achieved personhood, then you can improve that status and ameliorate the lack of equality through various means.

“I hate to be negative about this, but … in a lot of ways these changes just make us feel better. They (let us believe) we’re progressive, that we’re humane,” Francione said. “It’s not really going to change things.”

SPCA hopeful: Smith said she knows some people will never feel a moral responsibility to their animals.

“But I do believe I’ve seen a slight change in mindset — that more people are adopting pets to be companions,” she said. “And that’s why we felt this change in language, while it may seem minimal, will evoke a feeling of guardianship.

“We just feel it’s imperative that people view animals in a different light than they have before. And we hope the change expresses our philosophy of how people should view their pets.”

– Reach Elizabeth Evans at levans@yorkdispatch.com, 505-5429 or twitter.com/ydcrimetime.

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_15912654

WVTK has been a pioneer for animals, not only in New England, but also across the nation. Led by Zeman’s morning show, the station delivers a message of compassion for animals by promoting adoption with the Addison County Humane Society. It also runs In Defense of Animals’ public service announcements. WVTK, with Zeman leading the charge, is laying the groundwork for IDA’s Guardian Campaign to be adopted statewide.

“If animals could speak they would ask us to educate future generations on the proper treatment and views toward them,” Zeman said. “They would ask for our schools to teach children animals are sentient beings with feelings and needs of their own — and not disposable objects or property. Animals would also ask humans to enact laws that ‘have teeth,’ and protect them from abuse, cruelty and neglect — and punish those who commit crimes against them.”

WVTK’s championing of animal welfare has inspired IDA to present the station with its Guardian’s Voice award. Zeman’s newest addition to the family, Nathan, is the reason he was originally stirred to action. Nathan is the national poster dog for IDA.

As president of his building’s tenant association in New Jersey, Zeman sued a former landlord on behalf of himself and 20 other families, defending their right to live with their animal companions, and treat them as family members — not property.

“The focus of the award should be on Nathan — who is the reason I became involved in animal rights and animal welfare work to begin with — and WVTK, which has allowed me to have such a vocal and visible role in promoting animal welfare,” Zeman said. “Speaking up for animals is something I’ve done for 25 years and it’s something everyone should do. There are people who talk about change and then there are people that actually make the change happen — I consider myself in the latter group. There is no award, accolade or reward, of any kind, that can give me the satisfaction I get when I know I’ve helped save lives. Saving Hobbes (my recently rescued dachshund) is a perfect example of how one person can make a difference.”

For more information, call Zeman at 388-7563 or e-mail bruce@921wvtk.com

Read the original article, here.