For the first time its history, the Washington-based Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council is asking responsible pet owners to join in the fight against laws that could limit Americans’ ability to own pets.

PIJAC’s new “Don’t Mess With My Pet” campaign is designed to educate pet owners about legislative and regulatory proposals that could limit pet ownership, and encourage them to get involved in local, state and federal government activities.

“Without animals, none of us would be here; this show wouldn’t exist,” said PIJAC chairman Frank Koch, referring to SuperZoo, where the campaign was officially unveiled. The annual show is produced by the World Pet Association, formerly the World Wide Pet Industry Association (Monrovia, Calif.). “We’ve got to support PIJAC.”

The goal of the campaign and related Web site, www.dontmesswithmypet.org, is to educate consumers and promote advocacy, according to Pamela Stegeman, president of PIJAC. The campaign will employ viral marketing through YouTube.com and social networking sites like Facebook.

For a $25 annual membership to PIJAC, consumers will receive updates about pending legislation plus a campaign T-shirt.

“Alerts to consumers will let them know about harmful legislation. It also will give them information on how to engage [in advocacy] and give them access to PIJAC’s legislative center,” Stegeman said.

The action center provides contact information for government officials so pet owners can sound off to the correct people.

PIJAC also is reaching out to the same hobbyist groups that earlier this year helped mount a grassroots protest against the Non-native Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, aka H.R. 669.

“Pet owners want to get involved and we hope this [campaign] will help them do just that,” said Koch.

“This is one of the most important moves undertaken by PIJAC in a while,” said Jim Heim, chair of PIJAC’s membership committee. “With the extension of PIJAC membership to pet owners, we will be able to ensure legislators understand that the actions they take affect a great number of pets and their owners across their districts and across the country.

“It’s time to stand up to protect the right to have animals. All of us are affected,” Heim added. [November 2009 PET AGE]