I draw your attention to a call to action, care of Jeanie Antonacci of Chester Township, among today's Letters to the Editor.

A proposal to ban all dog auctions and raffles has been certified by the state Attorney General and the Ohio Ballot Board. Dog auctions are already banned in other states, including Pennsylvania.

Unfortunately, the people in Pennsylvania now transport their puppy mill dogs to Ohio.

Truly a black eye for Ohio.

Most breeders who participate at these auctions are raising large numbers of puppies for profit in mills, factory-like operations in which caged dogs churn out litters year after year. For those of you who don't know much about puppy millers, you would be horrified to see the condition of these dogs and puppies, and you would be shocked at their living conditions. Many have never put a paw on a blade of grass.

They are nothing but breeding machines for profit.

What keeps the puppy mills alive? Pet shops and the Internet! Many people who buy from these sources end up with sick or dying dogs shortly after they are taken home due to poor breeding and the horrendous conditions in which they were raised.

Before voters decide on this issue, the state legislature must be given an opportunity to pass it. For the legislature to consider it, though, petitions must be circulated to gather signatures from Ohio voters in at least 44 of the state's 88 counties.

You must be a registered voter to sign the petition.

The total number of valid signatures must equal 120,700.

Petitions can be signed at Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village in Russell Township during business hours or call your local animal shelter to see if they have petitions before the deadline of Monday, Dec. 14.

For detailed information about dog auctions and puppy mills, log on to www.animallawcoalition.com or www.banohiodogauctions.com. It will break your heart!

Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village is located at 15463 Chillicothe Road in Russell Township.

I just called Lake Humane Society, located at 7564 Tyler Blvd., Bldg. E, in Mentor, and the same petition can be signed there.

Both facilities are open noon to 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays; noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; and closed Wednesdays.

Signing is free and just takes a minute. If you are registered to vote in Ohio, please consider stopping by during your lunch hour, or after work, to fill a dotted line for these most unfortunate dogs.

-- Sandra M. Klepach, SKlepach@News-Herald.com