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Every month “plumbers near me” is searched up to 850,000 times globally.
To thrive, your plumbing business needs to be visible where most potential customers are searching, Google.
This guide will provide you with top Plumber SEO tips to enhance your plumbing business’s online visibility.
First, what is Plumber SEO?
Plumber SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of affecting local search engine rankings for plumbers.
Why You Should Do Plumber SEO
Plumber SEO is crucial because it helps your plumbing service appear in search results when potential customers in your target area look for the services you offer.
A cool 54% of all clicks go to the top three organic search results.
If you’re not effective with SEO you’re invisible organically.
Can You Do Plumber SEO Yourself?
Yes, you can certainly get started with the basics of Plumber SEO, but advanced SEO, with some elements of Technical SEO, may require a specialist.
The most accessible way to stay abreast of updates is through reputable sources like Barry Schwartz and Lily Ray.
Learn useful techniques by following experienced Local SEO professionals like Joy Hawkins and Darren Shaw.

1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Google Local Map Pack
To appear in Google’s local search results, including the Map Pack, start with your Google Business Profile (GBP).
Claim and Set Up Your Google Profile. If you’re not on the map already, add your business name and category. Choose a primary category such as “Plumber” and you can add more later for more specific services like Gas Installation Service, Drainage Service, or Bathroom Remodeler.

Complete Your Profile Details

Review Darren Shaw’s Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors to see how you should prioritize your time.
If you’re here doing pre-research before you even start a plumbing business take advantage of the knowledge that the keywords in your business name and the proximity to the location you want to rank in are top-ranking factors.
Set up your service area and you can choose up to 20 locations, but the guideline is that it must be no longer than a 2-hour drive from where your business is based.

2. Local NAP Citations

Most business directories list your business name, address, and phone number. These listings are known as NAP citations.

Local Data Aggregators

You can either use a data aggregator service like Data Axle and Foursquare to list you on multiple directories.
There’s also Whitespark who offer customizable citations and connections to large data aggregators.

Get Listed with Free Local Directories

You can also take care of some of the free ones first.
Once you’re verified for Google Business Profile you can import your business onto Bing as well with a few clicks.
Don’t forget to get listed on Yelp as well since Apple Map searches rely on data from Yelp. Facebook, X (Formerly Twitter), LinkedIn Business and Instagram also allow you to put your address.
YellowPages, Better Business Bureau, Nextdoor and Manta are some free ones to get listed on as well.

Paid Plumber Directories

Consider paid services for citations such as Angi’s List, HomeAdvisor, and your local Chamber of Commerce.

Put Your Address on Your Site

Place your address at the bottom of your footer exactly how it’s shown on Google and embed the map to help customers easily access leaving you a review.

3. Boost Your Reviews

Reviews not only enhance your credibility but also improve your SEO rankings. Here are some effective ways to gather more reviews:

• Use Google’s Business Profile Manager to manage and respond to reviews.
• Get a QR Code that uses a link from GBP to request a review and a Business Card or Fridge Magnet to leave for customers with your website on it.
• Follow-Up Contact Requesting Feedback.
• Email Signature with your website link and a link to leave a review.

4. Keyword Research

Understanding what potential customers search for helps tailor your website content to meet their needs. Effective keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO.

List Your Services

Start by making a comprehensive list of all the plumbing services you offer. Think about every specific service you provide, no matter how niche.
A detailed list might include: Drain unblocking, Burst pipe repair, Drain Cleaning, Toilet installation, Water heater repair, Sewer line inspection and repair.

Use Keyword Tools

Once you have your list of services, the next step is to use keyword research tools to find relevant keywords that potential customers are searching for.
Google Keyword Planner
Google Keyword Planner
Google’s Keyword Planner is an ultimate keyword research tool that’s free and can help you find keywords, helpful insights, and discover new keywords.

Enter Your Services

Discover New Keywords Google Keyword Planner
Input the list of services you created into the tool. For example, if you offer “drain cleaning” enter this term into the Keyword Planner Discover New Keywords followed by your target city.

Analyze Keyword Suggestions

The tool will generate a list of related keywords, showing their search volumes and competition levels. Look for keywords with a high search volume and low to medium competition. These are the sweet spots that can drive significant traffic to your site.

Include Local Geographic Modifiers

Add local modifiers to your keywords to target searches in your service area. For example, “drain cleaning near me” or “emergency plumber [your city].” This helps attract customers who are looking for services in specific locations.
Now I’ve found a low competition keyword that’s a longtail keyword (keyword phrase with 3+ words) “24 hour emergency plumber Atlanta”.
Check out Keyword Surfer from Matt Diggity to get even more keyword data for free. You can also see the estimated monthly traffic a website domain gets.

5. Website Content & Optimization

Plumber Website Example

Create Service Specific Pages

By creating dedicated, optimized pages for each service, you can attract more targeted traffic and convert visitors into customers. These pages not only improve your SEO but also provide valuable information to potential clients, helping them choose your services with confidence.

Unique Selling Points

Highlight what makes your service unique. This could be your experience, certifications, special equipment, or customer satisfaction guarantees.
Include positive reviews and testimonials from satisfied customers. This builds trust and credibility with potential clients.

Contact Page

Make it easy for visitors to get in touch with you. Throughout your site link to a contact page. Provide your phone number, email address, and a web form for inquiries with your address shown and your service area. Including a call-to-action (CTA) encourages potential customers to take the next step.

Craft Compelling Content

Each service page should clearly describe the service, its benefits, and why customers should choose you. Include certifications, unique selling points, and customer testimonials to build trust.
Create engaging and informative content such as blog posts, FAQs, and plumbing tips to attract and retain visitors. Demonstrate your expertise and authority with pictures from job sites and speak from first-hand knowledge.

6. Build a Strong Link Profile

Guest blogging and engaging in community participation are free ways to build high-quality backlinks and establish your authority in the plumbing industry.

Identify Target Blogs

Find blogs in the plumbing, home improvement, and DIY niches that accept guest posts. Look for blogs with a good reputation and engaged audiences. Use search queries like “plumbing blogs accepting guest posts” or “home improvement write for us.”
Reach out to the blog owners with well-crafted pitches. Propose topics that are relevant to their audience and showcase your expertise. Ensure your pitch is concise and highlights the value you can provide to their readers.
Write well-researched, informative, and engaging articles. Focus on providing valuable insights and practical advice. Include relevant keywords naturally and ensure the content aligns with the blog’s style and tone.
In your author bio, include a brief description of yourself and your plumbing business, along with a link back to your website. Some blogs may also allow you to include a link within the content itself. Ensure these links are relevant and add value to the article.

Join Relevant Communities

Participate in forums and online communities related to plumbing, home improvement, and DIY. Websites like Reddit, Quora, and specialized plumbing forums like PlumbingForums.com are great places to start.
Offer helpful and knowledgeable answers to questions. Avoid blatant self-promotion and focus on providing genuine value. Share your expertise and build a reputation as a helpful professional.

HARO (Help A Reporter Out)

HARO connects sources with journalists looking for expert quotes. This can lead to high-quality backlinks from reputable sites.
Sign up for a free HARO account as a source. You will receive daily emails with journalist requests categorized by industry. Plumbing-related requests might fall under Home & Garden.
Monitor the HARO emails for requests related to plumbing, home maintenance, or small business operations. Respond promptly with concise, informative answers. Highlight your expertise and provide useful insights.
When responding, be detailed and professional. Include your full name, title, business name, and a link to your website. Journalists are more likely to use your quotes if they are well-articulated and relevant to their article.

Replicate Competitors’ Links

Analyzing your competitors’ backlinks can help you discover new link-building opportunities.
Identify your top competitors by searching for your target keywords in Google. Note the websites that consistently appear at the top of the search results.
Use tools like SEMrush or SpyFu to analyze your competitors’ backlink profiles. Enter their domain into the tool to see a list of websites linking to them.
Assess the quality of these backlinks by looking at metrics like organic traffic. Focus on high-quality backlinks from reputable sites.
Look for backlinks that you can replicate. These might include mentions in articles. Reach out to these websites with a similar pitch to get your site linked as well.

Reclaim Lost Links

Reclaiming lost links involves identifying and fixing broken or redirected links pointing to your site.
Use tools like Ahrefs or Google Search Console to identify broken links pointing to your website. These tools can help you find 404 errors and other issues.
Identify links that are redirected to other pages or domains. Ensure that the redirects are still relevant and pointing to the correct pages.
Reach out to the webmasters of the sites linking to your broken URLs. Politely ask them to update the link to the correct page. Provide the exact URL to make it easier for them.
If you have moved content to a new URL, set up 301 redirects from the old URLs to the new ones. This ensures that any backlinks pointing to the old URL still pass on link equity to the new page.

7. Technical SEO & Website Performance

Technical SEO ensures that search engines can find, understand, and index your pages.

Plan Your Site Structure

Plumber SEO Site Structure Example
A well-organized site structure helps visitors navigate your website and allows Google to find all your pages.

Internal Links

Include relevant internal links (links on one page to another on your site) throughout pages to help users easily navigate to important pages.

Concise URL-friendly Slug

SEO Unfriendly URL Slug Example
When making slugs for URLs (characters at the end of the URL, shown above) make sure they’re short and to the point. It’s recommended to be under 70 characters total, that’s including the entire URL. However, it’s important to note that Google is known to truncate URLs depending on devices.
For instance, notice the cut-offs in the below image.
SEO Unfriendly URL Slug Example
With Yoast or Rankmath you’ll be able to see how your page will appear in SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages).

Write Compelling Titles

Your titles should be engaging and accurately describe the content. Use power words and numbers to make your titles more compelling. For example, “10 Easy Tips for Fixing a Leaky Faucet” or “How to Unclog Any Drain in 5 Simple Steps.”
Aim to keep your titles 50 to 55 characters (580px length to be exact, which free meta length checkers can help you with) to ensure they are fully displayed in SERPs and not cut off.
For a blog post on drain cleaning, a compelling title could be: “How to Clean a Clogged Drain: 7 Effective Methods”
Google is known to automatically change the title of your page in search results if it doesn’t match relevance. Follow best title practices to influence the result.

Keep the Meta Descriptions Concise

Clearly summarize what the page is about. Include the most important points that users should know before clicking. For a drain cleaning service page, you might write: “Get expert drain cleaning services in [City]. Our plumbers are available 24/7 to handle any blockage. Call [number] for a free quote.”
Try to keep your meta descriptions concise and within the 160-character limit (920 pixels to be precise) to ensure the full text is visible.
Include your phone number in the meta description as this is clickable on mobile.

Use Clear Headings and Subheadings

Heading Tag Structure Example
Organize your content with clear headings (H1, H2, H3) and subheadings. This not only improves readability but also helps search engines understand the structure of your content.
Break down information into bullet points and numbered lists where appropriate. This makes your content more scannable and user-friendly.

Key Pages to Make

Home Page, About Us, Contact Us
Service Pages
Service Locations (Be careful on this one and follow Google’s guidelines on Doorways)
Service Location City Page
Blogs for Informational Articles and How-To’s

Create and Upload Your Sitemap

Install a Plugin like Yoast or Rankmath to give you some useful SEO tools and create a sitemap to submit to Google and Bing.

Use HTTPS

HTTPS is a secure way for visitors to access web pages. Check if your website uses HTTPS by looking for a lock icon in the browser’s search bar.

Monitor Your SEO Health

Regularly monitor your website’s SEO health using tools like Google Search Console. These tools can help you identify and fix common SEO issues. Key metrics to track include organic traffic, keyword performance, and site health score.

Responsive Design

Responsive design refers to a web design approach that makes web pages render well on a variety of devices and window or screen sizes. It ensures that your website looks and functions correctly on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Optimize Images

Large images can slow down your website, leading to a poor user experience, especially on mobile devices with slower internet connections. Optimizing images ensures faster loading times, which can improve both user experience and SEO.
Use a site like TinyJPG to compress images for free.

Simple Layout

A simple, uncluttered layout improves user experience by making it easier for visitors to navigate your site and find the information they need. It also ensures that your site loads faster, as there are fewer elements to load. You can find highly optimized plumber templates that you can use with WordPress.

Click-to-Call Buttons

Click-to-call buttons are crucial for mobile users, allowing them to contact your business with a single tap. This convenience can increase conversion rates and improve customer satisfaction.

Advanced Technical SEO

If you’re savvy on the technical side you can use free diagnostic tools like webpagetest and Google’s PageSpeed Insights to get more details on how to improve your loading speed and other technical optimizations.
Another step is installing and configuring a free caching plugin like WP Super Cache.

Breadcrumbs

You can use breadcrumbs to help Google understand the hierarchy of your site and may help users on their journey through your site.

Local SEO Schema

Add Plumber schema to important pages like the home page, contact, and service pages. You can use Schemantra to create the code to place on your site for free.

8. SEO Content Marketing

Creating valuable content can attract traffic and customers from organic search.

Topic Keyword Research

Finding the right topics to write about is crucial for attracting organic traffic.
Begin with broad keywords related to plumbing, such as “leak repair,” “drain cleaning,” or “water heater maintenance.” Enter these into keyword research tools like Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Google Keyword Planner, or SEMrush.
Use these tools to find related keywords and phrases that people are searching for. Look for questions and long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) that indicate specific user intents.
Instead of just “drain cleaning,” look for “how to clean a clogged drain” or “best drain cleaning services in [city].”
Evaluate the search volume and competition level for each keyword. Ideally, seek keywords with high search volume but low to medium competition. This increases the chances of ranking well without facing too much competition.
When reviewing these keywords go after transactional keywords as these will typically bring you more conversions. “Emergency plumber near me” is a transactional keyword because it has a higher likelihood of the potential customer seeking service. Compare this to an information keyword such as, “What’s the history of plumbing?”.
Analyze the search engine results pages (SERPs) for your target keywords to see what type of content is ranking.
Look for featured snippets, people also ask boxes, and top-ranking articles to understand the type of content Google favors. Keep in mind that when using standard browser settings you’ll see personalized results.
You can use tools like AnswerThePublic for free to find more of what people are asking about a given topic.

For Blogs Use Questions and Informational Keywords

Blogs focus on questions and informational keywords, such as “how-to” guides, tutorials, and tips. Good content written on this tends to attract more engagement and backlinks.

Publish Optimized Blog Posts

Analyze the top-ranking pages for your target keywords to understand the user intent behind the searches. Are people looking for how-to guides, detailed articles, or quick answers? Align your content with what users intend to find.
Ensure your content fully addresses the search query. If users are looking for a guide on fixing a leaky faucet, provide a step-by-step tutorial with images, videos, and troubleshooting tips.
Include Images and Videos
Use relevant images, infographics, and videos to enhance your content. Visual elements can help explain complex topics and keep readers engaged.
Having an embedded YouTube video with a person speaking on the topic or pointing out common plumbing parts can set you apart from many competitors.

9. Promote Your Content

Share your blog posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Tailor your posts to each platform’s audience and use engaging visuals and descriptions to attract attention.
Participate in relevant Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, and online communities related to plumbing and home improvement. Share your content when appropriate if it adds value to the discussion.

10. Tracking SEO Progress

Tracking your SEO efforts is essential to understanding what’s working and what needs improvement.

Google Business Profile Performance

Monitoring your Google Business Profile (GBP) performance is crucial for understanding how well your business is performing in local search results.

Check Profile Performance

Log into your Google account and search for your business name. This should bring up your Google Business Profile. Click on the “See profile performance” button to access detailed metrics about how your profile is performing.

GBP Metrics

Views: The number of times your business profile has been viewed. This gives you an idea of how visible your business is in local searches.
Search Queries: The specific queries that led users to your business profile. This helps you understand what terms potential customers are using to find your business.
Customer Actions: This includes actions like visits to your website, requests for directions, calls to your business, and bookings. Tracking these actions helps you understand how effective your profile is at converting views into interactions.
Photo Views: The number of times your business photos have been viewed. High-quality photos can attract more attention and engagement.

Search Console Metrics

This report provides an overview of your site’s performance in Google Search.
Total Clicks: The number of times users clicked on your site in search results.
Total Impressions: The number of times your site appeared in search results.
Average Click-Through Rate (CTR): The ratio of clicks to impressions, showing how effective your site is at attracting clicks.
Average Position: Your site’s average ranking position for the tracked queries.
Search Queries: This section shows the specific queries that users are entering to find your site. Analyze which keywords are driving the most traffic and consider creating more content around those terms.
Pages: Identify which pages on your site are performing best in search. This can help you understand what type of content resonates most with your audience.
Devices: Understand how users are accessing your site (desktop, mobile, tablet). This helps you ensure your site is optimized for all devices, most importantly mobile.

Optimize Based on Insights

Use the data from GSC to optimize your site’s SEO strategy. If you notice that certain pages have a high number of impressions but a low CTR, consider updating the meta descriptions and title tags to be more compelling.
If specific keywords are performing well, create supplemental content around those topics to capture additional traffic.

Abi Connick - The Client Process

Abi Connick - The Client Process Reviews: Is it worth it?

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Client enquiries can make or break a deal faster than you can say "design dilemma." But fear not, because Abi Connick spills the beans on how to handle them like a seasoned pro. From nailing discovery calls to crafting irresistible project proposals, you'll learn the art of winning clients over without breaking a sweat.

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Creative Direction: Where Magic Happens

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Crafting a Visual Identity That Wows

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To be honest, I didn't read the dangerous dog part as thoroughly as I should. I think I may be somewhat burnt out on the recklessness and coldness shown by rescuers to others in their willingness to prioritize dangerous or marginal ownerless dogs over beloved pets and over people.
The spay/neuter part, that just galls me. It should gall anyone. This crisis, this hellscape of pit bull overpopulation that exists clearly calls for sterilization of any shelter dog in California. Shrugging off that as a lesser priority than rehoming existing dogs blows the whole deal. Any animal rescue plan that removes, downgrades or fails to prioritize spay/neuter for pit bulls is worthless. It's just a smokescreen, a way to play with puppies and posture as saviors without doing anything to improve the situation. Status quo, nothing to see here, #adoptdontshop.
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SUMMARY: Under existing law, it is the policy of the state that no adoptable animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home, as provided.
This bill declares it the policy of the state that no animal be euthanized by a public animal control agency, shelter, or a private entity that contracts with a public animal control agency or shelter for animal care and control services (collectively, “eligible agency”). This bill requires an eligible agency to post, 24 to 72 hours before a scheduled euthanasia of a dog or cat, a daily list of any cat or dog scheduled for euthanasia on its public website or social media page and to post a physical notice on the kennel of a dog or cat scheduled to be euthanized.
This bill requires a public animal control agency or shelter that seeks to adopt a policy, practice, or protocol that may conflict with Hayden’s Law to give notice regarding the policy, practice, or protocol, as specified, and requires the city or county to schedule a public hearing regarding the policy, practice, or protocol.
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And the sheer chutzpah of this
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Rescuers - we will advocate for violent dogs and fund their owners' fights to keep them from being designated dangerous and harass communities into being extremely afraid of even starting a dangerous dog investigation.
Also rescuers - our new legislation to require more marketing of unadoptable dogs won't include dangerous dogs! Silly! There's no risk to the public!
Although I will say I had no idea that rescuers knew of the existence of the word 'transparency' so good for them. Perhaps this knowledge could be turned inward sometimes?
The CityWatch article
ANIMAL WATCH - An increasing number of reported vicious and fatal dog attacks across California, as reported by the L.A. Times—and worldwide—are ignored by AB 2265 (2024) authored by Assembly Member Kevin McCarthy and introduced in the CA Assembly—and, instead, it prohibits euthanasia of any dangerous animals, including dogs impounded in shelters for violent behavior.
AB 2265, (which has so far been amended twice, the latest change being when it was introduced in the Assembly on 3/18/2024) wants California legislators to assure that NO dog (or other aggressive animal) in a shelter can be euthanized, other than if it is irremediably suffering, regardless of its violent or even deadly behavioral history. However, it is the goal and purpose of shelters to place as many animals as possible directly into homes with families.
This bill went far beyond the purpose of the 1998 Hayden bill which had the intent to restrict euthanasia of healthy and adoptable animals.
No one with knowledge of the devastating outcome of attacks by currently popular Pit Bulls, XL and XXL Bullys, now banned in the UK, Wales, Scotland and India, along with other aggressive breeds, nor anyone who has been the victim of any vicious dog attack, could plausibly agree that this risk should be encouraged or can be afforded by the State of California or any governmental jurisdiction.
So far, it appears other legislators are skeptical of this bill. The only positive change with which some CA animal control agencies and legislators have expressed mutual agreement is the increase in spay/neuter deposits for dogs and cats being raised to $200 to match the much higher rates for surgical sterilization in today’s economy.
A CLOSER LOOK AT AB 2265
In the past few weeks we have seen countries such as England, Wales, Scotland and India joining those which ban Pit Bull, XL and XXL Bullys and other dangerous dogs in order to stop the trafficking of dangerous breeds, provide safety for communities and stop the horrific attacks and deaths of innocent children and adults whose lives are ended by other people’s “protection dogs” or “rescued” pets with a known history of violent behavior.
AB 2265 – A RISK CALIFORNIA CANNOT TAKE
There is value in telling the truth about dog behavior and the greatest is in public and personal safety. What weird whim—other than personal aggrandizement or a strong campaign supporter—would cause Senator McCarthy to encourage ignoring violent past history and risk human and animal lives on a gamble that a dog with a known history of unprovoked aggression will suddenly act differently?
If we want canines to continue to be known as man’s (or woman’s) best friends, we need—just as we do with humans—to assure they have earned that trust by not misusing their innate strength and survival skills to harm those who trust and love them.
CHANGING THE STATE’S EUTHANASIA GOAL
This bill, AB 2265, introduced on February 8, 2024, drastically changes the State’s animal shelter euthanasia goal—from ending euthanasia of adoptable animals to ending euthanasia of any animal. That includes vicious dogs, wild and/or dangerous animals, prohibited animals and regulated animals.
This would create chaotic danger for adopters and pet owners and innocent residents/neighbors throughout California, while ALSO negatively and disastrously affecting the insurance and veterinary industries, according to experts.
The only exceptions in the bill that allow a dangerous animal to be euthanized are very narrow categories for medical and behavior issues:
1) those that are irremediably suffering, which is defined as those for which “severe, unremitting physical pain” cannot be relieved by any medical means without regard to cost or local availability of that level of care; and
2) Those that have been declared “vicious” under the State’s regulatory scheme, which few agencies use, and which assumes that a hearing was held after an owner contested that declaration.
According to Fast Track Democracy, “Existing law prohibits animals that are irremediably suffering from a serious illness or severe injury from being held for owner redemption or adoption. This bill would instead declare it the policy of the state that no animal be euthanized by a public animal control agency or shelter or a private entity that contracts with a public animal control agency or shelter for animal care and control services, except as provided.”
“Existing law prohibits a stray dog or cat impounded by a public or private shelter from being euthanized before 6 business days after the stray dog or cat is impounded, not including the day of impoundment, and requires that the stray dog or cat, except those irremediably suffering, be released to a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization before the scheduled euthanasia of the stray dog or cat if requested by the organization, as specified.” The analysis summarizes the Bill (see Fast Track Democracy).
Existing law prohibits a stray dog or cat impounded by a public or private shelter from being euthanized before 6 business days after the stray dog or cat is impounded, not including the day of impoundment, and requires that the stray dog or cat, except those irremediably suffering, be released to a nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization before the scheduled euthanasia of the stray dog or cat if requested by the organization, as specified.
WARNINGS ABOUT THIS ‘NO KILL’ PLAN FOR DANGEROUS DOGS
A California animal-control specialist offered the following thoughts based on his personal and professional experience.
(The following is not to be taken as legal advice, but merely as guidance in further considering some issues that appear to not have been considered in pursuing these severe changes to animal sheltering under existing California laws and practices.)
“This Bill would absolutely eviscerate Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683, which allows counties and cities to have their own regulatory process for dangerous dogs, and it would force everyone to use the very-flawed State process.”
AND he summarized that:

• This bill eliminates the limitation by the 1998 Hayden-Bill mandate and requires shelters to advertise for release even those dogs that have mauled or killed a person, and forces animal control agencies (government and humane societies with animal control contracts) to announce the pending euthanasia of any of these dogs to “rescues,” so they can take them, often placing them in unsuspecting homes.
  
• Even if the bill does not require that owner-relinquished dogs that are too vicious for placement even with a rescue be released to anyone who asks for it, the mere requirement that they be advertised creates unnecessary conflict and invites protest and even litigation over the decision not to release them.
  
• What is a “qualified” nonprofit animal rescue or adoption organization? The term “qualified” is not defined in the bill. In light of an appellate court interpretation of the Hayden mandate to release stray dogs facing euthanasia to a “qualified” rescue, it is vital to have that defined. If “qualified” means any corporation that has obtained its 501(c)(3) tax exempt status—which is what many will assume—then animal control will have no way to ensure that the most vicious dogs are not placed in “foster” in unsuspecting neighborhoods by people who have no idea how dangerous they are.
  
• Why must it be a nonprofit organization? This bill defines an animal rescue organization to include for-profit corporations. So why are they excluded from this Bill? A nonprofit organization can pay a high number of “employees” very exorbitant salaries. A nonprofit business model is no guarantee that more of the organization’s budget will go to help animals than other business models.
  
• This Bill targets only municipal shelters and humane societies that have government contracts to provide animal control services. Those are the only organizations that cannot fully control their intake, and on which there are mandates to admit animals. They are the very organizations that most need the ability to engage in euthanasia for legitimate health and safety reasons, and for which the greatest levels of leniency and understanding are justified. Yet, any other organization can euthanize healthy, adoptable animals with impunity.
  

Although there are many other factors considered in the analysis, this article is intended merely to present some of the dangers of creating laws and policies at any legislative level without having a thorough analysis and discussion with leaders in the field of animal control and sheltering. There is information at the end of this article if anyone wishes to read more of this analysis.
FUNDRAISING – THE POWER OF THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR
There is no better way to reach the wallets of animal lovers than through their heart strings, and sadly millions of dollars are going into pockets of executives in organizations that do not directly care for or protect animals and, of course, nothing speaks louder than donations at the lobbying and legislative level.
But, the needs of homeless animals should not be creating slush funds for campaigns nor playing on the emotions of those who are continually confronted by TV commercials and mailers, saying that just a few more dollars will save them all.
There are also human lives and safety to be considered and this is a primary responsibility of animal shelters and humane societies. It is important that they are asked what will help them do this thankless and seemingly hopeless job.
Pets are too often obtained as a short-term experience with little commitment and then abandoned within or outside these facilities that do not benefit from the money that is raised by large organizations or politicians ostensibly to help them.
Instead, these promises set unreachable goals and promote “feel-good” programs that overburden their staffing and emotions, without asking what they need to do this very difficult job from a realistic perspective.
THE BEST INDICATOR OF AN ANIMAL’S FUTURE BEHAVIOR IS ITS PAST
Not all animals are adoptable, nor should they be placed in homes where they are likely to harm, or be harmed because certain behavior is endemic to the breed. The AKC thrives on the fact that bloodlines of dogs determine or influence their predictable behavior.
Why is it this is so clear that it causes millions of people to buy purebreds for certain reasons; yet, animal shelters are expected to take in dogs with documented histories of anti-social behavior and attacks and rehome them with promises they will be “good family members” just to keep them alive?
LISTEN BEFORE VOTING, SACRAMENTO
Legislators need to listen to experts in animal control—not self-appointed voices for animals—many of whom have never worked in a shelter, before even considering new legislation.
They also need to ask their own community, “Do you feel safe from dog attacks? And/or “have you been a victim of an attack or live in fear of neighborhood animals?” They may be surprised at the number of injuries that have been suffered but didn’t make the press and how many victims may have permanent, life-limiting, disabilities for which they were never compensated.
Assembly Member McCarthy needs to walk through animal shelters in his district and ask those who work there or have been long-term volunteers, and those who take the responsibility for determining policies and the endless, sad challenges of management, “what will help you help them?”
DON’T WAIT FOR AN IRREVERSIBLE TRAGEDY
California has been very liberal (or very foolish) in allowing dogs known to have a history of aggression to be removed from shelters for adoption, but lawsuits and tragic, injuries or deaths of innocent victims have imposed limitations as to what can be tolerated philosophically and financially.
The safety of the dog itself must also be a consideration. People understandably react violently to dog attacks, using any weapon to inflict sufficient injury to stop the dog and save their own or another’s life.
Euthanasia can be the most humane option when it is indicated or determined that the animal poses a consistent threat to humans or animals in general, or poses a recurrent uncontrollable risk to the public’s and its own safety.
(Author’s note: If anyone would like to see more of the informal critique of the proposed CA law AB 2265, quoted in part in this article, you can contact me through the editor of CityWatchLA: ([jim@citywatchla.com](mailto:jim@citywatchla.com).)
(Phyllis M. Daugherty is a former Los Angeles City employee, an animal activist and a contributor to CityWatch.

“We must all hang together or we shall all hang separately.”
Thus quipped Benjamin Franklin as the American colonies joined against the tyranny of George III, the phrase hangs heavy in the imaginations of today’s political opposition. Laden with fears of violence, Chairman Osro Cobb of the Progressive-Federalist National Committee announced the cancellation of the party’s presidential primaries and the formal acquiescence of the party to the Committee for the Preservation of the Republic’s call for a joint presidential nominating convention with the American Liberty League. Yet, with the organization’s President Thomas Schall, once seen as the nearly prohibitive favorite for the nomination, dying in an unforeseen car accident and populist contender Eduardo Chibas taking his own life on live radio, the attempt to unite the opposition must find a candidate able to carry both banners in the face of Philip La Follette’s campaign for a third term.
Clare Boothe Luce speaking against the President's support for a moderate socialist government in Indonesia.
Leading Candidates:
The following candidates are seen as frontrunners for the nomination.
Clare Boothe Luce: 49 year old Clare Boothe Luce of Connecticut rose to prominence as Henry Luce’s scandal-ridden yet massively popular First Lady, whose charisma would lead to a popular joke that every Luce voter wished they had voted for Clare despite widely known allegations of mutual marital infidelity. Marrying Henry after divorcing her first husband and entering high society as the author of an all-female play, Luce would become First Lady at the young age of 38 and soon emerge as a face of the American home front amidst the Third Pacific War. Describing the nation as having become a “dictatorial bumbledom,” Luce has echoed the anti-New State ethos of the party and is seen as the candidate of establishment conservatives. Criticizing the very slogan of President La Follette, she has argued that the United States cannot “win the peace” as it has not truly won the war until the defeat of international communism. Clare has supported the Zionist project in Alaska, a unified military command to replace the Department of Peace, and the creation of a defense pact among American allies in the Pacific as the centerpiece of an aggressively interventionist foreign policy declaring “if we are no longer willing to fight for it, our Christian democracy is finished." Yet, Luce has also opposed the creation of a stronger international United Nations to replace the powerless Parliament of Nations.
Driven to Catholicism in 1946 following the death of her daughter, even as her ex-president husband gallivanted about with a girlfriend a thousand miles from his wife’s baptism, Luce has emerged as a changed woman, reportedly abandoning her affairs and entering a career in electoral politics with her 1946 election to the Senate. Though Aaron Burr Houston maintained a private devotion to the Church of Rome, Clare has taken her faith with a zeal heretofore unseen in American politics, using the Senate as a pulpit to preach against “materialism” and a spiritual decline as the root of both communism and fascism, slyly suggesting that the rise of the Pentecostal, Immannuelite, and Mormon faiths has come hand-in-hand with the nation’s fascist surge as she has publicly wished that “the whole world would be Catholic.” Despite defenses from Presbyterian former President Luce, Clare’s faith has weakened her amongst convention delegates fearing the alienation of firmly Protestant voters. Yet her charm, wealth, and ability to attract millions in funding from backers such as Henry Ford II while winning key endorsements such as that of Richard Nixon has catapulted her to the front of the field.
A candid photo of the nation's leading Texan with a fried chicken dinner. Had you asked an observer in 1940 whether Pappy O'Daniel might one day be President the answer would almost certainly be yes, yet many wonder whether the dynamic country singer has waited past his turn.
W. Lee O’Daniel: 62 year old Senator W. Lee O’Daniel, better known as Pappy, rose to prominence in his late 20s as an architect of domestic policy during Aaron Burr Houston’s third term, being largely credited with the introduction of an old age pension system funded by a consumption tax. After making his way to the fore of Texas politics on his own through the integration of musical numbers and a widely popular radio show with his political antics, O’Daniel would turn from an upset gubernatorial defeat in the 1938 midterms to organizing Aaron Burr Houston’s campaign for a fourth term in the White House as the nation’s last hope against Charles Lindbergh. Accused by critics of puppeteering a dementia ridden 86 year old out of his own lust for power, O’Daniel would serve as Secretary of the Treasury for a year before being unceremoniously removed from the cabinet by Henry Luce for his critique of the American attack on Pearl Harbor and opposition to the draft, leaving him in political isolation as the Texan distinguished himself by demanding the execution of striking laborers as crucial to the war effort over his radio show.
A steadfast isolationist, O’Daniel’s foreign policy views have made him a favorite among Liberty League libertarians. Depicting himself as nearly as conservative as Luce on domestic issues with an isolationist foreign policy able to appeal to the Midwest, O’Daniel has emphasized ties to the legendary ABH and anti-alcohol views he claims can over the rural South. O’Daniel has also sought to use Luce’s Catholicism into an issue, seeking the support of Ben Gitlow through their shared membership in the Evangelical Christian Right. Yet, O’Daniel has been seen as the least committed among the candidates to the Committee’s pro-democracy ideals, while others question his fitness for office based on his eccentric manners as a cabinet Secretary and Senator, with Eleanor B. Roosevelt’s 1936 running mate Dan Moody remarking that “Pappy is as lost at the Treasury as I would be in a circus trapeze.”
Lucius D. Clay as an Administrator during the post-war occupation of Korea.
Lucius D. Clay: A distant relative of former President Henry Clay, 54 year old General of the Army turned banker Lucius D. Clay of Georgia has been the subject of a draft movement seeking to secure a candidate with the allure of a war hero after an attack on right wing generals such as Harold George, “some of whom are my own classmates,” accusing them of leading the party astray with the nomination of the ultra-conservative Benjamin Gitlow. Clay has portrayed himself as the candidate of order, supporting, as the others do, the prosecution of Blackshirts and the freeing of prosecuted opposition politicians. However, Clay, a former administrator of Lindbergh-era public works programs, is the only candidate to stop short of supporting the abolition of the New State, with backers instead focusing on the renowned administrative talent that led Douglas MacArthur to quip that Clay “could run General Motors or General Bradley’s army.” Despite his reticence to campaign at the convention, Clay’s moderation, vague platform, connections, and war hero status have won over a significant segment of delegates.
John Sampson Cooper on the cover of Henry Luce's Time magazine.
John Sampson Cooper: Named for martyred Admiral William T. Sampson not long after the First Pacific War dramatically ended with the Second Battle of Hawai’i, 50 year old Kentucky Senator John Sampson Cooper has led an underdog campaign of moderate liberals led by young activists Mark Hatfield and Chuck Mathias and Tannenbaum territorial delegate Jacob Javits. Returning home from Yale to find his father on his deathbed and his beloved Pulaski County burned to the ground amidst the Revolution, Cooper would be elected to county leadership at age 24, famously responding to a legal requirement that he evict the impoverished by personally paying their debts, earning the moniker “the poor man’s judge” as he emerged as a major figure in post-Revolutionary reconciliation in Kentucky. Returning home once more from service as a military attache in the Third Pacific War, Cooper would oust incumbent Farmer-Laborite Jerry Spencer in a 1944 upset, delaying taking his seat to serve as a legal advisor to hundreds of thousands of displaced Indonesians before emerging as a Senate leader in bringing the United States closer to India and other nations newly liberated from colonialism.
While eschewing the isolationism of O’Daniel, Cooper has demonstrated a far more relaxed stand on foreign policy than Luce, opposing aggressive anti-communism abroad while depicting the United States as a great mediator of peace in situations such as the violence in Palestine or partition of India. The reported favorite of Fulgencio Batista despite Cooper’s criticism of Batista as insufficiently committed to democracy, the Kentuckian has managed to maintain a widespread popularity with labor that has led many to speculate that Cooper would be the only candidate able to win the endorsement of organized labor and an imprisoned John L. Lewis. Lacking the celebrity draw of Senator Luce, Cooper has countered with a far more detailed platform, calling for the opening of American borders to the world’s refugees, massively increased federal aid to education, and, in stances that have left him anathema to many party conservatives, support for universal health insurance, coal subsidies, and public housing. A self admitted “truly terrible public speaker," Cooper’s political independence has won him the support of Will Rogers Jr. and made him a favorite of the modern liberal wing of the Liberty League.
Luis A. Ferre's El Dia newspaper, later renamed El Nuevo Dia.
Other Candidates:
The following are seen as major contenders for the nomination, but lag behind the frontrunner candidates.
Luis A. Ferre: Among the most grim results of the 1948 elections emerged from the Caribbean, where states once considered the most loyally anti-Farmer-Labor in America crossed the aisle for the first time in history. With strategists seeing the path to the presidency running through the island states, many among the electorally minded have flocked to 48 year old Puerto Rico Senator Luis A. Ferre, publisher of the nation’s largest Spanish language newspaper, El Nuevo Dia. A classically trained pianist who has focused his senatorial career on securing funding for the arts, Ferre has referred to the United States as the “moral summit of the world,” while aligning himself in the middle on economic policy, calling for “addressing the inequalities of society” by selling off public land at a low price and supporting federal public housing with an emphasis on rural revitalization, in addition to a call for a 4% Christmas bonus on the grounds of the Jesus Amendment.
James A. Rhodes: "Every time I take a position on an issue, I lose two percent of the people. If I do that 50 times, I have everybody mad at me," the quip encapsulates the philosophy of 43 year old Ohio Governor James A. “Jim” Rhodes and his backers. Emerging as the favorite of many convention delegates who have argued that the best path forward for a united campaign is a steadfast focus on bread and butter issues, Rhodes has remarked that “there are only three issues in this campaign: jobs, jobs, and jobs,” and has argued that to win the power necessary to destroy the New State and its legacies, any anti-La Follette campaign must focus on people’s lives and the economy, not vague notions of democracy and American ideals. Born in the hills of Appalachia, Rhodes would be forced out of college after failing every class, only to work his way into the Mayoralty of Columbus, before unexpectedly catapulting himself to the Ohio Governorship before the age of 40, where he has governed with a moderate conservatism focused on local issues such as water rights and a program to "put a college education within 25 miles of every boy and girl” that has been praised as a national model.
The King of Country.
Write-In Candidates:
The following candidates can win the nomination, but are either presently supporting other candidates and thus only subject to draft movements rather than an active campaign or lack adequate first ballot support.
Roy Acuff: 49 year old Roy Acuff of Tennessee was christened “The King of Country Music” for smash hits such as Wabash Cannonball, leading fellow musician Hank Williams to quip “book him and you don’t worry about crowds…for drawing power in the South, it’s Roy Acuff, then God.” Yet, after a rumor that Governor Buford Elington had labeled his music “disgraceful,” Acuff would embrace the label “king of the Hillbillies” in the 1948 election cycle to trade his acoustic throne for the Governor’s chair. Declaring that “any business must be put on a business plan, and so must a state government,” Acuff has cut the budget while requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in government buildings, increasing state pensions, instituting a free school textbook program, cooperating with the La Follette Administration on the hydroelectric Tennessee Valley Authority, and has controversially called for additional restrictions on firearm ownership. Widely considered a possible frontrunner for his celebrity status if a primary were to have been held, Acuff has supported O’Daniel at the convention, yet has evasively refused to disavow a draft movement arising from his pro-union sympathies that many suspect could bring Fulgencio Batista into the fold alongside John L. Lewis, Jimmy Hoffa, and the opposition Farmer-Laborites.
Joseph H. Jackson: A Mississippi farm boy who taught himself reading and mathematics, 52 year old Joseph H. Jackson, President of the largest predominantly black church in America, the American Baptist Convention, has emerged as the favorite of former Gitlow ally Billy J. Hargis for his right-wing populist views and claim to be able to win millions of black voters back from President La Follette. Calling to “save the nation, in order to save the individual citizen, and the race," Jackson has focused his attacks on La Follette for violating “civil order,” and extended this critique to opposition protests. Making the radical proposal to not merely denationalize the General Trades Union, but to destroy it entirely, Jackson has called for the severing of diplomatic recognition to all communist nations and international intervention to spread “the liberating power of our federal constitution and the supreme law of the land, the American ideals of freedom and democracy.” However, Jackson has fallen from major candidate status after an investigation by the Labor Department into allegedly abusing unpaid labor at a daycare and using church donations to buy himself a mansion and a sports car.
America's chief penny pincher speaks.
Henry S. Breckinridge: The only member of the Liberty League at the fore of presidential consideration, 66 year old New York Congressman Henry Skillman Breckinridge ran alongside Al Capone in 1936 in the campaign that doomed the Commonwealth alliance, but has reinvented his career since by working to ally Federalist and Liberty League causes against La Follette and serving as the organization’s House leader. Advocating a heavily internationalist vision in line somewhere between that of Cooper and Luce, Breckinridge’s commitment to small government classical liberalism and a strict construction of the constitution has made him the favorite of Liberty League loyalists and some party conservatives. However, it is considered unlikely for a Liberty League member to win outright due to Progressive-Federalists comprising a majority of convention delegates.
Eleanor Butler Roosevelt: 63 year old former President Eleanor Butler Roosevelt was promoted for the nomination for months by her former counsel turned the “voice of impeachment,” Richard Nixon, who has noted that her re-election would have stopped the rise of fascism in its tracks. However, content with retirement, the writing of her memoirs, and the promotion of Nixon’s career, Roosevelt has categorically refused to seek the presidency. Nonetheless, she is expected to receive votes on the convention’s opening ballot from admirers.
Benjamin Muse: 54 year old former Virginia Governor Benjamin Muse won an upset victory in 1945 to be elected Governor against the campaigning of President La Follette. An establishment Federalist and charismatic writer, Muse received significant support as a candidate but has declined to contest the convention and worked to promote the nomination of Clare Boothe Luce after a meeting with Henry Luce.
H.R. Gross: 53 year old Iowa Governor and 1948 Progressive vice presidential nominee Harold Royce Gross has gained renown for his steadfast economic conservatism, vetoing every proposed state budget increase throughout his tenure and calling for a complete end to foreign aid in addition to the dismantling of the New State; avoiding moral arguments, Gross has opposed atomic bombings and war on the grounds that both are too financially costly. A hero of the party right, Gross has declined to seek the presidency himself, citing his refusal to attend fundraising parties rather than watch Iowa football games, and is expected to support Pappy O’Daniel or Jim Rhodes on the convention floor.
46 year old Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa has been elected interim Chairman of the Convention.
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