If only animals could vote...

According to the Humane Society of the United States, both Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Cedarville, and northern Ohio Rep. Sherrod Brown, his possible Democratic opponent in this year's Senate race, are animal advocates.

The animal-loving group announced today that DeWine will receive an award for requesting funding to speed development and approval of alternative chemical testing methods that can reduce the use of animals. According to the group, such alternative methods for determining toxicity are often faster, cheaper, and more scientifically sophisticated than animal testing, leading to better results as well as less animal suffering.

The group also praised Brown for a bill he authored that would phase out the non-therapeutic uses of antibiotics in livestock production, which the group says supports overcrowding and inhumane conditions at factory farms and contribute to drug-resistant bacterial diseases.

DeWine and Brown also were honored for receiving a score of 100 on the Humane Society scorecard for 2005. The group scored lawmakers for their votes on horse slaughter, their co-sponsorship of bills to crack down on animal fighting, provide better oversight at mass dog breeding "puppy mills," and stopping the sale of "downed" livestock who are too sick or injured to walk, their signing of a letter requesting funding for enforcement of animal welfare laws, and their leadership on animal legislation.

"We are tremendously grateful to these lawmakers for their leadership and support for animal protection policies," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS. "In order to pass humane laws, we need humane lawmakers."

Northern Ohio Reps. Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat, and Steve LaTourette, a Republican, also were recognized by the group as being animal advocates.

Brown faces Indian Hill lawyer Paul Hackett in the Democratic primary for the Senate.