Lady Freethinker (LFT) has joined more than 600 other environmental, human rights, labor, and utility-justice organizations in calling for a nationwide stop to essential service shutoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The virus has infected close to 22.8 million people and caused more than 379,000 deaths in the United States alone since last March, with millions more struggling to survive the financial havoc wreaked by pandemic-related layoffs and furloughs.
The last thing Americans need right now is to worry that their electricity, broadband, or water will be shut off because they can’t pay their bills, the organizations said in a letter delivered to the incoming administration.
The letter — which comes on the heels of an increasing number of water shutoffs, despite spikes in COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths nationwide — notes that Americans need access to utilities to wash their hands, heat their homes, and stay connected to remote school, work, and public health updates.
A draft executive order included with the letter, if enacted, would immediately institute a federal moratorium on the shutoffs of water, electricity, broadband and other essential utility services for the duration of the pandemic and at least 12 months after.
LFT Founder Nina Jackel said adding her voice to the nationwide call for action aligns with the nonprofit’s vision.
“Lady Freethinker’s mission is to achieve a compassionate world for all animals — including humans,” Jackel said. “Denying access to basic needs like water is cruel and unnecessary in the richest country in the world, especially amid the economic devastation of a global pandemic.”
Other organizations that signed on, from 48 states and the District of Columbia, include the Center for Biodiversity, Food and Water Watch, the Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The letter notes the country’s communities of color are most often impacted by shutoffs — the same populations that have been disproportionately and hardest hit by the pandemic.
But more than half of all Americans also are at risk for having some essential utility services shut down due to nonpayment. Only eight states had continued bans on utility shutoffs as of January, leaving an estimated 56% of Americans — or 183 million — at risk of having their water supplies stopped, according to a special report from The Guardian.
The organizations’ request to the incoming administration emphasizes that the lack of state-issued moratoriums, as well as additional Congressional allocations for COVID-19 relief that fall far short of the American public’s needs, make the federal moratorium necessary.

Please Kentucky make dogs and cat torture a felony that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law they have rights to not be killed and people who do this need to be prosecuted to the absolute fullest extent of the law and never ever allowed To have animals again please Kentucky stand up for the rights of living dogs and cats who cannot defend themselves please in gods name Janet
Feed these abusers to the lions crocs or sharks please!!!!! Only way to stop animal/children abuse.
These are essential services and we, as humans which includes companies such as water and electricity during this terrible pandemic should have no problem giving people a break for paying their bills. It’s disgusting, but not surprising consider animals are treated in many cases by torture and death. Water should be free! I’m from Canada and our electric company is working with those who can’t afford to pay right away and all water is free and no shut-offs. I hope the water company re thinks this decision and turn on the water.
Shutting down services helps no one.
WE NEED TO PROTECT THE ANIMALS ON THIS PLANET.
IT IS TIME YOU TOOK CARE OF ANIMALS AND HUMAN NEEDS INSTEAD OF WASTING MONEY ON PAY RAISES FOR SENATE AND CONGRESS! STOP SUPPORTING FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT HATE AMERICA!
IT IS TIME YOU TOOK CARE OF ANIMALS AND HUMAN NEEDS INSTEAD OF WASTING MONEY ON PAY RAISES FOR SENATE AND CONGRESS! STOP SUPPORTING FOREIGN COUNTRIES THAT HATE AMERICA!
Restart economy. Humans and animals suffer needlessly!
Please keep these essential services open for all the animals that need help. Without them they have nothing
Thank you ALL at LFT for your relentless compassion for ALL Lives.
Keeping essential services open is the essential to keeping the United States from plunging into a dark ages we will not come out of for a very long time.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS WE ARE DOING GREAT ANIMAL [BABY ] APPLICATORS LET’S KEEP THIS UP
LET’S KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Good for you and all the other organizations that are speaking out!
Do not shut off essential services. People have to survive.
YES I AGREE DONT TURN OFF NEEDED RESOURCRS. LIKE OURS IS TURNED OFF BY THE GIANT BLOOD DUCKING COMCAST IN SOUTH JERSEY. NICE. WIKKING TO PAY WHAT WE CAN. BUT NO. TURN THEM OFF. NO NEWS WEATHER. PUBLUC SERVICE INFO. NONE. IM 65 YRS OLD AND STILL DRIVING A TRACTOR TRAILER AFTER 46 HARD, VERY HARD YEARS. AND A HEART ATTACK AND A STROKE. BUT WHO CARES?
YES I AGREE DONT TURN OFF NEEDED RESOURCRS. LIKE OURS IS TURNED OFF BY THE GIANT BLOOD DUCKING COMCAST IN SOUTH JERSEY. NICE. WIKKING TO PAY WHAT WE CAN. BUT NO. TURN THEM OFF. NO NEWS WEATHER. PUBLUC SERVICE INFO. NONE. IM 65 YRS OLD AND STILL DRIVING A TRACTOR TRAILER AFTER 46 HARD, VERY HARD YEARS. AND A HEART ATTACK AND A STROKE. BUT WHO CARES?
Please save all animals all over the world. Thank you.
HELP SAVE ALL ANIMALS