Towns and cities have different governing structure, so if you're working on changing a local law, figure out how yours works. Most have a mayor and some kind of city council. Some also have other positions within the city government, including city managers and commissioners. Some states allow you to file local or state referendums as a citizen, but most states do not. If you are in a state that does not, you need to get the city council or mayor to support your idea and bring it to a vote. Check to see you your state is one of them. In these states, you can file your intention to have your law on the ballot, then gather signatures, and finally file the petition with the signatures with the law. Then it will be put on the ballot. In most states, it's not quite this easy. This is a way for you to bring up your issue to local lawmakers. Check your city to see when there are meetings for constituents to bring up issues. You usually have a limited time to speak, so be prepared and be professional. You might have to go to many meetings before people begin to take you seriously, but this is an important step. Look at their websites. See what kinds of laws they have promoted in the past, and if yours might fit in. If you are going to change a local law, you need support from someone in the city government. If you don't want to approach the mayor directly, choose the council member from your district or one you think will be sympathetic to your cause. Tell them about your pattern of attending community meetings. Lay out your ideas for a law change. Bring copies of your proposed changes to share with the lawmaker. Ask their opinion on the feasibility of your goals. Listen to their suggestions. If they say that they need a petition with signatures from citizens showing support for your idea (probably at least 500 signatures), that's your next step. Or they might like it just as it is and say that they will take it to the rest of the council. Once you have presented the law and anything else they have asked for (like a petition), you have to wait and see what happens. The city council might choose to vote on your idea soon, or it might have to wait behind other outstanding business. It also might be that your law comes up for a vote but fails. In that case, you will need to do more work in talking to the city council and mayor, trying to get it heard and voted on again, this time with adequate support. If your law doesn't go anywhere the first time, talk to more constituents, make allies, and do the process again. This time, think about getting the media involved, having meetings specifically about the issue, and put up signs to help raise consciousness about the idea.
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One-sentence summary -- Learn how city government works. File an initiative or referendum if you're in a state where citizens can. Go to community meetings if you can't file a referendum. Research the mayor and council members. Meet with your chosen lawmaker. Wait for the lawmakers to take action. Keep in mind that changing a law can take a long time. Try again.

Staying hydrated is essential to good health and may be even more important when you are sick. Drinking water may also help to soothe your dry cough by moistening your throat. Aim to drink eight 8-ounce glasses (about 2 liters) of water per day to stay hydrated. Warm fluids can also help you stay hydrated. Drink teas, broths, and clear soups to soothe your cough and keep you hydrated. Getting plenty of rest will also support your body as it heals. Make sure that you are getting at least eight hours of sleep every night. If you have a cold or other contagious illness, then you may want to take a day off from work to rest and recover. Adequate nutrition is also essential to recover from an illness, so make sure that you are eating healthy foods. Steer clear of junk foods. Instead, choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein for nourishment. Try eating chicken noodle soup for one of your daily meals. This traditional home remedy has even been shown to reduce inflammation and thin mucus. . Sometimes a dry cough may be due to smoking or made worse by smoking. If you smoke, do what you can to quit. Talk to your doctor about medications and smoking cessations programs that may make it easier for you to quit smoking. After you quit smoking, you may also get a dry cough. This indicates that your body is trying to heal itself and it should improve with time. Sucking on a throat lozenge or even a hard candy may help to soothe your dry cough. The lozenge or hard candy increases saliva production and helps to moisten a dry throat. Other ingredients in medicated cough drops may also help to suppress a cough. In many situations, a dry cough will go away within a week or two. If your cough does not improve or if it gets worse, call your physician. Call your doctor right away if you notice: A thick and/or a greenish-yellow phlegm Wheezing A whistling sound at the beginning or end of your breath Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath A fever of more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) Blood in any phlegm or mucus that you cough up Abdominal swelling Sudden onset of a violent cough
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One-sentence summary -- Drink plenty of water. Get plenty of rest. Eat nutritious foods. Quit smoking Suck on cough drops or hard candies. See a doctor for a persistent or severe cough.

Digestive problems in rabbits can be life threatening. As soon as you suspect a digestive problem in your rabbit, take him to your veterinarian immediately. Your veterinarian will first perform a physical exam of your rabbit. They will then conduct diagnostic tests, depending on what they suspect is causing the digestive problem. If your rabbit has diarrhea, your veterinarian will test the feces to identify the specific organism (e.g., Clostridium). Your veterinarian will take x-rays and/or perform an abdominal ultrasound if they suspect GI stasis or GI obstruction. A GI obstruction can be a life-threatening situation requiring emergency treatment. Being able to visualize your rabbit's belly will help your veterinarian diagnose and treat your rabbit effectively. Treating digestive problems in rabbits typically involves several general treatment strategies, including rehydration, restoring gut movement, and pain control. These treatments are best performed by a veterinarian, at least until the rabbit is well enough for at-home care. Treatment options will vary slightly, depending on the specific digestive problem. Dehydration can cause digestive problems in rabbits, and be a symptom of these problems. To rehydrate your rabbit, your veterinarian will give him fluids. How your veterinarian administers the fluids (e.g., by mouth, under the skin, directly into a vein) will depend on several factors, such as your rabbit's ability to drink on his own and the severity of the dehydration. Rehydrating your rabbit will put more fluid in his digestive system, which will soften digestive contents and allow them to pass through the system more easily. If your rabbit's digestive system isn't moving food through very quickly, or at all, it will need some help getting back to normal. In addition to fluid therapy, your veterinarian may administer medications called prokinetics to encourage the gut to get moving again. Prokinetics are helpful in treating GI stasis, as well as diarrhea caused by overuse of antibiotics. If your rabbit has an obstruction, he should not receive a prokinetic. Prokinetics may take several weeks to restore your rabbit's normal gut motility. Gas buildup (due to GI obstruction or GI stasis) and diarrhea can be very painful for your rabbit. If the pain is severe, your veterinarian will administer pain medication to get the pain under control as quickly as possible. When your rabbit is well enough to go home, your veterinarian may prescribe a pain medication for at-home care. A bad diet (low in indigestible fiber, high in sugar and carbohydrates) is a common cause of digestive problems in rabbits. Your veterinarian will first see if your rabbit can eat a healthy diet on his own. If he cannot, or will not, your veterinarian may try feeding him a high-fiber gruel, such as Oxbow Critical Care, through a syringe.
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One-sentence summary --
Take your rabbit to your veterinarian. Discuss treatment options with your veterinarian. Correct your rabbit's dehydration. Use medication to stimulate gut movement. Relieve your rabbit's abdominal pain. Encourage your rabbit to eat.