The faces stare back at you, pleading, desperate, resigned. The photos are many, the pleas are continuous and the dogs on death row in many southern states face certain death, every day.

States in the northeast, including Connecticut, are getting more involved by arranging transports for these dogs, raising adoption fees necessary to remove them from the gassing and high-kill shelters they were sent to. But those in opposition to dog transport say the risks are high, and in some cases, outweigh the good.

This weekend, animal activists, supporters and concerned citizens will come together to debate the topic of dog transport. The forum, called “Precious Cargo,” will be a town-hall-style debate held from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Quinnipiac School of Law’s Grand Courtroom.

Sponsored by the Animal Welfare Federation of Connecticut with support from the ASPCA, Connecticut Votes for Animals and the New England Federation of Humane Societies, the forum is designed to discuss ways to regulate transport, not debate the merits or non-merits, said Animal Welfare Federation President Julie Crouch.

“It is to try to educate Connecticut about humane transport and to prevent regulation that could adversely affect those rescues doing a good job,” Crouch said. “AWFCT agrees that regulation is necessary but wants legislation that helps the animals.”