May 11 is a big day in MA
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government will consider a series of dog bills at its hearing on May 11, 2011. Responsible dog owners in Massachusetts are encouraged to attend the hearing or contact the committee with comments on any of the bills on the agenda.
View the names and contact information for the committee here.
If you are interested in attending the hearing on May 11, contact the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed) at info@massfeddogs.org.
Summary:
Over 10 bills are scheduled to be considered by the joint committee, including
House Bill 562 – The AKC and MassFed both support this bill, which strengthens the Commonwealth’s dangerous dog laws by creating a number of provisions, including:
· Allowing dogs declared “at risk” to have the designation removed if the dog does not exhibit the behavior again within two years.
· Preventing municipalities from establishing breed-specific at-risk or dangerous dog policies
House Bill 1455 – The AKC and MassFed both oppose this bill, which makes numerous changes to the animal control laws, including:
· Requiring an intact animal permit for all owners of intact dogs (current law already requires a special license for unspayed females). The AKC opposes all differential licensing for owners of intact dogs.
· Allowing municipalities to ban or regulate specific breeds. Once approved, the local government must develop a 3-person board “to identify and determine the breed of dogs”. This board would include two members of the public (one who must be an “expert in the field of animals”) and the local animal control officer.
· Providing a list of recommended penalties for nuisance violations, including sterilization or euthanasia
Other bills to be considered by the committee include:
Senate Bill 1033 – This bill makes numerous changes to the animal control and licensing laws, including differentiating between commercial breeder kennels, personal kennels and commercial boarding/training kennels.
House Bill 1437 – This legislation mandates the sterilization of all cats, unless the owner possesses an intact animal permit. As currently written, cats would be the only animals subject to this license.
House Bill 2326 –Among other provisions, this bill expands the crime of animal cruelty to include “knowingly and unjustifiably” failing to provide veterinary care “that results in unnecessary suffering.” It is unclear how these terms would be defined.
House Bill 2885 – Current law requires all cities and towns to appoint an animal control officer or contract with a charitable organization to perform these duties. HB 2885, among other provisions, would impose a $500/day fine on cities that are not in compliance with this mandate.
House Bill 2886 – This bill would prohibit the sale of a dog or cat that is under 8 weeks of age.
For more information on these and other bills on the agenda, visit the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners website at www.massfeddogs.org or contact the AKC Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.
Showing posts with label Act Now. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Act Now. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Monday, July 27, 2009
NC- Bad bill likely to return this week
From AKC
Senate Bill 460
a bill that seeks to unnecessarily regulate the operations of dog breeders in North Carolina remains under consideration in the state Senate. The AKC believes the bill is likely to be scheduled for consideration by the full Senate as early as This Tuesday. With your help and participation over the next several days, we can prevent this bill from passing the Senate, and we can kill this bill for the remainder of the year.
The American Kennel Club and the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs continue to oppose SB 460. The state Department of Agriculture does not support this bill. Your Senators need to hear that you, their constituents, also oppose this bill.
We have already made a difference. Thanks to the calls and letters that you sent to North Carolina Senators early this month, the Senate delayed voting on the bill on July 8. We are now approaching the end of the session, and it is imperative that we send the message once again that responsible dog owners and breeders oppose this onerous, unnecessary, and expensive legislation.
Problematic provisions of SB 460 include the following:
•Vague definition of "commercial breeder". Commercial breeder" is defined as someone who owns 15 or more intact females "of breeding age" and 30 or more puppies." It is unclear if these numbers refer to the number of dogs on the property at one time, or if this is cumulative over the course of a year. The bill makes a special exception for some kennels or establishments that operate for the purpose of boarding or training certain dogs. However, it is unclear if breeders who also train and sell puppies are exempt from the licensing requirement.
•Inspections of private property at any time. The bill allows law enforcement and local animal control to search the homes and private property at any time of day or night of anyone who falls under the definition of "commercial breeder".
•Allowing for seizure of animals for those who do not comply with the new regulations—with no opportunity to come into compliance. If a commercial breeder is unlicensed, animals will be subject to immediate seizure and impoundment and may be sold or euthanized. The AKC believes that breeders should be given the opportunity to come into compliance with the law.
•Directive for the NC Department of Agriculture to develop standards of care with no public input. SB 460 calls for the Department of Agriculture to develop care and condition policies for dogs belonging to commercial breeders. This does not allow for any input from dog breeders and others who are experts in animal care.
Senate Bill 460 will do nothing to address irresponsible breeding, consumer protection, or cruelty/negligence, but it will cost the state over $400,000 a year to enforce. At a time when our state is facing a projected $4 billion budget gap, enforcement of existing laws would be a better use of taxpayers’ money.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your Senators, identify yourself as a constituent (tell them the town you live in), tell them you oppose SB 460, and respectfully urge them to also oppose this bill. We ask that should you decide to e-mail, you also call their offices.
See links below for assistance in contacting your Senator.
To find your Senator, visit the North Carolina General Assembly web site and type your zip code in the "Who Represents Me?" box on the right side of the page.
View basic phone scripts for breeders and fanciers.
Click here for a sample letter to personalize.
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
Senate Bill 460
a bill that seeks to unnecessarily regulate the operations of dog breeders in North Carolina remains under consideration in the state Senate. The AKC believes the bill is likely to be scheduled for consideration by the full Senate as early as This Tuesday. With your help and participation over the next several days, we can prevent this bill from passing the Senate, and we can kill this bill for the remainder of the year.
The American Kennel Club and the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs continue to oppose SB 460. The state Department of Agriculture does not support this bill. Your Senators need to hear that you, their constituents, also oppose this bill.
We have already made a difference. Thanks to the calls and letters that you sent to North Carolina Senators early this month, the Senate delayed voting on the bill on July 8. We are now approaching the end of the session, and it is imperative that we send the message once again that responsible dog owners and breeders oppose this onerous, unnecessary, and expensive legislation.
Problematic provisions of SB 460 include the following:
•Vague definition of "commercial breeder". Commercial breeder" is defined as someone who owns 15 or more intact females "of breeding age" and 30 or more puppies." It is unclear if these numbers refer to the number of dogs on the property at one time, or if this is cumulative over the course of a year. The bill makes a special exception for some kennels or establishments that operate for the purpose of boarding or training certain dogs. However, it is unclear if breeders who also train and sell puppies are exempt from the licensing requirement.
•Inspections of private property at any time. The bill allows law enforcement and local animal control to search the homes and private property at any time of day or night of anyone who falls under the definition of "commercial breeder".
•Allowing for seizure of animals for those who do not comply with the new regulations—with no opportunity to come into compliance. If a commercial breeder is unlicensed, animals will be subject to immediate seizure and impoundment and may be sold or euthanized. The AKC believes that breeders should be given the opportunity to come into compliance with the law.
•Directive for the NC Department of Agriculture to develop standards of care with no public input. SB 460 calls for the Department of Agriculture to develop care and condition policies for dogs belonging to commercial breeders. This does not allow for any input from dog breeders and others who are experts in animal care.
Senate Bill 460 will do nothing to address irresponsible breeding, consumer protection, or cruelty/negligence, but it will cost the state over $400,000 a year to enforce. At a time when our state is facing a projected $4 billion budget gap, enforcement of existing laws would be a better use of taxpayers’ money.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact your Senators, identify yourself as a constituent (tell them the town you live in), tell them you oppose SB 460, and respectfully urge them to also oppose this bill. We ask that should you decide to e-mail, you also call their offices.
See links below for assistance in contacting your Senator.
To find your Senator, visit the North Carolina General Assembly web site and type your zip code in the "Who Represents Me?" box on the right side of the page.
View basic phone scripts for breeders and fanciers.
Click here for a sample letter to personalize.
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Act Now: Ask your Senator to stop Sunstein's nomination for Regulatory Czar
Radical Animal Rights Attorney Cleared
To Become Obama’s Regulatory Czar
Dog Owners, Hunters, Farmers Urged To Ask
Their Senators To Stop Sunstein Nomination
by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@csonline.net
WASHINGTON (July 21, 2009) – Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has lifted his “hold” blocking the nomination of Harvard Law School scholar and animal rights legal strategist Cass Sunstein for the post of regulatory czar in the Administration of his close personal friend, President Barack Obama.
Sen. Chambliss had blocked the nomination based on concerns of farm groups because of Sunstein’s strong animal rights beliefs, including support of stringent regulation of people who raise animals and a ban on hunting. Last week, however, Chambliss met with Sunstein and announced on the Senate floor that he had lifted the hold on the nomination. The Senator added that the way is now clear for the U.S. Senate to confirm Sunstein before its August recess.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance is urging all dog owners, hunters, firearms rights advocates, farmers and civil libertarians to take immediate action by urging the U.S. Senate to reject the Sunstein nomination to head the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the White House. Taking action now is of the utmost urgency.
Sunstein has the strong support of the Humane Society of the United States, which is the political arm of the radical animal rights movement, according to a July 15 statement by HSUS Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Markarian in The Huffington Post. Referring to the regulations to implement the federal Animal Welfare Act, and new rules about animal fighting and importing dogs, Markarian wrote: “These kinds of legal changes are precisely why Americans need a regulatory czar like Cass Sunstein in charge of OIRA -- to make sure the federal agencies properly implement regulations to enforce these new laws.”
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) “reviews and alters regulations created by federal agencies,” according to Congress Daily.
Sunstein, who has published 15 books, would have broad powers to review, recommend changes and possibly engineer changes in all federal regulations, including those about dog ownership, farming, hunting on federal lands, and enforcement of gun control laws.
In his published writings and speeches, Sunstein has advocated:
· Giving animal rights groups the power to file lawsuits on the behalf of animals against their owners.
· Very strict regulations about animal ownership, farming and hunting.
· The elimination of hunting.
· The elimination of the individual right to keep and bear arms.
· Moving toward a vegan vegetarian society.
· Rewriting the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
· And restrictions on free speech.
Each of those assertions will be documented later in this report by direct quotations from Sunstein’s published books and speeches.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance believes Sunstein would have a severely negative impact on dog owners, farmers, hunters, gun owners and civil libertarians – Indeed, to all Americans!
This is underscored by Sunstein’s status as a close personal friend and advisor to President Obama since they met in 1992, when Sunstein taught law at the University of Chicago. This will give Sunstein unprecedented influence and access to the President.
It is further underscored by numerous mainstream reports that Sunstein is slated to be President Obama’s next nominee to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. This adds to the urgency of convincing the Senate that Sunstein’s beliefs are un-American and in direct contradiction to the basic principles outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Although Sunstein’s nomination had been blocked by Sen. Chambliss until last week, Government Executive reported that he actually has been working at the job in the White House on a daily basis.
Sunstein’s potential use of power – and potential abuse of power – has been increased because President Obama redefined the role of OIRA shortly after taking office. The Wall Street Journal reported July 6: “In a significant, but little noticed, memo written 10 days after taking office, Mr. Obama ordered up a rewrite of how OIRA goes about its work, the first such revision since 1993. ‘Far more is now known about regulation -- not only when it is justified, but also what works and what does not,’ the president wrote. A regulatory review would make use of new tools and would ‘clarify the role of the behavioral sciences in formulating regulatory policy.’ "
The Wall Street Journal called the OIRA “obscure but powerful.”
The American Sporting Dog Alliance believes that Sunstein will use this position to influence President Obama’s directives to all federal agencies on how to write, interpret and enforce all federal regulations. This includes regulations about agriculture, raising animals, hunting on public lands, and gun law enforcement and procedures. This is a dangerous power to be held by someone of Sunstein’s clearly radical and unconstitutional beliefs.
Thus, we are urging every American to immediately contact both of his or her U.S, senators, and as many other senators as possible, to urge them to vote against the Sunstein nomination.
This link will provide a search engine to locate each state’s senators, and an alphabetical list of the senators to link to contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. Each state has two U.S. Senators who represent all of the citizens of that state.
We recommend at least two forms of contact: Send an email as a first step, plus also send a letter or fax, and/or make a phone call. Please do this immediately, as a Senate confirmation vote could come at any moment.
In addition, please send this report to all of your friends and contacts and ask them to help, and post it on any message boards that you use. Also, please write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and any other papers you read.
Here are some direct quotes from Sunstein to illustrate our concern:
1. "We ought to ban hunting"
- Cass Sunstein, in a 2007 speech at Harvard University
2. “We should focus attention not only on the enforcement gap, but on the areas where current law offers little or no protection. In short, the law should impose further regulation on hunting, scientific experiments, entertainment, and (above all) farming to ensure against unnecessary animal suffering. It is easy to imagine a set of initiatives that would do a great deal here, and indeed European nations have moved in just this direction. There are many possibilities.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
3. “…(R)epresentatives of animals should be able to bring private suits to ensure that
anticruelty and related laws are actually enforced. If, for example, a farm is treating
horses cruelly and in violation of legal requirements, a suit could be brought, on behalf of those animals, to bring about compliance with the law.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of Chicago
4. “But if, as a practical matter, animals used for food are almost inevitably going to endure terrible suffering, then there is a good argument that people should not eat meat to the extent that a refusal to eat meat will reduce that suffering. Of course a legal ban on meat-eating would be extremely radical, and like prohibition, it would undoubtedly create black markets and have a set of bad, and huge, side-effects. But the principle seems clear: People should be much less inclined to eat meat if their refusal to do so would prevent significant suffering.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
5. “Less modestly, anticruelty laws should be extended to areas that are now exempt from
them, including scientific experiments and farming. There is no good reason to permit the
level of suffering that is now being experienced by millions, even billions of living
creatures.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
6. “Everything depends on whether and to what extent the animal in question is capable of suffering. If rats are able to suffer, then their interests are relevant to the question of how, and perhaps even whether, they can be expelled from houses.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, Martha C. Nussbaum. Animal Rights: Current Debates and
New Directions. (Oxford University Press, USA, 2004). P. 12
7. “A system of limitless individual choices, with respect to communications, is not
necessarily in the interest of citizenship and self-government.”
--Cass Sunstein, arguing for a Fairness Doctrine for the Internet in his book,
Republic.com 2.0 (Princeton University Press, 2007), p.137
8. “In what sense is the money in our pockets and bank accounts fully ‘ours’? Did we earn it by our own autonomous efforts? Could we have inherited it without the assistance of probate courts? Do we save it without the support of bank regulators? Could we spend it if there were no public officials to coordinate the efforts and pool the resources of the
community in which we live?... Without taxes there would be no liberty. Without taxes
there would be no property. Without taxes, few of us would have any assets worth
defending. [It is] a dim fiction that some people enjoy and exercise their rights without
placing any burden whatsoever on the public … There is no liberty without dependency. That is why we should celebrate tax day …”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, “Why We Should Celebrate Paying Taxes,” The Chicago
Tribune, April 14, 1999
9. “Much of the time, the United States seems to have embraced a confused and pernicious form of individualism. This approach endorses rights of private property and freedom of contract, and respects political liberty, but claims to distrust ‘government intervention’ and insists that people must fend for themselves. This form of so-called individualism is incoherent, a tangle of confusions.”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, The Second Bill of Rights: FDR’s Unfinished Revolution and
Why We Need it More Than Ever, Basic Books, New York, 2004, p. 3
10. “[A]lmost all gun control legislation is constitutionally fine. And if the Court is right,
then fundamentalism does not justify the view that the Second Amendment protects an
individual right to bear arms.”
- Cass Sunstein, writing in his book, “Radicals in Robes”
11. “…[T]he Second Amendment seems to specify its own purpose, which is to protect the"well regulated Militia." If that is the purpose of the Second Amendment (as Burger
believed), then we might speculate that it safeguards not individual rights but federalism.”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, “The Most Mysterious Right,” National Review, November
12, 2007
12. In his 2004 book The Second Bill of Rights: FDR’s Unfinished Revolution and Why We Need It More than Ever, Sunstein claims that “citizens’ rights exist only to the extent that they are granted by the government.”
Those views are why the American Sporting Dog Alliance adamantly opposes the Sunstein nomination. His track record is frighteningly consistent.
Thank you for helping.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We also welcome people who work with other breeds, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life. The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by your donations in order to maintain strict independence.
Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org . Our email is asda@csonline.net .
PLEASE CROSS-POST AND FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS
To Become Obama’s Regulatory Czar
Dog Owners, Hunters, Farmers Urged To Ask
Their Senators To Stop Sunstein Nomination
by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@csonline.net
WASHINGTON (July 21, 2009) – Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) has lifted his “hold” blocking the nomination of Harvard Law School scholar and animal rights legal strategist Cass Sunstein for the post of regulatory czar in the Administration of his close personal friend, President Barack Obama.
Sen. Chambliss had blocked the nomination based on concerns of farm groups because of Sunstein’s strong animal rights beliefs, including support of stringent regulation of people who raise animals and a ban on hunting. Last week, however, Chambliss met with Sunstein and announced on the Senate floor that he had lifted the hold on the nomination. The Senator added that the way is now clear for the U.S. Senate to confirm Sunstein before its August recess.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance is urging all dog owners, hunters, firearms rights advocates, farmers and civil libertarians to take immediate action by urging the U.S. Senate to reject the Sunstein nomination to head the powerful Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) in the White House. Taking action now is of the utmost urgency.
Sunstein has the strong support of the Humane Society of the United States, which is the political arm of the radical animal rights movement, according to a July 15 statement by HSUS Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Michael Markarian in The Huffington Post. Referring to the regulations to implement the federal Animal Welfare Act, and new rules about animal fighting and importing dogs, Markarian wrote: “These kinds of legal changes are precisely why Americans need a regulatory czar like Cass Sunstein in charge of OIRA -- to make sure the federal agencies properly implement regulations to enforce these new laws.”
The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) “reviews and alters regulations created by federal agencies,” according to Congress Daily.
Sunstein, who has published 15 books, would have broad powers to review, recommend changes and possibly engineer changes in all federal regulations, including those about dog ownership, farming, hunting on federal lands, and enforcement of gun control laws.
In his published writings and speeches, Sunstein has advocated:
· Giving animal rights groups the power to file lawsuits on the behalf of animals against their owners.
· Very strict regulations about animal ownership, farming and hunting.
· The elimination of hunting.
· The elimination of the individual right to keep and bear arms.
· Moving toward a vegan vegetarian society.
· Rewriting the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
· And restrictions on free speech.
Each of those assertions will be documented later in this report by direct quotations from Sunstein’s published books and speeches.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance believes Sunstein would have a severely negative impact on dog owners, farmers, hunters, gun owners and civil libertarians – Indeed, to all Americans!
This is underscored by Sunstein’s status as a close personal friend and advisor to President Obama since they met in 1992, when Sunstein taught law at the University of Chicago. This will give Sunstein unprecedented influence and access to the President.
It is further underscored by numerous mainstream reports that Sunstein is slated to be President Obama’s next nominee to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. This adds to the urgency of convincing the Senate that Sunstein’s beliefs are un-American and in direct contradiction to the basic principles outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Although Sunstein’s nomination had been blocked by Sen. Chambliss until last week, Government Executive reported that he actually has been working at the job in the White House on a daily basis.
Sunstein’s potential use of power – and potential abuse of power – has been increased because President Obama redefined the role of OIRA shortly after taking office. The Wall Street Journal reported July 6: “In a significant, but little noticed, memo written 10 days after taking office, Mr. Obama ordered up a rewrite of how OIRA goes about its work, the first such revision since 1993. ‘Far more is now known about regulation -- not only when it is justified, but also what works and what does not,’ the president wrote. A regulatory review would make use of new tools and would ‘clarify the role of the behavioral sciences in formulating regulatory policy.’ "
The Wall Street Journal called the OIRA “obscure but powerful.”
The American Sporting Dog Alliance believes that Sunstein will use this position to influence President Obama’s directives to all federal agencies on how to write, interpret and enforce all federal regulations. This includes regulations about agriculture, raising animals, hunting on public lands, and gun law enforcement and procedures. This is a dangerous power to be held by someone of Sunstein’s clearly radical and unconstitutional beliefs.
Thus, we are urging every American to immediately contact both of his or her U.S, senators, and as many other senators as possible, to urge them to vote against the Sunstein nomination.
This link will provide a search engine to locate each state’s senators, and an alphabetical list of the senators to link to contact information: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm. Each state has two U.S. Senators who represent all of the citizens of that state.
We recommend at least two forms of contact: Send an email as a first step, plus also send a letter or fax, and/or make a phone call. Please do this immediately, as a Senate confirmation vote could come at any moment.
In addition, please send this report to all of your friends and contacts and ask them to help, and post it on any message boards that you use. Also, please write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and any other papers you read.
Here are some direct quotes from Sunstein to illustrate our concern:
1. "We ought to ban hunting"
- Cass Sunstein, in a 2007 speech at Harvard University
2. “We should focus attention not only on the enforcement gap, but on the areas where current law offers little or no protection. In short, the law should impose further regulation on hunting, scientific experiments, entertainment, and (above all) farming to ensure against unnecessary animal suffering. It is easy to imagine a set of initiatives that would do a great deal here, and indeed European nations have moved in just this direction. There are many possibilities.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
3. “…(R)epresentatives of animals should be able to bring private suits to ensure that
anticruelty and related laws are actually enforced. If, for example, a farm is treating
horses cruelly and in violation of legal requirements, a suit could be brought, on behalf of those animals, to bring about compliance with the law.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of Chicago
4. “But if, as a practical matter, animals used for food are almost inevitably going to endure terrible suffering, then there is a good argument that people should not eat meat to the extent that a refusal to eat meat will reduce that suffering. Of course a legal ban on meat-eating would be extremely radical, and like prohibition, it would undoubtedly create black markets and have a set of bad, and huge, side-effects. But the principle seems clear: People should be much less inclined to eat meat if their refusal to do so would prevent significant suffering.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
5. “Less modestly, anticruelty laws should be extended to areas that are now exempt from
them, including scientific experiments and farming. There is no good reason to permit the
level of suffering that is now being experienced by millions, even billions of living
creatures.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, “The Rights of Animals: A Very Short Primer,” John M. Olin
Law & Economics Working Paper No. 157, The Law School, The University of
Chicago
6. “Everything depends on whether and to what extent the animal in question is capable of suffering. If rats are able to suffer, then their interests are relevant to the question of how, and perhaps even whether, they can be expelled from houses.”
--Cass R. Sunstein, Martha C. Nussbaum. Animal Rights: Current Debates and
New Directions. (Oxford University Press, USA, 2004). P. 12
7. “A system of limitless individual choices, with respect to communications, is not
necessarily in the interest of citizenship and self-government.”
--Cass Sunstein, arguing for a Fairness Doctrine for the Internet in his book,
Republic.com 2.0 (Princeton University Press, 2007), p.137
8. “In what sense is the money in our pockets and bank accounts fully ‘ours’? Did we earn it by our own autonomous efforts? Could we have inherited it without the assistance of probate courts? Do we save it without the support of bank regulators? Could we spend it if there were no public officials to coordinate the efforts and pool the resources of the
community in which we live?... Without taxes there would be no liberty. Without taxes
there would be no property. Without taxes, few of us would have any assets worth
defending. [It is] a dim fiction that some people enjoy and exercise their rights without
placing any burden whatsoever on the public … There is no liberty without dependency. That is why we should celebrate tax day …”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, “Why We Should Celebrate Paying Taxes,” The Chicago
Tribune, April 14, 1999
9. “Much of the time, the United States seems to have embraced a confused and pernicious form of individualism. This approach endorses rights of private property and freedom of contract, and respects political liberty, but claims to distrust ‘government intervention’ and insists that people must fend for themselves. This form of so-called individualism is incoherent, a tangle of confusions.”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, The Second Bill of Rights: FDR’s Unfinished Revolution and
Why We Need it More Than Ever, Basic Books, New York, 2004, p. 3
10. “[A]lmost all gun control legislation is constitutionally fine. And if the Court is right,
then fundamentalism does not justify the view that the Second Amendment protects an
individual right to bear arms.”
- Cass Sunstein, writing in his book, “Radicals in Robes”
11. “…[T]he Second Amendment seems to specify its own purpose, which is to protect the"well regulated Militia." If that is the purpose of the Second Amendment (as Burger
believed), then we might speculate that it safeguards not individual rights but federalism.”
-- Cass R. Sunstein, “The Most Mysterious Right,” National Review, November
12, 2007
12. In his 2004 book The Second Bill of Rights: FDR’s Unfinished Revolution and Why We Need It More than Ever, Sunstein claims that “citizens’ rights exist only to the extent that they are granted by the government.”
Those views are why the American Sporting Dog Alliance adamantly opposes the Sunstein nomination. His track record is frighteningly consistent.
Thank you for helping.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We also welcome people who work with other breeds, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life. The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by your donations in order to maintain strict independence.
Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org . Our email is asda@csonline.net .
PLEASE CROSS-POST AND FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS
Friday, July 10, 2009
MA- July 14 is a big day for dog law
Massachusetts Alert: 15 Bills to be Heard on Tuesday, July 14th!
From AKC
[Thursday, July 09, 2009]
The Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government has scheduled consideration of 14 dog-related bills at its meeting on Tuesday, July 14th. Another bill of importance, HB 344 (see info, below) will be heard concurrently by the Joint Judiciary Committee. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and its Massachusetts federation, the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed), encourage all responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts to take action: attend Tuesday’s committee hearings, and/or contact the committee members and your elected officials in Massachusetts and let them know whether you support or oppose the bills (as highlighted below) they will consider on Tuesday.
Bills of concern to be heard by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (Tuesday, July 14; 10AM, Room A-2 of the State House in Boston):
The AKC and MassFed both support HB 1977, which seeks to strengthen Massachusetts’ dangerous dog laws. Its provisions include:
•Allowing dogs previously declared to be “at risk” to have the designation removed if the dog does not exhibit “at risk” behavior within 24 months after being designated as “at risk”
•Providing for duties of local animal control when a dog is declared “at risk”.
•Providing for duties of local animal control when a dog is declared as “dangerous”.
•Includes due process protections for dog owners.
The AKC and MassFed both oppose HB 1997, which seeks to impose many controversial new dog laws, including:
•Requiring that dog owners with intact dogs acquire an intact animal permit along with a health certificate (which will require state-prescribed vaccination protocols) while in compliance with all other licensing laws. Municipalities are to set the fees for intact animal permits by rule.
•Allowing municipalities to ban or further regulate specific breeds of dogs.
•Deeming certain commonplace acts as nuisance behaviors, the punishment for which could result in euthanization of the animal.
•Severely limiting the means by which an owner may humanely restrain their dog.
The AKC and MassFed both also oppose SB 774, which seeks to severely restrict the rights and operations of most responsible dog breeders in Massachusetts, including:
•Requiring anyone with four or more dogs to obtain a kennel license.
•Limiting the number of intact dogs six months of age or older a person may own to 25.
•Restricting the breeding of dogs to those between the ages of 18 months and eight years of age.
•Imposing strict, hard-to-comply-with, and expensive engineering standards for kennels.
•Allowing inspections of kennels, including private residences, without notice and at any time.
•Mandating strict exercise requirements for dogs kept in a kennel.
Other bills which will be considered by the Joint Municipalities Committee include HB 3704 (animal shelters), SB 763 (dangerous dog registry), SB 778 (spay/neuter fund), HB 1968 (dangerous dogs), HB 1969 (seizure/impoundment), HB 1975 (cat sterilization), HB 2008 (vicious dogs), HB 2015 (vicious dogs), HB 2016 (vicious dogs), HB 3589 (veterinary technicians), and SB 784 (rabies vaccinations). Click here to read MassFed’s positions.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
It is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts contact the members of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government listed below. Let them know that you support HB 1977, and oppose both HB 1997 and SB 774.
Senator James B. Eldridge, Chair
Room 213-A
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1120
Fax: (617) 722-1089
James.Eldridge@state.ma.us
Senator Patricia D. Jehlen, Vice-Chair
Room 513
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1578
Fax:617-722-1117
Patricia.Jehlen@state.ma.us
Senator Susan C. Fargo
State House
Room 504
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1572
Susan.Fargo@state.ma.us
Senator Anthony D. Galluccio
State House
Room 218
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1650
Anthony.Galluccio@state.ma.us
Senator Thomas P. Kennedy
State House
Room 109-E
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1200
Thomas.P.Kennedy@state.ma.us
Senator Richard R. Tisei
State House
Room 308
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1206
Fax: (617) 722-1063
Richard.Tisei@state.ma.us
Representative Paul J. Donato
State House
Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.PaulDonato@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Joyce A. Spiliotis
State House
Room 236
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2430
Rep.JoyceSpiliotis@hou.state.ma.us
Representative David B. Sullivan
State House
Room 279
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone:617-722-2230
Fax: 617-722-2821
Rep.DavidSullivan@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Sean Curran
State House
Room 473B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2263
Rep.SeanCurran@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
State House
Room 146
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2011
Fax: 617-722-2238
Rep.AngeloPuppolo@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Pam Richardson
State House
Room 448
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2582
Fax: 617-722-2879
Rep.PamRichardson@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Katherine Clark
State House
Room 252
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2220
Fax: 617-722-2850
Rep.KatherineClark@HOU.State.MA.US
Representative Brian M. Ashe
State House
Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.BrianAshe@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Timothy R. Madden
State House
Room 167
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2810
Fax: 617-722-2846
Rep.TimothyMadden@hou.state.ma.us
Representative F. Jay Barrows
State House
Room 542
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2488
Fax: 617-722-2390
Rep.FJayBarrows@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Robert S. Hargraves
State House
Room 237
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2305
Fax: 617-722-2598
Rep.RobertHargraves@hou.state.ma.us
At Noon on July 14th, a different committee, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, will consider House Bill 344, which seeks to:
•Make it illegal to debark a dog in Massachusetts in most circumstances.
•Impose unreasonable penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and/or a fine of not more than $2,500, for those found in violation of the bill.
The AKC believes that much misinformation exists about debarking of dogs. When performed by a veterinarian, debarking is an acceptable medical procedure that is often done as a "last resort" when all other methods of modifying a dog's behavior have failed. For many responsible dog owners, debarking is the only alternative to euthanizing or surrendering their canine companion to a local shelter when their pet's noisy behavior continually disturbs the community. The decision to debark a dog is one that is best left to the dog owner and his veterinarian.
Both the AKC and MassFed oppose House Bill 344.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
All concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts are strongly encouraged to attend Tuesday’s hearing in opposition to HB 344 (Gardner Auditorium, State House, Boston); and/or to contact the members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and let them know that you oppose HB 344, and encourage them to do the same.
Senator Cynthia Stone Creem, Chair
State House
Room 416-B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1639
Cynthia.Creem@state.ma.us
Senator Steven A. Baddour, Vice-Chair
State House
Room 208
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1604
Steven.Baddour@state.ma.us
Senator Gale D. Candaras
State House
Room 213B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1291
Fax: 617-722-1014
Gale.Candaras@State.MA.US
Senator Jack Hart
State House
Room 109-C
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1150
John.Hart@state.ma.us
Senator Thomas M. McGee
State House
Room 112
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1350
Thomas.McGee@state.ma.us
Senator Bruce E. Tarr
State House
Room 313-A
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1600
Bruce.Tarr@state.ma.us
Representative Eugene L. O’Flaherty
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Fax: 617-722-2819
Rep.GeneOFlaherty@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Christopher N. Speranzo
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Rep.ChristopherSperanzo@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative James H. Fagan
State House
Room 236
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2430
Fax: 617-722-2346
Rep.JamesFagan@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Colleen M. Garry
State House
Room 238
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2380
Fax: 617-722-2847
Rep.ColleenGarry@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Marie P. St. Fleur
State House
Room 43
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2030
Rep.MarieSt.Fleur@hou.state.ma.us
Representative John V. Fernandes
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Fax: 617-722-2215
Rep.JohnFernandes@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Katherine Clark
State House
Room 252
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2220
Fax: 617-722-2850
Rep.KatherineClark@HOU.State.MA.US
Representative James J. Dwyer
State House
Room 39
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2014
Fax: 617-626-0831
Rep.JamesJDwyer@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Danielle W. Gregoire
State House
Room 26
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2080
Rep.DanielleGregoire@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Lewis G. Evangelidis
State House
Room 473B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2263
Rep.LewisEvangelidis@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Daniel K. Webster
State House
Room 542
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2487
Rep.DanielWebster@hou.state.ma.us
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org; or contact the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Owners at www.massfeddogs.org.
From AKC
[Thursday, July 09, 2009]
The Massachusetts legislature’s Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government has scheduled consideration of 14 dog-related bills at its meeting on Tuesday, July 14th. Another bill of importance, HB 344 (see info, below) will be heard concurrently by the Joint Judiciary Committee. The American Kennel Club (AKC) and its Massachusetts federation, the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed), encourage all responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts to take action: attend Tuesday’s committee hearings, and/or contact the committee members and your elected officials in Massachusetts and let them know whether you support or oppose the bills (as highlighted below) they will consider on Tuesday.
Bills of concern to be heard by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (Tuesday, July 14; 10AM, Room A-2 of the State House in Boston):
The AKC and MassFed both support HB 1977, which seeks to strengthen Massachusetts’ dangerous dog laws. Its provisions include:
•Allowing dogs previously declared to be “at risk” to have the designation removed if the dog does not exhibit “at risk” behavior within 24 months after being designated as “at risk”
•Providing for duties of local animal control when a dog is declared “at risk”.
•Providing for duties of local animal control when a dog is declared as “dangerous”.
•Includes due process protections for dog owners.
The AKC and MassFed both oppose HB 1997, which seeks to impose many controversial new dog laws, including:
•Requiring that dog owners with intact dogs acquire an intact animal permit along with a health certificate (which will require state-prescribed vaccination protocols) while in compliance with all other licensing laws. Municipalities are to set the fees for intact animal permits by rule.
•Allowing municipalities to ban or further regulate specific breeds of dogs.
•Deeming certain commonplace acts as nuisance behaviors, the punishment for which could result in euthanization of the animal.
•Severely limiting the means by which an owner may humanely restrain their dog.
The AKC and MassFed both also oppose SB 774, which seeks to severely restrict the rights and operations of most responsible dog breeders in Massachusetts, including:
•Requiring anyone with four or more dogs to obtain a kennel license.
•Limiting the number of intact dogs six months of age or older a person may own to 25.
•Restricting the breeding of dogs to those between the ages of 18 months and eight years of age.
•Imposing strict, hard-to-comply-with, and expensive engineering standards for kennels.
•Allowing inspections of kennels, including private residences, without notice and at any time.
•Mandating strict exercise requirements for dogs kept in a kennel.
Other bills which will be considered by the Joint Municipalities Committee include HB 3704 (animal shelters), SB 763 (dangerous dog registry), SB 778 (spay/neuter fund), HB 1968 (dangerous dogs), HB 1969 (seizure/impoundment), HB 1975 (cat sterilization), HB 2008 (vicious dogs), HB 2015 (vicious dogs), HB 2016 (vicious dogs), HB 3589 (veterinary technicians), and SB 784 (rabies vaccinations). Click here to read MassFed’s positions.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
It is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts contact the members of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government listed below. Let them know that you support HB 1977, and oppose both HB 1997 and SB 774.
Senator James B. Eldridge, Chair
Room 213-A
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1120
Fax: (617) 722-1089
James.Eldridge@state.ma.us
Senator Patricia D. Jehlen, Vice-Chair
Room 513
State House
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1578
Fax:617-722-1117
Patricia.Jehlen@state.ma.us
Senator Susan C. Fargo
State House
Room 504
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1572
Susan.Fargo@state.ma.us
Senator Anthony D. Galluccio
State House
Room 218
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1650
Anthony.Galluccio@state.ma.us
Senator Thomas P. Kennedy
State House
Room 109-E
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1200
Thomas.P.Kennedy@state.ma.us
Senator Richard R. Tisei
State House
Room 308
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1206
Fax: (617) 722-1063
Richard.Tisei@state.ma.us
Representative Paul J. Donato
State House
Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.PaulDonato@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Joyce A. Spiliotis
State House
Room 236
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2430
Rep.JoyceSpiliotis@hou.state.ma.us
Representative David B. Sullivan
State House
Room 279
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone:617-722-2230
Fax: 617-722-2821
Rep.DavidSullivan@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Sean Curran
State House
Room 473B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2263
Rep.SeanCurran@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
State House
Room 146
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2011
Fax: 617-722-2238
Rep.AngeloPuppolo@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Pam Richardson
State House
Room 448
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2582
Fax: 617-722-2879
Rep.PamRichardson@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Katherine Clark
State House
Room 252
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2220
Fax: 617-722-2850
Rep.KatherineClark@HOU.State.MA.US
Representative Brian M. Ashe
State House
Room 540
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2090
Fax: 617-722-2848
Rep.BrianAshe@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Timothy R. Madden
State House
Room 167
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2810
Fax: 617-722-2846
Rep.TimothyMadden@hou.state.ma.us
Representative F. Jay Barrows
State House
Room 542
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2488
Fax: 617-722-2390
Rep.FJayBarrows@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Robert S. Hargraves
State House
Room 237
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2305
Fax: 617-722-2598
Rep.RobertHargraves@hou.state.ma.us
At Noon on July 14th, a different committee, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary, will consider House Bill 344, which seeks to:
•Make it illegal to debark a dog in Massachusetts in most circumstances.
•Impose unreasonable penalties, including imprisonment of up to five years and/or a fine of not more than $2,500, for those found in violation of the bill.
The AKC believes that much misinformation exists about debarking of dogs. When performed by a veterinarian, debarking is an acceptable medical procedure that is often done as a "last resort" when all other methods of modifying a dog's behavior have failed. For many responsible dog owners, debarking is the only alternative to euthanizing or surrendering their canine companion to a local shelter when their pet's noisy behavior continually disturbs the community. The decision to debark a dog is one that is best left to the dog owner and his veterinarian.
Both the AKC and MassFed oppose House Bill 344.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
All concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Massachusetts are strongly encouraged to attend Tuesday’s hearing in opposition to HB 344 (Gardner Auditorium, State House, Boston); and/or to contact the members of the Joint Committee on the Judiciary and let them know that you oppose HB 344, and encourage them to do the same.
Senator Cynthia Stone Creem, Chair
State House
Room 416-B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1639
Cynthia.Creem@state.ma.us
Senator Steven A. Baddour, Vice-Chair
State House
Room 208
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1604
Steven.Baddour@state.ma.us
Senator Gale D. Candaras
State House
Room 213B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-1291
Fax: 617-722-1014
Gale.Candaras@State.MA.US
Senator Jack Hart
State House
Room 109-C
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1150
John.Hart@state.ma.us
Senator Thomas M. McGee
State House
Room 112
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1350
Thomas.McGee@state.ma.us
Senator Bruce E. Tarr
State House
Room 313-A
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: (617) 722-1600
Bruce.Tarr@state.ma.us
Representative Eugene L. O’Flaherty
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Fax: 617-722-2819
Rep.GeneOFlaherty@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Christopher N. Speranzo
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Rep.ChristopherSperanzo@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative James H. Fagan
State House
Room 236
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2430
Fax: 617-722-2346
Rep.JamesFagan@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Colleen M. Garry
State House
Room 238
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2380
Fax: 617-722-2847
Rep.ColleenGarry@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Marie P. St. Fleur
State House
Room 43
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2030
Rep.MarieSt.Fleur@hou.state.ma.us
Representative John V. Fernandes
State House
Room 136
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2396
Fax: 617-722-2215
Rep.JohnFernandes@Hou.State.MA.US
Representative Katherine Clark
State House
Room 252
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2220
Fax: 617-722-2850
Rep.KatherineClark@HOU.State.MA.US
Representative James J. Dwyer
State House
Room 39
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2014
Fax: 617-626-0831
Rep.JamesJDwyer@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Danielle W. Gregoire
State House
Room 26
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2080
Rep.DanielleGregoire@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Lewis G. Evangelidis
State House
Room 473B
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2263
Rep.LewisEvangelidis@hou.state.ma.us
Representative Daniel K. Webster
State House
Room 542
Boston, MA 02133
Telephone: 617-722-2487
Rep.DanielWebster@hou.state.ma.us
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org; or contact the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Owners at www.massfeddogs.org.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
MA- HB344: Devocalization law could harm more than it helps
HB 344: Devocalization law could harm more than it helps
By Beth Coughlin, Boston Dog Laws Examiner
Only July 14th the Massachusetts State House of Representatives will be holding a committee meeting regarding House Bill 344 (HB344): An Act Prohibiting the Devocalization of Dogs and Cats.
On the surface, many dog-lovers may say "good law".
When you really dig deeper, below the surface this is really bad legislation that has the potential to land otherwise potentially great dogs in death row awaiting destruction because they have a proclivity for barking.
Certain breeds, including shetland sheep dogs and several breeds of terriers are high-alert dogs. Regardless of the training methods you use: positive reinforcement, punishment, desensitization, homopathy and even medication, they will continue to bark in a manner that can cause nuisance dog complaints.
Likewise, some neighbors will opt to complain even if a dog's behavior is below the threshhold set by nuisance dog laws.
This law does not view the potential risk of being euthanized due to nuisance complaints a "legitimate health risk". While many dog owners would agree that there are some people too ready to devocalize, this is a topic that should be handled from an education, not legislation approach.
While all other options should be explored prior to resorting to devocalization, better safe in a home with a smaller, raspy bark then in a shelter wondering if "tomorrow is the day."
Contact your representative and let them know this is a bad law when you look at the larger picture. In the sheep's clothing of animal welfare, animal rights activists have advocated turning a legitimate veterinary procedure into a Felony Offense.
For more info: Full text of HB344
By Beth Coughlin, Boston Dog Laws Examiner
Only July 14th the Massachusetts State House of Representatives will be holding a committee meeting regarding House Bill 344 (HB344): An Act Prohibiting the Devocalization of Dogs and Cats.
On the surface, many dog-lovers may say "good law".
When you really dig deeper, below the surface this is really bad legislation that has the potential to land otherwise potentially great dogs in death row awaiting destruction because they have a proclivity for barking.
Certain breeds, including shetland sheep dogs and several breeds of terriers are high-alert dogs. Regardless of the training methods you use: positive reinforcement, punishment, desensitization, homopathy and even medication, they will continue to bark in a manner that can cause nuisance dog complaints.
Likewise, some neighbors will opt to complain even if a dog's behavior is below the threshhold set by nuisance dog laws.
This law does not view the potential risk of being euthanized due to nuisance complaints a "legitimate health risk". While many dog owners would agree that there are some people too ready to devocalize, this is a topic that should be handled from an education, not legislation approach.
While all other options should be explored prior to resorting to devocalization, better safe in a home with a smaller, raspy bark then in a shelter wondering if "tomorrow is the day."
Contact your representative and let them know this is a bad law when you look at the larger picture. In the sheep's clothing of animal welfare, animal rights activists have advocated turning a legitimate veterinary procedure into a Felony Offense.
For more info: Full text of HB344
Monday, May 25, 2009
Possible Investigation into HSUS over whether HSUS imprperly spent the funds collected to benefit pets displaced by Hurricane Katrina
Attention dog lovers!
PLEASE CROSS-POST
The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom has learned that the office of Louisiana Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell is considering whether to re-open an investigation into the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The investigation concerns whether HSUS improperly spent some of the $34 million it raised for the benefit of pets displace d by Hurricane Katrina.
Apparently, Caldwell's office received a deluge of phone calls last week, beginning the day after Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV aired an exposé of HSUS's fundraising activities. In that report, WSB called HSUS "an organization actively misleading donors to get money." The TV station also explored just how little of HSUS's "Katrina" fundraising appears to have been spent on genuine Katrina-related disaster relief.
This was a fabulous piece of journalism on a subject many news outlets have been too intimidated or too biased to cover. (WSB-TV is working on a follow-up story, but we'll all just have to wait patiently for that.)
An anonymous animal lover has made the video of the May 14 report available at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- Note that there's no way to know if HSUS will be successful at continually censoring this video. (At least one previous version was pulled from YouTube this week after being viewed more than 50,000 times.)
Here's what you can do to help:
(1) CALL the Consumer Protection Section of the Louisiana Attorney General's Office during regular business hours. The toll-free number is 800-351-4889. If you live in Louisiana, please call the local number at 225-326-6465, or the general office number at 225-326-6200.
Tell whoever answers that you would like the Attorney General to re-open his investigation of the Humane Society of the United States. Remind him/her that there's no official accounting of how HSUS spent most of the $34 million it raised after Hurricane Katrina.
Before you hang up, ask to be transferred to Assistant Attorney General Mimi Hunley. If you get through to Ms. Hunley, please be polite and make the same request of her or her staff.
(2) P lease follow-up with a polite e-mail to ConsumerInfo@ag.state.la.us, and let the A.G.'s office read your request in your own words. Drop me an e-mail at Martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com and let me know how everything went. (Or just "BCC" me on your follow-up e-mail.)
(3) Share the video of WSB-TV's exposé with your friends, colleagues, family, and neighbors. It remains available (for now) at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- If this video should disappear, feel free to e-mail me and ask if another version has popped up anywhere.
(4) If you are able, please consider making a donation to the Center for Consumer Freedom so we can keep putting pressure on the Humane Society of the United States. We've got some exciting plans for the months ahead, but we need additional resources to make it all work. For every dollar we raise, HSUS typically raises about $30.
Donations can be made at http://www.consumer freedom.com/donations.cfm and they are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Center for Consumer Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Thanks for all you do to provide for animals. Remember: You are the real animal advocates. And we're on your side.
David Martosko
Director of Research
martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com
www.Twitter.com/DMartosko
The Center for Consumer Freedom
www.ConsumerFreedom.com
www.PETAkillsAnimals.com
www.HumaneWatch.org
PLEASE CROSS-POST
The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom has learned that the office of Louisiana Attorney General James "Buddy" Caldwell is considering whether to re-open an investigation into the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The investigation concerns whether HSUS improperly spent some of the $34 million it raised for the benefit of pets displace d by Hurricane Katrina.
Apparently, Caldwell's office received a deluge of phone calls last week, beginning the day after Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB-TV aired an exposé of HSUS's fundraising activities. In that report, WSB called HSUS "an organization actively misleading donors to get money." The TV station also explored just how little of HSUS's "Katrina" fundraising appears to have been spent on genuine Katrina-related disaster relief.
This was a fabulous piece of journalism on a subject many news outlets have been too intimidated or too biased to cover. (WSB-TV is working on a follow-up story, but we'll all just have to wait patiently for that.)
An anonymous animal lover has made the video of the May 14 report available at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- Note that there's no way to know if HSUS will be successful at continually censoring this video. (At least one previous version was pulled from YouTube this week after being viewed more than 50,000 times.)
Here's what you can do to help:
(1) CALL the Consumer Protection Section of the Louisiana Attorney General's Office during regular business hours. The toll-free number is 800-351-4889. If you live in Louisiana, please call the local number at 225-326-6465, or the general office number at 225-326-6200.
Tell whoever answers that you would like the Attorney General to re-open his investigation of the Humane Society of the United States. Remind him/her that there's no official accounting of how HSUS spent most of the $34 million it raised after Hurricane Katrina.
Before you hang up, ask to be transferred to Assistant Attorney General Mimi Hunley. If you get through to Ms. Hunley, please be polite and make the same request of her or her staff.
(2) P lease follow-up with a polite e-mail to ConsumerInfo@ag.state.la.us, and let the A.G.'s office read your request in your own words. Drop me an e-mail at Martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com and let me know how everything went. (Or just "BCC" me on your follow-up e-mail.)
(3) Share the video of WSB-TV's exposé with your friends, colleagues, family, and neighbors. It remains available (for now) at http://is.gd/ BQGu -- If this video should disappear, feel free to e-mail me and ask if another version has popped up anywhere.
(4) If you are able, please consider making a donation to the Center for Consumer Freedom so we can keep putting pressure on the Humane Society of the United States. We've got some exciting plans for the months ahead, but we need additional resources to make it all work. For every dollar we raise, HSUS typically raises about $30.
Donations can be made at http://www.consumer freedom.com/donations.cfm and they are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Center for Consumer Freedom is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Thanks for all you do to provide for animals. Remember: You are the real animal advocates. And we're on your side.
David Martosko
Director of Research
martosko@ConsumerFreedom.com
www.Twitter.com/DMartosko
The Center for Consumer Freedom
www.ConsumerFreedom.com
www.PETAkillsAnimals.com
www.HumaneWatch.org
Monday, May 11, 2009
TX- Breeder Regulatory Legislation is now very close to becoming LawBecause of procedural maneuvering in the Texas Legislature, harsh
Because of procedural maneuvering in the Texas Legislature, harsh
breeder regulatory legislation is now very close to becoming law in the
Lone Star State. It is vital that all concerned responsible dog
breeders and owners in Texas take immediate action in opposition to this
bill.
On Wednesday, May 6, Senator Tommy Williams of The Woodlands had House
Bill 2310 considered, which originally concerned the powers and duties
of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. HB 2310 already
passed the House of Representatives, and was being considered by the
full Senate. Then, while the bill was being considered, Senator John
Whitmire of Houston, the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 1910, which seeks
to impose harsh regulations and limits on responsible dog breeders but
had until now received little attention from the Texas Senate, moved to
amend CSHB 2310, adding the same harsh breeder regulatory language to
this bill. The amendment was accepted. In short order, the Senate's
rules were suspended, allowing the full Senate to put the newly-amended
HB 2310 up for a final vote. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of HB
2310. (Click here for the Texas Senate Journal's entry detailing the
actions taken on HB 2310.)
These procedural moves effectively prevented concerned Texans from
exercising their right to speak out about this legislation. Now, the
bill will be sent back to the Texas House of Representatives for final
approval, also known as concurrence. AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE, IT IS
VITAL THAT ALL RESPONSIBLE DOG BREEDERS AND OWNERS IN TEXAS FLOOD THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH LETTERS, CALLS, AND E-MAILS OF OPPOSITION.
URGE THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE TO NOT CONCUR WITH THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS
TO HB 2310. ADDITIONALLY, ALL CONCERNED TEXANS SHOULD CONTACT GOVERNOR
PERRY AND EXPRESS THEIR RESPECTFUL YET STRONG OPPOSITION TO HB 2310 AND
THE PROCEDURAL MANEUVERING THAT DENIED TEXANS THEIR RIGHT TO BE HEARD.
If enacted, the amended HB 2310 will negatively affect many responsible
breeders in Texas. The AKC opposes these changes including the following
provisions:
* Defining "commercial breeder" as a person who possesses 11 or
more adult intact female animals and is engaged in the business of
breeding animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return
for consideration.
* Requiring licensure of anyone considered a commercial breeder.
* Limiting commercial breeders from possessing more than 50 adult
intact female animals in a facility at any time.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
It is imperative that all concerned Texans immediately contact their
member of the House of Representatives. Urge them to not concur with
the Senate's amendments to HB 2310. To find your Representative, go to
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ and enter your information.
Contact Governor Rick Perry in opposition to this bill now.
Respectfully yet strongly let him know that you oppose HB 2310, and
insist that he veto this bill.
> Office of the Governor Rick Perry
> Mailing Address:
> P.O. Box 12428
> Austin, Texas 78711-2428
>
> Delivery Address:
> State Insurance Building
> 1100 San Jacinto
> Austin, Texas 78701
>
> Citizen's Opinion Hotline [for Texas callers]: (800) 252-9600
>
> Fax: (512) 463-1849
>
> To e-mail Governor Perry's office, go to
> http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/, click "I am registering my
> opinion", click "Submit", complete the information on the following
> page, and click "Submit".
breeder regulatory legislation is now very close to becoming law in the
Lone Star State. It is vital that all concerned responsible dog
breeders and owners in Texas take immediate action in opposition to this
bill.
On Wednesday, May 6, Senator Tommy Williams of The Woodlands had House
Bill 2310 considered, which originally concerned the powers and duties
of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. HB 2310 already
passed the House of Representatives, and was being considered by the
full Senate. Then, while the bill was being considered, Senator John
Whitmire of Houston, the chief sponsor of Senate Bill 1910, which seeks
to impose harsh regulations and limits on responsible dog breeders but
had until now received little attention from the Texas Senate, moved to
amend CSHB 2310, adding the same harsh breeder regulatory language to
this bill. The amendment was accepted. In short order, the Senate's
rules were suspended, allowing the full Senate to put the newly-amended
HB 2310 up for a final vote. The Senate voted unanimously in favor of HB
2310. (Click here for the Texas Senate Journal's entry detailing the
actions taken on HB 2310.)
These procedural moves effectively prevented concerned Texans from
exercising their right to speak out about this legislation. Now, the
bill will be sent back to the Texas House of Representatives for final
approval, also known as concurrence. AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE, IT IS
VITAL THAT ALL RESPONSIBLE DOG BREEDERS AND OWNERS IN TEXAS FLOOD THE
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH LETTERS, CALLS, AND E-MAILS OF OPPOSITION.
URGE THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE TO NOT CONCUR WITH THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS
TO HB 2310. ADDITIONALLY, ALL CONCERNED TEXANS SHOULD CONTACT GOVERNOR
PERRY AND EXPRESS THEIR RESPECTFUL YET STRONG OPPOSITION TO HB 2310 AND
THE PROCEDURAL MANEUVERING THAT DENIED TEXANS THEIR RIGHT TO BE HEARD.
If enacted, the amended HB 2310 will negatively affect many responsible
breeders in Texas. The AKC opposes these changes including the following
provisions:
* Defining "commercial breeder" as a person who possesses 11 or
more adult intact female animals and is engaged in the business of
breeding animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return
for consideration.
* Requiring licensure of anyone considered a commercial breeder.
* Limiting commercial breeders from possessing more than 50 adult
intact female animals in a facility at any time.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
It is imperative that all concerned Texans immediately contact their
member of the House of Representatives. Urge them to not concur with
the Senate's amendments to HB 2310. To find your Representative, go to
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/ and enter your information.
Contact Governor Rick Perry in opposition to this bill now.
Respectfully yet strongly let him know that you oppose HB 2310, and
insist that he veto this bill.
> Office of the Governor Rick Perry
> Mailing Address:
> P.O. Box 12428
> Austin, Texas 78711-2428
>
> Delivery Address:
> State Insurance Building
> 1100 San Jacinto
> Austin, Texas 78701
>
> Citizen's Opinion Hotline [for Texas callers]: (800) 252-9600
>
> Fax: (512) 463-1849
>
> To e-mail Governor Perry's office, go to
> http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/, click "I am registering my
> opinion", click "Submit", complete the information on the following
> page, and click "Submit".
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
NC- SB 460 To Be Heard -TOMORROW
URGENT: North Carolina SB 460 Short title: Commercial Breeding of Dogs-To Be Heard Thursday, April 30, 9AM
Senate Bill 460 will be considered by the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday, April 30. Details are as follows:
DATE: Thursday, April 30, 2009
TIME: 9:00 AM – Please plan to be arrive no later than 8:30AM, dressed in professional attire.
LOCATION: Room 1027, Legislative Building, 16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
All concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are encouraged to attend the hearing on Thursday in opposition to the bill. We need to show strong opposition to SB 460. While attendees will not be able to speak in opposition, NUMBERS MATTER! If you are unable to attend, please call or e-mail the members
This Act defines a commercial breeder as (5b) anyone who, during any 12-month period, maintains 15 or more adult female dogs for the primary purpose of the sale of their offspring as companion animals.
Remember- these dogs do not need to be currently having puppies- just that they are intact females and you intend to sell any offspring as a companion animal.
and defines a commercial breeding operation as (5c) the physical location or facility at which a commercial breeder breeds or maintains adult female dogs and their offspring. Yes- this implies your home if that is where you maintain your dogs. If your puppies are born in your bedroom, it is still part of a "commercial breeding operation"
Senate Bill 460 will be considered by the North Carolina Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday, April 30. Details are as follows:
DATE: Thursday, April 30, 2009
TIME: 9:00 AM – Please plan to be arrive no later than 8:30AM, dressed in professional attire.
LOCATION: Room 1027, Legislative Building, 16 W. Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
All concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are encouraged to attend the hearing on Thursday in opposition to the bill. We need to show strong opposition to SB 460. While attendees will not be able to speak in opposition, NUMBERS MATTER! If you are unable to attend, please call or e-mail the members
This Act defines a commercial breeder as (5b) anyone who, during any 12-month period, maintains 15 or more adult female dogs for the primary purpose of the sale of their offspring as companion animals.
Remember- these dogs do not need to be currently having puppies- just that they are intact females and you intend to sell any offspring as a companion animal.
and defines a commercial breeding operation as (5c) the physical location or facility at which a commercial breeder breeds or maintains adult female dogs and their offspring. Yes- this implies your home if that is where you maintain your dogs. If your puppies are born in your bedroom, it is still part of a "commercial breeding operation"
Monday, April 13, 2009
CA- Assembly Bill 241 to be heard TOMORROW
CA AB 241 to Limit Ownership of Intact Animals
California Assembly Bill 241, which will prohibit businesses and individuals who buys or sells cats and dogs from owning more than a combined total of 50 intact dogs or cats, will be heard in the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 14th. There is no age threshold included in the bill so we believe that the limit of 50 appears to include puppies and kittens.
The bill will allow a peace officer, humane society officer or animal control officer to investigate a complaint of this section or of his/her own volition inspect the records of an individual or business or to physically inspect any place where dogs or cats are bred or maintained. It provides that an officer may inspect the premises during daytime operating hours and if the premises includes a home, the officer is required to obtain consent of the owner, tenant or resident before entering the home.
The measure will NOT apply to a publicly operated animal control facility or animal shelter, a veterinary facility, a retail pet store, or a research facility.
Point to Make:
1. Newly proposed laws should NEVER exempt animal shelters- what is good breeding, housing, sanitation conditions for a breeder is also good for a shelter. If these practices are being proposed "for the dog"- then it it should apply to shelters too
2. Numerical limits do not address the underlying issues of responsible ownership and proper care.
What You Can Do:
Attend the Assembly Public Safety Committee Hearing to Oppose AB 241
April 14th, 9:00am
State Capitol, Room 126
Sacramento, CA 95814
Please contact your State Assemblymember and ask him or her to oppose AB 241. To find out who represents you in the State Assembly, please click here.
Contact the author and members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and express your opposition to AB 241.
Assemblymember Pedro Nava (Author)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0035
Tel: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
Assembly Public Safety Committee
Legislative Office Building
1020 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax (916) 319-3745
Assemblymember Jose Solorio (Chair)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0069
Tel: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169
Assemblymember Curt Hagman (Vice-Chair)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0060
Tel: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
Assemblymember Warren Furutani
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0055
Tel: (916) 319-2055
Fax: (916) 319-2155
Assemblymember Danny Gilmore
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0030
Tel: (916) 319-2030
Fax: (916) 319-2130
Assemblymember Jerry Hill
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
Tel: (916) 319-2019
Fax: (916) 319-2119
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0012
Tel: (916) 319-2012
Fax: (916) 319-2112
Assemblymember Nancy Skinner
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0014
Tel: (916) 319-2014
Fax: (916) 319-2114
California Assembly Bill 241, which will prohibit businesses and individuals who buys or sells cats and dogs from owning more than a combined total of 50 intact dogs or cats, will be heard in the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 14th. There is no age threshold included in the bill so we believe that the limit of 50 appears to include puppies and kittens.
The bill will allow a peace officer, humane society officer or animal control officer to investigate a complaint of this section or of his/her own volition inspect the records of an individual or business or to physically inspect any place where dogs or cats are bred or maintained. It provides that an officer may inspect the premises during daytime operating hours and if the premises includes a home, the officer is required to obtain consent of the owner, tenant or resident before entering the home.
The measure will NOT apply to a publicly operated animal control facility or animal shelter, a veterinary facility, a retail pet store, or a research facility.
Point to Make:
1. Newly proposed laws should NEVER exempt animal shelters- what is good breeding, housing, sanitation conditions for a breeder is also good for a shelter. If these practices are being proposed "for the dog"- then it it should apply to shelters too
2. Numerical limits do not address the underlying issues of responsible ownership and proper care.
What You Can Do:
Attend the Assembly Public Safety Committee Hearing to Oppose AB 241
April 14th, 9:00am
State Capitol, Room 126
Sacramento, CA 95814
Please contact your State Assemblymember and ask him or her to oppose AB 241. To find out who represents you in the State Assembly, please click here.
Contact the author and members of the Assembly Public Safety Committee and express your opposition to AB 241.
Assemblymember Pedro Nava (Author)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0035
Tel: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
Assembly Public Safety Committee
Legislative Office Building
1020 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Fax (916) 319-3745
Assemblymember Jose Solorio (Chair)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0069
Tel: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169
Assemblymember Curt Hagman (Vice-Chair)
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0060
Tel: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
Assemblymember Warren Furutani
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0055
Tel: (916) 319-2055
Fax: (916) 319-2155
Assemblymember Danny Gilmore
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0030
Tel: (916) 319-2030
Fax: (916) 319-2130
Assemblymember Jerry Hill
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0019
Tel: (916) 319-2019
Fax: (916) 319-2119
Assemblymember Fiona Ma
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0012
Tel: (916) 319-2012
Fax: (916) 319-2112
Assemblymember Nancy Skinner
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0014
Tel: (916) 319-2014
Fax: (916) 319-2114
Monday, March 30, 2009
OR- HB 2470 to be considered Monday, March 30th at 3:00
Oregon Alert! HB 2470 To Be Considered Monday, March 30
Oregon House Bill 2470, which seeks to severely limit the responsible breeding of dogs, will be heard by the Oregon House Consumer Protection Committee on Monday, March 30. The American Kennel Club and its Oregon federation, the National Animal Interest Alliance, both strongly oppose HB 2470, and encourage all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Oregon write or e-mail the committee members. Respectfully let them know that you oppose HB 2470.
House Bill 2470:
* Defines any breeder who sells more than 20 dogs, or 3 litters in a year, as a "pet dealer".
* Limits anyone from possessing more than 25 intact dogs four months of age or older.
* Imposes significant and cumbersome operational requirements on all dog owners who own 10 or more intact dogs.
* Mandates record-keeping requirements and certain disclosures at time of sale.
* Requires breeders to comply with an unreasonable consumer protection term of two years.
* Exempts shelters, veterinarians, pet stores, and research facilities from new standards of care.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
The American Kennel Club and the National Animal Interest Alliance encourage all responsible dog breeders and owners to attend the committee hearing on March 30. Here are the details:
Oregon House Consumer Protection Committee Hearing
Monday, March 30, 2009
3:00 p.m.
Capitol, House Room E
Salem, Oregon 97301
We also urge all responsible dog breeders and owners in Oregon to contact their elected representatives and respectfully urge them to oppose House Bill 2470; and to contact the members of the House Consumer Protection Committee and strongly urge them to not report HB 2470 out of committee.
For tips on testifying before the House Consumer Protection Committee, please click here.
For a sample letter to personalize, please click here.
For an e-mail form that will automatically e-mail your elected representatives, please click here.
To find out whom your elected representatives are, please click here.
House Consumer Protection Committee Members:
Representative Paul Holvey, Chair
900 Court St. NE, H-275
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1408
E-MAIL: paulholvey@state.or.us
Representative Chuck Riley, Vice-Chair
900 Court St. NE, H-274
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1429
E-MAIL: chuckriley@state.or.us
Representative Jim Weidner, Vice-Chair900 Court St. NE, H-387
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1424
E-MAIL: jimweidner@state.or.us
Representative Brent Barton
900 Court St. NE, H-386
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1451
E-MAIL: brentbarton@state.or.us
Representative Jean Cowan
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1410
E-MAIL: jeancowan@state.or.us
Representative Vic Gilliam
900 Court St. NE, H-384
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1418
E-MAIL: vicgilliam@state.or.us
Representative Wayne Krieger
900 Court St. NE, H-381
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1401
E-MAIL: waynekrieger@state.or.us
Representative Greg Matthews
900 Court St. NE, H-379
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1450
E-MAIL: gregmatthews@state.or.us
Representative Carolyn Tomei
900 Court St. NE, H-279
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1441
E-MAIL: carolyntomei@state.or.us
Representative Matt Wingard900 Court St. NE, H-474
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1426
E-MAIL: mattwingard@state.or.us
Oregon House Bill 2470, which seeks to severely limit the responsible breeding of dogs, will be heard by the Oregon House Consumer Protection Committee on Monday, March 30. The American Kennel Club and its Oregon federation, the National Animal Interest Alliance, both strongly oppose HB 2470, and encourage all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Oregon write or e-mail the committee members. Respectfully let them know that you oppose HB 2470.
House Bill 2470:
* Defines any breeder who sells more than 20 dogs, or 3 litters in a year, as a "pet dealer".
* Limits anyone from possessing more than 25 intact dogs four months of age or older.
* Imposes significant and cumbersome operational requirements on all dog owners who own 10 or more intact dogs.
* Mandates record-keeping requirements and certain disclosures at time of sale.
* Requires breeders to comply with an unreasonable consumer protection term of two years.
* Exempts shelters, veterinarians, pet stores, and research facilities from new standards of care.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
The American Kennel Club and the National Animal Interest Alliance encourage all responsible dog breeders and owners to attend the committee hearing on March 30. Here are the details:
Oregon House Consumer Protection Committee Hearing
Monday, March 30, 2009
3:00 p.m.
Capitol, House Room E
Salem, Oregon 97301
We also urge all responsible dog breeders and owners in Oregon to contact their elected representatives and respectfully urge them to oppose House Bill 2470; and to contact the members of the House Consumer Protection Committee and strongly urge them to not report HB 2470 out of committee.
For tips on testifying before the House Consumer Protection Committee, please click here.
For a sample letter to personalize, please click here.
For an e-mail form that will automatically e-mail your elected representatives, please click here.
To find out whom your elected representatives are, please click here.
House Consumer Protection Committee Members:
Representative Paul Holvey, Chair
900 Court St. NE, H-275
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1408
E-MAIL: paulholvey@state.or.us
Representative Chuck Riley, Vice-Chair
900 Court St. NE, H-274
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1429
E-MAIL: chuckriley@state.or.us
Representative Jim Weidner, Vice-Chair900 Court St. NE, H-387
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1424
E-MAIL: jimweidner@state.or.us
Representative Brent Barton
900 Court St. NE, H-386
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1451
E-MAIL: brentbarton@state.or.us
Representative Jean Cowan
900 Court St. NE, H-376
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1410
E-MAIL: jeancowan@state.or.us
Representative Vic Gilliam
900 Court St. NE, H-384
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1418
E-MAIL: vicgilliam@state.or.us
Representative Wayne Krieger
900 Court St. NE, H-381
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1401
E-MAIL: waynekrieger@state.or.us
Representative Greg Matthews
900 Court St. NE, H-379
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1450
E-MAIL: gregmatthews@state.or.us
Representative Carolyn Tomei
900 Court St. NE, H-279
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1441
E-MAIL: carolyntomei@state.or.us
Representative Matt Wingard900 Court St. NE, H-474
Salem, OR 97301
PHONE: (503) 986-1426
E-MAIL: mattwingard@state.or.us
CA- City of Manteca meeting tonight on mandatory spay/ neuter law for all dogs over six months
Meeting Monday on plan to neuter all city dogs
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/article/2640/
By Dennis Wyatt
Managing Editor
dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
209-249-3532
Pit bulls and related breeds in Manteca are required by city law to be neutered or spayed.
Now city leaders think it is a good idea to make owners of all dogs - with a few notable exceptions - to have their canines fixed.
Dog owners and the general public have a chance Monday to say what they think of the plan as well as make suggestions on what the city should or shouldn't do during a meeting at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center council chambers at 1001 W. Center St. Police Chief Dave Bricker will conduct the meeting.
Exemptions to the spaying and neutering requirement as the proposed ordinance now stands would be licensed show dogs, livestock dogs, police dogs, breeders licensed by the city, or assistance dogs.
A mandatory neutering and spaying law would work for all dogs over six months of age within Manteca's city limits. That means if Manteca Animal Control picks up your stray dog for wandering the streets you may have to pay in excess of $100 to have it spayed or neutered in addition to impound fees and paying for a license if you do not have one.
City officials estimate there are 20,000 dogs in Manteca of which just fewer than 3,000 are licensed. To obtain a license or to renew a dog license you'd have to proof your dog has been neutered or spayed.
http://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/article/2640/
By Dennis Wyatt
Managing Editor
dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
209-249-3532
Pit bulls and related breeds in Manteca are required by city law to be neutered or spayed.
Now city leaders think it is a good idea to make owners of all dogs - with a few notable exceptions - to have their canines fixed.
Dog owners and the general public have a chance Monday to say what they think of the plan as well as make suggestions on what the city should or shouldn't do during a meeting at 6 p.m. at the Civic Center council chambers at 1001 W. Center St. Police Chief Dave Bricker will conduct the meeting.
Exemptions to the spaying and neutering requirement as the proposed ordinance now stands would be licensed show dogs, livestock dogs, police dogs, breeders licensed by the city, or assistance dogs.
A mandatory neutering and spaying law would work for all dogs over six months of age within Manteca's city limits. That means if Manteca Animal Control picks up your stray dog for wandering the streets you may have to pay in excess of $100 to have it spayed or neutered in addition to impound fees and paying for a license if you do not have one.
City officials estimate there are 20,000 dogs in Manteca of which just fewer than 3,000 are licensed. To obtain a license or to renew a dog license you'd have to proof your dog has been neutered or spayed.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
TX- Monday, March 30th- 8:00am- hearing of HB 1147
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, Inc.
HB1147 is scheduled for a hearing at 8:00 AM, Monday, March 30, 2009 -
please call of fax NOW.
Companion bill is SB 554 which was approved by the Senate committee 7 to 0.
COMMITTEE: House Criminal Jurisprudence (see schedule here) 8:00 AM,
Monday, March 30, 2009 PLACE: JHR 120 State Capitol, Austin
Attorney Zandra Anderson has provided the following legal analysis and
talking points.
What these bills mean:
HB 1147 & SB 554 (Possession of alleged dog fighting equipment criminalized)
Frost (Criminal Jurisprudence); Whitmire (Criminal Justice)
1. Under this bill it would become a crime to possess dog fighting equipment
with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for fighting or is
used in the furtherance of dog fighting. This would become a Class A
misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $4000 fine.
2. Dog fighting equipment is defined to include a harness, treadmill, cage,
decoy, pen, house for keeping a fighting dog, feeding apparatus, or training
pen.
Sample Letter / Talking Points:
House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
EXT E2.112
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
RE: OPPOSE HB1147
Dear Chairperson Gallego, Vice Chair Christian and Committee on Criminal
Jurisprudence:
SB 554 criminalizes the ownership of items that are common to many dog
owners, but especially to those who engage in activities such as hunting,
dog sports and dog shows. While I support the prosecution of the crime of
dogfighting, the language is vague and will result in people being falsely
accused. In the vast majority of dogfighting cases, the dogs are destroyed
prior to a trial or even a conviction. Owners who are falsely accused suffer
devastating financial and emotional losses and can never get their dogs
back.
a.. All dog owners possess at least some of the equipment in this bill,
and many dog owners possess most of the equipment such as a harness,
treadmill, cage for a dog, a pen for a dog, feeding apparatus (a dog bowl)
and training pens.
b.. While possession of these items to be a crime is linked to intent to
train dogs to fight or in the furtherance of dog fighting, that is very
vague. There is no definition of what constitutes intent. How do you prove
intent?
c.. Merely possessing this equipment does not mean that someone has the
intent to train a dog to fight or that the equipment is used in the
furtherance of dog fighting.
d.. Because someone has a dog bowl, does this mean they have the intent to
fight a dog? This bill would open the door for unfairly prosecuting a person
who legitimately owns American Pit Bull Terriers or other similar dogs.
e.. Legitimate dog trainers of all breeds use treadmills to exercise their
dogs particularly when the weather is bad, and in no way indicates training
of fighting dogs.
f.. If a dog fighter is convicted, then the equipment described above can
already be seized and forfeited.
Respectfully,
====CONTACT INFO======
Clerk: Andrew Cates
Phone: (512) 463-0768
EXT E2.112
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Please phone and/or fax ALL of the members especially if you live in their
district. If you live in a member's district, please let him or her know.
Find out who represents YOUR district: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Rep. Pete Gallego, Chair
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist74/welcome.htm
District: Alpine
Capitol Address
Room 4N.9, Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0566
(512) 236-9408 Fax
Rep. Wayne Christian, Vice Chair
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist9/welcome.htm
District: Center
Capitol Office
Room CAP GN.12
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0556
(512) 463-5896 Fax
(877) 839-2709 Toll Free
Rep. Allen Fletcher
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist130/fletcher.php
District: Harris County (Part)
Capitol Office
E2.804, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0661
(512) 463-4130 Fax
Rep. Terri Hodge
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist100/hodge.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Address
Room E2.818, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0586
(512) 463-8147 Fax
Rep. Carol Kent
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist102/kent.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Office
Room E2.814, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0454
(512) 463-1121 Fax
Rep. Robert Miklos
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist101/miklos.php
District: Mesquite
Capitol Office
Room E2.816, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0464
(512) 463-9295 Fax
Rep. Joseph E. Moody
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist78/moody.php
District: El Paso
Capitol Office
Room EXT E1.208
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0728
(512) 463-0397 Fax
Rep. Paula Pierson
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist93/pierson.php
District: Arlington
Capitol Office
Room EXT E2.210
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0562
(512) 463-2053 Fax
Rep. Debbie Riddle
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist150/riddle.php
District: Houston
Capitol Address
Room E2.306, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0572
(512) 463-1908 Fax
Rep. Allen Vaught
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist107/vaught.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Address
Room E2.414, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0244
(512) 463-9967 Fax
Rep. Hubert Vo
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist149/vo.php
District: Houston
Capitol Address
Room E2.208, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0568
(512) 463-0548 Fax
RPOA Texas Outreach (501C4 Nonprofit)
www.rpoatexasoutreach.org
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance (501C3 Nonprofit)
www.responsiblepetowners.org
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
HB1147 is scheduled for a hearing at 8:00 AM, Monday, March 30, 2009 -
please call of fax NOW.
Companion bill is SB 554 which was approved by the Senate committee 7 to 0.
COMMITTEE: House Criminal Jurisprudence (see schedule here) 8:00 AM,
Monday, March 30, 2009 PLACE: JHR 120 State Capitol, Austin
Attorney Zandra Anderson has provided the following legal analysis and
talking points.
What these bills mean:
HB 1147 & SB 554 (Possession of alleged dog fighting equipment criminalized)
Frost (Criminal Jurisprudence); Whitmire (Criminal Justice)
1. Under this bill it would become a crime to possess dog fighting equipment
with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for fighting or is
used in the furtherance of dog fighting. This would become a Class A
misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $4000 fine.
2. Dog fighting equipment is defined to include a harness, treadmill, cage,
decoy, pen, house for keeping a fighting dog, feeding apparatus, or training
pen.
Sample Letter / Talking Points:
House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee
EXT E2.112
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
RE: OPPOSE HB1147
Dear Chairperson Gallego, Vice Chair Christian and Committee on Criminal
Jurisprudence:
SB 554 criminalizes the ownership of items that are common to many dog
owners, but especially to those who engage in activities such as hunting,
dog sports and dog shows. While I support the prosecution of the crime of
dogfighting, the language is vague and will result in people being falsely
accused. In the vast majority of dogfighting cases, the dogs are destroyed
prior to a trial or even a conviction. Owners who are falsely accused suffer
devastating financial and emotional losses and can never get their dogs
back.
a.. All dog owners possess at least some of the equipment in this bill,
and many dog owners possess most of the equipment such as a harness,
treadmill, cage for a dog, a pen for a dog, feeding apparatus (a dog bowl)
and training pens.
b.. While possession of these items to be a crime is linked to intent to
train dogs to fight or in the furtherance of dog fighting, that is very
vague. There is no definition of what constitutes intent. How do you prove
intent?
c.. Merely possessing this equipment does not mean that someone has the
intent to train a dog to fight or that the equipment is used in the
furtherance of dog fighting.
d.. Because someone has a dog bowl, does this mean they have the intent to
fight a dog? This bill would open the door for unfairly prosecuting a person
who legitimately owns American Pit Bull Terriers or other similar dogs.
e.. Legitimate dog trainers of all breeds use treadmills to exercise their
dogs particularly when the weather is bad, and in no way indicates training
of fighting dogs.
f.. If a dog fighter is convicted, then the equipment described above can
already be seized and forfeited.
Respectfully,
====CONTACT INFO======
Clerk: Andrew Cates
Phone: (512) 463-0768
EXT E2.112
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Please phone and/or fax ALL of the members especially if you live in their
district. If you live in a member's district, please let him or her know.
Find out who represents YOUR district: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Rep. Pete Gallego, Chair
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist74/welcome.htm
District: Alpine
Capitol Address
Room 4N.9, Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0566
(512) 236-9408 Fax
Rep. Wayne Christian, Vice Chair
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist9/welcome.htm
District: Center
Capitol Office
Room CAP GN.12
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0556
(512) 463-5896 Fax
(877) 839-2709 Toll Free
Rep. Allen Fletcher
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist130/fletcher.php
District: Harris County (Part)
Capitol Office
E2.804, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0661
(512) 463-4130 Fax
Rep. Terri Hodge
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist100/hodge.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Address
Room E2.818, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0586
(512) 463-8147 Fax
Rep. Carol Kent
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist102/kent.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Office
Room E2.814, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0454
(512) 463-1121 Fax
Rep. Robert Miklos
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist101/miklos.php
District: Mesquite
Capitol Office
Room E2.816, Capitol Extension
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0464
(512) 463-9295 Fax
Rep. Joseph E. Moody
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist78/moody.php
District: El Paso
Capitol Office
Room EXT E1.208
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0728
(512) 463-0397 Fax
Rep. Paula Pierson
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist93/pierson.php
District: Arlington
Capitol Office
Room EXT E2.210
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
(512) 463-0562
(512) 463-2053 Fax
Rep. Debbie Riddle
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist150/riddle.php
District: Houston
Capitol Address
Room E2.306, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0572
(512) 463-1908 Fax
Rep. Allen Vaught
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist107/vaught.php
District: Dallas
Capitol Address
Room E2.414, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0244
(512) 463-9967 Fax
Rep. Hubert Vo
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist149/vo.php
District: Houston
Capitol Address
Room E2.208, Capitol Extension
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-0568
(512) 463-0548 Fax
RPOA Texas Outreach (501C4 Nonprofit)
www.rpoatexasoutreach.org
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance (501C3 Nonprofit)
www.responsiblepetowners.org
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Friday, March 27, 2009
IN- Two Bills to be Heard on Tuesday, March 31
Indiana Update: Two Bills to be Heard on Tuesday, March 31
(from AKC)
Friday, March 27, 2009]
The Indiana General Assembly will hear two bills on Tuesday regarding breeding regulations in Indiana. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to hear Senate Bill 238, a bill originally dealing with basic animal cruelty issues. An amendment will be offered in this bill to strictly regulate commercial breeders in Indiana.
The Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee will be hearing House Bill 1468, a bill that currently contains numerous regulations and limitations on dog ownership. An amendment is expected to be offered which addresses a number of AKC's concerns.
Details of the bills are as follows (Be sure to scroll down to read the details on SB 238 and HB 1468):
Senate Bill 238
Earlier this year, Indiana Representative Linda Lawson was successful in amending House Bill 1468 (a bill regarding sex offenders) to include onerous regulations for commercial breeders, including allowing warrantless inspections of private homes and property, and placing strict limits on dog ownership and standard breeding practices. HB 1468 passed the House of Representatives.
While significant amendments to HB 1468 are expected to be offered on Tuesday (see below), the AKC has learned that Representative Lawson is now seeking to amend another bill with language to unreasonably regulate breeders. That bill is Senate Bill 238, which originally addressed basic issues of animal cruelty. The Indiana House Judiciary Committee, of which Representative Lawson is Chair, is expected to vote Tuesday on SB 238 and an amendment to include strict regulations on responsible dog breeders. It is therefore imperative that all responsible dog owners, breeders, and fanciers in Indiana contact the House Judiciary Committee and express opposition to any amendments that would limit dog ownership and the rights of responsible dog breeders.
The American Kennel Club's mission includes working to protect the rights of all dog owners and promoting responsible dog ownership. The AKC strongly supports the humane treatment of dogs, including providing an adequate and nutritious diet, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship and training in appropriate behavior. We believe, however, that numerical limits, warrantless searches of private property, and other onerous regulations do not address the underlying issues of responsible ownership and proper dog care. Instead, the AKC supports reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
How You Can Help
Attend the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 31. Here are the details:
Indiana House Judiciary Committee Hearing
Tuesday, March 31
8:30 a.m.
Room 156C
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee. Ask them to oppose any amendments to limit dog ownership and infringe on the rights of responsible dog breeders. If you are a resident of Indiana, make sure to let them know!
All Indiana Representatives may be reached at the following:
Indiana House of Representatives
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-9600 or
(800) 382-9842 (toll free within Indiana)
Committee e-mail addresses are as follows:
Representative Linda Lawson (Chair and Sponsor of breeder regulation bills)
E-mail: h1@in.gov
Representative Cherrish Pryor (Vice-Chair)
E-mail: h94@in.gov
Representative Dennis Avery
E-mail: h75@in.gov
Representative Jeb Bardon
E-mail: h25@in.gov
Representative DeLaney
E-mail: h86@in.gov
Representative Ryan Dvorak
E-mail: h8@in.gov
Representative Trent VanHaaften
E-mail: h76@in.gov
Representative Ralph Foley
E-mail: h47@in.gov
Representative Wesley Culver
E-mail: h49@in.gov
Representative Eric Allan Koch
E-mail: h65@in.gov
Representative Dan Leonard
E-mail: h50@in.gov
Representative Phyllis Pond
E-mail: h85@in.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Bill 1468
As currently written, HB1468, among other provisions, limits dog ownership to 30 intact dogs and includes consumer protection provisions that provide no recourse to a seller victimized by false accusations or irresponsible new owners. However, Senator Brent Steele, Chairman of the Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee (which currently has cognizance of the bill) is expected to offer amendments to address many of the egregious portions of this bill. The AKC Government Relations Department has learned from Senator Steele's office that many of AKC's concerns are expected to be addressed in these amendments. The American Kennel Club will continue to monitor this legislation and will provide more details and updates as they become available.
How You Can Help:
Attend the Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 31. Express your support for reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
The hearing details are as follows:
Indiana Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee
Tuesday, March 31
9:00 a.m.
Room 130
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
If you are unable to attend, contact the members of the committee and express your support for reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
All Indiana Senators may be reached at the following:
Indiana State Senate
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-9400 or
(800) 382-9467 (toll free within Indiana)
Click on the committee members' names below to contact them by e-mail:
Senator Brent Steele (Chairman)
Senator R. Michael Young
Senator Richard Bray
Senator Mike Delph
Senator Randy Head
Senator Brent Waltz
Senator John Waterman
Senator Lindel Hume
Senator Timothy Lanane
Senator Karen Tallian
Senator Greg Taylor
For more information, contact AKC's Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
(from AKC)
Friday, March 27, 2009]
The Indiana General Assembly will hear two bills on Tuesday regarding breeding regulations in Indiana. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to hear Senate Bill 238, a bill originally dealing with basic animal cruelty issues. An amendment will be offered in this bill to strictly regulate commercial breeders in Indiana.
The Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee will be hearing House Bill 1468, a bill that currently contains numerous regulations and limitations on dog ownership. An amendment is expected to be offered which addresses a number of AKC's concerns.
Details of the bills are as follows (Be sure to scroll down to read the details on SB 238 and HB 1468):
Senate Bill 238
Earlier this year, Indiana Representative Linda Lawson was successful in amending House Bill 1468 (a bill regarding sex offenders) to include onerous regulations for commercial breeders, including allowing warrantless inspections of private homes and property, and placing strict limits on dog ownership and standard breeding practices. HB 1468 passed the House of Representatives.
While significant amendments to HB 1468 are expected to be offered on Tuesday (see below), the AKC has learned that Representative Lawson is now seeking to amend another bill with language to unreasonably regulate breeders. That bill is Senate Bill 238, which originally addressed basic issues of animal cruelty. The Indiana House Judiciary Committee, of which Representative Lawson is Chair, is expected to vote Tuesday on SB 238 and an amendment to include strict regulations on responsible dog breeders. It is therefore imperative that all responsible dog owners, breeders, and fanciers in Indiana contact the House Judiciary Committee and express opposition to any amendments that would limit dog ownership and the rights of responsible dog breeders.
The American Kennel Club's mission includes working to protect the rights of all dog owners and promoting responsible dog ownership. The AKC strongly supports the humane treatment of dogs, including providing an adequate and nutritious diet, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship and training in appropriate behavior. We believe, however, that numerical limits, warrantless searches of private property, and other onerous regulations do not address the underlying issues of responsible ownership and proper dog care. Instead, the AKC supports reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
How You Can Help
Attend the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 31. Here are the details:
Indiana House Judiciary Committee Hearing
Tuesday, March 31
8:30 a.m.
Room 156C
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee. Ask them to oppose any amendments to limit dog ownership and infringe on the rights of responsible dog breeders. If you are a resident of Indiana, make sure to let them know!
All Indiana Representatives may be reached at the following:
Indiana House of Representatives
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-9600 or
(800) 382-9842 (toll free within Indiana)
Committee e-mail addresses are as follows:
Representative Linda Lawson (Chair and Sponsor of breeder regulation bills)
E-mail: h1@in.gov
Representative Cherrish Pryor (Vice-Chair)
E-mail: h94@in.gov
Representative Dennis Avery
E-mail: h75@in.gov
Representative Jeb Bardon
E-mail: h25@in.gov
Representative DeLaney
E-mail: h86@in.gov
Representative Ryan Dvorak
E-mail: h8@in.gov
Representative Trent VanHaaften
E-mail: h76@in.gov
Representative Ralph Foley
E-mail: h47@in.gov
Representative Wesley Culver
E-mail: h49@in.gov
Representative Eric Allan Koch
E-mail: h65@in.gov
Representative Dan Leonard
E-mail: h50@in.gov
Representative Phyllis Pond
E-mail: h85@in.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
House Bill 1468
As currently written, HB1468, among other provisions, limits dog ownership to 30 intact dogs and includes consumer protection provisions that provide no recourse to a seller victimized by false accusations or irresponsible new owners. However, Senator Brent Steele, Chairman of the Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee (which currently has cognizance of the bill) is expected to offer amendments to address many of the egregious portions of this bill. The AKC Government Relations Department has learned from Senator Steele's office that many of AKC's concerns are expected to be addressed in these amendments. The American Kennel Club will continue to monitor this legislation and will provide more details and updates as they become available.
How You Can Help:
Attend the Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee hearing on Tuesday, March 31. Express your support for reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
The hearing details are as follows:
Indiana Senate Corrections, Criminal, and Civil Matters Committee
Tuesday, March 31
9:00 a.m.
Room 130
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
If you are unable to attend, contact the members of the committee and express your support for reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.
All Indiana Senators may be reached at the following:
Indiana State Senate
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 232-9400 or
(800) 382-9467 (toll free within Indiana)
Click on the committee members' names below to contact them by e-mail:
Senator Brent Steele (Chairman)
Senator R. Michael Young
Senator Richard Bray
Senator Mike Delph
Senator Randy Head
Senator Brent Waltz
Senator John Waterman
Senator Lindel Hume
Senator Timothy Lanane
Senator Karen Tallian
Senator Greg Taylor
For more information, contact AKC's Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
WV- Oppose HB 2843- April 1st deadline
from Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting Alliance
OPPOSE HB 2843
There are 472 Bills pending in House Judiciary. Oppose HB 2843 and push this bill to the bottom of the list for consideration. The legislature has an April 1st deadline for moving bills out of committee and back to the floor for final vote.
HB 2843 defines a commercial breeder as any person who maintains twenty or more unsterilized dogs over the age of one year and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return for consideration, except that any person who breeds only greyhound dogs is not considered a commercial dog breeder under this article. The bill establishes two kennel licenses: Class I-Maintain twenty to forty unsterilized dogs over the age of one year at any one time; Class II-Maintain more than forty unsterilized dogs over the age of one year at any time. Mandates record keeping, sales tracking, veterinary documentation, breeding requirements and certification, establishes fines and penalties up to $2500 for section violations; authorizes searches of premise and records.
HB 2843 text, status, summary
** TALKING POINTS **
* HB 2843 has potential to raise fiscal costs by additional personnel needed for enforcement, and will create legal challenges.
* HB 2843 empowers officials to investigate giving them broad peace officer status and "warrantless search" power. This is a violation of due process and is unconstitutional. Such routine warrantless search cannot be justified under public safety, or health concerns. Any requirement for inspection must show probable cause, and should be clearly articulated, and limited in justification.
* It is wrong to use a numerical basis to begin excessive regulation of dog breeders; numbers do not correlate to quality of care. Laws for animal welfare and to prevent animal cruelty are already in place to protect all animals whether it is one dog or one hundred.
*The requirement for annual veterinary certification of suitable health for breeding is very vague. Certification to determine “suitable” could require anything from routine physical exam to an expensive panel of blood tests and x-rays. Maturity and breeding age is specific to both the individual and the particular breed and should not be broadly legislated. No other species has regulations in place for standards and/or limitations for breeding.
* HB 2843 duplicates provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act and the licensing provisions of the United States Department of Agriculture for wholesale breeder/sellers making the bills unnecessary.
* In these difficult financial times it would seem prudent for legislators to focus their time and energy on the needs of West Virginia families, employment, and avoiding excessive budget cuts rather than create unnecessary legislation.
* HB 2843 was not introduced to upgrade welfare for dogs in West Virginia. HB 2843 is one of two dozen bills with similar language being lobbied by HSUS and their activists across the country to place restrictions and burdens on those who breed dogs in any number and for any reason. HSUS has crusaded to end commercial breeding of dogs and all domestic animals for years. Please do not yield to their anti-animal use agenda.
ACTION IS REQUIRED NOW!
To call Judiciary Committee members follow this link for contact info
OPPOSE HB 2843
There are 472 Bills pending in House Judiciary. Oppose HB 2843 and push this bill to the bottom of the list for consideration. The legislature has an April 1st deadline for moving bills out of committee and back to the floor for final vote.
HB 2843 defines a commercial breeder as any person who maintains twenty or more unsterilized dogs over the age of one year and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct or indirect sale or for exchange in return for consideration, except that any person who breeds only greyhound dogs is not considered a commercial dog breeder under this article. The bill establishes two kennel licenses: Class I-Maintain twenty to forty unsterilized dogs over the age of one year at any one time; Class II-Maintain more than forty unsterilized dogs over the age of one year at any time. Mandates record keeping, sales tracking, veterinary documentation, breeding requirements and certification, establishes fines and penalties up to $2500 for section violations; authorizes searches of premise and records.
HB 2843 text, status, summary
** TALKING POINTS **
* HB 2843 has potential to raise fiscal costs by additional personnel needed for enforcement, and will create legal challenges.
* HB 2843 empowers officials to investigate giving them broad peace officer status and "warrantless search" power. This is a violation of due process and is unconstitutional. Such routine warrantless search cannot be justified under public safety, or health concerns. Any requirement for inspection must show probable cause, and should be clearly articulated, and limited in justification.
* It is wrong to use a numerical basis to begin excessive regulation of dog breeders; numbers do not correlate to quality of care. Laws for animal welfare and to prevent animal cruelty are already in place to protect all animals whether it is one dog or one hundred.
*The requirement for annual veterinary certification of suitable health for breeding is very vague. Certification to determine “suitable” could require anything from routine physical exam to an expensive panel of blood tests and x-rays. Maturity and breeding age is specific to both the individual and the particular breed and should not be broadly legislated. No other species has regulations in place for standards and/or limitations for breeding.
* HB 2843 duplicates provisions of the federal Animal Welfare Act and the licensing provisions of the United States Department of Agriculture for wholesale breeder/sellers making the bills unnecessary.
* In these difficult financial times it would seem prudent for legislators to focus their time and energy on the needs of West Virginia families, employment, and avoiding excessive budget cuts rather than create unnecessary legislation.
* HB 2843 was not introduced to upgrade welfare for dogs in West Virginia. HB 2843 is one of two dozen bills with similar language being lobbied by HSUS and their activists across the country to place restrictions and burdens on those who breed dogs in any number and for any reason. HSUS has crusaded to end commercial breeding of dogs and all domestic animals for years. Please do not yield to their anti-animal use agenda.
ACTION IS REQUIRED NOW!
To call Judiciary Committee members follow this link for contact info
Monday, March 23, 2009
TX- SUPPORT HB 1046
Texas House Bill 1046 is short- but very important. If passed, this bill would RESTORE the rights of owners "divested of ownership of an animal". This bill restores the rights of animal owners to appeal a court ruling to give the animal to a non-profit shelter, or humanely destory the animal. The current wording of the law means that once a virdict is given against an owner, they will never get that animal back and they can not appeal the decision.
Act now to SUPPORT this bill to RESTORE your rights.
Act now to SUPPORT this bill to RESTORE your rights.
FL- HB 451 to be considered Tuesday, March 24
Monday, March 23, 2009]
Late Friday, Florida House Bill 451 was added to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee’s agenda for Tuesday, March 24. The committee will consider the bill at 8:00 AM in Reed Hall, 102 HOB, at the Capitol in Tallahassee. HB 451 would require the mandatory sterilization of every dog and cat over four months of age, unless they meet strict criteria for exemption. In mid-February, several media outlets reported that HB 451 sponsor Representative Scott Randolph stated that he intended to issue a "strike all amendment" to replace the original bill with new language. However, such language has not yet been provided. Therefore, it is vitally important that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Florida call, fax, or e-mail the members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee and let them know that you strongly oppose this legislation.
The American Kennel Club opposes the concept of breeding permits, breeding bans, or the mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs. Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously. Additionally, we strongly support and actively promote a wide range of programs to educate the public about responsible breeding practices and the responsibilities of dog ownership. AKC believes that any attempt at restricting the rights and liberties of responsible breeders—especially via mandatory spay/neuter laws—must be defeated.
As introduced, HB 451 would:
Require owners of every dog or cat in Florida to have each animal sterilized within 30 days of the animal reaching four months of age, or within 30 days of the owner receiving the animal.
Provide ambiguous exemptions, including dogs with veterinary certification showing that sterilization would endanger the animal’s health, until such issues no longer exist; Greyhounds currently used for racing, until retirement; show animals registered with an established breed registration organization to be approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; dogs or cats that have earned, or are in the process of earning, a competitive sports title; animals trained, or in training, for use in law enforcement, military, or rescue; and animals for which an owner holds a valid breeding permit issued in accordance with an ordinance of a county or municipality.
What You Can Do:
Concerned Floridians should contact the members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee. Respectfully yet strongly let them know that you oppose mandatory spay/neuter laws, just as HB 451 demands.
Florida House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee:
Rep. Trudi K. Williams, Chair
303 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-2047
To e-mail Representative Williams,click here
Rep. Ralph Poppell, Vice Chair
222 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-3006
To e-mail Representative Poppell, click here.
Rep. Mary Brandenburg
402 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0260
To e-mail Representative Brandenburg, click here.
Rep. Leonard Bembry
1003 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-7870
To e-mail Representative Bembry, click here.
Rep. Debbie Boyd
1003 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9835
To e-mail Representative Boyd, click here.
Rep. Dwight Bullard
1401 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-5430
To e-mail Representative Bullard, click here.
Rep. Rachel Burgin
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9910
To e-mail Representative Burgin, click here.
Rep. Steve Crisafulli
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-4669
To e-mail Representative Crisafulli, click here.
Rep. Faye Culp
1102 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-2770
To e-mail Representative Culp, click here. Rep. Brad Drake
313 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-4726
To e-mail Representative Drake, click here.
Rep. Greg Evers
218 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-8188
To e-mail Representative Evers, click here.
Rep. Richard "Rich" Glorioso
222 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0807
To e-mail Representative Glorioso, click here.
Rep. Mia Jones
1402 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-6893
To e-mail Representative Jones, click here.
Rep. Debbie Mayfield
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0952
To e-mail Representative Mayfield, click here.
Rep. Mark Pafford
1401 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0175
To e-mail Representative Pafford, click here.
Rep. Jimmy Patronis
1301 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9696
To e-mail Representative Patronis, click here.
Rep. Ronald Renuart
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0001
To e-mail Representative Renaurt, click here.
Rep. Ron Schultz
210 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0805
To e-mail Representative Schultz, click here.
Late Friday, Florida House Bill 451 was added to the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee’s agenda for Tuesday, March 24. The committee will consider the bill at 8:00 AM in Reed Hall, 102 HOB, at the Capitol in Tallahassee. HB 451 would require the mandatory sterilization of every dog and cat over four months of age, unless they meet strict criteria for exemption. In mid-February, several media outlets reported that HB 451 sponsor Representative Scott Randolph stated that he intended to issue a "strike all amendment" to replace the original bill with new language. However, such language has not yet been provided. Therefore, it is vitally important that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Florida call, fax, or e-mail the members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee and let them know that you strongly oppose this legislation.
The American Kennel Club opposes the concept of breeding permits, breeding bans, or the mandatory spay/neuter of purebred dogs. Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously. Additionally, we strongly support and actively promote a wide range of programs to educate the public about responsible breeding practices and the responsibilities of dog ownership. AKC believes that any attempt at restricting the rights and liberties of responsible breeders—especially via mandatory spay/neuter laws—must be defeated.
As introduced, HB 451 would:
Require owners of every dog or cat in Florida to have each animal sterilized within 30 days of the animal reaching four months of age, or within 30 days of the owner receiving the animal.
Provide ambiguous exemptions, including dogs with veterinary certification showing that sterilization would endanger the animal’s health, until such issues no longer exist; Greyhounds currently used for racing, until retirement; show animals registered with an established breed registration organization to be approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; dogs or cats that have earned, or are in the process of earning, a competitive sports title; animals trained, or in training, for use in law enforcement, military, or rescue; and animals for which an owner holds a valid breeding permit issued in accordance with an ordinance of a county or municipality.
What You Can Do:
Concerned Floridians should contact the members of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee. Respectfully yet strongly let them know that you oppose mandatory spay/neuter laws, just as HB 451 demands.
Florida House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee:
Rep. Trudi K. Williams, Chair
303 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-2047
To e-mail Representative Williams,click here
Rep. Ralph Poppell, Vice Chair
222 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-3006
To e-mail Representative Poppell, click here.
Rep. Mary Brandenburg
402 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0260
To e-mail Representative Brandenburg, click here.
Rep. Leonard Bembry
1003 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-7870
To e-mail Representative Bembry, click here.
Rep. Debbie Boyd
1003 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9835
To e-mail Representative Boyd, click here.
Rep. Dwight Bullard
1401 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-5430
To e-mail Representative Bullard, click here.
Rep. Rachel Burgin
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9910
To e-mail Representative Burgin, click here.
Rep. Steve Crisafulli
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-4669
To e-mail Representative Crisafulli, click here.
Rep. Faye Culp
1102 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-2770
To e-mail Representative Culp, click here. Rep. Brad Drake
313 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-4726
To e-mail Representative Drake, click here.
Rep. Greg Evers
218 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-8188
To e-mail Representative Evers, click here.
Rep. Richard "Rich" Glorioso
222 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0807
To e-mail Representative Glorioso, click here.
Rep. Mia Jones
1402 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-6893
To e-mail Representative Jones, click here.
Rep. Debbie Mayfield
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0952
To e-mail Representative Mayfield, click here.
Rep. Mark Pafford
1401 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0175
To e-mail Representative Pafford, click here.
Rep. Jimmy Patronis
1301 The Capitol
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9696
To e-mail Representative Patronis, click here.
Rep. Ronald Renuart
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0001
To e-mail Representative Renaurt, click here.
Rep. Ron Schultz
210 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-0805
To e-mail Representative Schultz, click here.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
FL- Numerouse Regulations are being proposed in this state
Florida has 3 bills currently on the table: This is the latest
{Monday, March 02, 2009] from the AKC
A bill has been introduced in the Florida House of Representatives to limit dog ownership and impose numerous regulations on responsible breeders and dog owners, including imposing regulations on any person owning 10 or more dogs and limiting ownership to 50 dogs. All Florida responsible dog owners and breeders are encouraged to contact their State legislators and express their opposition to House Bill 1249 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 2002.
If adopted, House Bill 1249/Senate Bill 2002 would impose numerous unenforceable provisions. These include:
*Prohibiting tail docking and ear cropping except by a licensed veterinarian.
*Imposing stringent engineering standards for anyone owning 10 or more intact dogs at least four months of age.
*Allowing for a warrantless search by any animal control officer or "other authorized public health or safety official", either upon the receipt of a complaint or upon the officer’s "own initiative".
*Prohibiting anyone from owning, possessing, controlling, or having charge or custody of more than 50 intact dogs over the age of four months at any time.
*Exempting public animal shelters, nonprofit humane societies/animal adoption/rescue organizations, veterinary facilities, retail pet stores, research institutions, and boarding facilities from the standards of care required in this bill.
Florida needs all of us to get involved. Florida House of Representatives
Sample letter from AKC
Don't forget about the following bills that are currently on the table:
SB 288 introduced by Sen. Larcenia Bullard The Pet "Lemmon Law"
HB 451 introduced by Rep.Scott Randolph, D-Orange County Mandatory Spay/neuter
and now:
HB 1249 introduced by Rep. Soto D-Orange County and Rep. Jenne D- Broward
SB 2002 introduced by Sen. Constantine R- Orange County- "Commercial dog breeding"
Local level
Miami-Dade County proposed zoning changes and pet limits
West Palm Beach- PASSED dog and cat breeder laws that penalized dog breeders who do not register with the county. All residents must spay/neuter their pet or registar as a "breeder"
{Monday, March 02, 2009] from the AKC
A bill has been introduced in the Florida House of Representatives to limit dog ownership and impose numerous regulations on responsible breeders and dog owners, including imposing regulations on any person owning 10 or more dogs and limiting ownership to 50 dogs. All Florida responsible dog owners and breeders are encouraged to contact their State legislators and express their opposition to House Bill 1249 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 2002.
If adopted, House Bill 1249/Senate Bill 2002 would impose numerous unenforceable provisions. These include:
*Prohibiting tail docking and ear cropping except by a licensed veterinarian.
*Imposing stringent engineering standards for anyone owning 10 or more intact dogs at least four months of age.
*Allowing for a warrantless search by any animal control officer or "other authorized public health or safety official", either upon the receipt of a complaint or upon the officer’s "own initiative".
*Prohibiting anyone from owning, possessing, controlling, or having charge or custody of more than 50 intact dogs over the age of four months at any time.
*Exempting public animal shelters, nonprofit humane societies/animal adoption/rescue organizations, veterinary facilities, retail pet stores, research institutions, and boarding facilities from the standards of care required in this bill.
Florida needs all of us to get involved. Florida House of Representatives
Sample letter from AKC
Don't forget about the following bills that are currently on the table:
SB 288 introduced by Sen. Larcenia Bullard The Pet "Lemmon Law"
HB 451 introduced by Rep.Scott Randolph, D-Orange County Mandatory Spay/neuter
and now:
HB 1249 introduced by Rep. Soto D-Orange County and Rep. Jenne D- Broward
SB 2002 introduced by Sen. Constantine R- Orange County- "Commercial dog breeding"
Local level
Miami-Dade County proposed zoning changes and pet limits
West Palm Beach- PASSED dog and cat breeder laws that penalized dog breeders who do not register with the county. All residents must spay/neuter their pet or registar as a "breeder"
OK- HB 1332 Going for Vote March 5
ALERT - Oklahoma - HB1332 - Vote on March 5, 2009
From: Shelly Kuhn [mailto:nutz4gr@gmail.com]
Find the amended floor version of HB 1332 . There are some significant changes to this bill. Please read carefully. We are working on a preliminary analysis but want to be sure our interpretation is accurate before listing opinion.
This will be read on the House floor and we expect that it will be put to a vote on March 5, 2009.
Shelly
Oklahoma Animal Interest Allianceemail: oaiasec@gmail.com
Oklahoma House of Representatives Contact Info
See who supports and who opposes this bill
Don't forget to contact those who oppose and thank them- remember, they are hearing from "the other side" too.
Sample letter
From: Shelly Kuhn [mailto:nutz4gr@gmail.com]
Find the amended floor version of HB 1332 . There are some significant changes to this bill. Please read carefully. We are working on a preliminary analysis but want to be sure our interpretation is accurate before listing opinion.
This will be read on the House floor and we expect that it will be put to a vote on March 5, 2009.
Shelly
Oklahoma Animal Interest Allianceemail: oaiasec@gmail.com
Oklahoma House of Representatives Contact Info
See who supports and who opposes this bill
Don't forget to contact those who oppose and thank them- remember, they are hearing from "the other side" too.
Sample letter
Monday, February 2, 2009
NE- Breeder Bill to be heard TOMORROW
Nebraska Alert: Strict Breeders Bill to be Heard Tues., Feb. 3!
Nebraska Senator Ken Haar has introduced LB 677, a bill that aims to strictly regulate most dog breeders in Nebraska by imposing ownership limits, dog breeding restrictions, and harsh and unenforceable engineering standards. It is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Nebraska contact their State Senator and the members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which will consider the bill on Tuesday, February 3, and respectfully urge them to oppose LB 677.If adopted, LB 677 would:
* By April 1, 2010, restrict all those defined as "commercial breeders" under existing Nebraska law to owning no more than 75 dogs over the age of four months, without regard to whether dogs currently kept by such persons over that amount are being well cared for, or that dogs may have to be relinquished as a result of this provision.
* Limit the breeding of purebred dogs only to dogs between the ages of 18 months and eight years of age, without regard to the use of alternative reproduction techniques.
* Mandate the implementation of rigid engineering requirements–including, but not limited to, climate conditions, enclosures, building materials, and construction–without regard to the fiscal impact that such standards would have on targeted breeders or the enforceability of such requirements
We also encourage responsible dog breeders and owners to attend the committee hearing on February 3.
To find your Senator, please click here.
Nebraska Legislature Agriculture Committee Hearing
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
1:30PM
Room 1524
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Members:
Sen. Tom Carlson, Chair
Room 1022
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2732
e-mail: tcarlson@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Brenda Council
Room 1115
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2612
e-mail: bcouncil@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Cap Dierks
Room 2108
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2801
e-mail: mdierks@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Annette Dubas
Room 1018
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2630
e-mail: adubas@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Russ Karpisek
Room 1015
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2711
e-mail: rkarpisek@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Scott Price
Room 1528
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2627
e-mail: sprice@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Ken Schilz
Room 1202
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2616
e-mail: kschilz@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Norman Wallman
Room 1406
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2620
e-mail: nwallman@leg.ne.gov
Nebraska Senator Ken Haar has introduced LB 677, a bill that aims to strictly regulate most dog breeders in Nebraska by imposing ownership limits, dog breeding restrictions, and harsh and unenforceable engineering standards. It is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Nebraska contact their State Senator and the members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, which will consider the bill on Tuesday, February 3, and respectfully urge them to oppose LB 677.If adopted, LB 677 would:
* By April 1, 2010, restrict all those defined as "commercial breeders" under existing Nebraska law to owning no more than 75 dogs over the age of four months, without regard to whether dogs currently kept by such persons over that amount are being well cared for, or that dogs may have to be relinquished as a result of this provision.
* Limit the breeding of purebred dogs only to dogs between the ages of 18 months and eight years of age, without regard to the use of alternative reproduction techniques.
* Mandate the implementation of rigid engineering requirements–including, but not limited to, climate conditions, enclosures, building materials, and construction–without regard to the fiscal impact that such standards would have on targeted breeders or the enforceability of such requirements
We also encourage responsible dog breeders and owners to attend the committee hearing on February 3.
To find your Senator, please click here.
Nebraska Legislature Agriculture Committee Hearing
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
1:30PM
Room 1524
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Members:
Sen. Tom Carlson, Chair
Room 1022
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2732
e-mail: tcarlson@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Brenda Council
Room 1115
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2612
e-mail: bcouncil@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Cap Dierks
Room 2108
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2801
e-mail: mdierks@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Annette Dubas
Room 1018
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2630
e-mail: adubas@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Russ Karpisek
Room 1015
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2711
e-mail: rkarpisek@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Scott Price
Room 1528
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2627
e-mail: sprice@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Ken Schilz
Room 1202
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2616
e-mail: kschilz@leg.ne.gov
Sen. Norman Wallman
Room 1406
P.O. Box 94604
State Capitol
Lincoln, NE 68509
Phone: (402) 471-2620
e-mail: nwallman@leg.ne.gov
Saturday, January 24, 2009
MN-Breeder Bills up for Consideration on Jan.27
Friday, January 23, 2009]
Two Minnesota Senate proposals, SF 7 and SF 201, each featuring different breeder regulation proposals, will be heard on Tuesday, January 27, by the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee. It is vitally important that all responsible dog breeders and owners in Minnesota attend Tuesday’s committee hearing to express their positions on these bills or contact the committee members prior to the committee hearing to express their concerns with these bills.
SENATE FILE 7
Sponsored by Senator Don Betzold, SF 7 seeks to establish strict regulatory requirements for breeders, to require inspections of breeders’ facilities, and to impose undisclosed fee increases upon breeders. The proposed changes in this bill include:
Changing the definition of "breeder" to those who own 6 or more intact adult females, defined as any dog over 24 weeks old, for breeding purposes and who are engaged in the business of direct or indirect sale or exchange.
Limiting, by July 2010, the number of dogs a breeder may keep at a facility for the purpose of breeding to 50.
Requiring all breeders to obtain an annual license for each facility they own and operate. Additionally, the statement must include the number of adult dogs and the estimated number of puppies to be kept, housed, and maintained at the facility for the year. Licenses must be prominently displayed in each facility.
Mandating all breeders to pay an undisclosed fee to register their facility.
Calling for the annual inspection of each facility, with no advance notice required.
Imposing strict requirements for breeders beyond current federal and local laws and regulations.
If passed and signed into law, the changes proposed in this legislation would have a significant, negative impact on dog breeders in Minnesota. The changes proposed in Senate Bill 7 are impractical, costly, and unenforceable: Most importantly, will not improve the quality of life for dogs in Minnesota. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact their senator and committee members to express their opposition to Senate Bill 7.
SENATE FILE 201
Sponsored by Senator Steve Dille, this bill seeks to provide for the registration of, and standards of care applicable to, dog and cat breeders in Minnesota. Substantially different from SF 7, SF 201 seeks to:
Permit animal control authorities to charge dog breeders unidentified "reasonable" fees for registration.
Define "breeder" as someone other than a hobby breeder, who is engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale and who possesses 20 or more intact adult females for the purposes of breeding.
Defines "hobby breeder" as someone who is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct sale and who possesses less than 10 intact adult females for the purpose of breeding. It is unclear how those owning between 11-19 intact adult females would be regulated.
Require breeders to register, by March 1, 2010, with the local animal control authority. Registration is required every four years thereafter.
Allow breeders the option of complying with USDA care standards or complying with standards issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
Limit investigations to only those instances when a formal complaint alleging violations of standards of care is received by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, a local animal control authority, a peace officer, or a feedlot inspector.
Allow breeders 30 days after notification to correct any violations found during an investigation.
Permit seizure of affected animals only in cases where a breeder has not corrected a violation after 30 days and only if such violations threaten the health and welfare of an animal.
AKC is concerned with several provisions contained in SF 201, including, but not limited to: the threshold discrepancy between the definitions to "breeder" and "hobby breeder"; the undetermined fee to be charged for dog breeders to register with local animal control authorities; and the potential that, if breeders opt to adhere to regulatory standards of care issued by the Commissioner, such standards may be unreasonable and onerous without public input.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Attend the Agriculture and Veterans Committee hearing on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. and express your positions on these bills. The hearing will be held at:
Minnesota State Capitol Building
Room 107
75 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Contact your State Senator to express your opposition. To find your Senator, click here.
Contact the members of the Minnesota Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee to express your opposition.
Chairman: Jim Vickerman
(651) 296-5650
Click here to contact Chairman Vickerman
Vice-Chair: Sharon Erickson Ropes
(651) 296-5649
sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn
Ranking Minority Member: Steve Dille
(651) 296-4131
sen.steve.dille@senate.mn
Satveer Chaudhary
(651) 296-4334
sen.satveer.chaudhary@senate.mn
Lisa Fobbe
(651) 296-8075
sen.lisa.fobbe@senate.mn
Joe Gimse
(651) 296-3826
sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn
David Hann
(651) 296-1749
Click here to contact Senator Hann
Bill Ingebrigtsen
(651) 297-8063
sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn
Paul Koering
(651) 296-4875
sen.paul.koering@senate.mn
Gary Kubly
(651) 296-5094
sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn
Keith Langseth
(651) 296-3205
Click here to contact Senator Langseth
Tony Lourey
(651) 296-0293
sen.tony.lourey@senate.mn
Steve Murphy
(651) 296-0293
Click here to contact Senator Murphy
Rod Skoe
(651) 296-4196
sen.rod.skoe@senate.mn
Dan Skogen
(651) 296-5655
sen.dan.skogen@senate.mn
Two Minnesota Senate proposals, SF 7 and SF 201, each featuring different breeder regulation proposals, will be heard on Tuesday, January 27, by the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee. It is vitally important that all responsible dog breeders and owners in Minnesota attend Tuesday’s committee hearing to express their positions on these bills or contact the committee members prior to the committee hearing to express their concerns with these bills.
SENATE FILE 7
Sponsored by Senator Don Betzold, SF 7 seeks to establish strict regulatory requirements for breeders, to require inspections of breeders’ facilities, and to impose undisclosed fee increases upon breeders. The proposed changes in this bill include:
Changing the definition of "breeder" to those who own 6 or more intact adult females, defined as any dog over 24 weeks old, for breeding purposes and who are engaged in the business of direct or indirect sale or exchange.
Limiting, by July 2010, the number of dogs a breeder may keep at a facility for the purpose of breeding to 50.
Requiring all breeders to obtain an annual license for each facility they own and operate. Additionally, the statement must include the number of adult dogs and the estimated number of puppies to be kept, housed, and maintained at the facility for the year. Licenses must be prominently displayed in each facility.
Mandating all breeders to pay an undisclosed fee to register their facility.
Calling for the annual inspection of each facility, with no advance notice required.
Imposing strict requirements for breeders beyond current federal and local laws and regulations.
If passed and signed into law, the changes proposed in this legislation would have a significant, negative impact on dog breeders in Minnesota. The changes proposed in Senate Bill 7 are impractical, costly, and unenforceable: Most importantly, will not improve the quality of life for dogs in Minnesota. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact their senator and committee members to express their opposition to Senate Bill 7.
SENATE FILE 201
Sponsored by Senator Steve Dille, this bill seeks to provide for the registration of, and standards of care applicable to, dog and cat breeders in Minnesota. Substantially different from SF 7, SF 201 seeks to:
Permit animal control authorities to charge dog breeders unidentified "reasonable" fees for registration.
Define "breeder" as someone other than a hobby breeder, who is engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale and who possesses 20 or more intact adult females for the purposes of breeding.
Defines "hobby breeder" as someone who is engaged in the business of breeding animals for direct sale and who possesses less than 10 intact adult females for the purpose of breeding. It is unclear how those owning between 11-19 intact adult females would be regulated.
Require breeders to register, by March 1, 2010, with the local animal control authority. Registration is required every four years thereafter.
Allow breeders the option of complying with USDA care standards or complying with standards issued by the Commissioner of Agriculture.
Limit investigations to only those instances when a formal complaint alleging violations of standards of care is received by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, a local animal control authority, a peace officer, or a feedlot inspector.
Allow breeders 30 days after notification to correct any violations found during an investigation.
Permit seizure of affected animals only in cases where a breeder has not corrected a violation after 30 days and only if such violations threaten the health and welfare of an animal.
AKC is concerned with several provisions contained in SF 201, including, but not limited to: the threshold discrepancy between the definitions to "breeder" and "hobby breeder"; the undetermined fee to be charged for dog breeders to register with local animal control authorities; and the potential that, if breeders opt to adhere to regulatory standards of care issued by the Commissioner, such standards may be unreasonable and onerous without public input.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Attend the Agriculture and Veterans Committee hearing on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at 3:00 p.m. and express your positions on these bills. The hearing will be held at:
Minnesota State Capitol Building
Room 107
75 Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, Minnesota 55155
Contact your State Senator to express your opposition. To find your Senator, click here.
Contact the members of the Minnesota Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee to express your opposition.
Chairman: Jim Vickerman
(651) 296-5650
Click here to contact Chairman Vickerman
Vice-Chair: Sharon Erickson Ropes
(651) 296-5649
sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn
Ranking Minority Member: Steve Dille
(651) 296-4131
sen.steve.dille@senate.mn
Satveer Chaudhary
(651) 296-4334
sen.satveer.chaudhary@senate.mn
Lisa Fobbe
(651) 296-8075
sen.lisa.fobbe@senate.mn
Joe Gimse
(651) 296-3826
sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn
David Hann
(651) 296-1749
Click here to contact Senator Hann
Bill Ingebrigtsen
(651) 297-8063
sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn
Paul Koering
(651) 296-4875
sen.paul.koering@senate.mn
Gary Kubly
(651) 296-5094
sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn
Keith Langseth
(651) 296-3205
Click here to contact Senator Langseth
Tony Lourey
(651) 296-0293
sen.tony.lourey@senate.mn
Steve Murphy
(651) 296-0293
Click here to contact Senator Murphy
Rod Skoe
(651) 296-4196
sen.rod.skoe@senate.mn
Dan Skogen
(651) 296-5655
sen.dan.skogen@senate.mn
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