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USKBTC Legislative Newsletter
April 2005
This month it appears that there were no new bills that
the AKC Legislative Department has investigated and
felt they required alerts, however there is still quite
a bit of activity to be followed. Your involvement is
important.
ABGA National Breed Club Alliance
Date:5/2/2005
From:FistFaces@aol.com
Reply-to: brussels@brussels-griffon.org
To:
ABGA@brussels-griffon.org,GRIFFY-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
The National Breed Club Alliance, a group dedicated to
fighting anti dog legislation and to which the ABGA
belongs, sent the following information.
Denise Brusseau-Ortman
If you would like to add your name to the petition
to revoke PETA's tax-exempt status, you can sign an
online petition at:
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/article_detail.cfm/artic
le/154
Table of Contents
Click the links below for easier access to specific
legislation by region.
New York
West Virginia
Texas
Vermont
New Jersey
California
Ohio
Colorado
Return to Table of Contents
NEW YORK
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Leaving dogs in car is against law.
County views cases strictly
By John Davis
Poughkeepsie Journa
Kathy McLaughlin photos/Poughkeepsie
Journal
Above, Daniel Pinkwater sits in his stationwagon with
his dogs, Maxine, left, and Lulu, at his home in Hyde
Park recently. Pinkwater was told he was violating the
law by leaving his dogs alone in the car in March.
Below, The Pinkwaters have added a sign to their car
window since confronted by authorities.
Daniel Pinkwater never thought it could be illegal to
leave his two dogs alone in a car for even a minute.
"It sounded so irrational to me," said Pinkwater, a
Hyde Park author, illustrator and radio commentator.
"My wife says that if that does turn out to be the law,
we're really going to have to move."
The Pinkwaters were alerted to this interpretation of
the state animal cruelty law on the afternoon of March
22 by two humane law enforcement officers with the
Dutchess County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals.
"People don't realize how rapidly the temperature can
rise," said Joyce Garrity, Dutchess SPCA executive
director. "People don't realize the conditions in the
car. Leaving an animal or a baby in a car, you're
asking for a problem." As the temperatures turn warmer,
the issue of taking proper care of dogs is a concern of
the SPCA, the agency in Dutchess responsible for
enforcing the state animal cruelty statute.
"Since dogs cannot sweat like people, heat stroke and
even brain damage can result," Garrity said
Tuesday.
Shelter required
Section 353-b of Article 26 of state agriculture and
markets law requires that dogs left outside shall be
provided ''with shelter appropriate to its breed,
physical condition and the climate.'' Staff at the
Department of Agriculture and Markets in Albany said
the animal cruelty statute is open to the
interpretation of individual counties.
"We did not find anything about keeping dogs in the
car," said Jessica Chittenden, department spokeswoman.
"It's very vague. It leaves it open for interpretation.
We don't have enforcement authority."
Across the nation, proper care of dogs and pets is
becoming more of a legal issue, said a veterinarian
educator at North Carolina A&T State University in
Greensboro, N.C. “You're seeing a lot more animal
lawyers," said Dr. Tracy Hanner, coordinator of
veterinarian education at A&T State. "You're seeing a
lot more animal defense funds."
The New York law was brought to the Pinkwaters'
attention during an outing with their two large dogs --
Lulu, an Inuit, and Maxine, a Labrador retriever. The
Pinkwaters left the dogs in their car -- with the
sunroof open -- at the Park Plaza in Hyde Park while
they dashed into Antonella's for a cappuccino. While
they were inside, a county sheriff's deputy notified
the SPCA the dogs were alone in the car. Upon
returning to their car, the Pinkwaters were told by
SPCA humane law enforcement officer Marysue Cirricione
it was a violation of the law to leave the dogs alone
in the car.
In disbelief, Daniel Pinkwater asked to speak to the
officer's superior. SPCA Officer Doug Niederkorn was
called. When Niederkorn arrived a few minutes later, he
confirmed it was indeed against the law to leave dogs
unattended in a car.
Although the law does not specifically mention motor
vehicles, the Dutchess SPCA interprets the law to mean
dogs can't be left alone in cars. "An automobile is
not an appropriate shelter," Niederkorn said. Daniel
Pinkwater said his dashboard thermometer read 45
degrees when they arrived at the Park Plaza.
Niederkorn said with his infrared probe temperature
gauge -- which penetrates glass -- he recorded over 80
degrees in the car.
Checks out state law
The Pinkwaters were not fined, but they were still
skeptical they had broken the law. When they got home,
Daniel Pinkwater said he downloaded on his computer the
state agriculture law cited by the SPCA officers. "I
read the law 50 times," he said, still unconvinced it
prohibits leaving his dogs alone in the car. In Ulster
County, SPCA officials interpret the law in a less
strict manner than their counterparts in
Dutchess.
"It would depend on the condition and the weather,"We
wouldn't be as strict." In most instances, when Ulster
SPCA enforcement officers observe dogs alone in a car,
they try to inform or remind the dog owners what are
unsafe conditions prohibited by the law."A lot of times
we find it's education,"' West said. "It's also the
manner and how you go about it. We make sure it's not
confrontational."
Howard Mintzer, the veterinarian at Mid-Hudson Animal
Hospital in Hyde Park whom the Pinkwaters usually take
their dogs to, said the state animal cruelty law leaves
some leeway for enforcement. "The law itself is vague
as its allows the enforcement people and pet owners to
use common sense," Mintzer said.
The Pinkwaters, who co-authored the book,
Superpuppy: How to Choose, Raise and Train the Best
Possible Dog For You, said they do realize the
conditions must be right for leaving dogs unattended in
a car. "People should be aware even if it's a little
warm, it can be much hotter in a car and reach
dangerous temperatures in 70-degree weather,'' Daniel
Pinkwater said.
The SPCA maintains the weather can be even cooler
outside and much too hot for a dog inside a car.
''Even though it's 56 (degrees) outside, the
temperature in the car can be 30 degrees warmer,
Niederkorn said.
John Davis can be reached at pdavis@pou
ghkeepsiejournal.com
Tips provided by Joyce Garrity, executive
director of the Dutchess County Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
In warm weather, dog owners should take measures to
make sure their pets are safe and comfortable:
- When driving your car, if you are going to stop
anywhere that does not allow dogs, leave your pet at
home.
- Don't allow a dog to ride in the back of a pickup
truck. The animal could be hit by flying debris or
ejected from the vehicle.
- If leaving a dog outside at home, the animal must
have access to an adequate shelter. This means a dog
house that is waterproof, insulated and roomy enough
for the dog to move around.
- Change your dog's water dish frequently. The water
should be fresh and free of debris.
Return to Table of Contents
WEST VIRGINIA
FINAL REPORT: OUTCOME of WEST VIRGINIA
BILL:SB#277
The Animal Regulation Act
Submitted By: Colby Homer, State Chairman/National
Coordinator
West Virginians are appreciative and Thank You for the
National assistance of the thousands that responded
requesting the kill of SB 277. . .the last Bill
remaining of four that would tightly control animal
owners here. In the legislature this Bill was touted as
a tracking device for animals, and a panacea therefore
to conform with the "Homeland Security Act" to prevent
terrorism!
WEST VIRGINIA BILL SB#277 is OFFICIALLY
DEAD!
Return to Table of Contents
TEXAS
Immediate Help Needed to Oppose Texas BSL
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Attention Texas dog owners! Rep. Al Edwards of Houston
is sponsoring HB1096, a bill which would exempt any
cities with a population of over 1.9 million from the
current state law prohibiting breed-specific
legislation. (Currently this includes the City of
Houston only, but rapid growth in Dallas and San
Antonio means these cities would be included in the
near future.) Passage of the bill would immediately
permit eligible cities to enact dangerous dog laws that
ban or restrict certain breeds. HB1096 passed through
the House quickly and has now been referred in the
Senate. Help is needed urgently to stop this
legislation.
For more information go to http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2467
Subject: Action Alert! El Paso, TX Animal
Ordinance
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance has received a copy of
the El Paso proposed Title 7 Animal Ordinance
Revisions, which promotes the agenda of the Animal
Rights Movement to end all use, breeding, and ownership
of animals whether you eat them, wear them or pet them.
El Paso is the home of Steve Best, the UT El Paso
professor, who openly supports the Animal Liberation
Front. El Paso is a hotbed of animal rights
activists.
The "Dangerous wild animal" definition bans wolf/dogs
and some domesticated cat breeds, such as Savannahs and
Bengals. It includes kennel and breeder licensing plus
breeding permits, limit of 5 dogs, cats, ferrets per
household without a special permit, and goose-stepping
down the streets of El Paso for compliance
(door-to-door). We have information proving the
failure of this type of unenforceable ordinance
wherever passed 12-14 years ago.
We'll issue another alert after the special meeting
that has been called Wednesday. All information for the
meeting and the El Paso City Council members contact
information may be found on the web site url below:
http://www.elpasotim
es.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050422/NEWS/5042203
56/1001
For a copy of the ordinance as a Word document
attachment, contact rpoa@texas.net
directly.May 1, 2005
Please cross post
HB 1096 passed the House before we could
organize opposition, but to date there has been NO
Senate hearing scheduled for the companion bill SB
1111.
We were told by Committee Chair Senator Whitmire's
office that they have been overwhelmed with phone calls
in opposition to SB 1111, but the calls have slowed
down. We appreciate your previous help and ask if we
could have "one more round" of protests to help us kill
this bill. You may be very brief. Just the large
volume of calls and emails can help us
tremendously.
You may receive Senator Ellis's form letter saying
that his office is working with Responsible Pet Owners
Alliance and the American Kennel Club regarding this
bill. Although RPOA was contacted regarding our
objections and sent our objections to his office, we
have heard nothing from them. So I wouldn't say we are
negotiating. Rather it appears they hope the
opposition will die down and the bill could slip
through committee with 24 hrs. notice.
HB 1096 / SB 1111 would exempt Houston from existing
state law prohibiting Breed Specific Legislation and
imposes excessively harsh provisions on all Houston dog
owners.
Our legislature adjourns on May 31, so there will be
increased pressure to schedule a hearing on this bill
to move it out of committee. SB 1111 states that:
“Subchapter D [in existing state law] does not apply to
a municipality subject to this chapter.” While not
naming breeds specifically, it will allow Houston to do
so in the future.
Talking Points:
- SB 1111 will not stop dog attacks in Houston.
- Texas already has a very strong Dangerous Dog
Law.
- Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois,
Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma and
Virginia all have a provision prohibiting
municipalities from passing Breed Specific Legislation.
SB 1111 would be taking a step backwards for
Texas.
- Breed Specific Legislation is canine profiling and
discrimination against certain breeds of dogs,
regardless of temperament, training or behavior. Many
so-called “pitbulls” are great family dogs and pose no
threat to the community.
- Although SB 1111 doesn’t name breeds of dogs, the
publicly stated intent of Rep. Al Edwards is to
regulate Rottweilers and “pitbulls” in Houston.
- Rep. Edwards has stated on a Houston television
station that he wants the bill to be amended to apply
statewide.
Please contact all listed below and OPPOSE this
bill:
Mailing address for all Senate Committee
members:
PO Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
Clerk: Carley Rose, Ph: (512) 463-0345
SB 1111
Bill Author: Senator
Rodney Ellis
Ph: (512) 463-0113
Fax: (512) 463-0006
Senate Criminal Justice Committee members:
Chair: Senator
John Whitmire
Ph: (512) 463-0115
Fax: (512) 475-3737
Vice-Chair: Senator
Kel Seliger
Ph: (512) 463-013
Fax: (512) 475-3733
Senator
John Carona
Ph: (512) 463-0116
Fax: (512) 463-3135
Senator
Rodney Ellis
Ph: (512) 463-0113
Fax: (512) 463-0006
Senator
Juan Hinojosa
Fax: (512) 463-0229
Senator
Steve Ogden
Ph: (512) 463-0105
Fax: (512) 463-5713
Senator Tommy Williams
Ph: (512) 463-0104
Fax: (512) 463-6373
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/sena
te/members/dist4/dist4.htm (E-mail can be sent from
this URL.)
Return to Table of Contents
VERMONT
VT: Bill outlawing 'puppy mills' sidetracked for
summer review
April 5, 2005
By John Zicconi Vermont Press Bureau
MONTPELIER — The Vermont Senate last week elected not
to adopt a controversial proposal designed to shut down
animal breeders who abuse their pets, sometimes
creating deformed puppies and kittens that are
abandoned at animal shelters.Lawmakers instead called
for all sides of this emotional issue to get together
over the summer and fall to work out their differences
and come back to the Legislature in January with
recommendations that will better protect animals from
harm.
Dog and cat breeders hailed the formation of the
13-member study committee, while animal-welfare
activists were supportive but disappointed it will take
at least another year before the state begins shutting
down so-called backyard breeders and puppy mills."I'm
disappointed that as a first step we were not able to
immediately clear up the ambiguity in the system," said
Susan Skaskiw, a Rutland-area animal cruelty
investigator for Vermont Volunteer Services for
Animals. "But I'm really encouraged that (senators) see
there is need to overhaul the system."
A recent study by the Agency of Agriculture concluded
there are likely 260 pet merchants in Vermont, but only
35 of them are licensed. Animal-welfare activists
believe the number of unlicensed breeders is much
higher and want them identified so that they can be
regularly inspected. Many merchants go unlicensed
because Vermont law is ambiguous and provides loopholes
that allow backyard breeders to lie about the true
nature of their profit-making operation and escape
scrutiny, animal-welfare activists said.
Unlicensed breeders often know nothing about genetics
and sometimes create deformed animals that include
Persian kittens with no face and short-tailed Manx
kittens with no anus that are routinely dumped at
humane societies to die, they said. Purebred dogs are
often kept in small pens where they are "bred to death"
so their offspring can be sold for as much as $1,500
depending on the breed, Skaskiw said. "I've seen a lot
of backyard breeders," said Skaskiw, who keeps a file
full of photographs depicting animals that died of
neglect and the conditions in which they were kept.
"I've dealt with these nasty people."
Senators said shutting down scofflaw breeders is an
important issue for their constituents. Lawmakers last
month received hundreds of e- mails after news of the
bill, which was sponsored by Sen. John Campbell,
D-Windsor, became public. Welfare activists want pet
merchant laws strengthened to require that anyone who
sells a dog or cat — even if they only do it once — to
be licensed, undergo regular inspections and pay taxes.
They are also calling for stiff fines for those who
break the law. "Animals are sentient beings and
therefore activity surrounding them requires scrutiny,"
said Tom Browe, executive director of the Vermont
Humane Federation, a trade group for the state's nearly
two dozen humane societies. "If you are doing things
right, you should welcome scrutiny."
Animal breeders and Vermont sportsmen are uneasy about
these requests because they intrude on honest families
who occasionally mate their pets and hunters who
humanly breed hounds and sell puppies to other hunters.
They asked lawmakers to better study the issue so new
laws are not full of unintended consequences."The bill
before the Senate was a one-sided bill pushed by the
humane federation that did not take into account the
other side," said Ed Peterson, a Middlesex terrier
breeder and president of the Vermont Federation of Dog
Clubs. "Taking the summer to study the issue is a good
approach," Peterson said. "We ought to be able to come
out of this with something satisfactory to both
sides."
Along with sportsmen, breeders and animal-welfare
activists, the Senate called for the 13-member
committee to include four state officials — a senator,
House representative, Tax Department employee and
Agency of Agriculture employee — as well as
representatives from the Vermont Sheriff's Association,
the Vermont Veterinary Medical Association, and the
Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Steve Kerr,
Vermont's agriculture secretary, said he has high hopes
the committee will forge a recommendation that will
better protect animals without penalizing responsible
breeders. "It's not an easily solved problem, and it
could be expensive if you want to start policing people
in their homes," Kerr said. "Some of the things that go
on are truly horrendous … but this is a cultural issue.
We need to decide if we want the state to be this
intrusive into people's lives."
Animal-welfare activists want state government to hire
an enforcement officer who will regularly scan local
newspapers and inspect anyone who advertises the sale
of dogs and cats. They also want all merchants to pay
the state's $150 annual license fee or face at least a
$300 fine. The money can be used to help fund
enforcement, they said."This study committee is a very
good step," Browe said. "It will allow us to look at
the entire pet-merchant program as a whole, which
currently is basically nonfunctional."
Return to Table of Contents
NEW JERSEY
A state appeals court reined in the New Jersey Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals yesterday
(4/14/05), ruling that the 137-year-old agency and its
local chapters must answer to county prosecutors just
like any other police force... For entire article go
to Star
Ledger
New Jersey Bill A113 prohibits insurance
companies from discriminating againsthomeowners based
on a dog's breed. Write to these assemblyman and tell
them that you would like them to support this bill.
You can view details of the bill at
NJ Bill View.
It's made the first step in the approval process now
It's been passed to the Financial Institution and
Insurance Committee. The insurance companies will
definitely be lobbying against it; we need contact out
there so cyber friends start spreading the word to
visit-- call--e-mail--write now! Contact your friends
and fellow dog owners. Look for people in their
districts-- that's a plus. This bill is great for dog
people and needs everyone's help to move it on. Please
don't leave this to someone else to do. WE need a full
court press!!!!
Don't loose this opportunity for equity for dog owners
when it comes to insurance!!!! The website uses an
internal system where you never see their e-mail
address. I presume the following will work for each
committee member since I know Assemblyman Robert's
e-mail is this AsmRoberts@njleg.org; then I must
believe that you just take the Asm and put it in front
of their last name and add the ending. If you are in
the district they serve, all the better. Tell them
that you are. If you are not in their district write
anyway!
I went to AAA to shop for better rates on insurance for
my home. They told me they only had a few that would
accept dobes and that they weren't accepting any
now!!!! I was sure glad that I had insurance.It's
happening and we need to stop this discriminatory
practice. You may want to throw in the
comparison--racial profiling . . . breed profiling.
Look at the deed not the breed. Insurance companies
should not be allowed to discriminate against people
who simply love their dogs... You know the words.
Just get it out there. Our dogs thank you!
Cohen
Conners
Bateman
McKeon
Panter
Smith
Russo
Steele
Below are the addresses and phone number of the
committee members who will be reviewing this Bill.
New Jersey Legislature Committees and Membership
2004-2005 Legislative Session
Financial Institutions and Insurance
Cohen, Neil M. - Chair
985 Stuyvesant Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
PHONE NUMBER: (908) 624-0880
Conners, Jack - Vice-Chair
Delran Professional Center
8008 Route 130 North Suite 125
Delran, NJ 08075
PHONE NUMBER: (856) 461-3997
Bateman, Christopher
36 East Main St.
Somerville, NJ 08876
PHONE NUMBER: (908) 526-3600
McKeon, John F.
4 Sloan St. Suites D & E
South Orange, NJ 07079
PHONE NUMBER: (973) 275-1113
Panter, Michael J.
The Galleria
2 Bridge Ave. Building 2, 2nd Floor
Red Bank, NJ 07701
PHONE NUMBER: (732) 741-5599 (609) 448-1190
Russo, David C.
22 Paterson Ave.
Midland Park, NJ 07432
PHONE NUMBER: (201) 444-9719
Smith, Robert J.
129 Johnson Rd. Suite 1
Turnersville, NJ 08012
18 Somerdale Rd.
Blackwood, NJ 08012
PHONE NUMBER: (856) 227-5900 (Blackwood) (856)
232-6700 (Turnersville)
Steele, Alfred E.
100 Hamilton Plaza Suite 1400
Paterson, NJ 07505
PHONE NUMBER: (973) 247-1521
Return to Table of Contents
CALIFORNIA
CA AB 1428 - PET CLONING BAN - OPPOSITION
BRIEFLY NOTED: CALIFORNIA AB 914 by Senator Christine
Kehoe (D-39) of San Diego, co-author Assembly Member
Mark Wyland (R-74) of Vista to prohibit sales of dogs
under 8 weeks without written authorization by a
California licensed veterinarian squeaked out of Senate
Business &Professions on Tuesday evening with only the
4 votes needed to pass andthe promise of addition
amendments to change the first two violations to civil
offenses but a misdemeanor charge on the third
offense.
CALIFORNIA AB 1428 by Assembly member Assembly Member
Lloyd Levine(D-40) of Van Nuys was introduced February
22 as a "spot" bill to declare the intent of the
Legislature to prohibit the commercial sale and
transfer of cloned or genetically modified pet animals
withinCalifornia. The bill is now being amended with
statutory content and will be heard on Tuesday, May 3
by the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions,
State Capitol, Room 127, 9:00 a.m. At this time, the
physical bill file is trailing the process, but time is
of the essence to record opposition to this dangerous,
anti-science bill promoted by the usual crowd of animal
activists with claims about homeless pets.
CA AB 1428 WILL BE AMENDED AS FOLLOWS to add provisions
to theCalifornia Health and Safety Code to prohibit the
retail sale or transfer of a cloned or genetically
modified pet animal (not just cats and dogs) within
California. This would be enforced through notarized
complaint made under penalty of perjury by anyone to
the Director of Health Services who would conduct an
administrative hearing and impose an administrative
penalty of $500,000. The bill has now been narrowed
from a broad policy statement against cloning to a
prohibition on retail sale or transfer.
Return to Table of Contents
OHIO
Ohio's Dangerous & Vicious Dog Law - New Bill HB 189
Introduced
HB 189 was introduced in April, 2005 and makes
many changes to Ohio's dangerous and vicious dog law.
Sponsors of the bill are Representative Kathy Walcher
and Representative Shawn Webster, DVM.
Dog owners are strongly encouraged to read this bill
and make up their own minds as to the benefits or
drawbacks of the bill. Ohio residents are urged to
immediately contact their State Representatives and the
sponsors of the bill to discuss it in more detail. The
most promising aspect of the bill is that it removes
any mention of specific breeds. Ohio is the only state
to define 'pit bull' types as vicious. HB 189 defines a
vicious dog as one that:
- Cause serious physical harm to a person, without
provocation
- Has killed another dog, without provocation
- Has been possessed, trained or used for purposes of
dog fighting
Other sections of the bill:
The bill has an expanded definition of 'serious
physical harm'.
Many more controls are placed on owners of dangerous or
vicious dogs.
- Muzzling when off premises is mandatory, unless the
dog is confined in an enclosure.
- You can only have one vicious dog.
- No one under the age of 14 may control a dangerous
or vicious dog off premises.
- Owners of vicious dogs must present 'proof of
insurance' when asked by any agent who can enforce the
dangerous/ vicious dog law (Police, Animal Control,
etc).
- Persons convicted of a violation of the dangerous/
vicious dog law or other felonies are banned from
having a vicious dog.
It appears from the wording of the bill that dogs may
be seized and impounded based on 'alleged' violations.
Dogs do not have to be released back to the owner until
certain costs have been paid, includingvaccinations,
registration, and proof of insurance and the costs to
care for the dog while it is impounded. In 2004,
portions of Ohio's dangerous/ vicious dog law were
ruled unconstitutional. HB 189 includes extensive
language on the rights of dog owners to have their day
in court to fight and /or appeal a dangerous or vicious
dog designation. There is much more to the bill, and
more information will be forthcoming.
Summary
This bill seeks to remove breed specific legislation
(BSL) from Ohio's laws.
We strongly recommend that Ohio dog owners ask their
Representative for an amendment to this bill that
prohibits Breed Specific Legislation at any level of
Ohio government. An important reason is that Ohio's
existing law has paved the way for local governments to
apply a 'State Law and then add some more' approach to
regulating dogs.
Example- If this bill were to become law, local
governments could amend their existing breed specific
laws to include the more punitive aspects of the state
law- mandatory muzzling, a limit of one vicious dog,
etc. This would put owners of various breeds of dogs
under a heavier and more punishing burden than exists
today.
Read
HB189 for yourself.
Recent News on HB189
Locate and contact your State
Representative.
Read the
case that determined Ohio's law
unconstitutional.
“Pet” License plate funds to help curb Ohio's pet
overpopulation
www.petsohio.com
It took more than 4 years, but today, the Pet plate,
Ohio's newest specialty license plate, passed the Ohio
Legislature by much more than a wet nose. Senator
Robert L. Schuler, R-Cincinnati sponsored the
Bill.
The Pet plates will cost motorists $25 in addition to
standard license fees. By state law $10 of the fee goes
to the bureau of motor vehicles. $15 will go to the
Ohio Pet Fund. Proceeds from the sale of the plate
will be used for the spaying and neutering of dogs and
cats to curb Ohio's pet overpopulation Funds will also
be used to educate the public about the proper
veterinary care of those pets.
Nationally syndicated cartoonist Jenny Campbell of
Chagrin Falls, Ohio, designed the artwork for the
plate. While the plate displays a cartoon image of a
comical dog and a cat looking out a car window, Senator
Schuler explains there is a very serious side to the
plate. “It is estimated that 4-6 million dogs and
cats are destroyed each year in animal shelters across
the country. According to a survey by Ohio State
University College of Veterinary Medicine, two-thirds
of the homeless dogs and cats taken in by animal
shelters are euthanized; only one-fourth are
adopted.”
Representative Patricia Clancy R-Cincinnati says it’s a
tragic cycle. “We can't adopt our way out of the
homeless animal problem. We'd each have to adopt 45
cats and 15 dogs to deal with the crisis, and that's
just not going to happen. We need to focus on the root
of the problem. Spay/neuter stops the breeding
cycle."
“One simple solution to the problem is just not letting
our family dogs and cats breed,” says Peggy Kaplan with
The Ohio Pet Fund, the nonprofit corporation that will
benefit from the sale of the plates. "Spay/neuter not
only reduces overpopulation, but also has health
benefits for the animals and reduces annoying behaviors
like spraying, fighting, and going into heat. But some
people can't afford the cost of the spay/neuter
surgery. The funds from the sale of the plate will
help shelters neuter their animals before adoption,
help fix stray cats, and assist limited income families
with the cost of surgery."
And there are plenty of adoptable puppies, kittens,
dogs and cats to go around. There has been wide spread
support for the Bill by reputable breeders who will
help in determining how the funds are distributed.
They too agree that something has to be done to curb
the amount of “backyard breeders” whose puppies end up
in our shelters. "Currently over 4 million dogs and
cats live in Ohio households. While those numbers may
reflect our affection for pets, the pet overpopulation
problem is ongoing, not just in shelters but in humane
societies, foster and breed rescue groups and on our
own streets,” Kaplan says.
The Ohio Pet Fund does not anticipate funding until
late 2005 or early 2006. Once enough money is raised,
The Fund will offer a grant application to municipal
shelters, nonprofit humane societies, rescue
organizations and veterinary associations. Through
these organizations, funding will also be able to help
individuals who meet the qualifying guidelines for
having their pets spayed or neutered. “The more plates
we sell, the more dogs and cats we can help. Who knows,
maybe one day Ohio may become known as a state where
there are no more homeless pets,” Kaplan says.
To learn how more about the “Pet” plate or to be
notified of the plate's
release date, visit the the website.
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COLORADO
The City of Denver Colorado plans to resume its ban on
pit bulls within the City limits beginning May 9th.
Click for full
aritcle.
Legislative Alert Newsletter Editors
Denise
Benincase, New York
Rose Marie
Mais, New York
"The purpose of this newsletter is to keep the
membership informed of the canine legislative issues
around the country. The articles within each
newsletter may not express the opinions of the editors
or the USKBTC, and are provided for informational
purposes only."
Last Updated: 05/04/2005, 1:37 am
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