Local Legislation Updates - Archive

Legend key:
Please click on a state from the map above to find a list of legislative alerts for that state.

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Arizona	Update: Arizona Mandatory Spay/Neuter Bill's Committee Assignments Arizona House Bill 2516 has been assigned to three legislative committees: the House Committee on Counties, Municipalities, and Military Affairs; the House Committee on Government; and the House Committee on Rules. The bill, which seeks to prohibit persons from owning or keeping a dog or cat that is more than six months old if the animal has not been spayed or neutered, unless the person has acquired an intact permit for the animal, has not yet been scheduled for hearing. However, it is imperative that all concerned breeders and responsible dog owners in Arizona contact the committee members listed below and voice their strong opposition to the bill. Read a copy of the bill WHAT YOU CAN DO: Arizona's concerned breeders and responsible dog owners should contact the committee members. Voice your vehement opposition to HB 2516, and ask the committee members to do the same. Get a list of committee members. Arizona Alert: Mandatory Spay/Neuter Bill Introduced House Bill 2516, which seeks to prohibit persons from owning or keeping a dog or cat that is more than six months old if the animal has not been spayed or neutered, unless the person has acquired an intact permit for the animal, has been introduced. If adopted, this unreasonable and unenforceable bill will have a profound negative impact not only upon responsible dog breeders in Arizona, but also upon all current and prospective dog owners. It is vital that all breeders and concerned dog owners in Arizona contact their elected state legislators and voice their strong opposition to the bill. As introduced, HB 2516 will: · Prohibit a person from owning or keeping a dog or cat that is more than six months old if the animal has not been spayed or neutered, unless the person qualifies for and purchases an intact permit. · Allow the fee for the permit to be set by the county enforcement agent or by the local jurisdiction. · Require the fee for the permit to be no more than what is "reasonably necessary" to fund the administration of the intact permit program. HB 2516 will require breeders to pay an undetermined annual fee for every intact dog they possess, and is a blatant attempt at imposing a significant financial burden upon responsible dog breeders and owners. As a recently introduced bill, HB 2516 has not been referred to a committee within the Arizona House of Representatives. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Please contact your State Representative and State Senator and ask them to oppose HB 2516. Find out who represents you in the Arizona Legislature.
Arkansas
California	California Assembly Bill 1634, known as the California Healthy Pets Act, proposes to require the mandatory spaying or neutering of all dogs or cats over four months of age, unless the owner acquires an intact animal permit. In its current form, it proposes to seriously restrict the property rights of responsible breeders and owners while imposing untold and unjust punitive fees to own an intact dog. The American Kennel Club strongly opposes AB 1634. Instead, the American Kennel Club strongly supports 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. It is imperative that all parent clubs write a new letter to the California Assembly Appropriations Committee on behalf of your club members in California. Your letter must state that you are “opposed to AB 1634, as amended by the Business and Professions Committee on April 24th.” It is essential that parent clubs send official opposition letters to the committee consultant to ensure your club is listed in the bill analysis. Please send your letters to: Assembly Appropriations Committee ATTN: Chuck Nicol, Committee Consultant State Capitol, Room 2114 Sacramento, California 95814 FAX: (916) 319-2181 The CA Spay/Neuter Action Center provides up-to-date information regarding AKC’s efforts to defeat AB 1634: The American Kennel Club CALIFORNIA – The San Jose Animal Advisory Committee is proposing changes to the animal control ordinance that would require all dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered and to restrict where animals can be sold. A copy of the draft proposal has not yet been made available to the public, although the San Jose Animal Care and Services division states that the mandatory spay/neuter provisions will not apply to qualified competition animals. Local fanciers and dog owners are encouraged to contact their representative on the city council and educate them about the rights and benefits of responsible breeding programs. The measure is expected to go before the San Jose City Council in January of 2007. - UPDATE - the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is in the process of forming a task force to consider alternatives to a $150 intact animal fee. The supervisors intend to bring a new proposal back in January. AKC thanks the fanciers and concerned dog owners who worked hard to convince the supervisors that these types of breeding restrictions are unfair to responsible owners and breeders. Residents should continue to contact their member of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and ask him/her to oppose any measure that penalizes responsible breeders. For further information, please contact the Sacramento Council of Dog Clubs at jgrcorgis@aol.com. - The Kern County Board of Supervisors has directed the Kern County Animal Control Commission to review a proposal from the Taxpayers for Responsible & Ethical Animal Treatment and the Animal Friends Rescue Project which includes mandatory spay/neuter. The Canine Legislation Department is working with local fanciers and concerned dog owners to inform both the animal control commission and the board of supervisors about the ineffectiveness of mandatory spay/neuter. CALIFORNIA – (continues) The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will meet at 2:30pm February 27th discuss adoption of the “Animal Overpopulation Ordinance.” It is imperative that fanciers, breeders and concerned dog owners attend the meeting. The measure includes a $150 intact animal fee, a reduced $50 intact animal permit for those who meet certain conditions, a $10 fee to transfer an animal over the age of four months, and requires all dogs and cats to wear a suitable collar or harness with the license tag attached. For further information, please contact the Sacramento Council of Dog Clubs at jgrcorgis@aol.com. – The Kern County Animal Control Commission is set to propose a new breeder license. Anyone offering for sale more than 1 litter per year would be required to purchase the $150 permit, which would include licensing for 2 intact animals. Animal control would have the right to inspect the premises of any breeder. The commission is also considering increasing fees including the fee to license intact animals and the fee to redeem intact animals from the shelter. A low cost spay/neuter program and the possibility of requiring an animal to be sterilized if it is picked up three times are also under consideration. – (Continues) The San Jose Animal Advisory Committee is proposing changes to the animal control ordinance that would require all dogs and cats to be spayed or neutered and to restrict where animals can be sold. A copy of the draft proposal has not yet been made available to the public, although the San Jose Animal Care and Services division states that the mandatory spay/neuter provisions will not apply to qualified competition animals. Local fanciers and dog owners are encouraged to contact their representative on the city council and educate them about the rights and benefits of responsible breeding programs. The measure is expected to go before the San Jose City Council in March or April.
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida	Palm Beach County, FL Considers Mandatory Spay/Neuter and Hobby Breeder Licensing On January 15th, Palm Beach County Commissioners are scheduled to hold a first hearing on a proposed ordinance which will make drastic changes to the animal control ordinance, dramatically impacting responsible owners and breeders. Although the County Commission directed staff to begin drafting this ordinance back in April of 2007, an amended draft was posted to their website only on January 8th. Furthermore this is only a draft and may still be amended prior to the January 15th meeting. Concerned dog owners are asked to immediately call the county commissioners and request that consideration of the ordinance be postponed until the February 5th meeting to allow for sufficient public review. County Commissioners contact information. The ordinance will impose mandatory spay/neuter of any dog over the age of 6 months unless the owner qualifies for and purchases a $75 intact animal license, or declares in writing that the dog will not be used for breeding. The ordinance will further require hobby breeders, defined as any individual that produces up to 2 litters or 19 dogs per calendar year, to buy a permit and to submit to home inspections. Neither the proposed ordinance nor the existing fee schedule list what the fee for this permit will be. Mandatory microchip for any animal adopted or released from a shelter, even on a first offense, is also proposed in this ordinance. More Information on This Proposal FLORIDA – HB 317, introduced by Rep. Culp, is under consideration by the House Safety and Security Council. It amends the current animal cruelty law by providing that a first-time offender convicted of cruelty to animals will be subject to the following mandatory minimums: $500 fine, incarceration period of 30 consecutive days, and 100 hours of community service.
Georgia
Hawaii	HAWAII – HB 358, introduced by Rep. Lee, is currently held in the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce. The bill would prohibit homeowner’s insurers from raising rates or refusing coverage to homeowners who own or harbor a dog, unless the dog has been found to have unjustifiably bitten a human being on at least two separate occasions.
Idaho
Illinois	ILLINOIS – HB 203, known as the Retail Sale of Dogs and Cats Act, is sponsored by Representative Froehlich and has been referred to the House Committee on Agriculture and Conservation. The bill, if passed and signed into law, will impose various requirements on pet dealers (defined as anyone who sells more than 25 dogs per year), including that an animal must be examined by a licensed veterinarian before being placed with other animals by the pet dealer. Pet dealers will also be required to give the purchaser of a dog a written statement containing certain information about the animal purchased, and must maintain a record of that information. Pet dealers must also provide remedies for a purchaser if an animal becomes ill or dies as a result of an illness that existed in the animal at the time of purchase. For more information on legislative activity in Illinois, please contact the Illinois Dog Clubs and Breeders Association at MAJWIZ@aol.com or lotzadots101@aol.com.
Indiana	INDIANA – HB 1719 has been introduced by Rep. Bardon and referred to the House Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures. If passed, it will require that dogs be implanted with a microchip that contains an identification number and can be read with a standard scanner. All data will be registered with a state-run agency. It also requires that the owners of dogs that are not neutered or spayed to pay a $50 annual fee and to post “Beware of Dog” signs on the premises where the dog is kept. Further, the bill establishes penalties for noncompliance, and allows a county, city, or town, to adopt a dog control ordinance that is more restrictive than state law. For more information on this proposal, please read AKC's Legislative Alert.
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky	KENTUCKY- The Louisville Metro Council has enacted major changes to their animal control ordinance, including a pet limit, severe restrictions on the keeping of intact animals, licensing of in-home kennels, extreme differential licensing and vague definitions. Louisville Kennel Club along with nine other plaintiffs have filed suit to enjoin the enforcement of the ordinance. The Canine Legislation Department continues to monitor all new developments pertaining to the Louisville ordinance. KENTUCKY – The Louisville Metro Council has enacted major changes to their animal control ordinance, including a pet limit, severe restrictions on the keeping of intact animals, licensing of in-home kennels, extreme differential licensing and vague definitions. For more information on this new law, please read AKC's Legislative Alert.
Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Maryland
Minnesota
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri	MISSOURI – The Grain Valley Board of Aldermen continues to consider a proposal to limit the number of animals allowed at a residence and possible breed restrictions. The Canine Legislation Department has sent a letter to the board encouraging them to reject both breed-specific legislation and a limit law in favor of a nuisance ordinance and a dangerous dog ordinance. - The Lee’s Summit City Council has rejected breed-specific legislation, but is now considering a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. The council will be holding a public meeting on the issue, but it has not yet been scheduled. The Canine Legislation Department sent local fanciers material on the ineffectiveness of breed-specific legislation and will be working with local dog owners to oppose the mandatory spay/neuter proposal.
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey	Mandatory Spay/Neuter Reintroduced in New Jersey Senator Van Drew has introduced Senate Bill 971, a bill which threatens the rights of responsible dog owners in New Jersey. This bill is a reintroduction of 2006's AB 3542. Fanciers, concerned dog owners, and responsible breeders should immediately contact their representatives in the New Jersey State Legislature, and the members of the Senate Economic Growth Committee who will first hear this bill, and express their vehement opposition to this bill. The bill would require that before a dog could be released from any shelter or pound it must be sterilized, unless the owner can provide documentation of the following: · that the dog "has been shown" within the last 12 months; or · that the owner is a "professional licensed breeder registered with the American Kennel Club"; or · a licensed veterinarian has determined that sterilization would be detrimental to the dog's health. Sterilization is required for all dogs impounded, even if it is the first time the dog has been detained. The majority of purebred dogs never compete in AKC events and would not be eligible for this exemption. Further, the American Kennel Club does not license breeders. Therefore, this bill creates conditions that the vast majority of responsible dog owners cannot possibly meet. Read a copy of the bill WHAT YOU CAN DO: · Contact the members of the NJ Senate Economic Growth Committee. Urge them to oppose SB 971. Contact members of the committee Reintroduced New Jersey Bill Bad News For Breeders Assemblyman Neil Cohen and Assemblywoman Joan Voss have introduced Assembly Bill 1591, a bill which threatens the rights of responsible breeders in New Jersey. This bill is a reintroduction of 2006’s AB 3401. Fanciers, concerned dog owners, and responsible breeders should immediately contact their representatives in the New Jersey State Legislature, and the members of the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee who will first hear this bill, and express their vehement opposition to this bill. The bill defines a “breeder“ as any person who sells or offers to sell more than five puppies per year. In addition to this incredibly low threshold, the bill requires breeders to comply with a host of restrictive regulations and institutes steep fines for violations. AB 1591 also prohibits any breeder from selling more than 25 dogs in one year. AB 1591 goes far beyond encouraging responsible breeding. Under AB 1591, all breeders would be required to comply with draconian regulations including maintaining specified temperatures, keeping animals only on nonporous surfaces, and circulating air at precise levels. The measure further mandates the acceptable dimensions for crates and runs, and sets minimum socialization standards. Finally, all breeders are required to register annually with the Department of Health. This list will be published and made available to the public. All breeders are required to furnish specified information to pet purchasers and provide a full refund for any reason for a pet returned within 14 days. Any dog which is sold with a pedigree can be returned for a full refund within 26 months if any congenital or genetic defects are discovered. Violations can be punished with monetary fines or suspension of the license to sell pets. A first violation can result in a prohibition on selling cats or dogs for five years and subsequent offenses can add an additional five years for each violation. Civil penalties may also be administered. For a first offense, a breeder shall be fined $5,000 and for a second offense the breeder may be fined $10,000 for each subsequent offense. A member of the public who supplies information that results in fines or suspension will be eligible for an award of 10 percent of the civil penalty or $250, whichever is greater. Read a copy of the bill. More information on who to contact and what you can do. New Jersey - Assembly Bill 2649. The proposal attempts to replace New Jersey's already comprehensive and reasonable animal cruelty laws and humane care standards with an unnecessary, confusing, and haphazard system that will not only affect the health of the general public, but will also threaten the due process rights of individual animal owners. Among AB 2649's 56 pages, its most egregious proposals include the following: Any person, regardless of their lack of knowledge, training, or expertise, could accuse another person of animal cruelty, while receiving immunity from prosecution for cruelty themselves. Without providing redress for someone who has been unjustifiably and vindictively accused of animal cruelty, this provision is ripe for abuse. The definition of "minimum care" required for the care of animals will be lessened to include "veterinary care deemed necessary by a reasonably prudent person". AKC believes that veterinary care in all cases should be administered with a professional standard of care with the highest levels of professionalism and competence, as deemed necessary by a licensed veterinarian. The definition of "cruelly restraining a dog" specifically bans the tethering of dogs with less than 15 feet of tether. This provision does not expressly provide an exemption for dogs being groomed on grooming tables in any setting, including grooming salons and dog shows. With substantive animal cruelty provisions already in place, New Jersey state and local governments need to enforce existing law in cruel tethering cases. Irresponsible owners who are not providing humane treatment for their animals can and should be prosecuted under current law. What You Can Do: Contact your representative in the New Jersey General Assembly and express your opposition to AB 2649. NEW JERSEY – Asm. Van Drew is sponsoring A3542, a bill to require animals returned to their owners from shelters be sterilized, even on a first offense unless the owner can prove they have been active in AKC activities. The bill also increases the surcharge for an unsterilized dog from $3 to $20, eliminates the range for dog licenses fees established by municipal ordinance provided under current law, and increases the dog license fee to $10, whether set by ordinance or if no ordinance exists. The effect of these increases is that licensing an unsterilized dog would cost $30 per year and the license would have to be applied for each year, and the license for a sterilized dog would be $10 per year and could be applied for every two years, instead of each year. Monies raised would be put in to a “Cat and Dog Sterilization Fund” to fund the sterilizations required by the bill. A3542 has been referred to the Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.
New Mexico
New York	NY - Tether Law – S2052 Keeping dogs chained-sometimes called "tethering"-is cruel because it deprives these highly-social pack animals of proper socialization, and often leaves them unable to reach whatever shelter, food, and water they've been provided (if any!). It isolates them from any meaningful human contact or interaction. They often become "nuisance barkers," which often leads to complaints by neighbors, which subsequently leads to either "getting rid of the dog," or "correction" by the owners. The dogs also grow aggressively protective of their tiny space and often attack children (or adults) who come near them. A piece of legislation that would help make the state a safer, more humane place for dogs and the public-Senate Bill 2052-was introduced on January 30. Please urge your legislators to do the right thing and support this legislation today! If it becomes law, S2052 would prohibit the tethering of a dog to any fixed object or running cable trolley system for more than six hours total in any 24-hour period. (For example--two hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon, and two hours in the evening.) The bill would require that all tethers attached to a fixed point be at least 15 feet in length. It would also mandate that all tethers attach only to a properly-fitted collar or harness, thus hopefully preventing dogs from becoming injured, strangled, or entangled, or having their collars embedded in their necks. NEW YORK – Asm. Peralta has introduced A1677, which seeks to require all dogs over four months of age to be microchipped and registered with a new state-run registry. Additionally, all microchips and information stored in them must be compatible with scanners used by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. If passed and signed into law, violators of the provisions of A1677 will be subject to fines of up to $100. For further information, please read AKC's Legislative Alert.
North Carolina	NC - the Town of Fuquay-Varina will hold a public hearing at 7pm Monday, October 1st at the Town Hall (401 Old Honeycutt Road) to discuss proposed changes to the zoning ordinance. Fanciers and concerned dog owners are strongly encouraged to attend. These changes include the establishment of a kennel definition which defines a kennel as any residence having 4 or more dogs, cats or other domestic animals. The ordinance further states that kennels can only be located on lots of 2 acres or greater. Therefore, any person in a residential neighborhood with a lot smaller than 2 acres would be prohibited from owning more than 3 domestic animals. The measure does NOT include a grandfather clause, so residents could be forced to surrender any animals over the limit. The AKC Canine Legislation department is sending a letter to the Fuquay-Varina Town Commissioners along with copies of our Limit Laws: Better Alternative brochure. (This can be seen on our website at http://www.akc.org/pdfs/GLEG02.pdf .) It appears that this ordinance is being drafted in response to the behavior of one irresponsible dog owner. As you know, good nuisance laws and an enforced leash law would provide the town with the tools to address this person’s inappropriate behavior. If you are unable to attend the meeting, but would still like your voice to be heard on this issue, please write a letter or email to the town commissioners before the meeting. Their contact information can be found online at http://www.fuquay-varina.org/commissioners/.
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania	PENNSYLVANIA – Pennsylvania Governor to Propose Rewrite of State Dog Law and New Proposed Dog Law Regulations On December 19 representatives of the American Kennel Club (AKC) and the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs met with officials representing Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell's office and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at their request to discuss a broad rewrite of Pennsylvania's dog law and implementing kennel regulations. The Governor's spokesman indicated the Governor wants to introduce the new legislation soon after the Pennsylvania legislature reconvenes in late January, 2008. The Governor's office is reaching out to a broad cross section of animal interest groups before introducing his new proposals in hopes of avoiding the near unanimous opposition to proposed dog law regulatory amendments that were proposed by the Governor in December, 2006. The proposal would constitute the most comprehensive rewrite of the Pennsylvania Dog Law since its enactment in 1982. According to the Governor's spokesman, the new proposals address many of the criticisms and suggestions made in more than 60,000 written comments that were filed on the earlier proposed regulatory amendments. The new proposals are still in draft form, and are being distributed to interest groups on the condition that they not be made public at this time. The AKC and PA Federation agreed to review the drafts and provide input, but will take no position on the proposals until final language is agreed upon and publicly released. PENNSYLVANIA- Last year, Pennsylvania Governor Rendell requested that the Department of Agriculture develop new dog law regulations. With little input from potentially affected parties, the resulting proposals attempt to impose many egregious requirements upon Pennsylvania dog breeders. The Pennsylvania Independent Regulatory Review Commission issued a biting 21-page commentary on the proposal, and concluded that, “the Department should consider starting from scratch…with input from both stakeholders and the General Assembly.” The AKC and Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs continue to address the issues presented by this proposal. For more information, contact the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs or e-mail PFDC@paonline.com. Or contact the AKC’s Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org. PENNSYLVANIA – Governor Ed Rendell’s announcement of proposed changes to kennel regulations governing the housing and breeding of dogs requires the active involvement of purebred dog fanciers to assure that the right to own and breed dogs responsibly is protected. While the details of Rendell’s proposal have not been publicly released, his comments to the broadcast and print media suggest that the standards of care for the housing, maintenance, and socialization of dogs would establish unreasonable criteria if imposed on the responsible dog fancier. The Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs and the Canine Legislation Department will monitor the development of the Governor’s proposals and notify the fancy of upcoming Dog Law Advisory Board meetings and public comment periods.
Rhode Island
South Carolina	South Carolina Bill 833 – tethering amended South Carolina Senate Bill 833 is currently under consideration by the full Senate. The bill—which originally attempted to only address the restraint of dogs—has been amended and now unreasonably seeks to seriously limit the confinement of dogs in pens or crates. It is vital that all South Carolina enthusiasts, fanciers, and concerned dog owners contact the bill's sponsor and their state senator and voice their respectful opposition to this bill as written. As currently written, SB 833 seeks to unreasonably define "confine an animal in a cruel manner" to include: · Confining an animal for an unreasonable period of time. As used here, "unreasonable" is not defined. As such, arbitrary enforcement of this potential law can have a drastic affect on dogs in crates or pens at home; dogs in crates or pens at exhibitions, including dog shows and events; or dogs in transport to exhibitions. SB 833 includes a list of activities that will be exempted from the provisions of the bill, but does not grant an exemption to the exhibition of animals, to animals transported for exhibition, or to related and incumbent activities. · Confining that does not permit an animal access to sustenance. This provision is vague as to what types of sustenance would be required. Additionally, it does not take into consideration the accepted practice of dogs that, at exhibitions, are housed in crates or pens and have steady but intermittent access to water and food in consideration of the animal's health, safety, or activity. WHAT YOU CAN DO: South Carolina residents are encouraged to contact SB 833's sponsor, Senator Knotts, and urge your opposition to the bill as currently written. Encourage him to amend the bill to ensure that all onerous provisions of the bill are addressed while still attempting to protect animals subjected to cruel treatment. Also contact your state senator and express your concerns and urge amendment. E-mail: Senator John M. "Jake" Knotts, Jr. (Sponsor) Find your South Carolina State Senator SOUTH CAROLINA – SB 234 will prohibit the denial, cancellation, or non-renewal of homeowners’ insurance based solely on the presence of one or more dogs, unless a specific dog on the premises has a documented history of causing significant damage to real or personal property or serious bodily injury to a person. The bill was introduced by Sen. Reese and has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance.
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas	Dallas, TX-breeder permitting and MSN The Dallas, Texas City Council will soon consider major changes to the Dallas animal control ordinance. The changes include breeder permitting, limits on the number of pets that can be owned, stricter dangerous dog language, and a ban on tethering. Breeder Permitting · This proposed ordinance mandates that you spay or neuter your dog unless you obtain a breeder permit for each intact dog. · Breeder permits will only be issued to owners of dogs of "recognized" breeds. · The permit will cost $500 per year and will restrict breeding to one litter per permit per year. Further, breeders are prohibited from selling puppies until they reach eight (8) weeks of age and have been immunized. · In order to redeem a dog from impoundment, it must be spayed or neutered or the owner must purchase a breeder permit for that animal. Breeder licensing fees place an undue burden on responsible breeders and owners and fail to address irresponsible individuals who neither comply with existing law nor will comply with new regulations. Such fees therefore punish responsible breeders who give the care and attention that puppies need in order to grow into healthy, well-adjusted companions and neighbors. Pet Limit · The proposal also creates a limit of six dogs or cats or combination of both per dwelling. · There will be a grandfather clause for current owners who list all their current animals with the Director of Animal Services and are in compliance with all other regulations. · There will also be an exemption to foster care providers who have been approved by the Director of Animal Services. Not only are limit laws easily evaded and difficult to enforce, they fail to address the heart of animal control problems--irresponsible ownership. Dangerous Dogs, Tethering and Confinement Requirements · The draft ordinance requires all dogs deemed dangerous to be spayed or neutered. · The owner of a dangerous dog must obtain liability insurance of $100,000. · Any dog that has been determined to be dangerous by another jurisdiction will not be allowed into the city. · Any tether used must be at least 10 feet long and be attached to the dog's collar or harness and not the dog itself. · The area in which dogs are kept must be at least 150 square feet per dog, if the dog(s) lives primarily outside. At this time, the proposal is still in draft form. This proposal has not been scheduled for a hearing by the City Council. You may contact the Mayor and your City Council representative to express your concerns about these proposals. Find your City Council representative. TX - San Antonio Proposal Bad for All Dog Owners The American Kennel Club and its Texas federation of dog owners, the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, are deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the City of San Antonio's animal ordinance. These changes, as will be proposed by the city's Animal Care Services Advisory Board, unfairly target responsible dog breeders and owners, have no chance of improving the quality of life for animals, and will have a significant negative impact on San Antonio's economy. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners in San Antonio contact the Mayor and the members of the City Council to vehemently express their opposition. The American Kennel Club supports reasonable and enforceable laws that govern dog ownership. We believe that the proposed animal ordinance is unreasonable, unenforceable, and a risk to the public welfare. Among its many onerous provisions, the current version of the proposal would require compliance with these most burdensome policies: - Mandate the spay/neuter of all dogs. In the alternative, owners would be required to annually purchase both a license ($75) and an intact permit ($50) for each unsterilized dog. Totaling $125, this is twelve-and-one-half times more expensive than the annual fees owners of a sterilized dog will be required to pay ($10). Egregiously high fees, like those that would be imposed by this proposal, make spaying and neutering de facto mandatory because only a small number of people could afford to pay such high fees. - Classify most kennels as a "commercial kennel" and impose considerable regulations upon such facilities. As currently defined by the proposal, most places where dogs are kept could reasonably qualify as commercial kennels, including homes of many hobby breeders and rescue groups. Such facilities will be subsequently subject to currently undefined license fees for such establishments, unreasonable building standards that will be impossible for smaller breeders and dog owners who maintain dogs in their own residential premises to comply with, and unproven animal husbandry standards that risk transfer of infectious and contagious diseases. - Require any person who breeds a female dog to obtain a $50 litter permit prior to, or within ten days of, a litter's birth. Such permit is limited to one litter per female dog per year. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact the Mayor and the members of the San Antonio City Council who will consider this proposal. Tell them that you are against the proposed changes to San Antonio's animal ordinance. Mail all letters to: [Recipient] City of San Antonio P.O. Box 839966 San Antonio, TX 78283 Mayor Phil Hardberger Phone: (210) 207-7060 Fax: (210) 207-4168 E-mail: phardberger@sanantonio.gov For a sample letter and Council members, go to Legislative Alerts at www.akc.org.
Utah
Vermont	VERMONT - H 67 has been assigned to the House Committee on Commerce. Introduced by Reps. Dostis and Minter, the bill will prohibit the presence of dogs as a factor in the business of homeowner’s insurance, except when a specific dog is documented to have caused significant damage to real or personal property or bodily injury to a person. Please contact the Vermont Federation of Dog Clubs at rpoa@texas.net or Jgrcorgis@aol.com for more information about how you assist with canine legislation in Vermont.
Virginia	VA Update: Mandatory Spay/Neuter Bill Tabled in Committee! Subcommittee #1 of the Virginia House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee considered and tabled HB 1570, which would have mandated the spaying or neutering of certain companion animals. This effectively kills this legislation for the 2008 legislative session. VA Mandatory Spay/Neuter Bill Assigned to Committee Virginia House Bill 1570, which seeks to mandate the spaying or neutering of companion animals, has been assigned to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources. Though the bill is currently not scheduled for consideration, it remains imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners in Virginia contact their Delegate and ask them to oppose this legislation. See a sample letter. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Write or call the members of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources, and ask them to oppose HB 1570. Please address your correspondence to: Delegate _____________________ General Assembly Building P.O. Box 406 Richmond, VA 23218
Washington	WASHINGTON – The City of Tacoma hosted a public hearing December 12th on changes to the animal control ordinance including possible mandatory spay/neuter of dogs. The proposal would require owners of intact animals to purchase a breeder’s permit, regardless of whether they intend to breed the animal or not, in addition to the existing $55 intact animal license fee. The cost of the breeder’s permit has not been established. The measure would also require any animal at-large to be spayed or neutered, even on a first offense. At this time, the city is only collecting information. The proposal has not been finalized and city officials have indicated they will host further public hearings on the issue. The Canine Legislation Department will post updates as they become available.
West Virginia
Wisconsin	WISCONSIN Commercial Breeder/Consumer Protection Bills Introduced [Friday, November 09, 2007] Two new bills have been introduced in Wisconsin, both of which seek to regulate those classified as commercial breeders and provide remedies for purchasers of dogs. Assembly Bill 567, sponsored by Representative Lothian, has been assigned to the Assembly Committee on Consumer Protection and Personal Privacy; its companion, Senate Bill 308, is sponsored by Senator Plale and has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact their representative and their senator, as well as the committee members who will first consider this bill, to express their concerns with the current wording of the proposed legislation. The American Kennel Club supports 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 support reasonable laws and regulations that are intended to protect the pet-buying public in obtaining a sound dog of the breed represented. If adopted, the proposed legislation would: Classify those who sell at least 60 dogs in a year, or who have at least eight breeding female dogs, as "commercial dog breeders." Such persons will be subject to: licensing requirements; annual reporting requirements; rules promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection regarding minimum standards of care, engineering standards for facilities, and transportation standards; and investigations, inspections, and penalties. The threshold of "eight breeding female dogs" is vague and potentially problematic. Depending upon what qualifies as a "breeding female dog", the provisions of this bill may apply to hobby breeders with one large litter of puppies comprised primarily of females. This threshold must be deleted or clarified—by better describing the age or characteristics of a "breeding female dog"—to ensure that this bill does not become an overreaching effort to regulate most dog breeders. Require any seller to provide remedies to a puppy buyer if the puppy becomes ill. Mandate that any person who sells a dog must also furnish a written description of the remedies provided to purchasers under this bill. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact your Representative and Senator and voice your concerns with the bill as currently written. To find both your representative and senator, click here. Contact the members of the committee that will consider this bill and voice your opposition to the bill as written: Senate Committee on Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection: Senator Robert Wirch, Chairman Sen.Wirch@legis.wisconsin.gov Senator Tim Carpenter, Vice-Chairman Sen.Carpenter@legis.wisconsin.gov Senator Jeffrey Plale Sen.Plale@legis.wisconsin.gov Senator Neal Kedzie Sen.Kedzie@legis.wisconsin.gov Senate Carol Roessler Sen.Roessler@legis.wisconsin.gov For more information, contact AKC's Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org. WISCONSIN – The City of Manitowoc is considering an ordinance that would limit residents to three dogs. There is a special permit available for up to four dogs, but it is based solely on the approval of the local police chief. The proposed ordinance has been assigned to the Public Property and Safety Committee and a vote is expected in February.
Wyoming