 This area of our newsletter will be about legislation that may affect you, your business, or your clients. As most of you are probably aware, the Senate had voted in include the Puppy Protection Act (PPA), to be attached to the Senate farm bill. The bill number is; S.1731/H.R.2646. The good news is; on April 27, 2002, the Farm Bill Conference has agreed to drop this amendment from the Farm Bill. The amendment may be reconsidered before being reintroduced on a future Bill. While we as an organization highly recommend the neutering of companion animals, we may have some clients that are breeding pure bred dogs and this would have directly affected them. The bill would have also required the Federal Government to regulate how puppies and dogs are socialized, so this may affect us as behaviorists as well.
California State legislature is considering new requirements for breeders and pet dealers. SB1373 would require breeders and pet dealers to register with local animal control agencies and pay a fee before the sale of any animal. They will be required to list their registration fee receipt number in advertisements and any display associated with the sale of their animals. Also, breeders must ensure that the animals have been microchipped and the owner's identification is registered on a local or national database. If this legislation is passed, it would be a state wide mandated program which could have an effect on responsible breeders and local animal control agencies.
For those of us that have clients in Philadelphia, the City Council has proposed to override the state of Pennsylvania's policy on no breed specific legislation and make the city exempt from Pennsylvania's law. This would mean that owners of 'possible dangerous' breed dogs would have to carry a $50,000.00 liability insurance policy, obtain a high-risk dog license and tag, and prohibit these animals being near public places where children may congregate. Violators would be fined $300.00 per incident. Also the dogs would be forced to stay indoors or in a secure pen when not leashed and under control by their owners. This legislation has not passed yet; the City Council is still discussing the issue. Several other major cities are watching the outcome of this discussion.
There are many avenues for checking on potential legislation. One avenue is through the AKC's web site. A direct link for their legislation news is: http://www.akc.org/love/dip/legislat/legislative_alerts.cfm. While we may or may not agree on their position, it is informative. Other avenues would include your local government's web pages, television, and newspapers. If you hear of any legislation that may be of interest to our members, please contact the editor and we will pass along the information in a future newsletter. |
WWF Conservation Action Network:
Today the U.S. Senate voted 54 to 46 to defeat a proposal to open the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. This vote is a victory for the refuge, the many species that live there, and future generations of Americans. It would not have been possible without the steadfast and loyal support of the grassroots activist. Today's vote was the culmination of years of research, education, and debate. It followed a vote by the House in August to approve opening 1.5 million acres of the refuge to drilling and a subsequent series of unsuccessful attempts in the Senate this past fall to add drilling language to unrelated legislation. Score a win this time for the wild animals of the planet! Robert DeFranco, CBC |
