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Congress
Attempts to Federally Regulate Dog Breeding Legislation
has been introduced in Congress to increase regulation of commercial
dog breeding operations in the amends
the Animal Welfare Act ( female
may occur and limits the number of breedings
allowed within a certain time
period. In addition, the legislation imposes socialization requirements-an
engineering standard including a written plan of activities-that
will be developed by a panel of animal welfare and behavior experts.
Finally, the legislation creates a "three strikes and you're out" penalty
provision for breeders. The bills, S. 1478 and already
gathered an impressive list of cosponsors to date-11 in the Senate and
59 in the House-and have broad bipartisan support. (Click here for Senate cosponsors;
click here for House cosponsors). BACKGROUND In
May 2000, the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) initiated a lawsuit against the
US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand coverage of the number and types
of breeders regulated by the Animal Welfare Act. Several national animal
rights groups supported this effort. A July US district court decision,
currently under appeal by the federal government, would require a huge
expansion of the Animal Welfare Act's licensing and inspection activities
potentially requiring every person who sells a dog or cat, including
non-commercial and private in-home hobby breeders, to obtain a federal
license and submit to federal regulations. expansion
would actually weaken the effectiveness of forcing
USDA inspectors to focus more of their limited time and resources investigating
low-risk, small breeding facilities instead of concentrating their
attention where it is most needed, in the large commercial facilities. NEW
BILLS Now
several of these same organizations are supporting S. 1478/H.R. 3058, legislation
that is supposed to deal with "puppy mills" but which potentially could
expand the or
hobbyist, even those who sell from their own homes. Because
the vast majority of employ
higher standards than those set forth in this legislation, they may not
immediately recognize the serious problems contained in these legislative proposals.
Specifically, the First,
the bills' findings are presented in a sensational rather than a scientific
format. Such presentation encourages emotional responses rather than
ones that are based on knowledge and fact. Second, the legislation encourages
a level of federal involvement in breeding decisions that is intrusive
and excessive. Third, it attempts to create an engineering plan for socialization
that would be developed by animal welfare and behavior experts instead
of the recognized experts in the regulated community. As
the nation's leading authority on purebred dogs, the American Kennel Club would
like the opportunity to provide input into these findings before legislation
is considered further. The sponsors
of this legislation to improve the bills' provisions were rebuffed. It's
important to note that the care
and humane treatment of animals at all times. It not only advocates strict
enforcement of the facilities,
but it also conducts its own inspections and suspends breeders from
its registry that violate its care and conditions standards. The
regulate
irresponsible and inhumane breeders who may currently fall through the
cracks of regulation. We know that there are irresponsible breeders who do
not share our concern for the welfare of their dogs and we want to them brought
into compliance with the misuse
of tax dollars and resources to pass overly intrusive and restrictive laws
that would affect responsible breeders who already maintain exemplary breeding
programs. WHAT
YOU CAN DO: •Contact
your oppose
S. 1478/H.R. 3058 for the reasons stated above. To find out who represents
you in the Senate, click here. To find out who represents you in the
House, click here. You may also phone the United States Capitol switchboard
at the
Senate or House office you request. •If
you live in the district or state of a member of the House or Senate Committee
on Agriculture, it is especially important that you urge them to stop
these bills from moving forward. Click here for committee membership lists. •If
you live in the district or state of a House or Senate cosponsor of these bills,
ask them to withdraw their support. For additional information about these
bills or other legislative issues affecting dogs and their owners, please
contact doglaw@akc.org. SEARCHÂ
Agriculture (in
order of seniority) Republicans House
Agriculture Committee 1301
1011
2240
talk2bob@mail.house.gov 2411
rpombo@mail.house.gov 2305
rep.smith@mail.house.gov 2312
438
Cannon House Office Building replucas@mail.house.gov 1019
1519
212
Cannon House Office Building 1005
jthune@mail.house.gov 1708
113
Cannon House Office Building 425
Cannon House Office Building gil@mail.house.gov 322
Cannon House Office Building bob.riley@mail.house.gov 1440
215
Cannon House Office Building doug.ose@mail.house.gov 130
Cannon House Office Building 1117
427
Cannon House Office Building 1541
507
Cannon House Office Building 1605
mike.pence@mail.house.gov 516
Cannon House Office Building 1407
sam.graves@mail.house.gov 506
Cannon House Office Building ask.adam@mail.house.gov 1415
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