Advocacy
Your Action Needed!
Time is Critical for Puppy / Kitten Mill Bill
The Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill is before the Minnesota Legislature. The bill will put in place licensing and inspection of dog and cat breeder facilities in Minnesota, bringing an end to inhumane breeding practices. Click Here for more info.
Currently, the bill is still "on the table" in the respective agriculture and veterans committees in both the Minnesota Senate and the House of Representatives.
We need your continued support.
To help members of the committees understand the importance of the bill and to "call it off the table" for discussion.
Time is critical. The first policy committee deadline is next Friday, March 12. If we are not granted a hearing by that time, the bill will not pass this year.
You can make a difference with one phone call. *Please call all of the following members on the committees (listed below) *before noon on Monday* and let him or her know you support S.F. 7/H.F. 253. If you live in one of these districts, please make certain your legislator knows that fact. To find your district and State legislators, go to: Minnesota District Finder
MN Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee Members
State the bill number and the Senate author's name: S.F. 7 authored by Senator Don Betzold
House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee
State the bill number and the House author's name: H.F. 253 authored by Representative Tom Tillberry
Now is the time to be a voice for animals.
Explain the importance of the bill and that it is a highly collaborative effort among many animal groups and volunteers, and the bill has a long list of supporting organizations and individuals-including you.
Educate them on what goes on in puppy and kitten mills
If you call this weekend, chances are you'll reach the legislator's voicemail. Please leave a message with your name and support of S.F. 7 (Betzold) or H.F. 253 (Tillberry).
Legislators are also hearing from breeders and others who oppose the bill. Your voice will make a difference.
Don't wait-call today!
Thank you to the Animal Humane Society for initially posting this informaton
PLEASE GET INVOLVED TO STOP THE SUFFERING
Support the Puppy / Kitten Mill Bill
As you may already know, Minnesota is among the top producers of puppies and kittens in the United States, with some of the largest dog breeding facilities in the nation. There are no State laws, inspections or regulations covering dog and cat breeding facilities in Minnesota.
With your help, we can change that this year. A bill making its way through the Minnesota House and Senate would protect dogs, cats, puppies and kittens from inhumane breeding practices and conditions by giving the state of Minnesota the authority to license and regulate the dog and cat breeding industry in Minnesota.
Please let your elected officials know about this important issue, and ask for their support of this legislation. Click the links below for sample letters you can send to your State Representative and State Senator. If you need to find the name of your State Senator and Representative, you can find that information at: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp
Sample Letter: State Representative
Sample Letter: State Senator
Also check out www.animalfolksmn.org for more in-depth information about this legislation.
HELP STOP INHUMANE DOG AND CAT BREEDING IN MINNESOTA
SUPPORT S.F. 7 and H.F. 253
Please add your name to the database of individuals interested in helping to stop inhumane breeding in Minnesota! You will receive an email when the bill is under consideration and needs specific action (i.e., contacting House or Senate committee members). This is a highly collaborative effort among many diverse animal groups and citizens, and the bill has a long list of supporting organizations.
To sign up , please send the following information to stopthesuffering@yahoo.com:If you don't know who your State Senator and Representative are (or your district), you can find that information at: http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/Districtfinder.asp
Status
The Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill is moving through both the House and Senate. The bill number in the Senate is S.F. 7, authored by Senator Don Betzold, and the bill number in the House is H.F. 253, authored by Representative Tom Tillberry.
H.F. 253 was heard and passed out of two committees in 2009 - House Public Safety and House Civil Justice. It was heard in the House Agriculture Committee but was not voted on; instead, it was laid on the table. The good news is that it is not dead; it can still be called up for a vote when the 2010 legislative session begins. We do not have to start over with hearings in the committees we already passed out of because 2010 is the second half of this legislative session.
S.F. 7 was heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee in 2009 but there, too, it was laid on the table after lengthy debate. It is still alive and will be able to be called up for further debate and a vote so it can continue through the Senate in 2010.
Hearings
As soon as the bills are granted a hearing in a committee, we will email you and let you know the names and phone numbers of the committee members for you to contact; and we will send you a short message to convey. It will be important to call them within a day or two of receiving the email to let them know of your support. Be sure to always mention the bill numbers because, as seen this year, other bills may be introduced that are a lot weaker.
The Problem
The problem is inhumane breeding practices. Minnesota is among the top states for mass-produced puppies, with the number increasing annually. Many dogs and cats live out their lives in small, overcrowded wire cages and are bred repeatedly. Their cages are often stacked, allowing feces and urine to fall onto the animals below. Animals may be malnourished from inadequate food and water, receive little or no veterinary care, are stressed from constant confinement and neglect, have fleas, worms, etc. Many have deformed paws, are severely matted, or are burned from sitting and standing in urine and feces. And, they are rarely, if at all, provided human socialization.
While many breeders in Minnesota act responsibly, there are increasing reports of those who keep dogs and cats in deplorable conditions, and who are willing to make a profit at the expense of the animals' health and wellbeing. These puppies and kittens are sold to the public and many are sick, diseased, and have genetic problems. There is no oversight and there are no State laws, inspection or regulations covering dog and cat breeding facilities in Minnesota.
The Solution
S.F. 7 and H.F.. 253 address the problem (inhumane breeding conditions and practices) by giving the State of Minnesota the authority to regulate dog and cat breeders..
- Licensing - Requires large ("commercial") dog and cat breeders to be licensed (not small or hobby breeders).
- Inspections and Enforcement - Gives the Minnesota Board of Animal Health the authority to inspect commercial breeders and enforce existing State laws.
- Penalties - Provides civil, administrative and criminal penalties for violating the law.
Action to Take Now
It is very important for you to contact your own State Senator and Representative now and ask them to support S.F. 7 (Senator) and H.F. 253 (Representative) and educate them on what goes on in Minnesota puppy and kitten mills.
Getting to know your own legislators (during and after the legislative session) is very important; relationships are key to winning trust and votes.
We need thousands of Minnesotans contacting their legislators and the committee members letting them know this is an important issue. That is why we have created this database and why it's so important for you to help us grow it and more, please visit www.animalfolksmn.org.
Please ask your family and friends to join this effort by emailing the requested information to - stopthesuffering@yahoo.com:
Thank you for caring and getting involved.
For additional information, and to get the word out, see the attached flyer. Please print and distribute widely!
Breed Specific Legislation
Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) is a statute or regulation that is directed toward one or more specific breeds of dogs. The majority of BSL is focused on breeds traditionally known as "dangerous," or those that have demonstrated particular propensities for aggression and violent behavior.
In June, 2007, Representative Lesch (DFL- St. Paul) announced he would introduce BSL to the February 2008 legislative session. His bill will propose targeting akitas, chows, rottweilers, pitbulls and wolf-hybrids.
To view the WCCO press release on Lesch’s press conference click http://wcco.com/local/dog.attack.breeds.2.368167.html.
Pet Haven’s Stop BSL in Minnesota Task Force kicked off in July, 2007. The objective of the task force is:
- to EDUCATE people about breed specific legislation (BSL), better effective alternatives to BSL, the causes of dog aggression, and prevention of dog bites to humans
- to PROMOTE responsible dog ownership and safer communities
- to ADVOCATE on behalf of dog breeds affected by BSL
Why does BSL not work?
- BSL targets a specific breed and fails to adequately address the dog-bite epidemic. It disregards both past behavior and conduct of the dog, and owner
- BSL ignores 3 basic facts:
- All dogs can and do inflict injury, regardless of breed
- Breed alone is not a dispositive of human aggression, even in historically dog-aggressive breeds
- Any dog can be trained and any breed can be bred to be aggressive
- BSL creates a false sense of public security through oversimplification of the problem and under-inclusiveness in the solution
- BSL, though designed to decrease the threat to public safety, may have the perverse effect of increasing the risk of serious attack
- BSL is an inefficient allocation of limited financial and human resources
- BSL does not differentiate between vicious and docile members of the target breed
Source: “Attacking the Dog-Bite Epidemic: What Breed Specific Legislation won’t solve the dangerous dog dilemma”, Fordham Law Review, April 2006
If you would like to join the task force or would like more information, please email advocacy@PetHavenMN.org.
Resources:
- Pet Haven’s Stop BSL in Minnesota blog:
http://www.stopbslinminnesota.blogspot.com/ - Stop BSL http://www.stopbsl.com/bsldiscussion.htm
- Humane Society links on dog bite prevention:
Stay Dog Bite Free! - Learning to be safe with dogs: http://www.bowwowow.com/
- American Veterinary Association Taskforce paper “A community approach to dog bite prevention”
- Animal Legal & Historical Center (2006 Fordham Law paper on "Attacking theDog bite epidemic..")
Downloads:
- Petition
- Anti BSL Poster
Duncan, a pit bull puppy rescued by Pet Haven, would be targeted if BSL is passed
