Help OK, new doglaw about to pass.... If this goes through you might be next! - Page 1

Oklahoma Dog Owners – Urgent Alert!

House Hearing Tuesday On Devastating Breeding Bill

by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@conline.net[/email]

This article is archived at: http://eaglerock814.proboards107.co...l&thread=20

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - Pro-animal rights veterinarians and their allies are back again with a vengeance in Oklahoma, and are ramrodding legislation to target everyone who raises dogs under the guise of regulating “puppy mills.” If passed into law, this legislation would destroy hobby breeding of high quality purebred dogs in Oklahoma.

The House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee has set a hearing for Tuesday (February 10, 2009) on House Bill 1332, sponsored by Rep. Lee Denney and also known as the “Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act.” The 4:30 p.m. hearing is open to the public, and the American Sporting Dog Alliance urges dog owners to attend.

It must be emphasized that this legislation is being fast-tracked for rapid passage, and it is urgent for Oklahoma dog owners to take clear and decisive action now. Failure to act greatly increases the chances that you will lose the right to raise dogs. Suggestions about how to take an active role in defeating this legislation are included later in this report.

Rep. Denney introduced an almost identical bill last year, but it was soundly defeated in the House Agriculture Committee following intense opposition by dog owners, the American Sporting Dog Alliance, and farmers and ranchers.

This year, however, Rep. Denny has cut a deal to circumvent the Agriculture Committee.

HB 1332 is before the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee. Convincing leadership to put a bill in an inappropriate committee falls under the category of a political dirty trick. The committee is inappropriate because the state Department of Agriculture would administer and enforce the law.

This legislation:

· Prohibits an out of state breeder from transporting dogs into or through Oklahoma, which would effectively destroy dog shows, field trials and other canine events in the state. If a hobby breeder were to bring dogs to an Oklahoma event, the dogs could be confiscated and the owner would face heavy fines and penalties.

· Gives any animal control officer, peace officer or animal cruelty investigator unrestricted access to a kennel owner’s home, facilities, animals, records and property. The bill denies kennel owners constitutional right of protection from unreasonable searches and seizures, as no warrants are required. In addition, the simple act of owning a licensed kennel would allow any kind of peace officer to search a person’s property for any reason, and this power is not limited to animal laws. This provision alone is a completely unethical assault on the Bill of Rights.

· Effectively prohibits any Oklahoma resident from buying a puppy or dog from another state, as the breeder would have to be licensed in Oklahoma.

· Requires every breeder, rescue organization, animal shelter and pet store to be state licensed – not just dealers or commercial kennels – if they sell, give away or adopt out 25 or more animals a year. This would destroy many rescue programs.

· Says that a license will not be issued to anyone who has or has

Pet breeders soon may be scrutinized
PET BREEDERS SOON MAY BE SCRUTINIZED

By Jennifer Mock

Published: November 7, 2007

Many puppies are born in Oklahoma each year in substandard conditions, lacking veterinary care and proper nutrition.

Oklahoma has no regulation of the dog breeding industry. Rep. Lee Denney, a veterinarian from Cushing, hopes to change that next year with legislation that would put in place local regulations and licensing requirements for dog breeders in Oklahoma. The state is the second-largest producer in the country of commercial pets, only behind Missouri.

The legislation, known as the Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act, would put in place state-mandated regulations for Oklahoma dog breeders. Under the proposed bill, breeders who sell or give away 25 or more animals annually would have to be licensed through the state, likely through the Agriculture, Food and Forestry Department.

Pet stores, animal dealers and rescue shelters also would have to be licensed if the bill becomes law. Kennel inspections would be a part of the licensing process and the bill sets up hefty fines for violations.

Though the legislation is still a work in progress, the draft would require all breeders in Oklahoma of 25 or more animals to get a license with the state at a minimum cost of $175 to a maximum of $625. Penalties for violating the minimum standards laid out in the law could be as high as $10,000 per offense.

The legislation also would put in place a sort of puppy lemon law, where breeders would be held liable for costs associated with diagnosing and treating diseases animals acquired at the breeding premises. Only diseases of which the breeder should have had a reasonable knowledge would qualify, and the bill sets a one-year statute of li