HSUS Bludgeons Heartland Dog Owners

[Tink]

HSUS Bludgeons Heartland Dog Owners
Legislation Up For Vote Now In Indiana & Oklahoma, Hearing In Illinois
by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@conline.net
This article is archived at: http://eaglerock814.proboards107.com/in ... &thread=25
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has launched a 34-state offensive against people who raise dogs, and the heat has been turned up to high in Indiana, Illinois and Oklahoma. In all three states, actions are scheduled for this week that may have a profound impact on everyone who loves purebred dogs
It is imperative for dog owners in all three states to take a stand now and play an active role in working to defeat this legislation.
HSUS claims the legislation is meant to regulate “puppy mills,” which is the derogatory term used by animal rights groups to describe commercial kennels.
In fact, however, all of this legislation actually is aimed at high quality avocational breeders of purebred dogs who are not involved in any way with the wholesale pet trade. The targeted breeders are the people who work the hardest and care the most about improving their chosen breed of dogs.
Action is scheduled this week on:
An Indiana bill that will make anyone who sells even one litter of puppies a year into a pet dealer. This bill was snuck through committee with no notice given to dog owners, and has gone to the full House for a vote. Many serious hobby breeders also would be classed as commercial kennels for very intense regulation and a prohibition of outdoor housing that is dangerous for hunting and working dogs. Many rescue groups also would be destroyed.
An Illinois bill snags up everyone who owns three intact breeding females under commercial kennel rules, and sets a 20-dog maximum on the number of sexually intact dogs that can be owned or possessed. Many trainers, handlers and serious hobby breeders would be harmed needlessly. We also urge dog owners to sign our online petition to stop this bill (see below).
And an Oklahoma bill passed through committee by an 11-2 vote and is headed toward the full House for a vote. This legislation targets anyone who sells, offers to sell, gives away or adopts out 25 or more dogs or puppies a year, by subjecting them to truly totalitarian enforcement measures. Some rescue programs would be destroyed.
Each of these states will be profiled separately below.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance recently released reports that have covered HSUS initiatives this year in Maine, Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, New Jersey, Florida, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Illinois, Texas, Minnesota, California, Montana, Virginia, Colorado and Oregon. Updates and new reports will be released this week about legislation in California, Montana, Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida, Washington and Texas. HSUS-sanctioned legislation is expected soon in Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, New Mexico and Wisconsin.
HSUS is an extremist animal rights group with the long-range goal of eliminating all animal ownership in America. It recognizes the political impossibility of doing this immediately, and thus has adopted an incremental strategy of tightening the noose. Its strategy also is to develop and exploit sensational emotional issues, such as “puppy mills,” and then to extend the definition and impact far beyond the stated goals. HSUS, which has annual revenues in excess of $150 million and dozens of employees and professional lobbyists in many states, is the political arm for the animal rights movement. It does not operate a single animal shelter anywhere, despite its name.
HSUS has vowed to strike dog owners in 34 states early in 2009. Organizations that defend the rights of dog owners are, quite frankly, being overwhelmed by this concerted attack. HSUS learned a lesson last year, when dog owners were able to defeat them in almost every fight, because they were spread out over many months and allowed us to focus our limited resources. This year’s HSUS strategy is to attack everywhere at once, and use its army of highly paid employees and lobbyists to push through legislation quickly. It has the money, personnel and organization to wage this blitz attack, but dog owners simply lack the resources to effectively combat it. We have been placed totally on the defensive.
Thus, we are urging dog owners to get off of the sidelines and take a very active role. We also are urging you to support at least one organization that advocates for dog ownership rights with both donations and a sincere commitment of your time and talents.
We also urge dog owners to form alliances of mutual support with farm organizations, sportsmen’s groups, firearms rights advocates, landowners groups, and people who defend property rights. These diverse organizations fully understand the ramifications of the animal rights movement on American traditions and life.

Indiana
House Bill 1468 was snuck into the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee last week as an unannounced amendment to an animal cruelty bill relating to convicted felons. This kind of political dirty trick is used to eliminate opposition to controversial measures, by denying opponents the opportunity to read the legislation, contact elected officials and testify at the hearing.
Dog owners thus were robbed of the opportunity to participate in the process, and not given a chance to try to convince the legislators to vote against this amendment.
The amended legislation was approved by the committee by an 11-1 vote, and sent to the full House of Representatives with a recommendation for passage.
It is IMPERATIVE for every Indiana dog owners to immediately contact their legislators and explain your reasons for asking him or her to vote against HB 1468. Without a very strong response from dog owners, we expect this measure to be approved and sent to the Senate, which will be our last chance to stop it.
Rep. Ralph Foley (R-47) of Martinsville, IN, was the only committee member to vote against this legislation. Please take the time to contact Rep. Foley and express your gratitude for his support of the rights of dog owners, and his opposition to the animal rights agenda. Also, please ask him for his continued support. Here is a link to his email contact form: http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/c ... ?data=h047 .
Here is a summary of the impact HB 1468 will have on dog owners:
It will destroy the rescue network in Indiana. While rescue groups are exempt, “a person or organization that breeds dogs” cannot qualify for this exemption. People who raise dogs began the rescue movement decades ago, and remain at its heart today. Almost all rescue groups for specific breeds rely on people who raise that breed of dogs to foster homeless animals. In addition, many of the highest quality breeders of dogs for show and performance take a very active leadership role in the rescue community.
Anyone who sells five or more dogs to the public in a year will be classified as a pet dealer. Thus, in many cases, even having a single litter of puppies will require extensive record-keeping of all dogs sold and all veterinary records, and require the dog owner to make that information available to law enforcement officials and potential pet buyers. This provision also will allow animal rights activists to go on legal “fishing expeditions” by posing as puppy buyers.
The definition of “commercial dog breeder” will entrap many serious hobbyists who are working hard to improve the breed of dogs they own. Anyone who produces 10 or more litters of puppies will fall under this category. It also will be illegal for anyone to possess more than 30 dogs that have not been spayed or neutered. Many serious breeders keep all of their retired dogs for the rest of their lives, and also are working with and evaluating several young dogs. Having 30 dogs does not indicate that a kennel is commercial. These breeders would be required to microchip all dogs and puppies, and to obtain veterinary certification before breeding a dog. The legislation also would create a strict puppy “lemon law.”

The American Sporting Dog Alliance is urging every Indiana dog owner to immediately contact his or her representative, and as many other representatives as you can. This is urgent, because this legislation can be brought up for a vote in the House at any time.
Because time is of the essence, please email, phone or fax the representatives now to express your opposition and to ask them to oppose HB 1468. Then, please follow-up with a letter through the mail or by fax.
Here are the representatives’ email contact information: http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/c ... contact.pl .
This link will lead to each representative’s home page, which contains full contact information: http://www.in.gov/cgi-bin/legislative/l ... mber=House .

[Tiramisu]

I've never heard of HSUS, guess they snuck by me too. Tink, thanks for posting!

[Tink]

HSUS= Humane Society of United States I figured Janet especially might want to know about this.
HSUS has bonded with PETA and is getting more militant all the time. If we don't stand up to them, in time none of us will have our dogs.

[Janet]

Thanks Tink....guess I need to start getting some correspondence done.

[judy]

So, in this economy, who is going to be hired to go around checking up on dog owners?

They sound like idiots and should be shot!

[Janet]

I love the way you think Judy!!!!

[DianaB]

I can't believe some of the things that some people find to complain about. You leave me alone and I'll leave you alone!!! They're not ever going to get rid of all the dogs!!!!