VVAW Initiatives for
2007
Initiative
#1
Gas
Chambers
1) all
shelters/pounds presently using gas chambers must cease use thereof by
10/1/07
2) thereafter, no facility, public or
private, may use gas chambers for euthanasia
3) although transition costs are de minimus, private funds in an amount not to exceed $1,500 will be available to any facility now using gas and wishing to transition to euthanasia by injection before 10/1/07 to defray actual transition costs
Initiative #2
Dealer
Permits
any jurisdiction euthanizing any companion animal or feral cat colonies directly or indirectly must require dealer permits for dealers in companion animals
any
jurisdiction using property taxes to fund its animal control function in whole
or in part must require dealer permits
Initiative #3
Report
Suspected Dog Fighting
any public employee, volunteer or
employee at a public or private pound or humane society, or veterinarian, after
having observed injuries to dogs consistent with dog fighting, must report such
observations to the ACO and/or Sheriff for the jurisdiction where the
observation occurred
the reports may be written or
oral and will include date and time of observation, owner’s name (if known),
injuries observed, and whatever other particulars the local Sheriff or ACO may
deem appropriate
failure to report such injuries
is a Class 3 misdemeanor
Initiative #4
Releasing
Agencies
1)
releasing agencies
will include dealers, pet shops, and puppy mills doing business in Virginia
directly or through the Internet
2)
subject to age and/or
health conditions, all releasing agencies must spay/neuter dogs/cats before
release; failure to do so is punishable by a penalty of $150 and return of the
dog/cat to the releasing agency by order of a General District Court
3) a breed improver,
fancier or hobby breeder whose activities are not for profit are not releasing
agencies; any person fraudulently claiming such status will be fined
$1,000
HOBBY BREEDER: dog or cat owner who wishes to breed one such animal and find homes for one litter thereof ONE-TIME
FANCIER
BREEDER:
dog or cat owner who regularly shows the dog or cat being bred at
American Kennel Club (AKC), United Kennel Club (UKC), American Working Dog
Federation (AWDF) and their member clubs, or The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA)
sanctioned competitions, and adheres to AKC’s 22 responsible breeding steps,
UKC’s breeders code of ethics, AWDF’s constitution and bylaws, or CFA’s breed
standards
BREED
IMPROVER:
dog or cat owner who breeds working dogs, show dogs, or cats of a
specific breed(s) to perpetuate the breed, to eliminate physical shortcomings
and disease, or who could otherwise demonstrate a conscious and deliberate plan
of breed improvement, and adheres to AKC’s 22 responsible breeding steps, UKC’s
breeders code of ethics, AWDF’s constitution and bylaws, or CFA’s breed
standards
4) pet shops and dealers are not subject to 3.1-796.96, 3.1-796.96:5A.1 or 3.1-796.96:5F
Initiative #5
Re-instatement
of Humane Investigator Program
reinstate the humane
investigator program statewide and allow those appointed to be reappointed for
three-year terms so long as they wish to serve or are competent to
serve
a person may be eligible for
such appointment if he (i) receives written recommendation from the local animal
control administrative entity or any humane society, (ii) passes a criminal
background check, and (iii) completes an animal control
course
humane investigators will
report to the same functional authority to which the animal control function
reports but be independent of supervision by animal control
officers
costs of the humane
investigator will be reimbursed by the local jurisdiction, including the costs
of completing any required course work
Initiative #6
Humane
Education
1)
Humane Education will be included in SOLs.
2)
The program will be developed as official Department of Education
curriculum that
teaches students responsible ownership of companion animals.
3) Instruction may be provided by volunteers or outside humane organizations with class-
room time scheduled outside normal school hours of operation at the discretion of the ju-
risdiction but with course credit nevertheless.
4)
The
first full week in February will be Humane Education Week.
5)
It
shall be required of all public schools in the Commonwealth to participate in
Humane Education Week.
Initiative #7
Tax
Credits
Cost of adoption from a public pound or a 501c3 private shelter is a tax credit on Virginia income tax returns as of 1/1/07.
Expenses of veterinarians
performing pro bono surgeries, spay/neuter, euthanasia, and other routine or
emergency services, to animals in public pounds or to 501c3 private shelters,
including a compensation allowance of $25/hour, are a tax credit on Virginia
income tax returns as of 1/1/08, up to a maximum of $2,500 per applicant.
Initiative #8
Abuse
Fines
Cruelty to animals, penalty. Increases the penalty from a Class 1 misdemeanor to a Class 6 felony for acts of intentional animal cruelty or deprivation of food, shelter, or care resulting in the need for ACO intervention, or the need for remedial vet care, or the death of a companion animal.
A person or entity convicted,
fined, or otherwise penalized for such abuse may be proceeded against by the
owner, local humane society or rescue in a civil action to recover damages
(nominal or actual) and punitive damages.
Initiative
#9
Rabies
Surcharge
A state-wide Spay/Neuter Fund
shall be established from a three dollar ($3.00) surcharge added to the cost of
each rabies shot administered in Virginia on or after September 1, 2007. It shall be the responsibility of the
veterinarian administering the shot to collect and forward these funds to the
County Treasurers along with the rabies certificates.
A fund administrator shall be
appointed by each jurisdiction to receive, disburse and audit use of these funds
by clinics or other entities performing pro-bono or reduced cost spay/neuter
upon application thereby.
Rescues, shelters, pounds and low
cost rabies shot clinics, along with low cost rabies shots offered pro bono by
vets, are exempt from this surcharge.
Nothing
in this exemption will prevent rescues, shelters and pounds from collecting this
surcharge if they wish in their adoption fee.
Initiative #10
Tethering
No animal less than 6 months
of age, and no animal not sterile may be tethered.
No dog or cat may be
tethered using a tether weighing more than the animal’s weight can reasonably
bear in the opinion of an ACO or third party expert, or without appropriate
space, shelter and other care as provided for by the Code of Virginia. There shall be a tethering ban
notwithstanding shelter availability on days when the temperature exceeds 85 or
goes below 25, or in wet weather if the shelter isn’t dry, or if the space
provided is inadequate to establish separate areas for eating/sleeping and
defecation/urination.
Consistent with these
parameters, localities after 1/1/08 shall impose restrictions on tethering, the
physical configurations thereof, the hours during which and other conditions
under which tethering may be restricted further, and shall prohibit tethering as
the primary means of confinement.
Initiative #11
License Fee
Cap Change
1) a license fee
will not be known as a tax
2) license fee
cap of $35 for the first dog or cat in an household; fees for additional dogs or
cats may be set at or below this cap at whatever level the jurisdiction wishes;
rescues and shelters are exempted from licensure but not the owners to whom they
release
3) kennel
licenses will not be available except to hunt clubs or without good cause
shown
4) releasing
agencies must sell a license to anyone adopting or purchasing from them
5) licenses also
will be sold at pet stores, pet food stores, vets, places selling
hunting/fishing licenses, supermarkets, rescues, pounds and animal control;
proceeds will be remitted with sales taxes; seller retains 5% of license fee as
commission
6) reminders
shall be sent with property tax bills, personal property tax notices, DMV
license/registration renewals; also mail-in form will be on county/municipality
websites
10/21/06