Alert   11/19/08   2009 Legislation  

 

CROSS-POST PLEASE

 

 

These are our priority bills for 2009

 

1. humane investigator – reinstate program

 

2. sterilization bill (FKA releasing agencies) – all dogs “released” to a new owner (i.e., adopted or purchased) must be sterile

 

3. tax credits for vets – vets receive tax credit for pro-bono work done for public pounds or “c3” organizations

 

4. privatization – the Office of the State Vet’s responsibility for companion animals will be privatized

 

We are developing talking points and other information for these four bills. Please let us know if you want such information for any of the four.

 

We also are seeking a patron for the first three bills. Will you ask your legislator to be that patron?

 

 

These are bills we may push if we can find a patron:

 

5. elimination of kennel licenses – because kennel licenses represent a very deep discount in the charge for licensing a dog, and because kennel dogs receive the same treatment as dogs having regularly-priced licenses in terms of their treatment by local pounds or animal control officers, that discount will be eliminated

 

6. breeding ban – any jurisdiction which euthanizes cats or dogs that are “excess” – i.e., are healthy and otherwise adoptable but have no home – or any jurisdiction which itself has had rabies cases, or is within 50 miles of a jurisdiction which has had rabies cases in the last 12 months – will not allow breeding of dogs or cats and the subsequent sale/adoption/giving away of such; this does NOT apply to adoptions from pounds, shelters or rescues

 

If either of these bills appeal to you to the extent that you will work to find a patron for the bill, ideally either your delegate or your senator, and work for passage of the bill, let us know.

 

 

These are bills of others which we will support pending final language:

 

7. tethering

 

8. Board of Pharmacy – addressing the issue of what medicines can be kept in pounds or shelters and under what circumstances they may be kept

 

 

These are topics that had considerable interest during our regional meetings this summer, but lacked sufficient traction to move forward. IT IS NOT TOO LATE IF SOMEONE WANTS TO PICK THESE UP.

 

9. abandonment, particularly of hunting dogs - could include making permanent identification mandatory; could include increasing the penalty currently in the code regarding abandonment

 

10. ferals/TNR and other cat issues - addressing the issue of TNR not being a form of abandonment would be included along with ways to ensure that those who maintain feral colonies are free from harassment and/or legal prosecution

 

These are topics pursued in previous years which we may try again this year:

 

11. license fee cap change – would increase the ability of a jurisdiction to charge more than $10 (the current “cap”) for a dog or cat license, but would not require a price increase

 

12. humane education

 

13. dealer permits – would require (currently the law allows, but does not require) those who “deal” with companion animals by selling, bartering, trading, giving/gifting, etc., would be required to hold a valid dealer permit in each jurisdiction in which they “deal”

 

 

 

What will you do to help? We need patrons, letters, phone calls of support, people in Richmond during the session.

 

Let us hear from you with your commitment.

 

Thank you.

 

Lillian Clancy and Don Marro