Senator Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, is reported to be addressing animal laws in the wake of the recent mauling death of Dorothy Sullivan.

According to an article that appeared in the Central Virginian on 5/5/2005, Senator Houck sought feedback on the issue from Tom Evans, a lobbyist for the Virginia Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders , Bob Kane of the Virginia Hunting Dog Owners Association, and Maureen Hill-Hauch of the American Dog Owner's Association.

We sent a letter to the Senator on 5/17/05, his office responded, and we sent a follow-up letter which is unanswered.

All three letters follow.

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Our letter to Senator Houck on 5/17/05:

Senator Houck:

We are pleased you have taken up the cause of dangerous dogs and recommend very strongly that you confer with your colleague, Delegate Jim Scott, who believes strongly in this as well, and furthermore has acted upon his beliefs in the legislature.

We are, however, puzzled about your apparent willingness to let the prisoners design the jail. The groups you solicit opinions from should be engaged for certain, but we didn’t see any animal control officers, rescues, humane societies or SPCAs, independent clinics, or shelter people solicited. Were they?

We hope you will share the responses you get from the breeder groups so that a genuine public dialogue ensues.

We attach a warning already sent by Mr. Evans in March, along with an ADOA manifesto advising its membership on how to protect its breeding rights, in order that the comments you receive will have a context and enlighten you accordingly.

Lillian Clancy and Donald Marro
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare
Delaplane, VA

This is the letter from Tom Evans that was attached:

3/14/05

Gentlemen:
 
As you probably are aware, I represent four statewide groups that hunt with hounds, an Animal Alliance that has small breeders and companion animal rescuers as members, and the VA Federation of Dog Clubs and Breeders (the statewide show dog organization).
 
We have discussed the recent tragedy involving pit bull dogs and we stand against any irresponsible owner practices in this case, if that is what led to the death. We feel sure the court will arrive at the right judgment.
 
We hope that a bill to upgrade the law on this topic will be introduced and we look forward to being able to support it.
 
Please guard against hysteria based remedies. Avoid condemning a whole breed, and avoid violating the evidenciary requirements for criminal prosecutions. We will support a bill that increases the penalty for criminal intent or criminal negligence.
 
I look forward to an early look at whatever bill drafts emerge and an opportunity to comment on them about any unintended threat to my clients' interests.
 
Please remember that we want to be helpful in this issue, and we want to be able to work out any problems so we can go into the next session in a supporting posture.
 
Thank you for your past support of our interests.
 
TOM EVANS

The American Dog Owners Association (ADOA) information we sent to Houck can be found here:
http://www.adoa.org/reference/dog_owners_rights.php

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This was the response back from Houck's office on 5/18/05:

I wanted to quickly respond to your message on behalf of Senator Houck. He has contacted several organizations that you have listed. The Animal Control Officer with Spotsylvania, the Animal Control Association, PETA have all been contacted via letter. We have also opened up a discussion over the last week with a statewide humane society.

Anyone who wants to become involved in the discussion is more than welcome, including you. Dog bills have always been a delicate issue and the Senator wants as many people from both sides so when we arrive in Richmond in January, there is a bill we all can support.

Thank you again for contacting Senator Houck's office.

Andrew W. Wright
Legislative Assistant

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This was our response on 5/18/05:

Senator Houck:

We are pleased and delighted to find there has been no oversight, although we see no inclusion of independent spay/neuter clinics, shelters or rescue groups.

As to the “statewide humane society”, would that be the VFHS acting through its legislative liaison?

As to being welcomed to contribute, absent an express invitation to do so, we would prefer to wait and see what substantive contributions are made by establishment groups before adding our suggestions or concerns. Our prediction is a political standoff with nothing of consequence to improve enforcement.

As to dog bills being a “delicate issue”, we thought we were actuated by an eminently preventable loss of the life of Dorothy Sullivan; there have also been other recent deaths and serious injuries equally as preventable. In these circumstances, delicate sensibilities give way to leadership, which is either forthcoming or it isn’t.

Lillian Clancy and Donald Marro
Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare

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ACTION NEEDED:

Let Senator Houck know that the dangerous dog problem is serious, and one which needs immediate attention.

Let the Senator or Delegate who represents YOU know the same thing and tell them of Sen. Houck’s initiative.

Contact your county Board of Supervisors and tell them the time for action is now.

Talking points:

• Dog attacks appear to be increasing, or perhaps are being reported more rigourously and diligently in the media.
  
  
• No dog should run free, whether a potentially dangerous dog or not.
  
  
• Owners should be penalized for having an unlicensed dog.
  
  
• Owners should be penalized for having a roaming dog.
  
  
• There appears to be a culture which tolerates dog fighting.
  
  
• Reading the Richmond Times-Dispatch on a Sunday, as well as other papers in Virginia, suggests the breadth of the problem of excess dogs and cats. Classified ads are extremely numerous, and represent a loss of income as those advertising are, in virtually all cases, running a business without a license, and in addition, in virtually all cases do not have a dealer permit or business license or both. Income from the business license and dealer permit would go far to help pay for animal welfare issues, and might provide a first step in helping to regulate the back yard breeder.

To contact Senator Houck:

P.O. Box 7
Spotsylvania, VA 22553-0007
Phone: (540) 786-2782
Fax: (540) 891-8805
Email: ehouck@adelphia.net

To find out who your Delegate or Senator is, fill out the form here:
http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform