August 30, 2010
DOG LEGISLATION
ALERTS!
| See Page 2 For More FAKC News! |
PUPS Bill = H$U$ Goal
H$U$ has been busy, busy, busy in the Halls of our Congress this summer, signing up congressman after congressman and senator after senator to pass the PUPS (Puppy Uniform Protection & Safety Act) bill -- H.R. 5434 -- which if passed will empower the USDA to regulate online puppy sales, define a 4-month old puppy as an adult dog, and impose federal requirements for sales, exercise, and housing, down to the hobby breeder with one intact bitch.
Read all about it here in "PUPS: The Perfect Storm for an HSUS Sneak Attack," by Frank Losey.
Don't Stand on the Sidelines this Election!
Election Day is just three months away, and the campaign season is heating up. Political pundits project a larger voter turnout than usual for a mid-term election. While the majority of candidates may not be making speeches about canine legislation, it is almost a certainty they will encounter it if elected. It is essential for all responsible dog owners, exhibitors, and breeders to not just vote in November, but to be informed and active during the campaign season.
AKC Government Relations has just unveiled a new handout designed for distribution at club meetings, dog shows, and anywhere dog lovers gather. This one-page, printable handout emphasizes the importance of supporting dog and breeder-friendly candidates in the upcoming elections and the impact it may have on protecting responsible dog owners and breeders’ rights in the future.
In addition to distributing the handout, there are many other things you can do over the next three months to impact the election of dog and breeder-friendly candidates. One of the most important actions is to start researching candidates’ views on canine legislation. Download a printable document of questions to ask candidates. Also review How to Identify Dog-Friendly Candidates. This offers two effective research techniques, plus tips and suggestions on how to ask candidates about canine policy issues. And remember – numbers are important, so be sure to share what you learn about candidates with colleagues, club members, and fellow dog owners so they can also make informed choices for the future of dogs this November.
 "Our
goal is to make the public think of breeding dogs and cats like
drunk driving and smoking."-- Kim Sturla |
Animal Rights, Animal Welfare: Which Is It?
NAIA Explains the Difference
NAIA Sample Letter to Veterinarians
The extremists have kidnapped "animal rights" and given it a ludicrous new definition intended to give legal rights to animals and make humans their enemies. Compare some important differences between animal welfare and "animal rights":
-- Animal welfare celebrates the bond between animals and humans; animal rights seeks to sever that bond.
-- Animal welfare grows and improves as we learn more and more about animals, their behavior, and their management. Animal rights remains stagnant with its dogma of "no more animal use ever."
The National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) presents a thoughtful essay on the differences between animal welfare and "animal rights", as defined by the whackos. Read NAIA's essay here.
NAIA also offers a sample letter for you to explain to your veterinarians the difference between Animal Welfare and Animal Rights. Click here to view the letter.
Unfortunately, many vets become indoctrinated in school by PETA and H$U$ (that's were some of their money goes) to believe that purebred breeding is a moral sin. Don't let your vets continue down that path.
CLICK ON & READ
FAKC President's
May 2010 Message
Welcome New FAKC Members!
Not a Member of FAKC Yet?
FAKC welcomes new members Treasure Coast German Shepherd Dog Club, Inc., Imperial Polk Obedience Club, Cocker Spaniel Club of Southeastern Florida, and Hillsborough County Florida Dog Fanciers!
If your Florida dog club is a member of the American Kennel Club (AKC) or an AKC licensed affiliate, your club may join the Florida Association of Kennel Clubs. Download a Membership Application now!
FAKC's Lapel Pins For Sale!
Deliver Our Message, Loud & Clear!
FAKC is offering these colorful, to-the-point, lapel pins at cost, $2.00 each, including shipping. They are 1½ inches long.
Buy one for yourself or in bulk for your club. We have hundreds of them. To order, contact FAKC vice president Leah James.
Download These Posters To Fight Anti-Pet Legislation
Polk County Passes
Amendment to Animal Control Ordinance
The Polk County Commission finally passed its long-pending amendments to its Animal Control Ordinance on January 6.
The final version of the ordinance is a combination of a little good news (meaning, it could have been worse) and bad news. It does not contain such anti-pet provisions as a limit on numbers of dogs; it has no breed-specific section; and the spay/neuter provision was softened. However, it does allow the Animal Control Authority to set its fees for license tags and various services, such as impounding, vaccinations, and microchips. The ordinance also includes a noise nuisance provision, but with stricter restrictions on the officer's authority to impound dogs for excessive noise. Read the final ordinance here.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the Polk County dog owners who attended the hearings and meetings with the sheriff's department, and who contacted the county commissioners, all on behalf of our pets.
| Where does all of H$U$'s money go? |
 “It
goes to lobbying, it goes to political contributions, it goes to pay
huge staff salaries and benefits," said David Martosko, Director of
Research,
Center for
Consumer Freedom. |
J'ville Council Bill Will Control Hobby Breeders
All Breeders Subject to Inspections
Five Litters = "Animal Dealer"
Call, Write Council Members
The Jacksonville City Council is considering major revisions to its animal control ordinance which would strictly regulate all dog breeders. The ordinance would provide that all litters must be registered with the City. All breeders will be subject to periodic inspections. Breeders who sell more than four litters a year will be classified as "animal dealers" and subject to the same regulations as pet shops.
NAIA Trust of Florida, FAKC, and Alliance of Responsible Pet Owners of NE Florida met with Jacksonville Animal Control to pare down the most horrendous proposed changes, afterwhich the City revised the proposed ordinance. A copy of the City's 143 page proposal is available here. Council committee meetings will be scheduled, and final action by the council is expected in September.
All pet owners in Duval County are urged to attend upcoming City Council meetings and write respectful letters or emails to the councilmen. Click here for council members' names, telephone numbers, and email addresses. Their mailing address is Jacksonville City Council, City Hall, 117 West Duval St., Suite 425, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
Smith Re-Elected
FAKC President
Other Officer Elections Held
Four Clubs Join Membership
FAKC held its annual meeting on August 8 in Orlando, and re-elected Susan Smith as president and Leah James as first vice president. Joe DeHoust was elected second vice president, and Nancy Groff was elected to the third v.p. position. Rod Russell was elected secretary, and Elizabeth N. Page was re-elected treasurer.
Three more clubs were admitted to membership in FAKC at the meeting: Treasure Coast German Shepherd Dog Club, Inc., Imperial Polk Obedience Club, Cocker Spaniel Club of Southeastern Florida, and Hillsborough County Florida Dog Fanciers.
| From H$U$'s Wayne Pacelle's Playbook: |
|
“We have no problem with the extinction
of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective
breeding.” |
NAIA Trust Wins a Battle in War Against Volusia County
Over Anti-Breeder Ordinance
NAIA Trust has won a procedural victory in its lawsuit against Volusia County over its 2008 ordinance which strictly regulates “hobby breeders” and allows for warrantless searches of breeders residences. The ordinance, which applies to un-incorporated areas of the county, requires hobby breeders to obtain licenses from the county and to consent to searches of their homes without any notice or cause.
The federal judge has issued a key ruling permitting the case to go forward to trial. The court found that, NAIA Trust's plaintiffs have standing to sue, stating: "Plaintiffs allege that they are being subjected to unequal treatment and that the county may not force them to waive their 4th Amendment rights as a condition of licensure. "...[T]he court finds that plaintiffs may pursue their claims even without having made a formal license application."Patti Strand, National Director of NAIA Trust, said "This is what we've been waiting for and we feel very optimistic. Finally we can take the search and seizure issue, the mandatory spay/neuter issue, and all of our other concerns to trial.
NAIA Trust asserts in its complaint that the ordinance is unconstitutionally discriminatory in that it does not regulate commercial breeders or pet shops. NAIA also alleges that forcing hobby breeders to consent to warrantless searches without notice violates both the federal and state constitutions.
It seeks to enjoin Volusia County from enforcing this unconstitutional ordinance. Hopefully, this lawsuit will send a message to other Florida counties and municipalities that passing such stormtrooper laws and violating breeders’ basic constitutional rights will be met with challenges in court. Anti-pet county commissioners in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties also have enacted similar overreaching laws, and pro-H$U$/PETA legislators in other Florida jurisdictions are considering doing so.
Now the real fight begins. The goal is to stop the march of unconstitutional animal laws that empower the government and private groups to take our animals and sell them at a profit without just cause, or force us to perform life altering surgeries on our pets without due process. This is a battle that must be fought. The alternative is to allow our powerful opponents to prevail by outspending us and bleeding our resources while they usurp our constitutional rights.
NAIA Trust needs your contributions to fund this very expensive lawsuit and its other work in opposing anti-pet legislation now pending in the Florida legislature. Click here to make a secure on-line contribution.
Read the Sheer Ignorance of Some Florida State Legislators
Altman, Storms, Hall Need A-Talkin' To!
They Blame the Breed -- Not the Owners!
These quotes are from recent media reports on SB 1276 and HB 543:
Sen. Thad Altman, R-Melbourne: "There's a fundamental difference in the types of breeds and the way they behave. I don't think we should outlaw specific breeds, but it doesn't make any sense to force our local governments to treat Chihuahuas the same as a pit bull."
Sen. Tony Hill, D-Jax: "We're talking about pit bulls. That's the
genesis of the problem we've been having."
Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico: "If Sugar [her mother's Maltese] bit my hand, it was a bummer, but I could just go wash my hand. "A pit bull will bite into its victims and not let go."
If pit bulls were people, these legislators would be racists!
FAKC’s War Room is where to go to battle anti-pet legislation. All of your weapons are there for you to send your messages to your legislators:
•
The Actual Bills & Ordinances
• Talking
Points for Your Letters
• How to Word
Them Diplomatically
• Your
Legislators’ Names & Addresses & Emails
•
Write Letters to
Newspapers & Other Media
|
H$U$ Does Little to Help Homeless Dogs and Cats |
Tallahassee Adopts Animal Control Law
"Big Brother" Prevails in Tallahassee
H$U$-Drafted Unconstitutional Measure
The Tallahassee City Commission unanimously approved on February 24 an unenforceable, H$U$-drafted animal control ordinance which deprives pet owners of their due process ownership rights to their pets. For example, the law empowers an officer to impound a dog if he believes its owner is not providing "water [or] good and wholesome food", or if he believes the owner is not providing "health related grooming, cleaning and parasite control", and other vaguely-worded violations.
The bill gives officers the unconstitutional power to enter private property to investigate or examine "any animal" they may suspect is in violation of its prohibitions. Owners may be fined $250.00 for a "first infraction", such as not picking up their dogs' feces.
Read the ordinance, No. 10-O-15, here.
Download These Posters To Fight Anti-Pet Legislation