Alert: Ohio Senate To
Push Dog Bill Tuesday
Immediate Action Needed By Dog Owners -
Do It Now Or You Will Lose Your Freedom
by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
Link to this report online: http://eaglerock814.proboards107.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=10
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio State Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee appears poised to amend and vote upon House Bill 446 this coming Tuesday, December 16, 2008. It is urgent for dog owners to act immediately to stop this measure that targets all dog owners, and avocational breeders in particular.
This 100-page-plus bill amends the Ohio Animal Control Law in several ways that are detrimental to dog owners. The hearing will be at 10 a.m. in the South Hearing Room in the Senate Building.
The Senate website earmarks this hearing for a committee vote to send the legislation to the full Senate. The state House approved this bill in May by a wide margin. If the Senate passes the bill without amendments, it will go to the Governor to be signed into law. If the Senate amends the legislation, it must be sent back to the House for a concurrence vote before being sent to the Governor.
In either case, HB 446 must pass both houses of the Legislature before the end of next week, when the legislative session adjourns. The bill will die if this is not done, and animal rights groups have been lobbying furiously for its passage. A representative of the radical Humane Society of the United States testified in favor of the bill at last week’s hearing. HSUS is a political action group that pushes a long-range agenda to eliminate animal ownership in America. It does not operate a single animal shelter, and has no connection to local humane societies.
This is the last chance for dog owners to stop or modify this dangerous legislation.
There also is a real danger that the committee will amend parts of SB 173 into HB 446. SB 173 is one of the most dangerous pieces of animal rights legislation in America, and it would place anyone who raises dogs under virtual martial law. Rep. Shawn Webster, a veterinarian who is the prime sponsor of HB 446, also is a co-sponsor of the House version of SB 173 (HB 223).
The American Sporting Dog Alliance has been cautioning dog owners to prepare for a sneak attack in the “lame duck” session, between the General Election in November and the end of the year. “Lame duck” sessions are notorious for passing politically unpopular legislation because senators and legislators won’t have to face the voters again for at least two years.
Pressure from dog owners kept it bottled up in committee before the election, when elected officials were not inclined to cast controversial votes. Now, animal rights radicals are making their move in the “lame duck” session, when sympathetic lawmakers are hoping they can pass the bill without facing the wrath of the voters.
Here are some of the provisions in HB 446:
- Increases the minimum fee for a dog license from $2 to $10. However, most counties have much higher fees. All puppies must be licensed at three month of age.
- Increases the fee for a kennel license from $10 to $50, plus requires every dog and puppy to be individually licensed. Many counties will be charging around $75 for a kennel license, plus $15 for each dog and puppy. Some will be charging much more. Anyone who breeds even a single litter of puppies for hunting or for sale is defined as a kennel owner.
- Kennels must be inspected, and the kennel license can be revoked if the inspecting agency alleges that the owner has committed an act of animal cruelty or neglect. This allegation does not have to be proven, and many animal cruelty police officers reportedly have close ties to radical animal rights groups, such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Kennel owners will be denied their day in court, and this measure is an unconstitutional presumption of guilt based on the opinion of the animal control or humane officer.
- All dogs over three months of age that are kept in a kennel or outdoors must wear a license tag at all times. Dogs found without a license tag may be confiscated, euthanized or adopted through an animal shelter. The same rules apply to a dog wearing a license tag if it is lost while hunting or competing in a field trial.
- Dog wardens can confiscate and destroy any dog that is alleged to be running at large, if the person who makes the accusation files an affidavit in court. No proof is required that the complaint is factual or even remotely true.
- The sale of an unlicensed dog or puppy is prohibited, and people who move to Ohio are given only one business day to license their dogs, or face possible fines, confiscation and the destruction of a beloved pets.
- Individual dog owners would be prohibited from giving rabies vaccinations to dogs that they own. This is currently legal, and there have been no reports of problems with this law. All rabies vaccinations would have to be done by a veterinarian for dogs, cats and ferrets, under this legislation.
- Good Samaritans who find a lost dog would be discouraged by rules that require reporting the dog to animal control within two days, and either adopting it or turning it over to animal control would be required within 14 days. The person who finds the dog would be prohibited from finding a home for it, or turning it over to a private rescue organization.
- The bill would open the door to thefts of dogs by animal rights activists, and also encourage the takeover of local Humane Societies by animal rights activists. Non-resident humane society police officers, many of whom are tied to radical animal rights groups, would have the authority to canvas the state to shut down kennels.
- And several changes to the laws about dangerous dogs.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance has voiced strong opposition to this legislation in both formal written testimony and in letters to each senator and legislator.
Rep. Shawn Webster, the bill’s prime sponsor and a veterinarian, has offered 19 possible amendments to HB 446 to address concerns expressed in the testimony, but thus far none of these possible amendments has been formally introduced. Rep. Webster has not made these amendments available to the public prior to Tuesday’s possible committee vote.
What You Can Do
Please immediately contact every member of the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee to voice your strong opposition to HB 446. Please state clearly that you are opposed to this legislation, and also mention your reasons.
Here is a link to the Committee’s website: http://www.senate.state.oh.us/committees/com_state.html. Each member’s name is highlighted, and contact information can be found by clicking on the senator’s name.
Because of the late date, phone and fax are the best methods to contact the senators. Emails and surface mail also may be effective.
Also, because a push will be made to pass this bill into law next week, please contact your own state senator and representative, as they may be voting on HB 446 very soon.
Here is a link to each senator’s contact information: http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/by_name.html.
Here is a link to each representative’s contact information: http://www.house.state.oh.us/index.php?option=com_displaymembers&Itemid=57.
Here is a link to the actual legislation that passed the House in May and was sent to the Senate: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_446.
To understand what you are up against, here is a link to how your representative voted to pass the legislation in May by a 74-22 vote (scroll down to the bottom of page 27 and the top of page 28): http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/JournalText127/HJ-05-28-08.pdf.
Here is a link to the truly radical SB 173 (same as HB 223): http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_223.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We welcome people who work with other breeds, too, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by the donations of our members, and maintain strict independence.
Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. Our email is [email protected].
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