CFA Legislative ALERTS

US Senate Bill S 3424 / H 5434 "Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act" (PUPS) is a bill to amend the federal Animal Welfare Act. The AWA currently regulates large-scale commercial breeders who sell animals at wholesale or for research. PUPS would require federal licensing and inspection of home hobby dog breeders who place as few as 50 puppies per year. The AWA is enforced by the USDA's APHIS unit. USDA enforcement of existing law has drawn much criticism. In FY 2008 the APHIS had 99 inspectors who conducted 15,722 inspections or re-inspections on facilities including 4,604 licensed breeders and 1,116 licensed brokers. The numbers of facilities/homes that would be added by PUPS would be in the thousands, meaning fewer inspections of the large, commercial breeders the AWA was intended to regulate. The USDA's current animal care regulations cover breeders who sell at wholesale, who breed commercially in large quantities, and are ill-suited to home-based hobby breeders. Compromising the regulations in order to accommodate the newly added home breeders may lessen the enforcement of the AWA standards of care for the commercial operations it was intended to regulate. CFA OPPOSES Text of PUPS as Introduced CURRENT STATUS: The bill has been introduced in the US Senate and has been referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. A companion bill, H 5434, was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Agriculture. No hearing date has been set. Please bookmark this page for updates

CALIFORNIA Senate Bill SB250 makes it illegal to own, keep or harbor a dog with intact sexual organs, except as specified. Makes it illegal to have an intact cat remain outdoors. Requires "certificate of sterility" as proof. Requires reporting of the sale of an unaltered cat or dog. Requires sterilization of any cat or dog impounded for any reason; or for violation of this law if cited for violation of other law. CFA OPPOSES CFA Legislative Alert - August 18, 2010 CFA letter to the CA Assembly Appropriations Committee in opposition to SB 250 - July 7, 2009 CFA Legislative Alert - July 2, 2009 Bill Analysis - CA Department of Finance Bill text(SB250, as amended May 28, 2009) CFA Legislative Alert - May 29, 2009 CFA Letter to Senate Appropriations Committee - April 28, 2009 CFA Legislative Alert - April 24, 2009 CFA Letter to Senate Local Government Committee - April 3, 2009 CFA Legislative Alert - April 2, 2009 CFA Legislative Alert - March 12, 2009 Bill text (SB 250) [note: this is the bill as introduced] CURRENT STATUS: After passage in the Senate the bill failed on the Assembly Floor last year but remained on the "inactive" list. It has been amended and brought back for vote in the Assembly. The vote could come at any time. Some cosmetic changes were made and if passed in the Assembly it would go back to the Senate to concur and then on to the Governor. It is imperative that Californians write their state Senator and Assembly representative asking them to vote "NO" on SB 250. Letters should be sent to the Governor urging a veto if it comes before him. ILLINOIS HB 2703 was amended on March 17, 2009. The new bill makes a variety of changes to the Illinois Animal Control Act. It would authorize mandatory rabies vaccination of cats, mandatory microchipping and registration (licensing). It creates new definitions of "cat" and "feral cat" and eliminated farm cats as feral cats. There is new restriction on animals at large or in possession of persons less than 16 years of age. The bill expands the authority of animal control to regulate feral cat caretakers and TNR programs. It mandates veterinarians release the names and addresses of pet owners to animal control on request. CFA OPPOSES Bill text (HB2703 as amended 3/17/09) CFA Legislative Alert - April 3, 2009 ACTION REQUIRED CFA Letter in Opposition - April 3, 2009 CURRENT STATUS: The bill has changed principal sponsors. Hearing date is unknown. MINNESOTA S7 / H253 Regulates dog and cat breeders. Provides standards of care for dog and cat breeders and authorizes rulemaking. Regulates breeders who possess six or more adult intact female animals for the purpose of breeding. Authorizes warrantless searches of breeders' facilities. CFA OPPOSES Original bill text (S 7) Fred Jacobberger letter in opposition 1/21/09 Fred Jacobberger letter in opposition 1/29/09 "Stay Our of Our Bedroom Flyer": cat | dog S500 / H573 "Minnesota Puppy and Kitten Mill Cruelty Prevention Act"; requiring certain dog and cat commercial breeders to hold a valid permit issued by the board of animal health. Defines "commercial breeder" as a person who produces puppies or kittens for sale and who owns, houses, possesses, or maintains an ownership interest in 40 or more cats or dogs older than nine months of age and capable of breeding. CFA OPPOSES CURRENT STATUS: The Minnesota bills failed to pass committee and are now defeated. MISSOURI PROPOSED BALLOT INITIATIVE: "The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act". Parts of the Act would affect any person having custody or ownership of more than ten female covered dogs for breeding. It caps total intact dogs of either gender kept for breeding to 50. It creates a new crime of "puppy mill cruelty" for any violations of the Act. While this Act would not affect cats directly, it represents a new approach by well-funded Animal Rights groups to bypass a state legislature to take away rights of hobby breeders. CFA OPPOSES. AKC Legislative Alert CURRENT STATUS: Signatures have been gathered and turned in to the state to place the Act before the voters. MoFed (Missouri Federation of Animal Owners) has filed a lawsuit concerning the language of the Summary Statements and the Fiscal Notes associated with the proposed Ballot Initiative. Signatures are being gathered to place the Act before the voters. MoFed (Missouri Federation of Animal Owners) has filed a lawsuit attempting to keep the Act off the November ballot. OKLAHOMA HB1332 creates the "Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act." Requires licensing of breeders. Requires licensing of anyone who "sells, gives away, or transfers" 25 kittens/puppies per year. Provides for rules to be created. Requires veterinary inspections. Restricts out-of-state dealer/breeders, exempts show dogs brought into state temporarily (but not show cats); provides for the promulgation of rules consistent with USDA standards; makes breeder personal information available to the public. Authorizes seizure of animals; provides for forfeiture of animals; specifies certain transport requirements; requires bill of sale for animals; provides for official health certificates. CFA OPPOSES. Original bill text (HB1332) CURRENT STATUS: Conference committee was unable to agree and the bill died when the session adjourned.

LAS VEGAS, NV A Mandatory SpayandNeuter Ordinance (2009-44) will be considered by the Las Vegas City Council on November 18, 2009. CFA OPPOSED CFA Letter to Las Vegas Mayor Goodman - Nov.12.09 Letter attachments: 1 | 2 | 3 CURRENT STATUS: The ordinance has been adopted in the City of Las Vegas. Similar ordinances have now been adopted by North Las Vegas and Clark County NV. We anticipate similar ordinances will be considered in other NV communities. RIVERSIDE, CA (City of Riverside) The City of Riverside is considering an ordinance to limit the number of pet cats and dogs to no more than 4 dogs or 9 cats. Currently licensed pets could be "grandfathered". Anyone wishing to have greater numbers will be forced to obtain a new kennel or cattery permit with yet-to-be devised regulations, inspections and licensing. This ordinance would require all cats and dogs over 4 month of age to be microchipped with records held by animal services. If a person is said to have violated any state or local law related to animals they must sterilize their cats and dogs as an additional penalty. There are no provisions for appeals if your permit to keep pets is denied. CFA OPPOSES. CFA supports voluntary microchipping. Cat owners accept voluntary sterilization of their pets and work hard to manage feral cats, especially when there are adequate low-cost veterinary services. Extreme coercion and punishing pet owners will cause ill will. This is not necessary when there are better alternatives. CFA Legislative Alert, June 11, 2010 Public Works Department Memorandum Text of Proposal CFA Position - Microchip Identification CURRENT STATUS: Despite community opposition the proposed ordinance was adopted by the Riverside City Council at their meeting on June 15, 2010.

To correspond with the CFA Legislative Committee, please send email to legislation@cfa.org