CFA Legislative ALERT
Last Updated: December 12 2004
UPDATE 12.12.04: The meeting is now rescheduled for Tuesday morning, December 14th, at
9:35 AM so letters must be sent Monday, December 13th!!
There are few cat breeders in Stanislaus County, CA, an agricultural area
in the central part of California. We will have a difficult time
mobilizing opposition to the comprehensive ordinance that will be
presented to the Board of Supervisors at a hearing set for November 30 in
Modesto at 9:35 am, 1010 - 10th street. Anyone within driving distance
of Modesto is urged to attend this hearing.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Cat fanciers all over the country can help by emailing
or faxing the Supervisors below to let them know that this proposed
ordinance will not improve the welfare of cats/dogs nor reduce unwanted
reproduction of cats. Yet it will be extremely detrimental to responsible
breeders of pedigreed cats. CFA is strongly opposed to breeder permits.
We are well aware that similar proposals have failed in other parts of
the country.
The proposal is close to what passed in Los Angeles a few years ago and
subsequently in Richmond, Virginia. It requires a $100 annual breeding
permit for each intact cat/dog, subject to regulations of the Director of
Animal Services; no more than one litter per animal in any household/year
(can be detrimental to the health of some pedigreed cats); PLUS a $100
breeding permit. There is a $500 fine, or proof of sterilization, for
violations and revocation of the breeding permit for refusal to allow
inspection of the animal/premises on 48 hr. written notice or disposition
of the animal.
The responsible breeding of pedigreed cats in California, as well as all
over the country, is in jeopardy if this kind of ordinance is passed and
then spreads. Read the entire ordinance (PDF).
Other provisions include regulation and control of the transfer of
animals, microchipping of all breeding cats/dogs, names and addresses of
all buyers to go to animal control, registration of feral cat caregivers,
punitive fines and more.
Breeder permit/regulation can be expensive to administer. It is
unrealistic to expect a restrictive and bureaucratic procedure to achieve
voluntary compliance, especially when the regulated portion of the
community perceives no benefit. Breeder licensing programs in the few
communities that have attempted this approach have not achieved
reductions in shelter populations. Through aggressive and expensive
animal control officer enforcement to "catch" breeders, the county
will discourage or eliminate hobby breeders yet the shelter impoundments
and euthanasia figures will not improve. The very best source of healthy,
well-socialized home raised kittens are from conscientious hobby breeders
and this ordinance is not in the best interests of the pet loving public.
ATTEND THE HEARING on November 30th to express your outrage.
SEND YOUR FAX OR EMAIL to stop this ordinance. Contacts information is
listed below.
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CONTACTS:
Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors
1010 Tenth Street
Suite 6500
Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: 209-525-4494
Fax: 209-525-4410
Paul Caruso - Board Chairman - carusop@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Pat Paul - Board Vice Chair - paulp@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Jeff Grover - groverj@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Thomas Mayfield - mayfiet@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Ray Simon - simonra@mail.co.stanislaus.ca.us
Email link page - www.co.stanislaus.ca.us/bos/agenmin.htm
www.co.stanislaus.ca.us/board/board.htm
To correspond with the CFA Legislative Committee, please send email to legislation@cfa.org
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