tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82194836598115959802024-03-18T20:50:06.255-07:00TN Pet Law NewsKeeping up to date on animal rights issues in Tennessee at the local, state, and national levels.TN Pet Law Newshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15889147007587651484noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-74473935982852402142018-02-23T11:01:00.002-08:002018-02-23T11:03:29.925-08:00<h1 class="western">
USDA Third-Party Confusion</h1>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Leave it to USDA-APHIS to somehow manage to
terrify both dog breeders and the Humane Society of the United States
at the same time. It would be going too far to say that shared fear
has made these groups into allies but everyone seems to be confused,
suspicious, or downright petrified about USDA’s request for
feedback about third-party inspections.</div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , "times new roman" , serif;">If
you’re not familiar with this issue, Bernadette Juarez, Deputy
Administrator of Animal Care with APHIS, provided information about
the idea to AKC Delegates in Orlando in December. A few weeks later
USDA sent out the first notice to stakeholders, asking for feedback
about </span><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">groups
that were already carrying out third-party inspections.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , "times new roman" , serif;">
Comments can now be posted in the Federal Register.</span></div>
<div class="western">
This is the pertinent part of the USDA’s
request:</div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">
<b>USDA Seeks Public
Input on Recognizing Third-Party Inspections and Certifications of
Animal Welfare Act Facilities </b>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="DWT3266"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="DWT3194"></a>
“<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: medium;">USDA
Animal Care seeks your input on whether we should recognize
inspections (and similar reviews) by third-party programs when
determining the frequency of federal inspections for facilities
regulated under the Animal Welfare Act.</span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="DWT3270"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="DWT3198"></a>
...<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our
inspectors conduct routine, unannounced inspections of all Animal
Welfare Act licensees and registrants. Various factors determine the
inspection frequency for each entity – including a facility’s
history of adhering to the federal regulations and standards. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Some
licensees and registrants already use a third-party program to
support animal welfare at their facilities. We are interested in
learning more about these programs, and hearing our regulated
community’s and stakeholders’ views on how we might consider the
use of these programs in our administration of the Animal Welfare
Act</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>.”</i></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
So, who or what are third-party inspectors? They
would seem to include inspection programs such as AKC’s
inspections, programs developed or under development by Purdue and
Canine Care Certified, state commercial breeder inspection programs,
and other programs which are already being used to inspect breeders.
That’s a key point. USDA specifically mentions that they are
looking for feedback about programs that <b>already exist</b>. This
would appear to shut out groups such as HSUS and most other animal
rights groups since they do not have inspection programs like this.
They respond to complaints or only act to seize animals.</div>
<div class="western">
So, what does this mean for dog breeders? And why
is everyone upset?</div>
<div class="western">
First, if you are not being inspected by
USDA-APHIS, this issue may not affect you at this time. However,
thanks to the Retail Pet Store Rulemaking a couple of years ago,
there are show dog and other hobby breeders who are inspected by
USDA-APHIS now, even if they don’t breed many dogs or have many
litters. If you <b>are</b> inspected by USDA-APHIS, any change in who
inspects you or how often would certainly affect you. That’s why
dog breeders are concerned. Some people fear that if USDA-APHIS makes
changes to their inspection process, the inspections might be carried
out by people or groups who are in league with animal rights groups.
Or they are afraid that the inspections might somehow be farmed out
to HSUS.</div>
<div class="western">
Depending on who inspects you and the regulations
they follow, any changes to those regulations could also affect
breeders. For instance, let’s say that USDA makes this change and
allows third parties to do some of their inspection work. If you live
in a state where there are state commercial breeder inspectors, your
state lawmakers could vote to have laws and regulations that are
stricter than federal AWA regulations. You would have to meet those
laws and regulations. And your chances of being inspected would
likely be much greater than if you were a small blip on the APHIS
radar.</div>
<div class="western">
On the other hand, HSUS has started campaigning
against the request for third-party inspection feedback. They have
asked their followers to flood the Federal Register with negative
messages. Wayne Pacelle, the former head of HSUS, took time to post a
lengthy tirade about third-party inspections on his blog even while
he was facing sexual harassment allegations. According to Pacelle,
HSUS fears that the fox will be guarding the hen house. He thinks
that AKC will end up in charge of inspections for dog breeders. To
quote a friend, animal rights folks are “having a vegan cow” over
this idea. They are in a panic since they believe that all dog
breeders are “puppy mills.”</div>
<div class="western">
It should be mentioned at this point that dog
breeders are not the only people who would be affected by any change
in USDA-APHIS inspections. These inspections apply to all entities
covered under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). That means they also
include zoos, research laboratories that work with animals, cat
breeders, rabbit breeders, and other breeders covered under the AWA.</div>
<div class="western">
Seeking some clarification, I contacted AKC
Government Relations. I was hoping that AKC had a position on USDA’s
request for feedback about third-party inspections. I was told that,
historically, AKC has opposed the idea of third-party inspections.
Some of their concerns include having organizations or inspectors
with anti-breeder biases doing the inspections on behalf of the
federal government. This is part of AKC’s <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ycqs6m2n" target="_blank">response</a>
to a different USDA rulemaking in 2017:</div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br /></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: sans-serif , "arial";"><span style="font-size: small;">We
believe all USDA inspections should be conducted by individuals
trained and employed by USDA. Third-party inspectors are less likely
to have the animal husbandry training and hands-on pet breeding
experience important for working effectively with regulated pet
breeders. They are also more likely to be sourced from groups that
have an anti-breeder bias or agenda.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: sans-serif , "arial";"><span style="font-size: small;">The
AKC believes that the use of inspectors that are not USDA employees
could lead to a significant risk of such individuals implementing
their personal cause under the color of federal government
administrative enforcement. Damaging outcomes could include
unreasonable inspections of licensees’ premises or inspections
resulting in unfounded (non)compliance issues. This would likely
diminish faith and confidence in the independence and fairness of the
USDA inspections program, and may even decrease licensing compliance.</span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: sans-serif , "arial";"><span style="font-size: small;">Even
though such parties would be acting, in large part, pursuant to their
personal beliefs prohibiting
welfare-based animal uses, their “cover</span></span>” <span style="font-family: sans-serif , "arial";"><span style="font-size: small;">as
third-party inspectors under the direction
of a federal agency would likely result in federal governmental
immunity protecting the
non-governmental character of their actions. In such cases, parties
whose rights were deprived
may receive little to no protection under federal law (for example,
such individuals would
may be able to avail themselves of a 42 USC §1983 civil claim for
deprivation of rights)...”</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
Just to be clear, these were AKC’s comments
about third-party inspections in relation to a different issue but
they seem to apply in this case, too.</div>
<div class="western">
Government Relations also pointed out that some
jurisdictions do allow for licensees to select which third party
inspectors will conduct their inspections. This could allay some of
AKC’s concerns but not all of them. Another issue Government
Relations brought up was the matter of FOIA, or Freedom of
Information Act requests of government documents, such as the
documents kept by USDA and the groups doing the inspections. FOIA
requests could mean that breeders inspected by third parties might
have their personal and business information exposed when animal
rights groups submitted requests. This has been a highly contentious
issue in the last several years between animal rights groups and
government regulatory agencies. Because of lawsuits, government
agencies have recently removed much personal information relating to
the people they inspect from public view. HSUS and other groups have
sued the government to have data returned to web sites but they have
lost these suits. However, they are still able to access a great deal
of information through FOIA requests – it just takes more time and
they have to be specific about the information they are seeking.</div>
<div class="western">
The sense that I got from AKC Government Relations
– and this was only my impression – was that Government Relations
didn’t seem very encouraging about third-party inspections at this
time but they were still examining the issue.</div>
<div class="western">
Pacelle, whatever you may think of him, also made
some good points in his rant about third-party inspections. One point
he raised which should be considered is USDA’s less than happy
history with third-party inspections in enforcing the Horse
Protection Act (HPA). This is the other inspection program that USDA
operates. USDA came up with a <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ydcym9p5" target="_blank">plan</a>
to certify Horse Inspection Organizations (HIO) with designated
qualified persons (DQP) to inspect horses, primarily for soring. The
program has pretty much been a disaster, attacked on all sides, with
lawsuits from those inspected and pressure from HSUS on Congress to
tighten laws.</div>
<div class="western">
With this kind of history of using third-party
inspectors, why would USDA-APHIS want to try using them with the
Animal Welfare Act? We can only guess. One thing that was abundantly
clear following the Retail Pet Store Rulemaking in 2013 was the fact
that lots more dog, cat, rabbit, and other pet breeders would
potentially be included among the people who could be inspected by
USDA-APHIS if they strictly interpreted the regulations. So far, USDA
has not done that. There has been no USDA crackdown on small breeders
with web sites. To my knowledge, they have not questioned the
exemptions people have claimed for breeding dogs (preservation of
bloodlines, working dogs, etc.). The number of female dogs small
breeders keep for breeding has not been seriously questioned by USDA.
They certainly haven’t done anything to stop the enormous flow of
“rescue” dogs flooding into the country from all over the world,
brought here by retail rescues and Humane Society International (HSI)
– whose leader, Kitty Block, just became the new CEO of HSUS.</div>
<div class="western">
Now consider if USDA does approve the use of
third-party inspectors, whether they are state Ag agency inspectors,
state commercial dog breeder inspectors, or even AKC inspectors (this
is a hypothetical). More inspectors will be able to visit small
breeders. They will be able to check your exemptions and count how
many female dogs you have. They can ask you how many puppies you ship
or sell “sight unseen” and ask for documentation.</div>
<div class="western">
I could be wrong, but that’s my guess about why
USDA-APHIS is asking for feedback about third-party inspections. They
vastly expanded the number of breeders and other groups that could be
inspected in recent years but they don’t have the manpower or
budget to inspect everyone – something that many people told them
in comments during the Retail Pet Store Rulemaking in 2013. If they
certify third-party inspection groups that already exist and accept
their findings, they would be inspecting many more people than they
currently inspect.</div>
<div class="western">
Of course, there are other theories. This topic certainly needs more discussion. </div>
<div class="western">
USDA-APHIS will be having several more in-person
“listening” sessions over the next few months, along with one
session online. You can make comments or give feedback about
third-party inspections on the Federal Register. For more information
about this issue, check the USDA <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ycl59hrc" target="_blank">web site</a>.</div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br /></div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-36602778454033149132017-03-03T14:27:00.003-08:002017-03-03T14:27:58.191-08:00
<h2 class="western">
APHIS Changes Bode Well</h2>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br />
</div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">On
Friday, February 3, 2017, USDA-APHIS released a flurry of
announcements about their web site that set animal rights activists
twittering. Here’s part of one announcement:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="m_-5226269655383847119OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTI"></a>
“<i>APHIS,
during the past year, has conducted a comprehensive review of the
information it posts on its website for the general public to view.
As a result of the comprehensive review, APHIS has implemented
actions to remove certain personal information from documents it
posts on APHIS’ website involving the Horse Protection Act and the
Animal Welfare Act. Going forward, APHIS will remove from its website
inspection reports, regulatory correspondence, research facility
annual reports, and enforcement records that have not received final
adjudication. APHIS will also review and redact, as necessary, the
lists of licensees and registrants under the Animal Welfare Act, as
well as lists of designated qualified persons (DQPs) licensed by
USDA-certified horse industry organizations. </i></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i>We
can still publicly post a list of our licensees/registrants that we
regulate under the Animal Welfare Act…</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“<i>Those
seeking information from APHIS regarding inspection reports, research
facility annual reports, regulatory correspondence, lists of
regulated entities, and enforcement related matters may submit
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for that information….”</i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Other
announcements explained that the Animal Care Search Tool on the site
has been deactivated – the tool so beloved by animal rights groups
and individual activists (i.e., trolls) to look up breeders and
target them for harassment. Yet another announcement explained that
APHIS was taking these actions in response to litigation concerning
information and the privacy of those regulated. The agency said it is
trying to balance the need for transparency with rules protecting
individual privacy.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What
does all of this mean for dog breeders regulated by USDA-APHIS?
Despite suggestions from animal rightists claiming that the removal
of this information is a nefarious plot against animals by the Trump
administration, all indications suggest that the USDA is reacting to
several lawsuits filed against them and other agencies by stakeholder
groups that had been harmed by the release of personal information to
activists. Not only did APHIS state this in several announcements,
but federal agencies have not fared well recently in court when it
comes to how they have handled the personal information of licensees.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">On
September 9, 2016, in the case of </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i>American
Farm Bureau Federation et al. v. Environmental Protection Agency et
al.</i></span><span style="font-size: large;">,
Case No. 13-cv-1751, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth
Circuit, the federal appellate court revived a bid by two farm groups
to stop the United States Environmental Protection Agency from
releasing addresses and other information about large scale animal
farms under the Freedom of Information Act. The ruling found that,
excluding what is required in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA),
providing this kind of personal information to environmental groups
was a serious privacy violation. The lawsuit dates back to 2013 when
the EPA released the names, addresses, and GPS locations (as well as
other personal information in some cases) of roughly 100,000
agricultural operations to environmental groups. This ruling over the
EPA should have ramifications for many federal agencies. In addition,
Tennessee Walking Horse groups have sued USDA – and won – and
they continue to raise funds for an industry-wide effort to sue the
agency again over privacy concerns and disagreements with the agency.
Finally, PETA did not come out well in a lawsuit against the
department of Health and Human Services when they tried to argue that
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had withheld
information sought by the group in FOIA requests concerning importers
of nonhuman primates – </span><span style="font-size: large;"><em>People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals v. United States Department of
Health and Human Services</em>,
No. 15-cv-309, slip op. (D.D.C. January 5, 2017).</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
USDA states that it has been monitoring legal developments and taking
advice from counsel, I think we should believe them. People regulated
by government agencies have the same civil rights as anyone else. We
should all have a reasonable expectation that government agencies
will handle our personal information with some discretion instead of
making it openly available online.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whatever
may have motivated USDA-APHIS, the removal of personal information
for easy public viewing should be welcomed by most dog breeders. At
least one large group of USDA-licensed breeders viewed the news
favorably. Many of them have been harassed by animal rights activists
online or in person – people who had dredged up their personal
information and inspection reports on the USDA-APHIS web site,
sometimes making false reports about the breeders. Doing away with
the harassment breeders have experienced from animal rights groups
and from individuals simply trolling the APHIS site for personal
information about breeders seems to far outweigh any potential
problems according to people who have been the victims of animal
rights groups.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dog
breeders are not the only ones who have suffered from the release of
too much personal information by federal agencies. At least one
cattle operation – Harris Farms in California, also the birthplace
of racehorse California Chrome – was the target of arson totaling
over $2 million in damages by the animal rights terrorist
organization ALF in 2012 due to information released by the EPA.
Scientists and researchers who work with animals have also been
victimized by animal rights activists. Their laboratories are
inspected by USDA-APHIS under the Animal Welfare Act. In fact, the
Animal Welfare Act was initially created by Congress in the 1960s
specifically to oversee laboratory animals. Activists have
increasingly targeted individual researchers according to a 2014
report by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental
Biology (FASEB), the largest coalition of biomedical research
associations in the United States. In 2004 ALF (the Animal Liberation
Front) broke into psychology labs at the University of Iowa. They
removed hundreds of animals, smashed equipment, and spray-painted
walls, resulting in more than $400,000 in damages. By 2009, after
APHIS began posting more detailed information on their web site,
activists were making the attacks more personal. They set fire to the
car of a UCLA neuro-scientist who worked with rats and monkeys in the
driveway of his residence. Other researchers have reported that
activists have shown up at their homes in the middle of the night
where they have made threats against their families.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some
animal welfare advocates have expressed concerns about the changes
because they may lead to problems for breeders that sell puppies to
pet stores and are required to provide inspection reports, or the pet
store has to have access to the breeder’s most recent inspection
report. According to the </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Washington
Post</span></i></span><span style="font-size: large;">,
only seven states currently have laws that require pet stores to show
USDA inspection reports from breeders, though there may be some
states considering similar laws. Laws in those seven states may need
to be changed in response to USDA-APHIS’s new policy. If individual
puppy buyers insist on an inspection report from a USDA-licensed
breeder, they can either make a Freedom of Information Act request
which is, admittedly, slow. Or they can directly ask a breeder for a
copy of a recent final inspection report.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">APHIS
notes that final inspection reports will still be posted on their
site, minus the kind of personal data to which those regulated by
USDA and other agencies have objected. What won’t be as easy to
obtain are incomplete or initial reports from inspectors. For
example, if an inspector comes to your kennel and notes that you have
some rust on a crate and a cobweb in the corner, telling you to fix
the problems before they return, that report will not be posted. You
will, presumably, fix the rust on the crate and get rid of the
cobweb. When the inspector returns and makes a final report, that
report will be posted on the APHIS site, noting that the problems
have been addressed. This can make a big difference when it comes to
being called out by animal rights groups. Such groups will no longer
be able to cherry pick an incomplete report claiming that a breeder
has violations that are not being addressed. (Naturally, if you do
NOT address violations noted, that will also be noted and you will
still be subject to USDA fines and penalties.)</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Some
information regarding inspection reports, research facility annual
reports, regulatory correspondence, and enforcement records will be
made available through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.
Some enforcement records (such as initial decision and orders,
default decisions, and consent decisions) will be available on the
USDA’s Office of Administrative Law Judge’s website. APHIS has
noted that they are still making decisions and adjustments about what
they will be posting.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
you might expect, animal rights groups such as the Humane Society of
the United States are livid about the changes announced by
USDA-APHIS. HSUS is honking mad and already vowing to file a notice
of “violation” over what they contend to be their agreement with
the USDA about public access to information. We’ll see how
USDA-APHIS responds to the threats from HSUS. While this change at
APHIS has been in the works for several months – pre-dating the
Trump administration – it’s worth noting that President Trump and
various cabinet members have not been friendly to HSUS and animal
rights groups in the past. The agricultural advisory group put
together by Mr. Trump before his election was noticeably anti-animal
rights in philosophy. HSUS was virulently opposed to Mr. Trump’s
election as well. HSUS may continue to have some support at
USDA-APHIS, but they probably won’t have much support in the new
administration.</span></span></div>
<div class="western">
<br />
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-58385485017077004672015-04-05T09:38:00.000-07:002015-04-06T09:17:51.768-07:00Defeat of Controversal Proposed Breeder Registration Laws<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Many thanks to the <a href="http://www.akc.org/government-relations/" target="_blank">American Kennel Club</a>, the <a href="http://www.nashvillekennelclub.org/" target="_blank">Nashville Kennel Club</a>, and the Tennessee Federation of Dog Clubs for all of their hard work in defeating the outrageous breeder bills that were proposed in Tennessee this year. The bills would have affected anyone who owned 10 bitches. Even people who did not breed dogs would have been affected! They were unbelievably intrusive and controlling. You can read a copy of the 18-page bill <a href="http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Amend/SA0252.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">You can also watch the hearings where the bills were discussed in committee. On the <a href="http://tnga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=278&clip_id=10469&meta_id=198053" target="_blank">24th</a>, and on the <a href="http://tnga.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=278&clip_id=10576&meta_id=203123" target="_blank">31st</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Most of all, thank you to every single person in Tennessee who called and e-mailed the committee members. They said they were absolutely flooded with calls about these bills, most of them OPPOSED! Thank you. YOU defeated these bills.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Carlotta</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Tennessee Federation of Dog Clubs - All Members</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This has probably been the toughest legislative year ever in the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">history of the Tennessee Federation of Dog Clubs (TFDC). The animal </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">rightist. Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA, PETA and a number of other </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">national and state groups had worked secretly for months trying to craft </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">legislation they could slip in at the eleventh hour. We nor the AKC </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">were ever apprised of the expected legislation. We saw no advance copy </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and were never invited to have any input prior to the legislation being </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">introduced which was just last week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> The complicated 18 page document was most definitely aimed at us </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">but under the guise of trying to eliminate puppy mills. <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3351_com_zimbra_date"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3352_com_zimbra_date">Tuesday</span></span> a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">lengthy 14 page amendment to the bill was added to the docket of the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">House and Senate committees handling the bill. (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3353_com_zimbra_date"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3354_com_zimbra_date">Tuesday</span></span> was the last </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">day the committees were to meet this legislative session. It was a do </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">or die for the animal rightist organizations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> This past <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3355_com_zimbra_date"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3356_com_zimbra_date">Tuesday</span></span> was one of the most drama filled days I have </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">ever witnessed at the state capitol in my life time. Here is a sequence </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">of events that unfolded:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">1) The animal rightist brought in folks from all over the state and the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">big guns from Washington, DC.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2) The House Business & Utilities Committee met at 1:30.PM. There was a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">packed house with standing room only. The sponsor introduced the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">breeder registration bill. He also gave notice of his new amendments </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">which only made the bill worse for us. The chairman of the committee </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">then allowed a few speakers from the audience.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3) The lobbyist for the animal rights groups spoke and told lie after </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">lie. She said the AKC and our group had worked with them on the bill </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and then turned against it at the last moment. Not true. To hear her </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">tell it anyone who bred a litter of puppies was the enemy. She also </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">implied that the sheriff's and police chief's organizations supported </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the bill. Not true.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">4) A lobbyist for the Humane Society of the United States also spoke and told the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">same lies. He also added that we had generated many calls from out of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">state with attempts to tell Tennessee law makers how to vote. Not true. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> He also stated that Tennessee was the only state in the nation that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">previously had a breeder bill as state law and then lost it last </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">session. That was true and we did it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">5) I spoke on behalf of the TFDC and hope that I did well and corrected </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">the lies that were told. One of the legislators on the committee </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">commented that he had received more calls against this bill than any </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">other this session. Two others agreed with him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">6) A vote was then taken on the amendments that were offered up by the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">sponsor of the bill. A couple of legislators immediately walked out for </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">"parts unknown. The vote was four to four and died for lack of a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">majority. At that point the sponsor asked to withdraw his bill and roll </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">it over to the 2016 session.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">7) We walked out relieved and the animal rightist were extremely mad, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">unhappy.and wanting to know what went wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">8) Melissa Bast, our state lobbyist is preparing a report and she will </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">provide the names of the legislators that voted for the bad legislation </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">and those that supported us and were against the bill.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">9) For the next several hours heavy lobbying went on all over the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">legislative plaza until the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee met at </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">3:30 PM. Again the even larger committee room was full with the walls </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">lined with people and even more outside. Our bill was one of the last </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">to come up about 5:45 PM. The sponsor of the bill got up and quickly </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">asked that the committee vote to defer or roll the legislation over to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">2016. We quickly departed while the animal rightist seemed to be </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">totally absent. I think they had received word that there was no way </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">that the senate committee was going to pass the bill.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">10) Now we really go to work and organize every county in our state. We </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">are going to need your help.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Regards,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Dr. S.M. Dick Dickerson, President, Tennessee Federation of Dog </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Clubs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-84159044853738615162014-12-01T13:52:00.002-08:002014-12-01T13:53:38.082-08:00Here We Go Again: Elections, Bills, and Politicians<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now that the midterm elections have
passed and the Republican “wave” has washed over the country,
it's time to think about the next legislative session and what it
holds in store for dog owners and breeders.
</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3581_com_zimbra_url"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT3582_com_zimbra_url"></a>
The Humane Society of the United States is an equal opportunity
abuser of the political system. They donate to legislators in both
major political parties. However, right after the election, Wayne
Pacelle seemed unusually candid on his
<a href="http://blog.humanesociety.org/wayne/2014/11/staying-the-course-no-matter-the-obstacles.html" target="_blank">blog</a>:<br /><br /><br /><b>Staying
the Course, No Matter the Obstacles</b><br /><b>Wayne Pacelle</b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /><i>National, state, and local
elections are obvious pivot points in the <br />task of governing, with
changes that voters usher in signaling small or <br />large course
corrections. With the Republicans’ second wave election in <br />four
years – interrupted by the reelection of a Democratic president two
<br />years ago – we are likely to see more suspicion about attempts
to place <br />limits on the mistreatment of animals. The HSUS and its
political <br />affiliate, the Humane Society Legislative Fund, enjoy
broad bipartisan <br />support for our values with the broad swath of
American voters. But we <br />generally meet with more skepticism from
Republican lawmakers, who are <br />critical of some forms of
regulatory oversight and in a number of cases <br />are closely allied
with our political adversaries at the NRA, the Farm <br />Bureau, and
other animal-use industries. Indeed, in the last few years, <br />we’ve
seen vigorous efforts to pass so-called “ag-gag” bills and even
<br />measures to limit citizen initiative rights, among other forms of
<br />obstructionism...</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wayne doesn't sound very happy about
the outcome of the midterm elections or very optimistic about working
with Republican lawmakers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Me? I don't care about parties or that
other stuff they try to ask you in exit polls. I am one of those
terrible single issue people. My vote depends on animals. Okay. I
suppose I might be swayed if I learned that a candidate was a
cannibal. And I absolutely, positively will not vote for anyone from
that clan who lived next to my mother's clan in Scotland and started
a feud in 603 AD. That's for sure. But otherwise, it's all about
opposing animal rights.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Fortunately, I don't think I know any
cannibalistic politicians (as far as I am aware) and I try not to
inquire about people's clan affiliations.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We were modestly successful in
Tennessee in the recent election in saying buh-bye to a couple of
pro-AR representatives on the House Ag committee. They had been
endorsed by the AR group Tennessee Voters for Animal Protection – a
group with ties to the ultra animal rights group the Animal Legal
Defense Fund (ALDF). The local group has also been petitioning to
have pet bills moved from the agriculture committees – which are
usual first stops for these bills – to more AR-friendly committees.
We suspect they would like to send their anti-tethering,
anti-breeder, and other AR-inspired bills to the judiciary
committees. On the House side, the Criminal Justice committee
includes Rep. William Lamberth – a man who has his own page of
praise on the ALDF <a href="http://aldf.org/national-justice-for-animals-week/national-justice-for-animals-week-february-21-27-2010/william-lamberth/" target="_blank">web site</a>.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="en-US"><u><a href="http://aldf.org/national-justice-for-animals-week/national-justice-for-animals-week-february-21-27-2010/william-lamberth/"></a></u></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lamberth was responsible for passing
security bond legislation in Tennessee that requires people to put up
a bond to cover the cost of care for animals from the time they are
seized until after the trial. Obviously, this is an enormous amount
of money in most cases and most people can't afford it – meaning
that they forfeit their animals before a case even goes to trial. In
many situations, the case never goes to trial at all. Charges are
dropped or reduced, yet the owner has surrendered all of their
animals. There is no possibility of getting your animals back once
you have surrendered them. They have already been sold/adopted to pay
for their “care,” even though they might only be in the hands of
rescue for a few days. Serious breeders can lose animals worth many
thousands of dollars. In the case of a woman who bred parrots in
Tennessee, she was forced to surrender parrots worth $40,000 because
of Lamberth and his work. The tame parrots and those which had been
taught to talk were sold and the others went to a “rescue” in
Maryland where they died from neglect. What kind of justice is that?
This AR darling is on the House Criminal Justice committee and we
think that's why AR groups in the state have been trying to get pet
bills moved from the Ag committees – where their bills have been
dying – to a committee like this one. Yet Lamberth ran unopposed
and was re-elected in the recent election. Most people are unaware of
how these laws can affect them.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We do expect to see a renewed attempt
to pass a commercial breeder law in Tennessee in 2015. As I never get
tired of telling people, we got rid of our commercial breeder law
this year. And how did that happen? Because a) the original law was
passed with a sunset provision; and b) the program was losing
$300,000 per year. There were only 21 breeders signed up with the
program. Even all the smoke and mirrors that HSUS specializes in
couldn't blind legislators to the fact that this program was a loser
and it deserved to die. No amount of snake oil could cure that dead
horse.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It came as no surprise, then, when HSUS
and the Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), led by the notorious Scotlund
Haisley, led a raid on a breeder in Gibson County recently and seized
97 dogs. Not because the breeder had done anything wrong but because
Gibson County is represented by the Chairman of the House Ag
committee. What better way for HSUS to try to make a point about a
commercial breeder law and apply pressure to the chairman of the
committee that will take up the bill than bringing as much media and
civic attention as possible to dog breeding in his district? You
really have to admire their devious methods. They know every trick.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">HSUS and ARC can pick off as many small
breeders in the state as they like but the truth is that Tennessee
simply doesn't have many large breeders breeding commercially. Any
effort to create another commercial breeder law is likely to
encounter the same problems as the last one – it will be hard to
make it pay for itself. A commercial breeder law in Tennessee would
have to have such a low threshold number to be self-sustaining that
it would likely make every show and hobby breeder in the state howl,
not to mention all the hunters. Tennessee is a deeply red Republican
state and it takes fiscal responsibility seriously. A commercial
breeder law that loses money for the state, like the last one, is
probably not going to pass.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="__DdeLink__856_1495249063"></a>
At the national level, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat,
Senator Mitch McConnell's new position as Senate Majority Leader in
2015 will likely be beneficial for dog breeders, or at least not
harmful. McConnell has been opposed to horse slaughter – something
which earned him positive marks from HSUS – but otherwise, he has
been almost entirely opposed to bills backed by HSUS. Coming from
Kentucky, his position on horse slaughter is probably easy to
understand. McConnell did not support PUPS legislation. He has
sponsored a bill with Senators Rand Paul and Lamar Alexander on
Tennessee Walking Horses which differs from the bill supported by
HSUS and gives the Walking Horse industry more control over itself
instead of putting more control into the hands of the USDA. I think
it's safe to say that Sen. McConnell is not very AR-friendly. No
wonder Wayne sounded so gloomy on his blog.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Of course, the voting record is only a
small part of what you get with McConnell in his new position and the
change in the party in power in the Senate. We still have to contend
with government agencies and regulations as they affect dog breeders.
I don't know if we will ever be able to throttle back the power that
government agencies have over our lives now or the mass of
regulations that govern us daily. I don't think the founders of this
country ever envisioned a permanent bureaucratic ruling class, but
that's what we have – four branches of government: the legislative,
the executive, the judiciary, and the bureaucracy to run all of it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-5394205860740992182014-10-13T08:01:00.001-07:002014-10-13T08:01:18.536-07:00She Said What?
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>This article originally appeared in <i>Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>She
Said What?</b></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></h2>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There
is a popular belief among the uneducated that electronic dog collars,
or e-collars (sometimes called “shock” collars) are cruel and
inhumane. Some people seem to think that if an owner has trouble
training a dog he or she is inclined to run out and purchase an
electronic collar so he can zap the heck out of his dog when he
misbehaves. Not only is this view insulting to dog owners, but it
seriously misunderstands how e-collars are used.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Any
tool – and that is what an e-collar is – can be misused. A hammer
is intended to strike a nail but you could accidentally hit your
thumb with it. Used properly, e-collars are very good training aids
for many kinds of dog training. They are not simply used for
obedience training. They are used for advanced field training, for
agility and other sports. E-collars are also used for training dogs
at a distance when you are not close enough to give a correction. And
they are used for behavior modification for dogs with behavior
problems. This can be especially important when no amount of positive
reinforcement will work.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You
should also know that e-collars aren't used to teach dogs basic
commands. They are best used to reinforce commands that a dog already
knows.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">E-collars
today are extremely advanced. They can literally have a couple of
dozen settings and the handler can choose a very precise degree of
stimulation for the dog. “Stimulation” is the correct term
because the handler can choose from a tone, a vibration, or a slight
shock to reinforce a command. Sophisticated collars can have many
other features.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's
also important to remember that people who use invisible fencing for
their dogs are using the same principle. The dog wears a collar that
picks up a signal. If the dog gets too close to the fence and ignores
the warning tone, the dog will receive a slight shock. Most dogs
quickly learn the boundaries and stay inside, but the fence works
because of the e-collar approach.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT1767_com_zimbra_url"></a>
I'm explaining this information about e-collars and invisible fences
because a representative for the AKC – Gina DiNardo – appeared on
<a href="http://tinyurl.com/keknvc2" target="_blank"><i>Fox and Friends</i></a> a few days ago and inexplicably gave the
impression that the AKC opposes them. </span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here
is the AKC's policy on e-collars, as stated in the Board Policy
Manual online:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT1669_com_zimbra_url"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT1670_com_zimbra_date"></a>
<br /><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u>http://www.akc.org/rules/policymanual.cfm?page=5</u></span></span><br /><br /><strong>Training
Collars </strong>(July 2001 Board meeting) <br /><i>Special training
devices that are used to control and train dogs, including but not
limited to, collars with prongs, electronic collars used with
transmitters, muzzles and head collars may not be used on dogs at AKC
events, except as allowed in the AKC Rules, Regulations, and
policies. <br /><br />The American Kennel Club recognizes that special
training collars may be an effective and useful management device,
when properly used, for controlling dogs that might be extremely
active, difficult to control on a neck collar, or dog aggressive.
These collars are also recognized as possibly useful for gaining
control at the start of basic obedience training, essential education
that dogs deserve and need. <br /><br />There is a point at which owners
should have sufficient control of their dogs to manage them on
regular neck collars, without the use of special training collars.
This is the point at which dogs are acceptable on the grounds of AKC
competitive events and will have the opportunity to participate in
those events.</i><br /><br />That policy seems to be reasonable and easy
to understand. It's been in place for some 13 years. It appears that
Gina DiNardo's statements were out of line, perhaps prompted by a new
study out of the UK that suggests e-collars might distress dogs.<br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
far as anyone knows, there has not been any kind of change in AKC's
policy regarding the use of training collars. AKC's Social Media
person, Chris Walker, said that the comments were intended for an
audience of pet owners. Unfortunately, when a spokesperson for the
AKC goes on national television and disparages a training tool,
people do not make that distinction. I think we can expect to see a
bumper crop of animal rights legislation trying to ban e-collars at
the state level soon – all of it quoting Gina DiNardo and claiming
that the AKC opposes e-collars.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I
think we all understand that AKC would like to be popular with pet
owners. It's nice to sound politically correct. But there are many
subtle nuances involved with dogs, dog ownership, training, and
breeding. AKC has a core constitutency that expects AKC to know and
protect their interests in dogs instead of brushing them aside to
gain some media approval.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-11062922452391281302014-10-13T07:55:00.000-07:002014-10-13T07:55:23.809-07:00The Fairness To Pet Owners Act
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><b>This article originally appeared in<i> Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><b>The
Fairness To Pet Owners Act</b></span></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Liberation Serif, serif;"><b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></span></h2>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ContentBody_Article1_MiscContentHTML5"></a>
Let me start by stating that,
according to Govtrack.us, an online legislative tracking tool
maintained by the government-transparency company Civic Impulse, LLC,
this bill has zero percent chance of passage this year, so it's not
something that either veterinarians or pet owners need to stress
about at this time. However, it was originally introduced in 2011,
and again this year. If it doesn't pass this year, it will likely be
introduced again at some point in the future. This means that you
should know about it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ContentBody_Article1_MiscContentHTML"></a>
The Fairness to Pet Owners Act
in the U.S. House (HR 4023) was introduced by Rep. Jim Matheson,
(D-Utah). The bill would require veterinarians to provide clients
with written prescriptions for pet medications regardless of whether
such a prescription is requested by the client. It would also
prohibit veterinarians from charging a prescription-writing fee or
asking clients to sign a liability waiver related to writing the
prescription. Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Richard Blumenthal
(D-Conn) have introduced a companion bill in the Senate.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5432_com_zimbra_url"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5433_com_zimbra_url"></a>
House version of the bill here: </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u>http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c113:H.R.4023</u></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Even
though the bill may not pass at this time, Rep. Matheson thinks the
Fairness to Pet Owners Act may raise public awareness about their
veterinary-drug purchasing options.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ContentBody_Article1_MiscTitle"></a>
“I think it’s important to
have the issue out there and have people talk about it,” Matheson
told the VIN News Service in an interview. (“Lawmaker behind
proposed Fairness to Pet Owners Act aims to inform consumers,”
March 14, 2014, Edie Lau.) “Even if the legislation were never to
pass, I think consumers should be aware that they should at least ask
for a prescription.”<br /><br />Matheson originally introduced the
legislation in 2011. That bill died in the House Energy and Commerce
Committee’s Health Subcommittee when the legislative session ended
in early 2013. Matheson reintroduced the legislation early this year.
The bill is now with the Energy and Commerce Committee.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According
to press releases from the American Veterinary Medical Association
and an article in <i>DVM360
Magazine</i> (“Fairness
to Pet Owners Act now brewing in U.S. Senate,” July 23, 2014, by
Julie Scheidegger), the AVMA staunchly opposes the bills. The AVMA
calls the act “burdensome and unnecessary.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
dog owners, most of us have had experiences buying prescription
medications from veterinarians. Opinions among owners and breeders
seem to be sharply divided in the fancy over these bills.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here
are some of the pros and cons:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Pros</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Veterinarians often mark up
prescriptions 100 percent or more to help pay for some of their
other services. Getting a prescription from your vet would allow you
to buy the same medications cheaper elsewhere.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some people are reluctant to
ask for a prescription. If veterinarians are required to provide a
prescription, you won't have to ask.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Some pet owners may not know
that they can ask for a prescription or buy medication for their
pets somewhere else. Automatically giving every client a
prescription makes sure they know.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Vets would be prohibited from
charging a fee for writing a prescription.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There may be less chance of a
vet prescribing medication your dog doesn't really need.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
act would also:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prevent
vets from specifying from where clients must buy medications as a
condition for receiving a prescription; and</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.49in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Prevent
vets from requiring clients to sign a waiver relieving the doctor of
liability in the case of any problems with a prescription filled
elsewhere </span>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Cons</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The AVMA says that clients are
already free to purchase prescriptions from other sources. Some
states already require vets to provide a prescription (two states).
And vets are ethically obligated to write a prescription if you ask
for one.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The AVMA says they have no data
to show that this law would lower the overall cost of pet care.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the AVMA, there
would be an “administrative cost” if vets had to automatically
provide prescriptions to their clients.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">According to the AVMA, it would
be a burden on vets if they had to write a prescription every time
they prescribed medicine for a client's pet.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Pharmacists are not well-versed
in requirements for animal dosing.</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ashley
Morgan, DVM, Governmental Relations Division assistant director for
the American Veterinary Medical Association, says the bill is being
presented “under the guise of saving consumers money on their pets’
medications.” Honestly, it's hard to see how pet owners would not
save money if they bought their pets' medication outside the vet
clinic. There are countless stories of pet owners who are able to
save lots of money by having prescriptions filled at Wal-Mart or
their local pharmacy. Just ask around and you can find owners who
have paid a vet $30 for a tube of eye cream that is $4 at Costco. Or
find someone whose vet made them pay to get a prescription – even
if they were ordering something online and the prescription only had
to be faxed. Lots of people use heartworm preventive that isn't
carried by their vet but the vet will still charge for a prescription
or refuse to write the script. In short, some veterinarians are not
nearly as cooperative as the AVMA suggests and pet owners could save
money.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dr.
Morgan admits that there may be instances of veterinarians declining
to provide prescriptions, but not enough to justify a law.<br /><br />“Our
understanding and belief is that it’s not a pervasive problem,”
Morgan said. “The AVMA's <i>Principles
of Veterinary Medical Ethics</i>
states that a veterinarian should honor a client's request. If there
are veterinarians not providing prescriptions, hopefully they have a
medical or ethical reason for doing it and are communicating that to
the client.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As
far as it being a burden for veterinarians to have to write
prescriptions or requiring an “administrative cost,” how are
M.D.s able to write prescriptions for people without suffering these
problems? When you go to see your doctor you don't have to buy your
prescriptions from him or her. You expect to get a prescription so
you can go out and have it filled. You are free to shop around for
the best price if you like. Perhaps at one time you bought your
medicine from your doctor when he made housecalls and carried a
doctor's bag to your house but those days are gone. It seems silly
for pet owners to have to go on purchasing over-priced prescriptions
from veterinarians while the cost of pet care rises dramatically
every year. Pet owners have access to cutting edge treatments that
are similar to the same treatment given to humans these days – and
we pay similar costs for it. Shouldn't we be able to save money where
we can on the cost of prescriptions?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rep.
Matheson also sees the similarity between physicians and vets. “In
the case of human doctors, they can’t dispense medication,” he
said. “We’ve made a decision that that is a conflict of interest.
I’m not raising that issue right now (for veterinary medicine), but
I could.” </span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Will
there be a backlash from veterinarians? Possibly. If this bill passes
at some time in the future, we could see other pet care costs rise as
vets try to make up the loss of income from prescriptions. Ethical?
Not really. But it could happen. Many vets already charge for an
“office visit.” What's that about? What does that cover? I
suppose it allows you and your dog to sit in the lobby for a few
minutes.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
one con for the bill that seems like a realistic concern is that
pharmacists are not well-versed in dosing for animals. If you take
your vet's prescription to your local pharmacy to be filled, your
pharmacist might not know about possible substitutions or how they
would affect a dog. He or she might not know if it's okay to sell you
a different size pill and tell you to cut it in half, and so on. Will
your vet be cooperative if the pharmacist has to call to get
information?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Other
people believe that this bill is a bad idea because they think that
the marketplace should sort things out. More laws, even to protect
pet owners, would only interfere with the rights of veterinarians to
practice and charge what they want.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ContentBody_Article1_MiscContentHTML7"></a>
I was curious about who was
supporting this bill and eventually found a group called APAW –
<a href="http://www.apaw.org/" target="_blank">Advocacy for Pets and Affordable Wellness</a>. APAW describes itself as “a national coalition of pet owners and
advocates dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of
America’s pets and empowering pet owners everywhere to demand
affordable, quality health care and medicine for their animals.”<br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On
its website, which focuses on the proposed legislation, APAW has a
page titled “Where to buy meds” that displays the logos of 45
retail supermarkets and pharmacies. The stores are, or are owned by,
Wal-Mart, Costco, K-Mart, Target, Albertson’s, Kroger, Bashas’
and Brookshire Brothers. Also in the listing is one online pharmacy,
PetCare Rx. Founded by a petsitter and dogwalker in Huntington Beach,
CA, the coalition is made up of politicians, veterinarians,
retailers, product companies and shelter groups.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Obviously,
these retailers have something to gain by supporting the legislation,
but it's good to know who is backing the bill. According to APAW, on
average, pet owners can save up to 80 percent on their pets'
medications by buying from non-vet sources.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rep.
Matheson also co-sponsored the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act
of 2003. This act, which passed, requires eye doctors to provide
patients with prescriptions that allows them to buy their lenses
somewhere else. There are a lot of similarities between this law and
the Fairness to Pet Owners Act.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I
don't usually like more laws and regulations but this time I think
pet owners are over a barrel when it comes to prescriptions. If you
need medication for your dog, you don't have options. You have to use
a vet. After much thought and consideration of the pros and cons, I
think the Fairness to Pet Owners Act is a good idea for pet owners. I
think that vets should provide us with a prescription so we can buy
medication for our pets anywhere we like. While veterinarians have a
near monopoly on selling pet medication, the prices remain high.
Giving pet owners more information and options about where they can
purchase medication for their pets should help lower costs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rep.
Matheson is not running for re-election and it is doubtful that this
bill will pass during what remains of this Congressional session.
However, we can expect to see the Fairness to Pet Owners Act again in
the future so remember the pros and cons. As costs for pet care rise,
this bill to save pet owners money on prescriptions will probably
look better and better.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-9136997002840807982014-10-13T07:50:00.000-07:002014-10-13T07:50:04.179-07:00Sentience Is Not Enough
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>This article originally appeared in <i>Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Sentience
Is Not Enough</b></span></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></span></h2>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Animal
rights activists have become fond of pointing out that dogs and other
animals are “sentient beings,” as though this is a new discovery.
In actuality, philosophers and scientists have been discussing the
sentience of animals since at least the 18<sup>th</sup>
century. Researchers today seem to amuse themselves by conducting
experiments to prove that animals are sentient, but this is not news
to most people, especially those of us who have dogs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Representative
Jim Moran (D-Virginia), long a thorn in the side when it comes to
animal legislation because of his joined-at-the-hip status with HSUS,
recently regaled readers of the political web site <a href="http://thehill.com/special-reports/213877-respect-of-animals-would-lead-to-more-empathetic-human-society#ixzz395v9w6Gn" target="_blank"><i>TheHill</i></a> with his thoughts
on animals as property and their status as sentient beings.<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://thehill.com/special-reports/213877-respect-of-animals-would-lead-to-more-empathetic-human-society#ixzz395v9w6Gn"></a></u></span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"I
recoil at the mindset, still espoused by some in Congress, that
animals are mere property rather than sentient beings. It is that
perverse worldview that led to mass exterminations of whole species
throughout history,” Moran wrote.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Fortunately
Moran, who has received 100 percent ratings from HSUS and been named
Humane Legislator of the Year by the Humane Society of the United
States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund, is retiring from
Congress. However, there are plenty of other members of Congress with
this same mindset who shill for HSUS.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Apparently
people don't understand what the word “sentient” means. Perhaps
the confusion for animal rights people – and that would seem to
include Rep. Moran – comes from their own philosophers. Sentience
is simply being able to feel or sense; having consciousness. There
are some who would argue that trees and plants have sentience.
Afterall, there are studies that show plants respond better when you
play music for them or talk to them. Vegans could be committing
murder when they eat a plate of kale.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When
it comes to animals, animal rights activists usually cite the 18<sup>th</sup>
century philosopher Jeremy Bentham as an early founder of animal
rights thought. He put forward the idea that if you can feel, then
you can suffer; and the ability to suffer conveys certain rights.
Even to animals. In <i>Introduction
to the Principles of Morals and Legislation</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
Bentham wrote:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><blockquote class="western" style="border: none; margin-bottom: 0.2in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>What else is it that should
trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason, or, perhaps,
the faculty of discourse? But a full-grown horse or dog is beyond
comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversable animal,
than an infant of a day, or a week, or even a month, old. But suppose
the case were otherwise, what would it avail?</i><i><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
The question is not Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can
they suffer?</span></span></i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Animal
rights activists argue that sentient beings of all kinds can
experience feelings of pleasure and pain. Most of us would probably
agree with this belief but ARs take it farther and would give animals
rights because they can feel.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In
the 20<sup>th</sup>
century animal rights philosophers have taken this concept even
farther. They have rejected some human rights – among them property
rights – in favor of animal rights, calling efforts to keep human
rights more important than animal rights “speciesism.” Peter
Singer, one of the modern founders of the animal rights movement,
wrote the following in his book <i>Animal
Liberation</i>:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Assume
that, as sometimes happens, an infant has been born with massive and
irreparable brain damage. The damage is so severe that the infant can
never be any more than a "human vegetable," unable to talk,
recognize people, act independently of others, or develop a sense of
self-awareness. The parents of the infant, realizing that they cannot
hope for any improvement in their child's condition and being in any
case unwilling to spend, or ask the state to spend, the thousands of
dollars that would be needed annually for proper care of the infant,
ask the doctor to kill the infant painlessly. <br />Legally, the doctor
should not [kill the infant], and in this respect the law reflects
the sanctity of life view. Yet people who would say this about the
infant do not object to the killing of nonhuman animals. How can they
justify their different judgments? Adult chimpanzees, dogs, pigs, and
members of many other species far surpass the brain-damaged infant in
their ability to relate to others, act independently, be self-aware,
and any other capacity that could reasonably be said to give value to
life. The only thing that distinguishes the infant from the animal,
in the eyes of those who claim it has a "right to life," is
that it is, biologically, a member of the species Homo sapiens...But
to use this difference as the basis for granting a right to life to
the infant and not to the other animals is, of course, pure
speciesism. It is exactly the kind of arbitrary difference that the
most crude and overt kind of racist uses in attempting to justify
racial discrimination.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Singer
takes Bentham's argument farther. Is an infant's life, even one with
brain damage, more important than the life of an animal? Is it
discrimination to value the life of a human more than that of an
animal? These are the arguments Singer raises, with the obvious
belief that an animal life is just as important as a human life.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-4"></a>
Gary Francione, another leading
animal rights philosopher, has a somewhat different view than Singer.
He is an abolitionist."All sentient beings, humans or nonhuman,
have one right: the basic right not to be treated as the property of
others." (From his blog.) For Francione and some other animal
rights philosophers, groups such as HSUS are not appreciated because
they work incrementally, through legislation, instead of calling for
the out and out abolition of pets and animal agriculture. These
groups are too slow for some AR philosophers who would like to see an
end to animal “enslavement” right away.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There
is no reason why sentient beings can't be property. We're talking
about dogs, cats, horses, farm animals, and all of the other animals
that populate our domesticated world. We're not discussing human
beings as slaves, even though ARs like to use the terminology of
slavery. Sentience – the ability to sense and feel – doesn't
convey some quasi-mystical status that gives animals human rights.
Sure they think and feel. I don't think many people are surprised by
that news. But they can't be held morally responsible for their
actions. They don't know right from wrong as humans do.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I
think most of us who have animals support animal welfare rather than
animal rights. This is the belief that we are responsible for taking
good care of our animals and preventing them from experiencing any
unnecessary pain or suffering. We are stewards of the animals in our
care and it's up to us to look after each generation so we can pass
it along to the people who follow us. That doesn't mean surrendering
our human rights or our property rights. It doesn't mean giving
animals rights either.<br /><br />Besides, people don't have to own
animals as property to exterminate whole species. Native Americans
didn't own the horses that were in the Americas before the continent
was colonized by Europeans but they hunted them to extinction.
According to biological diversity experts, we are losing dozens of
species (including amphibians, birds, fish, insects and other
creatures) per day simply because of changes to the environment.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So,
Rep. Moran's discussion of the sentience of animals seems a little
behind the times. Of course animals are sentient. Of course they feel
and sense things. That's not the point. Your dog still can't tell
right from wrong beyond knowing he's not supposed to poop in the
house – which you have taught him. Your dog doesn't have the moral
sense required to make or obey laws in a human society. Your dog
needs you to make these decisions for him and take care of him as a
domesticated animal. That's why we don't need animal rights. That's
why sentience is not enough.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-74569266104407125212014-10-13T07:45:00.000-07:002014-10-13T07:45:31.306-07:00Why the C-BARQ Pet Store Study is Garbage
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Why
the C-BARQ Pet Store Study is Garbage</b></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Carlotta
Cooper</b></h2>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If
you are at all familiar with research then you know that there are
good studies and bad studies. It's not unusual for the researchers
designing the study to have a bias or, in some cases, even set out to
prove their own hypothesis, regardless of the facts. Such is the case
with a study that has received lots of attention since it came out in
2013 – “Differences in behavioral characteristics between dogs
obtained as puppies from pet stores and those obtained from
noncommercial breeders,” by Frank McMillan, DVM, Dipl ACVIM, James
Serpell, PhD, Deborah L Duffy, PhD, Elmabrok Masoud, PhD, and Ian R.
Dohoo, DVM, PhD, published in the Journal<i> of the American
Veterinary Medical Association.</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Popular
headlines after the release of the study proclaimed, <b>Penn Vet
study finds pet store puppies come with increased risk</b>; and <b>Pet
store dogs have more psychological problems than dogs from breeders</b>.
But the truth is, we still don't know if that's true or not. That's
because the research for the study was ridiculously biased.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Since
most of us, as hobby breeders, presume that well-socialized puppies
raised in the home get a better start in life, it's easy to believe
that puppies that come from “noncommercial” breeders are better
off from a psychological viewpoint than puppies that come from pet
stores. Many of these pet store puppies probably come from commercial
– professional – breeders. Hobby breeders believe that our
puppies are bred with more care; that the parents are more carefully
chosen based on health, genetics, and conformation; and we believe
that our puppies are better socialized than any puppies that can come
from a commercial breeder. We also believe that we are careful when
we place our puppies in new homes. These things may be true in many
cases. That's not in dispute in this research.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What
should be disputed is the research itself which was slanted from the
start toward vilifying puppies that come from pet stores and their
commercial breeders.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
study looked at 413 dogs obtained from pet stores and contrasted them
to 5657 dogs obtained from breeders. The purpose was to compare
purebred dogs from different sources – obtained as puppies – at
approximately the same age.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
behavioral measurements for the study were obtained by using an
online version of the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research
Questionnaire (C-BARQ). This questionnaire had 100 questions and was
developed by James Serpell, one of the researchers on the team. It
asked questions based on the owner's observations of their dog's
typical responses to a variety of everyday situations. Behavior
assessed included trainability, excitability, aspects of sociability,
fearfulness, and expressions of aggression.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
researchers concluded that the data showed that dogs purchased from
pet stores were not as psychologically sound as dogs from breeders;
they showed less desirable behaviors in most categories; and did not
achieve better scores than breeder dogs in any category.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
most troubling results were reported in relation to aggressive
behavior. Owners of sexually intact pet store dogs were three times
more likely to report that their dogs had acted aggressively toward
them than similar dogs from breeders. The data showed that pet store
dogs were almost twice as likely to show aggression toward strange
dogs. The data even showed that pet store dogs were more likely to
have problems with aggression directed toward strangers and toward
other dogs in the home. And the study went on and on describing
behavior problems in pet store dogs. The researchers were blunt in
their assessment: </span></span><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"[U]ntil
the causes of the unfavorable differences detected in this group of
dogs can be specifically identified and remedied, we cannot recommend
that puppies be obtained from pet stores."</span></span></em></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Right
now you're probably nodding your head and thinking, “I knew it.
It's those pet store dogs giving all of us a bad name. Something
should be done about them. They're not socialized properly. Let's get
rid of them.” Well, hold on. As I said, the problem here is the way
this study was conducted – not the dogs.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How
can I say that? Because I took the survey for this study myself. Once
upon a time I saw an Irish Setter puppy in a pet store, felt sorry
for her, and bought her. Believe me when I say there was never a dog
with better mental health than Molly the Irish Setter. For that
matter, there has probably never been a dog with better physical
health. She was my dog well into her teen years with never a health
problem of any kind. She had no particular behavior problems unless
you consider Irish Setter energy and enthusiasm to be behavior
problems (some people do). She was one of the smartest dogs I have
ever owned.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So,
I felt well-qualified to take the C-BARQ survey for people who had
owned pet store dogs. That is why I can say, categorically and under
oath, that it was hopelessly slanted toward forcing owners to say
that their pet store dogs were sickly and had outrageous behavior
problems. Has your dog ever growled at another dog in the house over
the best place to sleep? Well then, your dog obviously has problems
with aggression. This is not very important if your dog comes from a
noncommercial breeder – dogs will be dogs -- but if your dog comes
from a pet store, time to call a town meeting! Shut down the pet
store!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As a
hobby breeder myself, I believe that we breed and raise the best
puppies anyone could wish for. But I also like to see honest research
and this piece of – research – doesn't cut it. HSUS is currently
using this study in an effort to try to eliminate pet stores in many
cities. Whether you like pet stores or not, it's important for all
dog breeders to realize that when cities and counties shut them down
or pass ordinances requiring pet stores to sell only shelter pets, it
puts hobby dog breeders at risk. To the general public everyone who
breeds a dog is pretty much the same. Your city commission has a hard
time distinguishing between a commercial breeder and what you, as a
hobby breeder, do. If they get rid of pet stores, the next item on
their agenda is getting rid of all breeders. That includes you. Try
to stay informed about what is happening in your area. Fight efforts
to close pet stores.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By
the way, if you're really interested in comparing pet store puppies
to puppies from other sources, you can check out this much more
comprehensive 1994 study:
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Scarlett,
Janet M., DVM, PhD; John E. Saidla, DVM; Roy V.H. Pollock, DVM, PhD,
“Source of acquisition as a risk factor for disease and death in
pups,” <i>Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association,</i>
204, No. 12 (1994), 1906-1913.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That
study indicates that puppies acquired from pet stores are as healthy
as those from any other source. It doesn't suggest any kind of mental
or psychological problems for puppies from commercial breeders
either. The study determined that the prevalence of serious disease,
behavior problems, and congenital problems did not differ
significantly regardless of where a puppy comes from. Data were
obtained and analyzed for 2,144 pups examined at 65 veterinary
hospitals in the northeastern United States to determine whether
there were significant differences in the frequency of disease and
death among pups acquired from private owners, Societies for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/pounds, breeders, or pet stores. All
health problems reported by owners and veterinarians in the first 2
weeks of ownership were tabulated. The prevalence of serious disease
among pups (resulting in death, euthanasia, return, or extensive
treatment) was < 4% for all sources and did not differ
significantly between pet stores and other sources. Pups from pet
stores had more respiratory tract disease, but fewer fleas and
parasites of the intestinal tract. Data supplied by the veterinarians
indicated that the risk of intestinal tract diseases was
significantly (P < or = 0.01) higher among pups from pet stores
and Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals/pounds,
compared with those from private owners. The prevalence of reported
behavioral and congenital problems did not differ among the 4
sources.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
nice thing about this study is that it was not based on an Internet
survey and the puppies were examined by veterinary professionals.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
moral of this story is that you should not believe every new study
that comes out today, especially if it is being promoted by animal
rights groups. Studies are frequently biased, especially if they are
about animals. Even if you agree with the results of a study, it's a
good idea to ask some questions because the study could very easily
be flawed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-19939522033096205162014-10-13T07:41:00.000-07:002014-10-13T07:57:56.344-07:00Ooo La La! France Changes the Status of Pets<b>This article originally appeared in <i>Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b><br />
<br />
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Ooo
La La! France Changes the Status of Pets</b></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Carlotta
Cooper</h2>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I
happen to believe that most of the bad ideas that crop up in the
United States commence in Europe. For Exhibit A I would like to offer
a recent vote in the French parlement. Following a petition that was
signed by nearly 700,000 French citizens (which goes to show you that
mob rule is still not a good idea), the French MPs voted to change
the status of animals from personal property (“movable goods”) to
“living and feeling beings.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
law the French were overthrowing dated from 1804 and was part of the
Napoleonic Code. The new legislation was sponsored by French
President Francois Hollande's Socialist party. Dogs, cats, horses,
and other animals in France will now have new rights and stronger
protection according to activists. Oddly enough, the French rejected
proposals to ban cockfighting and bullfighting.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
original petition was initiated by 30 Millions d'Amis (translated to
“30 Million Friends”). The head of that group, Reha Hutin,
applauded the vote, telling Britain's <i>Telegraph</i> that by
approving the bill the parlement recognized “an obvious fact:
animals are beings endowed by feelings.” “[It was] ridiculous to
see pets as pieces of furniture that can walk by themselves,” she
adds.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">By
all accounts, the new legislation will give France's 63 million pets
more protection from cruelty. (Apparently cockfighting and
bullfighting don't matter when it comes to cruelty.) Britain's <i>Daily
Mail</i> quoted philosopher and former education minister Luc Ferry,
who called the previous status of animals “absurd.” According to
Ferry, “animals suffer, they have emotions and feelings. It is not
a question of making animals subjects of the law… but simply of
protecting them against certain forms of cruelty.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The
change in the status of pets will also mean other things will change.
For instance, couples will be able to fight for shared custody of
pets in divorce cases. If a pet is run over by a negligent driver,
s/he will be able to sue for compensation for suffering. Inheritance
laws will also change to allow owners to leave their estates to their
pets</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Some
of these issues are already in play here in the U.S. and have been
working their way through the courts. Couples have already gone to
court over the custody of pets – and even of stored semen from stud
dogs. Owners have sued for suffering and emotional distress over the
loss of a pet with varying outcomes. And here in the U.S., many
owners leave large sums to their pets or for their future care after
their owners die.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While
these issues for pet owners in France may seem benevolent there are
other issues that could be much more problematic. Critics point out
that changing the status of animals could have detrimental effects on
breeding, hunting, fishing, and agriculture. There is concern that
animal rights activists could use the law to challenge animal
slaughter practices by arguing that it is wrong to kill “beings
with feelings” or to eat meat. Wolf culls and culls for other
dangerous animals could also be challenged. There is also the issue
of using animals for medical research which could be challenged on
the same grounds.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Not
mentioned by critics but no less worrisome is the fact that once pets
are no longer an owner's property, an owner has fewer rights
regarding the animal. It is much easier for the government or an
outside agency to take your pet from you when your pet is not your
property. A “living, feeling being” is much more of a free agent
or wildcard than a pet who belongs to you by law.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />I
think we all would like to see animals treated well and have good
animal welfare practiced everywhere in the world. Animals are
certainly </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><i>not</i></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
furniture. However, the issues that lie ahead in France, now that
they have taken this step, may illustrate some of the problems that
come when a society changes the status of animals from property to
non-property. Just because an animal has feelings doesn't mean it
should be autonomous. Or that it needs a lawyer or an activist to
speak for it.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-10842030165570717082014-10-13T07:35:00.004-07:002014-10-13T07:35:49.911-07:00Bells Are Ringing! (At Least For Now)
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>This article originally appeared in <i>Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Bells Are Ringing!
(At Least For Now)</b></h2>
<h2>
</h2>
<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Carlotta Cooper</b></h2>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Dog breeders in
Tennessee are celebrating, at least for the next few months.
Tennessee recently became the first and, so far, the only state to
get rid of a commercial breeder law. It took five years but the law
will be gone after June 2014.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It should be said at
the start that the commercial breeder law in Tennessee was never as
harsh as the laws passed in some states. The law was passed in 2009
during the first wave of commercial breeder laws. Perhaps HSUS had
not fine-tuned their approach yet. We also fought the law hard and
had a lot of help from hunters as the 2009 legislative session went
on. Most legislators would not oppose the law but they were troubled
by it enough that they weakened it considerably. In the end, the
Tennessee commercial breeder law had a sunset provision. It would end
in June 2014 unless the legislature voted to make it permanent.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As you might expect,
most of the owner and breeder groups in the state have been watching
and waiting anxiously over the last five years to see how things
would go. Early on it became apparent that hardly any dog (or cat)
breeders were signing up for state licenses. Informal statements made
by the new department set up to license and inspect “commercial”
breeders suggested that there was no one to license and inspect as
described in the commercial breeder law.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This information was
confirmed in a state audit from 2012 which revealed that only 20
breeders had signed up for the program. The commercial breeder law
had used figures from the Humane Society of the United States which
promised 500 breeders in the state would sign up and that the program
would be self-sustaining. Not just self-sustaining, but that the
program would be a money-maker for the state in terms of sales tax
and revenue from breeder license fees. By the end of 2013, the state
<a href="http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Fiscal/HB2385.pdf" target="_blank">reported </a>that the program was nearly a million dollars in debt and it
would continue to lose approximately $300,000 per year.<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"></span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Faced with these
obvious signs that the commercial breeder law was a complete failure,
the Tennessee legislature killed the bill that would have extended
the law and made it permanent. Even last ditch efforts by HSUS to
extend the law for just one year failed. Sometimes even legislators
can tell something is manure when they step in it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There were other signs
that things would not go well for HSUS and animal rights groups
during the 2014 session, but they started last year and earlier. HSUS
spent at least $100,000 lobbying against a bill in Tennessee in 2013
that would have required someone to share undercover videos of animal
abuse with law enforcement. They spent another $100,000 on a media
campaign against the same bill – a media campaign that got very
ugly and earned them no friends with the public or in the
legislature. Many legislators began to see a rotten, bullying side of
HSUS that they usually try to conceal.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One result of HSUS's
strong arm tactics last year was that every single animal rights bill
in the Tennessee legislature was defeated this year. Not just the
commercial breeder extension bill, but an animal abuse registry bill,
a tethering bill, and others never made it out of committee. Only one
bill made it out of a subcommittee.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It would be nice to
think that Tennessee dog owners and breeders could count on these
results every year but, unfortunately, we can't. Every year is
different and this is an election year. Legislators who understand
our issues need support. Some may be defeated. Some may retire. New
lawmakers are always being elected and they may not know anything
about dog breeders or pet issues. No matter what state you live in,
it's important for you to stay in touch with your state
representative and senator. Let them know how you feel about animal
issues. Lawmakers frequently say that they vote for or against
something because they only hear from one side. Let your legislators
hear from you so they know that dog owners and breeders care about
these issues. The same goes for your U.S. representative and senator.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tennessee owners and
breeders owe special thanks to the Tennessee Federation of Dog Clubs,
the Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance (SAOVA), and to
the AKC for their legislative help this year. Thank you to everyone
who made a phone call or sent an e-mail. Now we'll start working on
next year's agenda because we know that HSUS will be back with
another version of a commercial breeder bill.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">
</span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-45066995418020227472014-10-13T07:31:00.003-07:002014-10-13T07:31:42.993-07:00Is Your Breed "Vulnerable"?
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>This article originally appeared in<i> Dog News</i> and is published here by permission of the author. </b></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Is Your Breed
“Vulnerable”?</b></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span></h2>
<h2 class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carlotta Cooper</b></span></h2>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Kennel Club in
Britain recently released their 2013 registration information,
including breed figures. For those of us with breeds with smaller
registration numbers, even in the U.S., it's refreshing to see this
kind of information. I have a breed (English Setters) that's been
hovering around the “vulnerable” mark in Britain – that is, a
native British breed with fewer than 300 individuals registered per
year. English Setters grew from 312 puppies registered in 2012 to 326
registered in 2013. Pop the champagne! It's certainly too soon to
celebrate but just a couple of years ago the breed only registered
234 puppies after a decade of decline. And the English Setter is by
no means as bad off as some of the other native breeds. You can see
registration numbers for the breeds registered in the UK <a href="http://www.dogworld.co.uk/shopimages/products/normal/mainsite/tables7.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>, along
with their 2012 numbers<a href="http://./"><span style="color: navy;"><u>.</u></span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Total Kennel Club
registration figures for 2013 were 223,770. That's 5,460 fewer than
in 2012 which represents a 2 percent drop, though Kennel Club
officials note that the last quarter of the year showed a slight
recovery in numbers. The three most popular breeds in Britain remain
the same as in 2012, though with slightly reduced numbers: Labrador
Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels (English, to us), and the English
Springer Spaniel. You should keep in mind that the United Kingdom is
a nation of some 63 million people when looking at their numbers –
about one-fifth the population of the United States at 313 million
people.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Vulnerable breeds,
overall, increased their registrations by about 2 percent. However,
some vulnerable breeds continue to struggle. Registrations for the
Skye Terrier, for example, fell by 59 percent last year with the
breed registering only 17 puppies.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately, we
currently have little idea what the individual breed figures are for
our breeds here in the U.S. Per Alan Kalter's recent Chairman's
Report, the AKC registered 479,404 dogs in 2013, but I haven't seen
an individual breakdown of the breeds. I think we all know that there
are plenty of pressures on breeders and buyers today which are
responsible for the drop in registrations. We have a heavy push from
animal shelters for people to get a mixed breed dog instead of buying
a purebred puppy. Animal rights people talk trash about dog breeders
and purebred dogs at every opportunity. It's more expensive to breed
and show dogs today. New laws make it harder and harder to keep and
raise dogs. There is lots of social pressure on dog owners to spay
and neuter puppies as soon as possible instead of thinking about
breeding a litter at some point. We're living in a different world
than the one that existed in 1992 when AKC registered 1.5 million
dogs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since we are living in
a different world today, we need to get rid of the old playbook,
especially those of us who have “vulnerable” breeds. We may not
have the same kennel club-sanctioned program here in the U.S. that
exists in Britain, but there are certainly breeds here which have to
be cognizant of the fact that we don't register many dogs each year
and we have a small gene pool. That's why it would be so helpful if
AKC would once again start posting the breed registration statistics
– both the litters and individual dogs registered. If the AKC is
now registering one-third of the dogs that they registered in 1992,
it means that the individual breed numbers are also down. We need to
know what those numbers are so we can take action. There are many
people in each breed who won't take these issues seriously until they
see how low the numbers in their breed have gotten in the last few
years.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Your Flat-Coated
Flugelhound may still be ranked 54<sup>th</sup> in the registration<span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span><i><b>rankings</b></i><span style="font-weight: normal;"> but
that tells you nothing about how many litters are born or how many
dogs are registered. Your breed might be on the verge of extinction
and you wouldn't know it.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now,
according to the old playbook, we, as “responsible breeders” sold
puppies on limited registration or with spay/neuter contracts. We did
not breed every puppy in a litter. We didn't have to because there
were lots of puppies being produced and we could pick and choose.
Even as more and more health and genetic tests became available, we
could toss out any dog who had the slightest problem we didn't like.
And you know what happened? We now have fewer and fewer dogs being
bred and fewer puppies being registered.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
think, when we see those individual breed statistics again, we will
find that many breeds are looking at low numbers. If we want to save
our breeds, we have to change our thinking and our tactics.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
No more spay/neuter contracts unless a puppy has a serious fault.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Encourage your puppy buyers to consider breeding their puppy when
s/he's an adult. Become a mentor to them.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Try to use more dogs and bitches in each litter for breeding.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Don't remove dogs from your breeding program for small problems.
Weigh and consider pros and cons of health issues.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><ul>
<li><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Learn more about genetics and good breeding practices in general.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm
not saying to produce a lot of mutts or become a puppy farmer. I'm
not telling you to lower your standards. And I'm not saying that you
shouldn't health test your dogs. What I am saying is that these
suggestions can help breeds who have lower numbers. Include more
puppy buyers in your future breeding plans and more dogs in the gene
pool and it can help increase the number of dogs bred as well as the
overall health of the breed. This isn't something that I thought of
all by myself. Some of these ideas come from population genetics.
It's good to use more dogs and bitches in the gene pool; and it's
good to keep individuals in the gene pool if they don't have major
problems and you use them sparingly. Most of all, you want to breed
more instead of less. If we don't do some of the things recommended
here for breeds with low numbers, then at some point in the future it
might become necessary to use outcross breeding to try to save
various breeds. I don't think that's something that most breeders of
purebred dogs look forward to with pleasure.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
think it would be great if AKC would do something to encourage
breeders with some of the breeds with low numbers but they would have
to identify them first. Maybe they could reduce the price of
registering a litter by a few dollars or give a breeder/owner some
recognition for persevering with these breeds – it's really not
easy finding majors when you have a breed with such low numbers!
(Especially if you live in the middle of nowhere, as I do.) We need
to keep these breeders and owners involved with their breeds or they
will be doomed to extinction.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
know these ideas go against the grain for many breeders. They are
contrary to popular thought today that encourages people to
spay/neuter every dog and breed very little. But if we want to keep a
lot of our breeds around, we need to take actions like these. If you
love your breed and you want to make them less vulnerable, keep
breeding, despite all the obstacles. Their futures are in our hands
and we have to make sure we leave them strong and healthy for the
next generation.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now,
if we can just see those breed statistics.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-43882149435506538052014-06-20T14:24:00.000-07:002014-06-20T14:29:59.261-07:00 Radical Environmentalism and the Doggy Apocalypse<br /><br /><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We recently celebrated Earth Day around
the world. I can recall being a very young (note the <i><b>very</b></i>)
child when the first Earth Day was held in 1970. I believe we did
something in school that was radical at the time like gathering up
old newspapers at home and bringing them into class to be recycled.
Since my father took two newspapers a day and read the Sunday paper,
I think I had to bring in newspapers in a wheelbarrow. The first
Earth Day was celebrated in some 2000 colleges and universities and
by about 10,000 primary and secondary schools, along with many
communities. Today Earth Day is celebrated in more than 192 countries
each year. According to the Earth Day Network the day is now the
largest secular holiday in the world. (I <i>am</i> going somewhere
dog-related with this. Be patient.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Does Earth Day actually do any good for
the environment? Well, yes, it probably does since it provides a
reminder to people about environmental issues. There's a “but”
coming and it has to do with environmentalism and activism and taking
things too far. And that's where we finally find dogs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="contrib-shift"></a>Thanks to
some of the more radical elements that support the environmental
cause, we have articles such as <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/reduce-pets-sustainable-future-cats-dogs?CMP=twt_gu" target="_blank">“Are pets bad for the environment?”</a>
by author Erik Assadourian from <i>The Guardian</i> in Britain.
“With the world's resources under increasing pressure, Erik
Assadourian argues that pet ownership needs a drastic rethink.”
According to Mr. Assadourian, pets are a drain on the world's
resources so we should, well, stop having pets. If that's not
feasible, the author suggests things such as having smaller pets
because they eat less. That's the gentlest of his suggestions.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As our pets increasingly adopt the
consumer habits of their owners, it's clear that no matter how
'green' this industry becomes, it will never become sustainable. But
even if we severely restrict what pet products can be sold, and even
if we stop overfeeding our increasingly overweight pet populations...
can pets be part of a sustainable future?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The short, if unpopular, answer is
probably not. Two German Shepherds use more resources just for their
annual food needs than the average Bangladeshi uses each year in
total. And while pet owners may disagree that Bangladeshis have more
right to exist than their precious Schnookums, the truth is that pets
serve little more societal purpose than keeping us company in an
increasingly individualistic and socially isolated consumer society.</span></span></div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Clearly, we are all bad people for
having pets. We must be harming the environment and we're keeping
those poor Bangladeshis from existing. By all means, yes, let's
restrict what pet products can be sold because, well, capitalism and
democracy – those economic and political systems which encourage
individualism – are obsolete and harmful. Pets are obviously
harmful and they serve no important purpose in society. Besides, we
live in this horrible individualistic and socially-isolated consumer
society – that depends on capitalism and democracy. And they are
bad, right? (That was sarcasm, in case you were wondering.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe this guy has some other agenda?
Like maybe he just really doesn't like our current society?
Personally, I don't want someone – or a government – telling me
what pet products I can buy. And I certainly don't want anyone
telling me I cannot own pets. Or that I have to own a small pet
instead of the pet of my choice because some environmental extremist
in another country (or in this one) believes that pets are using too
many resources.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oh, those pets are such “ravenous
consumers.” Those bad bad cats and dogs. The author goes on to
predict a dreadful future when climate disrupts grain supplies and
the cost of food becomes too high. People will abandon their pets by
the millions, apparently leaving us all at the mercy of some doggy
apocalypse. At that point, people will be eating pets anyway, so
everything will work out just fine. Or perhaps roaming hordes of feral dogs will be eating humans. It's hard to say. (This is why I call this a
radical environmental view.)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not content with this message of doom
and gloom, the man goes on to invoke Bob Barker (never a good sign)
and suggests “a very steep tax on pets (along with pet products and
pet food) and tripling that tax for pets that aren't spayed or
neutered (so that only breeders would choose not to fix their pets).”
He also suggests that marketing of pets and pet products could be
banned and “polluting veterinarian services like chemotherapy”
should only be done on service animals. He says if people in poorer
countries can't afford advanced treatments, then pets shouldn't have
them either.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At this point I believe I stopped
reading before my head exploded.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I could write a lengthy description of
all the things dogs do to help humans and justify their presence in
society, but why bother? If they do nothing else at all, dogs are
good pets and they have been with humans for at least 15,000-33,000
years (probably longer). I love my dogs not because they can hunt or
scare away someone who comes to the door uninvited, or for any of the
other historic reasons people keep dogs. I love them because they are
good companions. I will probably go on loving them in the event of a zombie apocalypse -- human or canine.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whatever your views about global
warming or global cooling or kill-shots from the sun or any other
extinction events in the future – near or far – can we please
agree that we need to share our lives with our pets? Our pets make
our lives better in innumerable ways. I know I'm preaching to the
choir for many pet lovers. Dogs and cats (and other pets)
provide friendship, love, and companionship. For many people they are
family – sometimes the only family we have. They stand with us
through good and bad. They don't care if we are rich or poor. They
accept our lot in life no matter what it may be. All they ask is that
they can be with us.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It honestly breaks my heart to think that
someone would advocate for a world of humans without pets or that
there are people who believe that pets consume too many resources. We
all know that there are countless owners who would go without food in
order to feed their pets. Of course the environment is important and
we have to take care of our wonderful world. But wherever there are
humans, there will be pets. That's a bond that's too close to break.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-72211233603464409412014-04-02T09:34:00.000-07:002014-04-02T09:34:08.956-07:00Good Ol' Boys? Not So Fast
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I apologize for being absent for so
long. It's been a busy legislative session in Tennessee. Every year
there are always lots of bills relating to animals introduced and
it's important to analyze them to see how they impact pet owners,
breeders, animal businesses such as groomers, boarding kennels, and
others, and generally figure out if a bill is needed, stupid,
redundant, or downright harmful. Many bills are introduced by
legislators who have good intentions – often because it is
requested by a constituent who sees a real need in their district.
However, too often the bill only looks at one side of an issue or the
problem is so particular that it's already covered under existing law
or it would be foolish to make a state law to cover it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2868_com_zimbra_url"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2869_com_zimbra_url"></a>
There was an article posted online yesterday that caught my
attention: <a href="http://www.wsmv.com/story/25135672/series-of-pet-protection-bills-die-in-tn-legislature" target="_blank">Series of pet protection bills die in TN legislature</a> According to this article, our House Ag committee is a black hole
where good animal protection bills go to die.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
From the article:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
One proposal would have placed animal
cruelty convicts on a registry for two years. One member of the House
agriculture committee said it would endanger bird dog trainers, and
the bill died. <br /><br />Another proposal would have continued
inspections at puppy mills. And a third would have required
Tennesseans who tie up their dogs outside to give them at least 10
feet. Those bills aren't moving forward. </blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Supposedly, bills die as the result of
some kind of “good ol' boy network.” Hogwash. I remember when I
was new to legislation and the actions of legislators and committees
seemed cruel and mysterious. I also thought things happened because
of some good ol' boy network that was lined up against me and my
friends. Well, maybe there is some of that at work in legislatures.
People are only human and friendships probably play a role. But I can
also say that what happens in the legislature happens because of hard
work, study, and lots of communication.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here's what happened to the bills
above, for example. The animal abuser registry bill has been
introduced in Tennessee repeatedly, and defeated repeatedly, for
several years. It is pushed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF),
one of the most left-wing animal rights groups in the country. They
seek to give animals legal status as persons and animal abuse
registries – which have never been legalized by any state – are
one of their pet projects, so to speak. While this particular bill
may have been instigated by a local constituent group, it serves the
same purpose. While many people think that animal abuse is a gateway
crime to becoming a serial killer and other serious crimes, there is
contradictory <a href="http://saova.org/ALDF_AbuserRegistry.html" target="_blank">evidence</a>. When legislators were given this information, they killed the bill.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The “puppy mill” or commercial
breeder law in Tennessee was set to expire in June of this year. A
bill was introduced that would have removed the sunset provision and
made the law permanent. However, the commercial breeder law,
established in 2009, was nearly <a href="http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Fiscal/HB2385.pdf" target="_blank">$1 million over budget</a>. The law was
based on figures from HSUS that stated Tennessee would sign up 500
breeders by 2014. The state signed up 20 breeders. The program was a
complete failure and it would have been incalculably irresponsible
for legislators to allow the program to continue when it was based on
inaccurate fiscal data from HSUS and losing $300,000 per year.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The tethering bill that would have
required people to keep dogs on tethers at least 10 feet long was,
frankly, a disaster of a bill. First, tethering is already covered in
Tennessee's cruelty statutes. Second, this bill was opposed by dog
trainers, hunters, and groomers. Why? Because the way the bill was
written, it would have affected all of these people who use short
tie-outs for dogs in the normal course of their training and work. A
dog groomer keeping a dog in place with a grooming noose on a table
could have been included in this bill – that's how slippery the
language was. A dog trainer keeping a dog in place on a short leash
could have been included. (Ever worked with a clicker trainer who
tries to teach a dog the “quiet” command?) Hunters keeping dogs
on a “chain gang” would have become criminals. That's why this
bill was defeated. Not because of a “good ol' boy” network or
because the House Ag committee is a black hole for legislation. It's
because the House Ag committee actually has some common sense when it
comes to dogs.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
People may call these “animal
protection” bills and bemoan the fact that they didn't pass but
there were darn good reasons why all of these bills deserved to die.
Just because something sounds good or makes you feel all warm and
fuzzy doesn't mean it's really good for animals or animal owners.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-2725026621883788722014-01-30T19:03:00.000-08:002014-01-30T19:47:20.984-08:00I Vote For My Dogs<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>I Vote For My Dogs</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Carlotta Cooper</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When you share your opinions with
people as much as I do, you tend to get a lot of feedback from
readers. Some of it is quite nice and I'm grateful. Those responses
usually come from people who read <a href="http://dognews.com/" target="_blank"><b>DOG NEWS</b></a>. I get messages
that are much more hateful from animal rights people when I post
online about animal rights issues or reply to a news article about
dog breeding or animal legislation. If I listened to some of these
people I would have various broken bones and/or be dead by now. One
person told me that I was “pretending to be a humane person”
because the avatar photo with my online reply was a picture of my
dog. It seems that only animal rights people can love their dogs.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One kind of message always leaves me a
little confused. If I state an opinion disliking AR-inspired
regulation for dog breeders, I often get approving messages from
people who assume that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool conservative or Tea
Party person. They're ready to take me to the next meeting and tell
me all about the horrors of the Democratic party.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I should say right here that I don't
really have a party anymore. I'm a dog person. I vote for my dogs.
Property rights, regulation, finances – for me everything comes
down to how things are going to affect me and my dogs. When someone
runs for office, I want to know if HSUS owns them or not. Actually,
if HSUS can buy a politician, someone else can probably buy him or
her, too, but that's the issue that concerns me. I no longer care
which party someone is in. I think there are good and bad people in
both parties. One of the things I do in my state each election is
help the <a href="http://saova.org/" target="_blank">Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance </a>send out and
analyze questionnaires about animal issues for candidates running for
office so we can make endorsements. They have volunteers in many
states who work on this project and it's a good way to know where
candidates stand on animal issues.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However, my best friend is a liberal
Democrat who does just as much to fight bad dog legislation as I do.
I know that it drives her crazy when people assume that you have to
be a conservative Republican to oppose animal rights. The tone of
many e-mail lists about dog legislation IS conservative or
Republican-oriented and that's too bad in some ways. I think it makes
Democrats and liberals feel under attack or responsible for some of
the things that animal rights people do in the name of “helping”
animals.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why is animal rights linked to liberals
or the Democratic party? Well, it's a social issue. At one time, in
the 19<sup>th</sup> century, improving care for animals was linked to
improving care for children in our society. The idea that people are
brutish and it requires government intervention to make them behave
better and live the way they “should” live is a liberal idea.
Plus, we live in a time when increased government regulation is
associated with the Democratic party. And, it's the Democratic party
that includes a caucus for animal rights at their Convention. Animal
rights is just one of a long list of ways the party wants to make the
world better, even if people object.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Please hold your letters. I began life
as a Democrat, from generations of Democrats. FDR was a saint in my
parents' home. My great-grandfather was named after Thomas Jefferson.
I love the ideals of the Democratic party. I get them. I really do.
But what began as a rural party with an affinity for farmers is more
of an urban party now. When you look at polling data in any election
now, you usually find that Republicans and conservatives win in rural
areas – where there are more likely to be farmers and other people
deeply involved with animals. Democrats and liberals are more likely
to win in the cities. So, while today's Democratic party still shares
some of the ideals of yesteryear, the demographic has changed to a
large extent.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As you might imagine, this is a problem
for dog owners, whether they are Republicans or Democrats. While HSUS
donates to both Republican and Democratic candidates, they are far
more heavily invested in Democratic candidates. They have a much
stronger base in cities and universities and among young people. Many
animal rights people today are located in cities and when they speak
about animal issues they are speaking from ignorance. If they have
pets they have probably only had a spayed or neutered animal. They
don't know anything about breeding or whelping. They don't know about
most health issues. They don't think in terms of generations. And
they are usually completely ignorant of normal farming practices,
even mistaking some ordinary things for “cruelty.” It's not easy
to convince a 20-year-old college kid in the city that they don't
know everything there is to know about animals. Afterall, you've only
spent your entire life breeding and raising dogs. They have read an
article online. All of this makes them easy prey for a manipulative
group like HSUS to brainwash them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's easy for HSUS and ALDF (the Animal
Legal Defense Fund – an animal rights legal group) to recruit young
kids on colleges in urban areas. They can appeal to a natural urge to
help animals and portray breeders and farmers – older people who
live out in the sticks – as the bad guys. For these organizations
and their recruits, they can subtly promote animal rights as a war on
an older generation; as an attack on people whose values they despise
– people who defend their property and claim their animals are part
of that property by law. Because of the urban/rural party split, for
many people it's also an attack on conservatives and others who
believe the government is engaging in overreach and too much
regulation. “These breeders must be regulated! They are doing
terrible things to animals! Without government regulation, they will
_____.” Fill in the blank. It's whatever HSUS and their allies can
come up with to scare Congress and the public.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All of this happens without reference
to the people who are most knowledgeable about dogs, of course,
because, according to this paradigm, they can't be trusted.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Obviously, this version of reality
ignores the fact that HSUS raises millions of dollars annually by
using sad photos of kittens and puppies in order to spend the money
on lobbying, pensions, and other things of self-interest. It's called
“conflict fundraising.” Create a problem so you can make money on
it. HSUS is expert at it. You have to wonder how many young people
might choose to go into animal husbandry because they love animals if
they weren't being diverted by the conflict needlessly created by
HSUS. We have already lost several generations to the AR movement
when they might have been more productively involved in animal
welfare instead of animal rights.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All of this is to say that whether you
are a Democrat or a Republican, it doesn't matter. Our common enemy
is still the animal rights movement and HSUS. I would just point out
that you don't have to be a Republican or a conservative to hate the
over-regulation of breeders. In fact, some Democrats and liberals can
feel alienated by their more conservative friends on dog lists when
these subjects come up. Bad legislation is just that – bad
legislation. You don't have to belong to one party or another to be
able to recognize it or hate it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-52735314002044575902013-10-29T09:29:00.001-07:002013-10-29T09:29:07.765-07:00A Question of Identity
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>This article was originally published in the October 25, 2013 issue of <a href="http://dognews.com/" target="_blank">DOG NEWS</a>. It is reprinted here by permission of the author. </b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>A Question of Identity</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carlotta Cooper</b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Since September, when APHIS announced
the final version of their regulation affecting dog breeders, there
has been much discussion about what to do, who it affects, and what
it will mean for breeders in the future. I don't think it's
stretching things too much to say that this rule is a turning point
for dog breeders. It calls upon us to ask ourselves who we are going
to be. Are we going to remain traditional hobby breeders, generally
breeding according to the ethical guidelines of breed parent clubs?
Or, are we going to become regulated commercial breeders operating
under the rules of the Animal Welfare Act? In short, it's a question
of identity.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Bear with me while I relate a little
history, please.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">While most people are aware that the
Irish came to the United States in great numbers, they usually think
that this happened in the 1840s, as a result of the potato famine. In
reality, the Irish, and Scotch-Irish from Northern Ireland, had been
coming to America since the 17th century in large numbers. This was
largely because of something called the Penal Laws in Ireland. These
laws were passed by Britain, which ruled Ireland (it's a long story),
with the explicit intention of stamping out resistance to British
rule.</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Under the Penal Laws Catholics,
Presbyterians, and other dissenters from British rule were singled
out and punished with the following acts (among others):</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Exclusion of
Catholics from most public offices (since 1607), Presbyterians were
also barred from public office from 1707. </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ban on intermarriage
with Protestants; repealed 1778 </span>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Catholics barred from
holding firearms or serving in the armed forces (rescinded by
Militia Act of 1793) </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Bar from membership
in either the Parliament of Ireland or the Parliament of England</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Disenfranchising Act
1728, exclusion from voting until 1793; </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Exclusion from the
legal professions and the judiciary; </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Education Act 1695 –
ban on foreign education; repealed 1782. </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Bar to Catholics and
Protestant Dissenters entering Trinity College Dublin; repealed
1793. </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ban on Catholics
inheriting Protestant land </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Prohibition on
Catholics owning a horse valued at over £5 (in order to keep horses
suitable for military activity out of the majority's hands) </span>
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="cite_ref-5"></a>'No
person of the popish religion shall publicly or in private houses
teach school, or instruct youth in learning within this realm' upon
pain of twenty pounds fine and three months in prison for every such
offence. Repealed in 1782. [5] </span>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Source: <i>Wikipedia</i>,
“<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penal_Laws_%28Ireland%29" target="_blank">Penal Laws, Ireland</a>”)</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">According to British
statesman Edmund Burke, writing at the end of the 18<sup>th</sup>
century, <span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">"The
Penal Laws were a machine of wise and elaborate contrivance, as well
fitted for the oppression, impoverishment and degradation of a
people, and the debasement in them of human nature itself, as ever
proceeded from the perverted ingenuity of man.”</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">Some
of these laws were not repealed until Ireland separated from Britain
following World War I. They undoubtedly played a role in stirring
Irish anger and rebellion throughout the 18</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><sup><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">th</span></sup></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">
and 19</span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><sup><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">th</span></sup></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">
centuries.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">You
can see from reading these laws that in many cases the purpose was to
strip the Irish population of their identity. Beyond practical
measures like depriving people of a good horse, the government was
making sure that the Irish Catholic point of view was not represented
in Parliament; that Irish Catholics were not well-educated; and they
were making it as hard as possible to carry on with their religion
and other ways of life. The only way for advancement was to become a
Protestant and embrace the British rule of Ireland.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">Looking
back, we know that these efforts were unsuccessful. However, for
approximately three centuries they brought pain and suffering to
millions of Irish and caused many Irish to leave the country for
America, Canada, and other places where they could be free.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">Does
the APHIS rule rise to the level of the Penal Laws? Well, perhaps
not. But it certainly shares elements with them. I would also say
that, taken as a whole, the laws that have been instigated by the
animal rights movement to deprive breeders and pet owners of their
rights are made with the same purpose as the Penal Laws. Animal
rights laws are being made with the intention of making it as hard as
possible to continue breeding dogs or other animals; and the new
APHIS regulation falls into that category. These laws are also made
with the intention of depriving us of our identity. The APHIS rule
would change us from small home breeders to commercial breeders
subject to the Animal Welfare Act laws. That means that you couldn't
have a litter of puppies in your bedroom or kitchen or interact with
your dogs in the same way you do now. It would break the close bond
you have with your dogs.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">While
there are some possible exemptions under the APHIS rule, they are
mostly found in the 88 pages of commentary that accompanies the
actual rule which renders them somewhat “squishy.” They can be
read as agency intent but, if push comes to shove when you are
dealing with an APHIS inspector, the inspector can follow the letter
of the rule. If you are claiming an exemption because you breed for
“breeding purposes,” yet you sell some of your puppies as pets,
you might find yourself being investigated by APHIS on a “case by
case” basis.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">Even
if APHIS is lenient with these exemptions in the beginning, it seems
likely that this honeymoon period won't last. How long before HSUS
threatens to sue APHIS to force them to adhere to the actual rule and
disregard the rosy commentary and the gauzy exemptions? We know that
HSUS has its own team of lawyers and they are more than willing to
sue government agencies at the drop of a hat. They will sue to make
APHIS enforce the rule more strictly, if necessary. That would mean
an end to most of the feel-good exemptions that APHIS has been
peddling in order to soothe breeders and prevent an injunction prior
to the rule going into effect on November 18. Everything that seems
ambiguous now can and will be read as HSUS wishes it to be read after
November 18, even if they have to take APHIS/USDA to court to make
that happen. There is no reason to think that won't happen. That is
the HSUS track record. When has HSUS ever been satisfied with a rule,
regulation, or law? Even in the initial conference call announcing
the new rule, HSUS and ASPCA officials stated their disappointment
with some aspects of the new rule while praising APHIS for regulating
breeders.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">This
new rule does strike at the identity of dog breeders. Will you become
USDA licensed and kennel your dogs? Will you convert part of your
home to an area that can house dogs under AWA rules? Will you have
unannounced inspections of your home or property? Will you allow the
USDA to turn you into a commercial breeder? What will happen to hobby
dog breeders? Unlike the Irish, we can't take up our belongings (or
our dogs) and head for another country.</span></span></div>
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</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">Sure,
if you have four or fewer bitches and/or you never ship a puppy, you
probably have nothing to worry about. You can keep your head down and
ignore everything going on around you. But if you care about your
breed at all, you should care about what happens. How many people in
your breed will be affected by the new rule? Every breeder who is
affected means someone – and their dogs – could be stopped from
breeding. That means a loss of your breeding options. It means a stud
dog you can't use or a puppy you can't buy in the future. Most of our
breeds already have small gene pools. A rule like this, which will
make it harder for many people to breed, will harm our breeds. It
affects every single one of us who loves intentionally-bred dogs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: times new roman, new york;">I
believe that we should choose to remain hobby breeders. Those who
claim that this rule will not harm hobby breeders are mistaken or
living in denial. There are options. You can write to your
congressman. You can write to the <a href="http://democrats.agriculture.house.gov/singlepages.aspx?NewsID=34&LSBID=23|69" target="_blank">House Agriculture Committee</a>. You
can contact AKC <a href="mailto:doglaw@akc.org" target="_blank">Government Relations</a>. You will likely get back form
letters in reply. But over 70,000 people signed the AKC's petition
against the APHIS rule last year. Breeders oppose this rule. If a
case can be made, we need AKC to step up and speak for us now to stop
this rule. Otherwise, hobby breeders are going to cease to exist as
we know them now.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-6914978264516846592013-08-14T17:23:00.001-07:002013-08-15T07:56:45.947-07:00We Found The Money You Donated To HSUS<span style="font-size: large;">Want to see something interesting? Take a look at the report that was recently filed with the Tennessee Ethics Commission by lobbyists working on behalf of the Humane Society of the United States.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TM6FCEN53GFg1DLKqp8cUAIshH8Zj9W_3gcSWGC5GrDcxOiqrGgHNOpPsEOwy_PXscgINWTpuGiVWRTdYf99x1kuS8cUNTHylp9x-wzlo9EzBCQrjhd3hikauN-9QBK9GnyI1U6WSE/s1600/Expenditure+Report+-+Lobby_20130814-104903.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TM6FCEN53GFg1DLKqp8cUAIshH8Zj9W_3gcSWGC5GrDcxOiqrGgHNOpPsEOwy_PXscgINWTpuGiVWRTdYf99x1kuS8cUNTHylp9x-wzlo9EzBCQrjhd3hikauN-9QBK9GnyI1U6WSE/s640/Expenditure+Report+-+Lobby_20130814-104903.png.jpg" width="537" /></a></div>
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Tennessee Ethics Commission </div>
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<h1>
Lobbying Expenditure Report (ss-8011)</h1>
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<h2>
Contact Information </h2>
<label for="pName">Name</label>The Humane Society of the U.S. <br />
<label for="pAdd1">Address</label>2100 L Street, NW <br />
<label for="pCity">City</label>Washington <br />
<label for="pCountry">Country</label>UNITED STATES <br />
<label for="pState">State/Province</label>DC <br />
<label for="pZip">Zip/Postal Code</label>20037 <br />
<label for="pPhone">Phone Number</label>850-386-3435
<label class="nofloat" for="pPhoneExt">Ext.</label> <br />
<label for="pFax">Fax Number</label> 850-386-4534<br />
<label for="pEmail">Email Address</label>nkrzycki@humanesociety.org <br />
<h2>
Company Leadership Information </h2>
<label for="CEOname">Name of CEO</label>Wayne Pacelle <br />
<label for="CFOname">Name of CFO </label>Gwen Crane <br />
<label for="LOBsuperName">Name of Lobbyist Supervisor</label>Laura Bevan <br />
<label for="LOBsuperTitle">Title of Lobbyist Supervisor</label>Regional Director<br />
<h2>
Nature of Company Business</h2>
<label>-</label>agriculture<br />
<label>-</label>crime & criminal procedure<br />
<label>-</label>environment/public lands<br />
<label>-</label>law enforcement<br />
<label>-</label>parks & wildlife<br />
<br />
<label for="">Nature / interest of the employer, e.g. "insurance company," "professional association," etc.</label> nonprofit organization<br />
<h2>
Total Aggregate Lobbyist Compensation</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> $25,000 - $50,000<br />
<h2>
Lobbying-Related Expenses</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> $50,000 - $100,000<br />
<h2>
Aggregate Total of All In-State Events</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> None<br />
<h2>
Lobbyist Information</h2>
<table class="taglib" style="width: 100%px;">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="sortable">Name</th>
<th class="sortable">Address</th>
<th class="sortable">City</th>
<th class="sortable">State</th>
<th class="sortable">Zip</th>
<th class="sortable">Country</th>
<th class="sortable">In-House </th>
<th class="sortable">Date Added</th>
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</thead>
<tbody>
<tr class="even">
<td>Leighann McCollum </td>
<td><span style="background-color: black;">1011 Buckingham Circle</span> </td>
<td>Franklin</td>
<td>TN</td>
<td>37064</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td><input checked="checked" disabled="disabled" id="" name="" type="checkbox" value="Y" />In-House</td>
<td>08/07/2013</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>David McMahan </td>
<td>211 7th Ave North</td>
<td>Nashville</td>
<td>TN</td>
<td>37219</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td><input disabled="disabled" id="" name="" type="checkbox" value="Y" />In-House</td>
<td>08/07/2013</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Anna Richardson </td>
<td>211 7th Ave North</td>
<td>Nashville</td>
<td>TN</td>
<td>37219</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td><input disabled="disabled" id="" name="" type="checkbox" value="Y" />In-House</td>
<td>08/07/2013</td>
</tr>
<tr class="odd">
<td>Caroline Straight </td>
<td>211 7th Ave North</td>
<td>Nashville</td>
<td>TN</td>
<td>37219</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td><input disabled="disabled" id="" name="" type="checkbox" value="Y" />In-House</td>
<td>08/07/2013</td>
</tr>
<tr class="even">
<td>Beth Winstead </td>
<td>211 7th Ave North</td>
<td>Nashville</td>
<td>TN</td>
<td>37219</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td><input disabled="disabled" id="" name="" type="checkbox" value="Y" />In-House</td>
<td>08/07/2013</td>
</tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That's how much money -- and how many lobbyists -- HSUS had working in the state during the six month period from January to June when our legislature was in session. Of course, HSUS will tell you that they only care about animals and they're not a political organization. They just spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in a state with a population of 6.5 million people -- quite small in terms of population -- because they like to spend money, right? Maybe the truth is that they like to control people and what they do with their animals. And they like to try to buy public opinion and sway lawmakers to spread an anti-agriculture agenda.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">These figures are probably on the low side anyway. HSUS publicly <a href="http://blogs.knoxnews.com/humphrey/2013/04/hsus-running-100k-in-tv-ads-ur.html" target="_blank">boasted </a>in the news when they were fighting Andy Holt's bill to require someone secretly videotaping animal abuse to share the video with law enforcement that they were spending over $100,000 on their media campaign in the state. They also took in a $25,000 contribution from <a href="http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2013/04/ellen-speaks-out-on-ag-gag-bills.html" target="_blank">Ellen Degeneres</a> when Wayne Pacelle appeared on her show to talk about the the bill. The figures also don't include the hiring of "outreach director" <a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/apr/02/humane-society-hires-former-state-rep-swafford/" target="_blank">Eric Swafford</a> to lobby the Walking Horse community in the state during this same time. We wonder if these reported figures would bear much scrutiny from the Ethics Commission?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">By the way, HSUS is listed as an "<a href="http://www.memoryofchaucer.com/taxman.htm" target="_blank">Employer of Lobbyists</a>" in 40 other states besides Tennessee. That's a lot of lobbying for a group that claims it doesn't lobby.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">We mustn't forget the <a href="https://apps.tn.gov/ilobbysearch-app/viewExpenditureReport.htm?reportId=12542" target="_blank">ASPCA</a> either. They use the same lobbyists in the state and they kicked in $25,000-35,000 for lobbying and lobbying expenses during this period.</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfaCWHCAIFc_1hGb6RSxg44vb2-_Cxw3Dvt_4Bd0v9KR_0y-DwlP-yeLzrsYyuIesYtXqwTmWg7uhOnUrXLYaqvO_nw12ZS18r52xcwe40CNNJP_vyK1aMwGcKkriJ_K63ieben5ZUI0/s1600/Expenditure+Report+-+Lobby_20130814-111530.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVfaCWHCAIFc_1hGb6RSxg44vb2-_Cxw3Dvt_4Bd0v9KR_0y-DwlP-yeLzrsYyuIesYtXqwTmWg7uhOnUrXLYaqvO_nw12ZS18r52xcwe40CNNJP_vyK1aMwGcKkriJ_K63ieben5ZUI0/s640/Expenditure+Report+-+Lobby_20130814-111530.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<h1>
Lobbying Expenditure Report (ss-8011)</h1>
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Contact Information </h2>
<label for="pName">Name</label>ASPCA <br />
<label for="pAdd1">Address</label>424 East 92nd Street <br />
<label for="pCity">City</label>New York <br />
<label for="pCountry">Country</label>UNITED STATES <br />
<label for="pState">State/Province</label>NY <br />
<label for="pZip">Zip/Postal Code</label>10128 <br />
<label for="pPhone">Phone Number</label>646-291-4559
<label class="nofloat" for="pPhoneExt">Ext.</label> <br />
<label for="pFax">Fax Number</label> 212-860-3560<br />
<label for="pEmail">Email Address</label>beverly.jones@aspca.org <br />
<h2>
Company Leadership Information </h2>
<label for="CEOname">Name of CEO</label>Matt Bershadker <br />
<label for="CFOname">Name of CFO </label>Mark Abrahams <br />
<label for="LOBsuperName">Name of Lobbyist Supervisor</label>Nancy Perry <br />
<label for="LOBsuperTitle">Title of Lobbyist Supervisor</label>SVP, Government Relations<br />
<h2>
Nature of Company Business</h2>
<label>-</label>charitable & nonprofit organizations<br />
<br />
<label for="">Nature / interest of the employer, e.g. "insurance company," "professional association," etc.</label> animal welfare<br />
<h2>
Total Aggregate Lobbyist Compensation</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> $10,000 - $25,000<br />
<h2>
Lobbying-Related Expenses</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> Less than $10,000<br />
<h2>
Aggregate Total of All In-State Events</h2>
<label for="">Total</label> None<br />
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Lobbyist Information</h2>
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<span style="font-size: large;">ASPCA does have a lobbyist who is active in Tennessee named <a href="http://www.zoominfo.com/p/Sherry-Rout/557470661" target="_blank">Sherry Rout</a> but she is not reported here which is odd since she apparently lives in Memphis.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course, ASPCA doesn't lobby either. It's all about the animals, right? So, just where do your donations go when you see those sad commercials on TV? Why, they go right here, to Tennessee when these charlatan organizations want to poke around in agricultural affairs. Did you really think they went to help puppies and kittens?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-30962138753343815482013-08-02T08:44:00.000-07:002013-08-02T10:37:47.590-07:00Knoxville WARNING: Knoxville to tighten limit on cats and dogs <span style="font-size: large;">This is just like the situation in Chattanooga. If you don't want these
changes, you need to speak up and contact the Knoxville City Council NOW,
before <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2993"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2994">August 6</span></span>,
or they are going to set it at four animals. That is a *combination of
four*. So, if you have two dogs and two cats, you are at the limit. As it reads here, you could have two dogs and two hedgehogs and you would be at the limit.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The <a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/" target="_blank">Knoxville City Council</a> and their contact information are listed following the article. Contact these members and tell them that you do not want these changes.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><a href="http://www.wbir.com/news/article/282861/2/Knoxville-to-clarify-limit-on-cats-and-dogs" target="_blank"><b>Knoxville to clarify limit on cats and dogs </b></a><br />9:22 AM, <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2997"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT2998">Aug 2</span></span>, 2013 | 8 comments <br /><br />Heidi Wigdahl </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />(WBIR-Knoxville)
How many pets is too many? Knoxville already limits the number of cats
and dogs allowed in a home and that rule may tighten ever further. <br /><br />The city ordinance, at the moment, states that each person can have a combination of four cats and/or dogs. <br /><br />The
City of Knoxville Animal Control Board hopes to make the law more
clear, and more strict, by limiting the number to four per household. <br /><br />For some, that could mean fewer pets would be allowed in their home. <br /><br />Megan Knoll visits Knoxville's downtown dog park every day with one of her four pets. <br /><br />"We have a dog who's just over a year, and then two cats and a hedgehog, crazy," she said. <br /><br />Knoll wants another dog, which would put her at the limit if city council approves the amendment. <br /><br />"The
original intent of the ordinance for the last 20 years had really been
to limit a reasonable about of animals to any particular household,"
explained Jeff Ashin, CEO of Young Williams Animal Center and member of
the City of Knoxville Animal Control Board. <br /><br />Ashin said there was
confusion with the ordinance because it focused on owners, instead of
households. The ordinance also does not apply to animals under six
months old. <br /><br />Animal owners outside of the city in Knox County have different rules that depend on the amount of land they own. <br /><br />If
a home sits on less than an acre, they can have up to five cats and/or
dogs; 1.5-2 acres, 11-20 cats and/or dogs; 5+ acres, 21 or more cats
and/or dogs. <br /><br />All animals must be vaccinated. <br /><br />City Council will vote on the change on Aug. 6. <br /><br />Ashin said the change does not apply to those who are fostering animals or have them on a temporary basis. </span><br />
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<table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr align="left" valign="top"><td class="bodytext" colspan="2"><table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="10" cellspacing="0" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
<tr align="left" valign="top"><td class="bodytext" colspan="2"><a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/" target="_blank"><b>Council Members</b></a></td>
</tr>
<tr align="left" valign="top">
<td class="bodytext" style="text-align: left;" width="300"><a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/npavlis.asp">Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis - First District</a><br />
3815 Admiralty Lane <br />
Knoxville, TN 37920 <br />
Home: 865-579-2055<br />
<a href="mailto:npavlis@comcast.net">npavlis@comcast.net</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/gwallace.asp">George C. Wallace - At Large Seat A</a><br />
7208 Rotherwood Drive<br />
Knoxville, TN 37919<br />
865-414-7102 <br />
<a href="mailto:gwallace@cityofknoxville.org" target="_blank">gwallace@cityofknoxville.org</a>
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<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/mstair.asp">Marshall Stair - At Large Seat B</a><br />
707 Market Street, No. 5<br />
Knoxville, TN 37902<br />
865-771-9215 <br />
<a href="mailto:MarshallStair@cityofknoxville.org" target="_blank">marshallstair@cityofknoxville.org</a> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/fsaunders.asp">Finbarr Saunders - At Large Seat C</a><br />
102 Herron Drive<br />
Knoxville, TN 37919<br />
865-604-2536<br />
<a href="mailto:fsaunders@cityofknoxville.org" target="_blank">fsaunders@cityofknoxville.org</a> </td>
<td class="bodytext" style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/dgrieve.asp">Duane Grieve - Second District</a><br />
3640 Iskagna Drive <br />
Knoxville, TN 37919 <br />
Home: 865-522-4393<br />
<a href="mailto:dgrieve@cityofknoxville.org">dgrieve@cityofknoxville.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/bpalmer.asp">Brenda Palmer - Third District</a><br />
7816 Ellisville Lane <br />
Knoxville, TN 37909 <br />
Home: 865-951-1546<br />
<a href="mailto:bpalmer@cityofknoxville.org">bpalmer@cityofknoxville.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/ndellavolpe.asp">Nick Della Volpe - Fourth District</a><br />
5216 Crestwood Drive <br />
Knoxville, TN 37914 <br />
Home: 865-525-2880<br />
<a href="mailto:ndellavolpe@cityofknoxville.org">ndellavolpe@cityofknoxville.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/mcampen.asp">Mark Campen - Fifth District </a><br />
P.O. Box 27093<br />
Knoxville, TN 37917<br />
865-414-5593<br />
<a href="mailto:mcampen@cityofknoxville.org" target="_blank">mcampen@cityofknoxville.org</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cityofknoxville.org/citycouncil/members/dbrown.asp">Daniel T. Brown - Sixth District</a><br />
2318 Dillon Street <br />
Knoxville, TN 37915 <br />
Home: 865-637-7553<br />
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esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-40874736933798519792013-07-25T10:16:00.000-07:002013-07-25T10:17:58.171-07:00The New Business Model For Selling Dogs<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The article below appeared in the July 12, 2013 issue of <a href="http://dognews.com/" target="_blank"><b>DOG NEWS</b></a>. It is reprinted here by permission.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One reader wrote to me to make sure it was clear that the Idaho shelter referred to was not actually in Boise. It is simply in the Boise area. The last I checked, a couple of days ago, the re-worded ad mentioned here is still on Craigslist but it may have been removed by now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also, San Diego voted to put in place their ban on pet stores, though there seems to be some hope that this issue can be revisited in the future. Some people seem to be excited that there are some exemptions but I do not share their enthusiasm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Add Reno, Nevada to the list of cities that is trying to ban pet stores while offering homeless dogs and cats for sale in pet stores instead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The New Business Model For Selling
Dogs</b></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carlotta Cooper</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As purebred dog breeders most of us are
familiar with the codes of ethics for our parent breed clubs or our
kennel clubs. Those codes typically spell out how we should care for
our dogs and state something to the effect that we are supposed to
put the welfare of the dogs and the breed above personal gain. I
believe most purebred dog breeders take these goals seriously. That
doesn't mean that it's unethical to recoup your costs on a litter or
that people who breed dogs full-time and do it well are doing
anything wrong. There is no particular virtue in losing money on a
hobby if you can do things better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But hobby breeding and even breeding
purebred dogs for profit are the old business models when it comes to
pets. Thanks to some of our more creative animal shelters and local
governments, there is now a new business model for selling dogs as
pets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Consider, for example, the shelter in
Boise, Idaho, that wants to pay $25 per puppy to anyone who will sell
them. As stated in their ad on Craigslist, the shelter intends to
spay and neuter the puppies and then sell them at the shelter for
“adoption.” The shelter thinks this will cut down on pet
overpopulation. It's hard to see how. The shelter would be acting as
a broker for puppies and encouraging irresponsible breeding to meet
their demand for “rescue” dogs. After an outcry from breeders,
the ad was removed though it has reappeared, more carefully worded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then there's the situation with the pet
shop in the Freehold Raceway Mall in New Jersey. The lease of the pet
shop was not extended – because they sold dogs. That didn't stop
the Monmouth County SPCA from taking over the shop. They now use the
space to – sell dogs. The dogs come from other shelters as well as
from Puerto Rico. It also functions as a pet store and they sell
leashes, beds, toys, pet clothing, and so on. They have a full line
of pet products from popular brands. Just don't expect to find any
registered dogs there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many people have seen this trend coming
for several years as animal control and legislation have made it
harder to breed purebred dogs while at the same time encouraging
people to get their dogs from shelters. Shelters have literally
become pet stores today where people are supposed to go to buy their
dogs and accessories. A visit to PetCo or PetSmart can often give you
the same insight as these companies are supporters of HSUS. They
often welcome shelter dog adoption events in their stores and are not
friendly to dog breeders.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Approximately 34 municipalities in the
U.S. have banned pet stores in their precincts. While some dog
breeders might erroneously think this is a good thing, it's only a
small step from banning pet stores to banning purebred dogs and hobby
breeding. Local governments don't distinguish between a commercial
dog breeder and a hobby breeder. They can easily ban all breeding
once they set their sights on the selling of pets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The San Diego City Council is in the
process of trying to ban pet stores in their city, leaving shelters
free to operate as the only source for dogs in the city. Pet stores
in California are regulated by state law and hobby breeders in the
state are covered by the puppy lemon law, but shelters are not
regulated. Anyone who completes the IRS paperwork can become a
non-profit rescue group and there is no oversight, according to Kay
A. Henderson, PhD, Legislative Liaison for the Del Sur Kennel Club.
More than 10,000 puppies from Mexico come into California every year.
These puppies have no paperwork and they may have no vaccinations.
They can be poorly bred, malnourished, and unsocialized. They are a
health risk. They're brought in to be sold to meet the demand for
cute puppies, partly because current legislation has made it so
difficult for American breeders to breed, especially in California.
These imported puppies often end up in local shelters where purebred
hobby breeders are blamed for them, with talk of “pet
overpopulation.” Imagine that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If the ban on pet sales in retail
stores succeeds in San Diego, this will be the kind of dog that is
available to people in SoCal, with few other options unless they look
elsewhere for a pet. Every new law that is made reduces options for
breeding and keeping dogs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, there's the case of LA Animal
Services General Manager Brenda Barnette who says shelters need
puppies to increase their revenue. Barnette wants to change the
policy of LA shelters which currently requires late-term spaying for
pregnant bitches. Instead, Barnette, a former breeder, has
recommended that pregnant bitches be taken in by fosters and allowed
to whelp their puppies. She wants the puppies to be fostered and
raised until they are 8 weeks old when they can be spayed/neutered
and then adopted out through the shelter or one of its pet shops. Oh,
yeah. I forgot to mention that Barnette also collaborated on and
supported an ordinance that prohibits any pet stores from selling
puppies, kittens, dogs or cats from puppy mills <i><b>or local
breeders </b></i>and mandates that ALL dogs and cats sold in any pet
store MUST be animals taken from a Los Angeles City shelter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ms. Barnette makes clear in her report
to the Department of Animal Services that keeping the puppies to sell
would be a good way to raise revenue: “Fostering puppies until they
are eight weeks old, and returning them to Animal Services to be
adopted out, represents additional revenue opportunities through
adoptions to the public or through pet shops.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This amounts to a monopoly for the city
on the sale of dogs. Commercially-bred and home-raised puppies are
not allowed to be sold in pet stores. Yet the city is seeking its own
ongoing source of puppies to keep these pet stores supplies with
“merchandise.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Barnette, the former CEO of the Seattle
Humane Society, is, or was, an AKC Legislative Liaison. As you might
imagine, her former existence as a dog breeder and Legislative
Liaison caused some concern when she was being considered for the
position of LA Animal Services General Manager. In response to those
concerns, Barnette told the <i>Los Angeles Times</i>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">“<i>I'm a member of the Seattle
Kennel Club,” she said, explaining the extent of her job as
legislative liaison for the club. "Every now and then I get a
press release from the AKC saying 'This is the legislation,' and I
hit forward and send it to all the other members.... I have shown
dogs, and you may see me at a show." </i></span>
</div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Either Barnette wasn't doing a very
good job as Legislative Liaison or this raises some questions about
what club LLs are doing and how effective they are.</span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, what's wrong with allowing bitches
to come to term and whelp their litters? I admit, I don't personally
like the idea of late-term spays, even though many vets say they are
perfectly safe for the bitch. But the point is, if an animal shelter
is trying to reduce the number of dogs produced, it makes more sense
to spay the bitch and place her in a good home instead of involving
foster families, raising a litter, and then spaying/neutering the
puppies – or waiting until they are older when they might or might
not be altered. Especially when all of this effort is being done to
make money for the shelter. Aren't shelters supposed to do what's
best for the animals instead of using them to make money?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One thing is abundantly clear from all
of these cases: shelters are actively seeking dogs, especially
puppies, to meet the public demand. This should tell us something
about “overpopulation.” What overpopulation? There are clearly
plenty of people who want puppies and dogs, especially if you have
what they are looking for. There are still too many unwanted dogs in
some areas – too many big, black dogs; too many “pit bulls” or
bully breeds people are afraid to adopt; and too many Chihuahuas now
in California. But there are shelters all over the country actively
seeking dogs to meet demand. And they are trying to suppress purebred
dog breeders because they see us as their competition, whether the
dogs are in a pet store or we sell online or simply through word of
mouth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a new business model and
shelters are acquiring and selling dogs. These “non-profits” are
turning into for-profit entities and they certainly are not always
doing what's best for the animals. They aren't responsible to buyers
in the same way that a pet store business is or a hobby breeder is.
They offer no guarantees. They don't have to know anything about the
puppy or dog's history or health clearances. Basically, shelters can
act free of any regulation or oversight and wash their hands of a dog
as soon as he's sold. They don't face any of the restrictions placed
on breeders. And some of these shelters are running breeders out of
town. Watch out for it.</span></div>
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</span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-41110551257099175872013-07-23T16:56:00.001-07:002013-07-23T16:56:47.492-07:00Update: Proposed Chattanooga Animal Ordinance<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent">The ordinance has been pulled
from tonight's agenda and will be "edited, changed and hopefully
improved" per information from one of the city council members. Thank
you to everyone who contacted the city council! This was a draconian
ordinance, drawn up by the animal control authority in the city, and I
don't think the city council was really aware of how harmful it would be
to breeders and owners.<br /> <br /> We'll be keeping in touch with the city council as they go forward with their revisions. Many thanks to the city council members who have been receptive to hearing from us the last few days.</span></span></span></h5>
<h5 class="uiStreamMessage userContentWrapper" data-ft="{"type":1,"tn":"K"}">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="messageBody" data-ft="{"type":3}"><span class="userContent"><br /></span></span></span></h5>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-58405349702550738592013-07-20T13:30:00.000-07:002013-07-20T13:30:47.824-07:00AKC ALERT: Chattanooga, Tennessee<span style="font-size: large;">Please contact the city council members listed below and tell them that this ordinance is too vague and obviously anti-pet in tone. It should not be adopted as it is currently written.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You can read the proposed new ordinance <a href="http://www.chattanooga.gov/city-council-files/Agenda-Minutes/Agenda/2013/07-02-2013_Agenda_Packet/Ordinances/VI%28a%29_City_Code_Animal_Permits.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. The section on urban chickens has already been shot down by the city council. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In case you're wondering, the old ordinance is now essentially invalid because of a <a href="http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/20876941/mediation-fails-in-5m-federal-suit-against-mckamey-city-over-pet-shop-raid" target="_blank">lawsuit </a>with a pet store that was raided by McKamey Animal Control. The old ordinance had no provision for an appeals process. The city had to re-write it before someone else sued them for more millions of dollars.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>AKC Chattanooga, TN</b> The ordinance would outlaw all breeding of pets in your house in the city. Read more <br /><br />The Chattanooga City Council may hold a second vote on Tuesday, <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT4995"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT4996">July 23</span></span>,
2013 on a proposed animal ordinance that would redefine “kennel” under
city code, require $300 annual permits and unlimited inspections of
kennels, and establish problematic provisions for any person who sells
or gives away a cat or dog. The vague definitions contained in this
ordinance have the potential to outlaw all breeding of companion animals
on residential properties in the city. The ordinance has already passed
first reading. <br /><br />Provisions of concern include, but are not limited to: <br /><br />●
“Kennel” would be defined as any building, structure or property
wherein any person engages in the business of boarding, breeding,
grooming, training for a fee, or hunting with a companion animal,
maintaining an animal daycare, or providing any similar service for or
with a companion animal. (The definition excludes those who rescue a
limited number of animals per year.) Companion animals include dogs,
cats, small domesticated mammals, pet rabbits, miniature and potbellied
pigs, aquatic animals, amphibians, reptiles and birds. It is unclear if a
person who breeds and sells a single companion animal or who accepts a
fee for a stud service would be consider to be engaged in the business
of breeding. <br /><br />● A “dealer” would be defined as any person who
engages in the business of selling, buying, brokering the sale of, or
bartering animals in any manner, including through the Internet. It is
unclear if a person who sell a single animal would be considered to be
engaged in the business of selling animals or how this would impact a
person who purchased, and later sold, an animal. <br /><br />● Both
“kennels” and “dealers” would be required to apply for and obtain a
permit at a fee of $300 per year, comply with relevant regulations, and
agree to submit to random inspections of all premises where animal are
kept. Permits would be granted at discretion of the Animal Control
Board. <br /><br />● Under existing city code, a kennel may only be approved
in certain commercially zoned areas, therefore, no residential property
could be issued a kennel permit. Consequently, only commercial kennels
would be able to comply with the provisions of the ordinance. <br /><br />●
Any dog sold, exchanged, or given away would be required to have
documentation of having received vaccinations and anthelmintics against a
list of specified diseases and internal parasites. No exceptions are
provided for dog owners who, on the advice of a veterinarian, have been
advised to decline such treatments. With the exception of state-mandate
rabies vaccinations, the American Kennel Club believes that animal
health care decisions should be made by an animal owner in consultation
with a veterinarian and not dictated by city code. <br /><br />● All dogs
and cats sold in the city would be required to be microchipped and
registered with The Animal Center prior to sale, and the seller would be
required to provide the new owner’s personal information to the city
within 48 hours of the sale. <br /><br />What You Can Do: <br /><br />Immediately contact city council members to express your opposition to this ordinance. <br />Contact
your city council member and ask to be allowed to state your opposition
to the ordinance at the council meeting prior to any vote. <br /><br />Chattanooga City Council Meeting <br /><br />Tuesday, <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT4997"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT4998">July 23</span></span>, 2013, 6:00 p.m., 1000 Lindsay Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402 (map) <br /><br />Contact Information for City Council Members <br /><br />Chip Henderson, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT4999"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20425-7858">423) 425-7858</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5000"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5001"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5002">henderson_chip@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between henderson and chip. <br /><br />Jerry Mitchell, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5003"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5334">423) 757-5334</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5004"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5005"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5006">mitchell_jerry@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between mitchell and jerry. <br /><br />Ken Mitchell, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5007"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5344">423) 757-5344</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5008"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5009"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5010">smith_ken@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between smith and ken. <br /><br />Larry Grohn, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5011"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5346">423) 757-5346</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5012"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, Email: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5013"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5014">grohn_larry@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between grohn and larry. <br /><br />Russell Gilbert, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5015"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5332">423) 757-5332</a></span>, Fax : (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5016"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, Email: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5017"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5018">gilbert_r@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between gilbert and r. <br /><br />Carol B. Berz, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5019"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20425-7852">423) 425-7852</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5020"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5021"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5022">berz_c@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between berz and c. <br /><br />Chris Anderson, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5023"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20425-7856">423) 425-7856</a></span>, Fax:(<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5024"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5025"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5026">anderson_c@chattanooga.gov</span></span>, - note: there is an underscore between anderson and c. <br /><br />Moses Freeman, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5027"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5364">423) 757-5364</a></span>, Fax: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5028"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5029"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5030">freeman_m@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between freeman and m. <br /><br />Yusef Hakeem, Phone: (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5031"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-5367">423) 757-5367</a></span>, Fax:(<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5032"><a href="callto:+1423%29%20757-4857">423) 757-4857</a></span>, E-Mail: <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5033"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5034">hakeem_y@chattanooga.gov</span></span> - note: there is an underscore between hakeem and y. <br /><br />For talking points: The Value of Responsible Dog Breeders <br /><br />For questions or more information, please contact AKC Government Relations at (<span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5035"><a href="callto:+1919%29%20816-3720">919) 816-3720</a></span> or <span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5036"><span class="Object" id="OBJ_PREFIX_DWT5037">doglaw@akc.org</span></span>. </span><br />
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-58293553234163569972013-07-17T20:21:00.000-07:002013-07-17T20:26:48.421-07:00What's With All The Dog Food Recalls?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article isn't specifically about Tennessee but it is related to pet law, or at least pet food laws. There's a lot of confusion about what kind of laws govern pet food manufacturing and whether commercial pet foods are safe. This confusion isn't helped when we have frequent recalls. Maybe this article will help a little. It originally appeared in the June 21, 2013 issue of <a href="http://dognews.com/" target="_blank"><b>DOG NEWS</b></a>.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What's With All The Dog Food
Recalls?</b></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Carlotta Cooper</b></span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you buy dog food – and most people
reading <b>DOG NEWS</b> probably fall into that category – then you've
probably noticed that there have been a lot of dog food recalls in
the last few months, especially over concerns about <i>Salmonella</i>.
In fact, there has been a notable increase in <i>Salmonella</i>
investigations in dog food recently. I've heard lots of dog owners
speculating that they can't trust any dog foods now. People seem to
be becoming rattled by the frequent voluntary recalls issued by
various dog food companies. It would probably sound like nonsense if
I told you that increased recalls over this issue were a good sign,
right?</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Actually, there have been some things
going on behind the scenes in the world of the Food and Drug
Administration and dog food companies that should make you feel
better, even if it's temporarily resulting in more recalls.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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</div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For one thing, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine announced plans
in March to investigate the incidence of <i>Salmonella</i>
contamination in pet foods – which has meant increased scrutiny of
the pet food industry. They made a similar announcement in November
2011: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/02/pet-food-salmonella-fda_n_1071850.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/02/pet-food-salmonella-fda_n_1071850.html</a>
In March the FDA indicated that they had given an assignment to all
of their district offices throughout the country to collect an
undisclosed number of samples of domestically manufactured petfood
products for analysis. The samples do not cover imported products in
either import status or domestic imports. This sampling includes both
petfoods as well as treats and nutritional supplements. The
instructions were to collect samples from a wide variety of
manufacturers and from different locations. Samples are collected
from manufacturing sites, from distributors, and from retailers
around the country. Canned foods are excluded from the assignment but
all other kinds of foods are included – extruded, baked, smoked,
frozen, and refrigerated. Inexpensive as well as super premium foods
are included. The FDA doesn't care how much the food costs.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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</div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Note that the American Pet Products
Association (APPA) <a href="http://www.americanpetproducts.org/newsletter/issue.asp?id=721#article5735" target="_blank">http://www.americanpetproducts.org/newsletter/issue.asp?id=721#article5735</a>
, a marketing survey group, reported at the time of the FDA's press
release that 300 official samples would be collected. This
information is not on the FDA site and I can't verify where it came
from. According to APPA each district is supposed to collect six
official and six investigational samples from non-canned petfoods.
The sample foods will be foods for ALL PETS. They will collect five
official and five investigational samples from pet treats; and, three
official and investigational samples from vitamins, minerals and/or
other nutritional supplements. The sampling will continue until
September 30, 2013.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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</div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Again this information comes from the
American Pet Products Association and they attribute it to the FDA.
However, it is not found on the FDA site or with other information
about the program.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
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</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The FDA seems to primarily be concerned
about public health – human health. Petfoods are much more likely
to be handled by humans than other animal feeds. Children, the
elderly, and people who might have a compromised immune system can
handle petfoods, leaving them susceptible to pathogenic
microorganisms. There have been cases where <i>Salmonella</i>
infection in people was traced back to exposure to pet products.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
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</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The FDA's concern about <i>Salmonella</i>
in petfood isn't new. The agency has taken the view that animal feeds
that contain <i>Salmonella</i> are contaminated and subject to
enforcement action for decades. It's part of the Code of Federal
Regulations. There is also a Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) that
states that <i>Salmonella</i>-contaminated dry dog food is considered
to be adulterated.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Once the findings for this assignment
about <i>Salmonella</i> are collected, the FDA will probably use them
to make further policy decisions regarding petfood. However, the FDA
has made it clear that in the course of collecting their samples they
will take action against any pet products they find to be
contaminated. That's what's been happening in the last few months
with the voluntary petfood recalls. The FDA agents have been
collecting their samples and, if they find evidence of <i>Salmonella</i>,
FDA “suggests” to the company that they issue a voluntary recall
to take care of the problem. (FDA can do more than suggest if the
company is not compliant. Most companies prefer to issue a voluntary
recall.)</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As mentioned, canned foods are not
being examined at this time because these products are presumably
produced in accordance with low acid canned food regulations so they
are commercially sterile and don't pose any kind of risk to the
public. However, the kibble, raw food, and treats you buy your dog
that are manufactured in the U.S. are subject to testing by the FDA
for <i>Salmonella</i>, at least for the near future. So, there may be
some more recalls but at least you will know what the FDA is doing.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There
could be another reason for an increase in recalls lately. </span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (Pub. L.110-085),
section 1005 directed the FDA to establish a Reportable Food Registry
for Industry.
<a href="http://www.petfood.aafco.org/RFRReportableFoodRegistry.aspx">http://www.petfood.aafco.org/RFRReportableFoodRegistry.aspx</a></span></span></b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
</span></span><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Reportable Food Registry (RFR or the Registry) is an electronic
portal for Industry to report when there is reasonable probability
that an article of food will cause serious adverse health
consequences. The Registry helps the FDA better protect public health
by tracking patterns and targeting inspections. The RFR applies to
all FDA-regulated categories of food and feed, except dietary
supplements and infant formula. </span></span></b>It
is the company's responsibility to determine if the food has a
reasonable probability of causing a severe adverse health consequence
or death to humans or animals. Once this has been determined to
exist, the company <b><span style="color: black;">must</span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
notify the FDA using the RFR system within </span></span></b><b><span style="color: black;">24
hours </span></b><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">of
the determination. So, it's possible that in some cases a petfood
company may be notifying the FDA about possible serious health
consequences due to something in their food.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There
may also be increased vigilance and testing by state feed control
officials which are leading to more recalls.</span></span></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
there's more. All of this testing by the FDA, as well as the
Reportable Food Registry, could be to help support a proposed rule on
Preventive Controls for Animal Food that will implement part of the
Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The proposed rule is expected
to closely mirror the proposed rule for Preventive Controls for Human
Food published in January of this year.
</span></span></b><a href="http://agfdablog.com/tag/food-safety-modernization-act/" target="_blank">http://agfdablog.com/tag/food-safety-modernization-act/</a>
According to the FDA, the “Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA),
the most sweeping reform of our food safety laws in more than 70
years, was signed into law by President Obama on January 4, 2011. It
aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus
from responding to contamination to preventing it.” I think it's
safe to say that one reason petfoods are taken so seriously in these
regulations is because of the 2007 petfood recalls.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, to sum up, the FDA is currently
taking samples of petfoods and actively testing for <i>Salmonella</i>.
This is a good thing. It doesn't mean that dog food companies are
making worse food than they used to make or using worse ingredients.
It means there is more testing. It also means there are going to be
more regulations concerning petfoods. I know everyone is tired of
recalls and worried about what to feed their dogs but the end result
should be safer petfood.</span></span></div>
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</span></span>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In case you're curious, here's the FDA
web site listing of the petfoods that have been recalled so far in
2013:
<a href="http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/recallswithdrawals/default.htm"><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u>http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/safetyhealth/recallswithdrawals/default.htm</u></span></span></a></span></span></div>
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</span></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-26713350515421731772013-06-10T13:01:00.001-07:002013-06-10T13:02:13.260-07:00Inspector General Agrees to Review IRS’ Handling of Luetkemeyer’s HSUS Requests <h3 class="middleheadline">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you, Rep. Luetkemeyer, for continuing to press on this important issue! </span></h3>
<h3 class="middleheadline">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></h3>
<h3 class="middleheadline">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://luetkemeyer.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=337317" target="_blank">Inspector General Agrees to Review IRS’ Handling of Luetkemeyer’s HSUS Requests </a> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>
Washington,
Jun 10</b>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a class="webicon" href="http://www.blogger.com/null"></a><br /></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
(TIGTA) has agreed to review the manner in which the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) handled U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer’s (MO-3) requests for
an investigation of the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS)
tax-exempt status and will specifically look into IRS Director of Exempt
Organizations Lois Lerner and her staff. </span></span><br />
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
(TIGTA) has agreed to review the manner in which the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) handled U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer’s (MO-3) requests for
an investigation of the Humane Society of the United States’ (HSUS)
tax-exempt status and will specifically look into IRS Director of Exempt
Organizations Lois Lerner and her staff. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">In both a letter to Luetkemeyer and in discussions with the
congressman’s staff, the TIGTA’s office confirmed that a formal review
would take place and that the congressman would be notified upon its
completion. If the findings of the review indicate that his previous
requests were, in fact, mishandled, Luetkemeyer intends to renew his
call for the IRS to launch a new, unbiased, investigation into the HSUS’
alleged inappropriate involvement in political and lobbying activities.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">“I am encouraged that the Inspector General for Tax Administration is
taking these allegations seriously by looking into the way Lois Lerner
and her staff conducted themselves with regard to the investigation of
HSUS’ lobbying and political activities,” Luetkemeyer said. “We know
that Ms. Lerner and her staff inappropriately targeted conservative
organizations, so the American people deserve to know whether these same
IRS officials turned a blind eye to the activities of left-leaning
groups such as HSUS.”</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">The TIGTA’s decision to look into allegations came following a May 17
letter from Luetkemeyer requesting an investigation into the manner in
which Lerner, who is an active member of the HSUS, handled his inquiries
regarding HSUS’ abuse of its tax-exempt status. Lerner was recently
placed on administrative leave after her admissions that her office had
targeted conservative organizations and following her refusal to answer
questions before a congressional oversight committee.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">Luetkemeyer first corresponded with the IRS regarding the HSUS’
political and lobbying activity in March 2010 following numerous
requests from constituents. Until receiving the letter from the TIGTA’s
office, Luetkemeyer was unsure if anyone in the Obama Administration
was taking his requests seriously. Luetkemeyer also has sent letters
requesting an investigation to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, both of whom have yet to respond.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span class="middlecopy">
</span></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-22134568211501986312013-06-06T12:58:00.003-07:002013-06-06T13:16:24.999-07:00Cat Got Your Tongue?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwyNpDX4sf1I4dHvAxiKmOYEgPJ0JF4lnLSpmWGw0tcLnIrZGMmPzYG7ARwH_8o-V_VHqfrmXgaKqxQoHZQowaCcUZb_j9ySmrpfSl6o7NcDZF8psnjhyphenhyphen2nZmUdVRi8aevb60dJyZ6dY/s1600/Lois.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZwyNpDX4sf1I4dHvAxiKmOYEgPJ0JF4lnLSpmWGw0tcLnIrZGMmPzYG7ARwH_8o-V_VHqfrmXgaKqxQoHZQowaCcUZb_j9ySmrpfSl6o7NcDZF8psnjhyphenhyphen2nZmUdVRi8aevb60dJyZ6dY/s640/Lois.JPG" width="472" /></a></div>
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-71101555705192400992013-05-26T06:03:00.000-07:002013-05-26T06:03:13.799-07:00Sponsors vow to revise, bring back vetoed 'Ag Gag' bill <span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/may/13/sponsors-vow-to-revise-bring-back-vetoed-ag-gag/" target="_blank">Sponsors vow to revise, bring back vetoed 'Ag Gag' bill </a><br />Sponsors vow to revise it, bring it back <br /><br /><br /> • By Tom Humphrey <br /> • Posted May 13, 2013 at 9:47 p.m. </b><br /><br /><br />NASHVILLE — Sponsors of livestock surveillance legislation known as the “Ag Gag” bill say they will let stand Gov. Bill Haslam ’s veto and instead seek passage of a revised version next year. <br /><br />The plans of Rep. Andy Holt, R-Dresden, and Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville, are in line with Haslam’s professed thinking in vetoing the bill. <br /><br />“Some vetoes are made solely on policy grounds. Other vetoes may be the result of wanting the General Assembly to reconsider the legislation for a number of reasons. My veto here is more along the lines of the latter,” Haslam said in announcing his decision Monday. <br /><br />His first concern, Haslam said, is that Attorney General Bob Cooper has deemed the bill “constitutionally suspect.” <br /><br />“Second, it appears to repeal parts of Tennessee’s Shield Law without saying so. If that is the case, it should say so. Third, there are concerns from some district attorneys that the act actually makes it more difficult to prosecute animal cruelty cases, which would be an unintended consequence,” the governor said. <br /><br />“For these reasons, I am vetoing HB1191/SB1248, and I respectfully encourage the General Assembly to reconsider this issue,” Haslam said. <br /><br />Holt and Gresham had argued their bill, which would have required anyone making photographs or video of livestock abuse to turn the unedited material over to law enforcement authorities within 48 hours, would mean stopping abuse more quickly. They had criticized, for example, a Humane Society of the United States video, taken by an undercover operative over a period of months, showing abuse of Tennessee Walking Horses. The video led to successful prosecution on animal cruelty charges. <br /><br />Holt and Gresham did not return reporter phone calls but issued a joint statement saying there would be no override attempt. Instead, they said a new bill will be filed in 2014 with revisions aimed at meeting objections from Haslam and questions about the bill’s constitutionality raised by Cooper. <br /><br />“There were thousands of people who weighed in on this issue, and we plan to work with all interested parties in the coming months to draft a bill that will protect animals and ensure those people who abuse livestock are brought to justice,” the joint statement said. <br /><br />Haslam’s office received thousands of emails, phone calls and letters on the bill — almost all urging a veto — after the Humane Society spent more than $100,000 on advertising urging citizens to contact him. Several celebrities, ranging from TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres to country music singers Emmylou Harris and Carrie Underwood, also urged a veto. <br /><br />Asked if he would play a role in next year’s version of the bill, Haslam said “the thought we had was, if you want to write that bill, there’s a better way to write it. <br /><br />“I think the attorney general in his opinion said sort of the same thing... He almost gave them a path to write it,” Haslam said. <br /><br />HSUS, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Tennessee Press Association and the Tennessee Coalition on Open Government issued statements hailing Haslam for the veto. <br /><br />“We appreciate that Gov. Haslam recognized the backdoor attempt to repeal the Tennessee Shield Law and stopped it — for now at least,” said Frank Gibson, public policy director for the Tennessee Press Association. <br /><br />Tennessee’s “Shield Law” says news media can keep confidential their reporting sources. Haslam said that his mention of the law in his formal statement was not advocating it be changed, only that any bill changing another law should specifically say so. <br /><br />The Tennessee Farm Bureau, which supported the bill, declared: “Although we are disappointed, we are appreciative of his (Haslam’s) recognition that well established, long-accepted agricultural practices on farms are <br /><br />vulnerable to unfair attacks through misrepresentation and deception.“ <br /><br />The bill is the second to be vetoed by Haslam since taking office in January 2011. The first came last year when Haslam waited until the 107th General Assembly had permanently adjourned to veto a bill that would have prohibited Vanderbilt University’s “all comer’s” policy, which says all campus student organizations must accept any student as a member. Sponsors of the bill said the policy wrongly interferes with religious rights of Christian groups who — at least in one controversial case — were told to accept an atheist as a member. <br /><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Related document</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/700414-0513haslamveto.html">Haslam's letter explaining his veto</a></span><br />
esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8219483659811595980.post-83535248830375390232013-05-20T12:43:00.000-07:002013-05-20T12:43:45.854-07:00HSUS and the IRS Scandal on Fox and Friends<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't seen it yet, take a look at this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n9BNmGtmv0" target="_blank">video </a>from Fox & Friends on Monday, May 20. Stuart Varney, of Fox Business News, discusses the IRS, Lois Lerner, and her efforts to protect the Humane Society of the United States from investigation of their tax-exempt status, despite calls for closer scrutiny by Congressman Luetkemeyer of Missouri and other members of Congress. HSUS is smack dab in the middle of this growing scandal with their excessive lobbying. Lerner, a lauded member of HSUS, was unresponsive to calls to investigate HSUS's lobbying activities despite copious amounts of evidence presented.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>esheverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08853201547274397852noreply@blogger.com0