Subject: Fwd:AKC Legislative Alert: MEMPHIS MSN Ordinance
Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:37:06 -0500
From: chrotts@vci.net
Memphis needs our help. Please read the AKC alert below & take a moment
to write your opposition to all of the councilmen. Our fellow dog
breeders & owners in Memphis need our help in killing this terrible
ordinance.
The committee voted on Tues. to send the proposed ordinance to the full
council for a vote, the first of which will be in two weeks. Before it
becomes law, it must go for 3 votes (readings)
I will be attending the Memphis show (Southaven) next Saturday, Aug
21 (on behalf of ARC) & assisting The Responsible Animal Owners of TN
in getting the word out & gathering more opposition. (The RAOT is
the AKC federation for the state of TN)
AFter speaking at length yesterday with Donna Malone (RAOT), she has
asked me to pass along to all breeders, exhibitors & kennel clubs to GET
INVOLVED. Last year the ARs tried to pass similar legislation in
Jackson & Johnson City; both failed due to the combined efforts of
many, many exhibitors & clubs (both local & out of state).
The population of Memphis (Shelby CO.) is around 600,000. When you
consider the number of animal control officers employed to enforce their
existing law (which is a good one), the number of shifts each officer
has per week, the average comes out to 1.91 officers per shift for a
population of that size! It is clear that enforcement of existing
law is sorely needed, as well as more officers to carry it out.
Earlier this year (March), Councilman Shea Flinn proposed MSN for "pit
bull" type dogs, which was dropped. The precipitating event for the
current proposal arose after a elderly man was attacked & later died due
to 2 dogs running at large. Animal control had been alerted the day
before this tragedy that the dogs were loose, but they took NO
ACTION. This man would still be alive had animal control done its
job & enforced the existing law.
If you will be attending the shows next weekend & would be willing to
HELP, please email me privately. Donna & I won't have trouble finding a
job for you:-)))
In the meantime, please consider that these folks in Memphis are our
"neighbors in dogs"...the ARs have set their sights on this city today.
Tomorrow, it could very well be us. Think about how many people you
know that live in the Memphis area...have you sold any dogs to folks
that live there? Do you know fellow exhibitors that live there?
Please write & oppose this ordinance.
(permission to forward this message in its entirety)
Robin Cannon,
Member, American Rottweiler Club Legislative Committee
AKC Legislative Liaison, Paducah Kennel Club, German Shepherd Dog
Club of West KY, Australian Cattle Dog Club of West Ky
***********************************************************************
Memphis to Consider Mandatory Spay/Neuter, New Dangerous Dog
Definitions & Fee Increases on August 10th
Print This Article
[Friday, August 06, 2010]
The Memphis City Council Services & Neighborhood Committee will
consider four ordinances amending the city’s animal control laws on
Tuesday, August 10th. The proposal will require mandatory spay/neuter
of all dogs over 29 pounds, define any dog that has "bitten once and
been at-large twice" as a dangerous dog, increase fees for owners of
intact dogs and limit tethering. It is vital that responsible dog
owners and breeders attend this meeting to oppose these changes.
Memphis City Council Public Services & Neighborhood Committee Meeting
Tuesday, August 10th
10:15am
City Council Conference Room
5th floor of City Hall
125 N. Main
Memphis, TN 38103
Provisions of the Ordinances
* Require dogs over 29 pounds to be spayed/neutered
o Exemptions
+ Dogs trained and used as law enforcement dogs.
+ Dogs trained and used as a guide dog, hearing dog,
assistance dog, therapy dog, seizure alert dog or designated as
breeding stock by an agency approved by the director.
+ Dogs trained and used as search and rescue dogs or
designated as breeding stock by an agency approved by the director.
+ Dogs trained and used as herding or livestock
guardian dogs, or designated as breeding stock by an agency approved
by the director.
+ Dogs unable to be sterilized for a medical reason.
+ Dogs boarded in a licensed kennel.
+ Dogs registered with AKC or other recognized
registry or trained and kept for the purpose of show, field or
agility trials. However, these owners must comply with the following:
# Must apply for a Fertile Animal Permit
# Must purchase a one-time $200 intact animal
permit (It is not truly an exemption if you have to buy an expensive
license).
# Owners are allowed only one litter per
residence per 12-months.
* Defines dogs that have "bitten once and been at-large twice"
as dangerous dogs, but does not define "bitten." Does this mean
bitten a person and inflicted injury? Bitten another domestic animal?
What if the bite does not cause injury or is provoked?
* Requires a dog that has bitten or attacked to be sterilized.
o Again, it is not clear what would happen if the bite was
provoked or if there was no injury resulting from the bite. If the
intent is to require sterilization of dogs that have been adjudicated
to be dangerous or vicious, then that should be specified.
* Sets the license fee for intact dogs weighing 29 pounds or
less at $35 annually and removes the license fee and requirement for
sterilized dogs.
+ It is unreasonable for intact animal owners to be
solely responsible for funding animal control operations. Licensing
was originally established to ensure that dogs were vaccinated for
rabies – this will significantly undermine that goal if the majority
of dogs no longer need to be licensed. If this ordinance is adopted,
it becomes solely a tax on owners of intact dogs. Additionally, one
wonders why intact dogs weighing less than 29 pounds are licensed
annually and intact dogs weighing more than 29 pounds are offered a
lifetime license.
* Requires that dogs restrained by tie-outs or overhead cable
runs also be restrained by a traditional or invisible fence. This
will mean that many owners will have to construct a traditional fence
or install an invisible fence; likely costing thousands of dollars.
* Requires that dogs restrained by tie-outs or overhead cable
runs for more than 2 hours be sterilized.
What You Can Do
* Attend the Memphis City Council Public Services & Neighborhood
Committee meeting on August 10th to oppose the ordinance. Our AKC
Federation, The Responsible Animal Owners of Tennessee will be
coordinating speakers and can be reached at raotinc@aol.com.
*
Write a letter, email, or call the city council members and
ask them to oppose the ordinance.
Mailing Address
125 N. Main, Room 514
Memphis, TN 38103
Public Services & Neighborhood Committee Members
District 7 - Barbara Swearengen Ware (Chair)
(901) 458-9406
District 2 - William C. Boyd (Vice-Chair)
(901) 576-6786
Super District 8 - Myron Lowery
(901) 576-7012
Super District 9 - Kemp Conrad
Office (901) 576-6786
Super District 9 - Shea Flinn
(901) 576-6786
Super District 9 - Reid Hedgepeth
(901) 576-6786
City Council Members
District 1- Bill Morrison
(901) 576-6786
District 3 - Harold Collins
(901) 576-6786
District 4 - Wanda Halbert
(901) 576-6786
District 5 - Jim Strickland
(901) 576-6786
District 6 - Edmund Ford Jr.
(901) 576-6786
Super District 8 - Joe Brown
(901) 274-4724
Super District 8 - Janis Fullilove
(901) 576-6786
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