Property Rights and Right and Wrong

I had some questions asked following my post yesterday about ARC and Scotlund Haisley. There's lots of information about Mr. Haisley online. I particularly like Blue Dog State's write-up about him in 2010 where there are some details about Mr. Haisley's employment history, complete with photos of him kicking in doors and mishandling dogs. Haisley has worked for In Defense of Animals and HSUS, though he was let go from both places, perhaps because of the lawsuits that followed his raids.

You can also read about Haisley in an earlier San Francisco Gate article which provides some personal background.

As for ARC (Animal Rescue Corps), Haisley formed them last year. They are funded by radical animal rights groups like Ady Gil World Conservation group, the same people who fund the Sea Shepherd Foundation and anti-whaling activities, and who aren't afraid to get violent. They are also funded by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation which funds lots of animal rights groups. These financial backers are not secret. They routinely put out press releases when ARC conducts one of their animal seizures. I would imagine that anyone who sues ARC and Haisley for illegal animal seizures can expect to be paid lots of money if they win their case. Or perhaps they can accept a big payoff to make the case go away with such rich friends.

I was also contacted by the person who originally posted ARC's plea for donations. She wanted to know what I had against an animal group raising money for a roof. I have to admit that I literally laughed out loud. I don't have anything against animal groups raising money for roofs or for any legitimate purposes. However, I DO have a big problem with dishonesty and with trying to personally benefit by seizing someone else's animals.

Whether or not this situation involved a "dog fighting ring" or any other kind of animal activity that people don't approve of is for the courts to decide. It should not be left up to a group of animal rights vigilantes to come in and take someone's animals. Once those animals were in ARC's custody, ARC is a very well-funded organization and they do not need money from the public to care for the dogs. It is disingenuous for them to solicit money from the public to care for the dogs and then for someone to say, "We're going to use this money to put a roof on a building for this animal group."

You can't just seize someone's animals in order to use them to raise money for your own plans. By all means, let the animal group have a fundraiser or do other things to raise money for their roof. Go for it! But, you can't take money under false pretenses (i.e., we need the money to "care" for the dogs). You can't seize animals just because you don't approve of the owners or how they care for the dogs if they are not actually breaking the law. And at this point the owners have not had their day in court. All too often, not just in Tennessee but everywhere, dogs are seized and spayed/neutered, and even adopted out to new owners before the owners even make a court appearance or see a judge. Dogs and other animals are PROPERTY. They have financial value. No one should be able to do anything permanent with these animals before an owner has due process in a court of law. To be picky about it, the dogs are EVIDENCE. How can an owner receive any kind of justice when animal groups are busy spaying, neutering, and adopting out the animals before the owner has ever gone to court?

Unfortunately, the law is circumvented in many states and dogs are long gone before an owner can do anything to stop it, whether they are innocent or guilty, no matter how they might plead in court. All that's left is for them to try to save themselves and for the animal groups to go on asking for money. And yet, the owner will be expected to pay for the care of the dogs while the seizing groups have custody of them -- in addition to the money the groups raise from the public. Is that double dipping?

But for a group to try to raise money for a roof from the seized dogs is pretty hard to swallow, especially when the main group that took the dogs is so very well-funded and does not need public money to care for them.

If there is one thing for you to understand from this situation, it is this: we ALL have rights, whether we are likable or not. It doesn't matter if you like what I do with my property, you cannot come to my house and just take it, then auction it off so you can put a roof on your building. Now, we have laws, and if someone is breaking the law, then qualified law enforcement, with a duly sworn WARRANT, should step in and take action. Then the offender can have his day in court. Due process should be followed. But that still doesn't give vigilantes the right to come on someone's property and take something they like. You don't get to decide, "Hey, I don't like what they're doing. I'm going to take their stuff." Even if their "stuff" is dogs.

I know we seem to live in a time when property rights are not respected and people don't seem to understand right and wrong anymore, but that's still the law. It seems like people understand that if one person takes your dog, it's theft. But when it's an animal group with a cute name and they say they're doing it "for the animals," people can't comprehend that it's still theft.

They're Back, and Asking for Money Again

Please do NOT donate to this man or this organization. They have a terrible reputation among dog owners and breeders. ARC (Animal Rescue Corps) is backed by a multi-millionaire who pays for their raids, whether they are justified or not. Scotlund Haisley is being sued in multiple states and cases for illegal pet seizures. The animals are adopted out as soon as they are seized and there is never much wrong with them. They only seize them as a way to scam money from the public.

Carlotta Cooper
Sportsmen's and Animal Owner's Voting Alliance -- Tennessee Director


Seen on a dog e-mail list this morning. Here's a tip: watch the video with the sound muted and form your own conclusions instead of letting the voice over tell you what to think.

Can a brushfire be a good thing? It was on Thanksgiving! 65 Fighting Dogs
were rescued from horrendous conditions because the firemen who put out the
fire noticed the dogs wearing heavy logging chains, no food or water
available, no warm beds, no loving care. Please see the video!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TMWimRE4dA&feature=youtu.be
You can donate direct through (deleted)

If you don't want to donate directly, I will take donations and send gift
cards.
They are also collecting supplies, but that is in Indy on Wed and I don't
think we can pull that off.

xxxxx

[They are asking folks to crosspost their plea for money.]

Have you heard about Operation Broken Chain?
A large-scale suspected dog fighting operation has been uncovered in
Ashland City, Tenn.
The dogs were discovered by firefighters who had responded to a brush fire
on property along Buckeye Road on Thanksgiving night.
Dozens of dogs, primarily pit bulls, and some beagles, were chained on the
property with heavy logging chains. Some puppies were behind bars in rusty,
wire cages.
Shoddy, makeshift shelters littered the property and the underweight dogs
were lacking access to food and water.
The overwhelming task of removing the dogs from the property was undertaken
on Saturday by several organizations, including support from the Tennessee
Highway Patrol, Animal Rescue Corp < http://animalrescuecorps.org/ >,
Cheatham County Animal Control, New Leash on Life, Agape Animal and the
Nashville Zoo.

ARC President Scotlund Haisley stated:

“We believe this is the largest dog fighting rescue in Tennessee history,”
“The conditions Animal Rescue Corps found on this property are the worst I
have ever seen at a dog fighting operation in my 22-year career in animal
protection.”

In the end, rescue officials were able to move 65 dogs to an emergency
shelter in Nashville.
The dogs rescued from the property will be cared for by the American Rescue
Corp. until they can be assessed for placement and transported to rescue
organizations.

But, there is a second part to this story. Many of the dogs will be placed
with our friends at Cheatham County Animal Awareness, who have their own
struggles right now. They are in the process of putting a roof on their
shelter to keep the residents out of the elements. They need to get this
roof completed in order to get as many of the former fight ring dogs moved
to their facility.

Mobile Mutts has committed to help BOTH groups....

Uh, yeah. A second part to the story. You know what it sounds like? It sounds like "Cheatham County Animal Awareness" needed a new roof and they said to their friends with ARC, "Hey, why don't you seize some dogs so we can come up with the cash?" Afterall, ARC has done so well raising money from an unsuspecting public in the past in Tennessee when they've seized dogs. All you have to do is come up with a cute name for your group and make up a sad story.

As for that oh-so-fortuitous brushfire, kind of makes you wonder if someone set it intentionally to call attention to the dogs, doesn't it? Someone sets a little fire, gets the authorities out, and then ARC is ready to spring into action so they can help their friends get a new roof, among other things. They can kill so many birds with one stone (pardon the pun), and it all sounds so very innocent. This might sound far-fetched if we weren't dealing with animal rights zealots.

ARC is funded upfront by the Ady Gil World Conservation group, best known for their support of the Sea Shepherd Foundation and anti-whaling activities, among other animal rights groups. You can find that information on their web site. Google "Ady Gil + ARC" and you'll find lots of hits about raids the organization has supported. TThey also put out press releases when ARC does raids. They're quite proud of they're financial support of the group. So, the dogs that have been seized don't need any public financial support. Any money donated is gravy. In this case if someone donates, they will probably be putting a roof on some building for a questionable "animal awareness" group that helped seize some dogs to make money for that purpose.

So, watch the video with the sound OFF. Form your own conclusions. And don't fall for the scam from ARC unless you just want to help put a roof on this building for the group in Tennessee. Personally, I think it would have been more honest if they had just had a fundraiser instead of seizing someone's animals to try to get money.

Friction at the Celebration Between Local and USDA Inspectors

Another good article in today's Tennessean about what's happening at the Celebration in Shelbyville. According to the latest news, there is tension between the local group inspecting the horses and the USDA inspectors. An outside veterinarian from Lexington has been called in to offer his opinion but the only opinion that really matters is that of the USDA inspectors. If they reject a horse or trainer, they are immediately out of the Celebration.

We're glad to see that U.S. Representative Scott DesJarlais has become involved in the inspection issue:

It was the second night of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, the biggest show since the local industry and the U.S. Department of Agriculture squared off in federal court over the fairness of new, standardized penalties for horse abuse.
The USDA, which certifies 12 local groups to perform inspections in its place, is threatening to decertify the one based in Shelbyville over its failure to adopt the new rules. The local group, known as SHOW, is arguing that the rules don’t allow an appeals process for trainers who are cited, denying them due process.
U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais waded into the fray with an Aug. 16 letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack that claimed USDA penalties against trainers have increased more than tenfold since SHOW joined a lawsuit against the USDA in June.
Vilsack hasn’t responded yet, but DesJarlais said he spoke to a USDA representative at the Celebration.
“Everybody seems to want the same thing,” he said. “SHOW wants a fair event; the USDA wants to prevent the abuse of animals.
“I’m making sure what both parties say makes sense.”

Representative DesJarlais, from Tennessee's 4th District, is a good person to tackle Secretary Vilsack and the USDA. He sits on the Committee on Agriculture and the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry in the U.S. House of Representatives. From a number of angles, horses in our state (and in the U.S.) are one of his concerns.

We'll see how things go today, but the Celebration is only getting started. There is still over a week to go. Things could get even more interesting.

Walking horse event helps fuel economy

Walking horse event helps fuel economy

6:57 PM, Aug 21, 2012   |  

Rep. Pat Marsh

Written by

state Rep. Pat Marsh 

 

Today, Middle Tennessee kicks off the 74th annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. The Celebration is one of Tennessee’s most treasured, age-old tributes to one of the state’s most valuable assets: the Tennessee Walking Horse.
Founded in 1939 by Henry Davis, a walking horse enthusiast from Wartrace, the 11-day annual summer festival takes place in Shelbyville. More than 1,500 horses compete in 171 classes and the event names 39 world champions. The Celebration’s culminating event is the crowning of the world grand champion on the Saturday night before Labor Day, a momentous occasion filled with a multitude of festivities.
For more than 70 years, this tradition has exalted the rich history of the sport and at the same time left an indelible mark on the state that is both economic and civic. The Celebration brings in nearly $40 million annually to the Middle Tennessee economy in direct spending, and provides a venue for local civic clubs to raise funds to support their chosen charities. The well-being of the horses is a top priority. The Celebration partners with the strictest Horse Industry Organization in the business to ensure that the treatment of all the animals complies with regulations, and that they are safe and content. The event is truly a celebration of one of Tennessee’s richest cultural traditions, as well as a means of bringing revenue back to the state and giving back to the community.
Drawing more than 170,000 fans from more than 40 states, the Celebration’s impact on Middle Tennessee’s economy is undeniable. The festival is one of the top revenue generating events in Middle Tennessee. Many of the area’s local civic clubs and charities depend on the 11-day event each year to ensure that they raise the funds needed to serve their community. Last year 17 civic clubs, such as the American Legion, the Quarterback Club and the Kiwanis Club used the Celebration as their annual fundraiser. The groups raise funds through the sale of food, concessions and other services at the event. The proceeds are donated to various initiatives throughout the county, including youth programs, sports leagues, scholarship funds, schools, veterans, impoverished children and many other notable causes.
The Celebration is not merely a sporting event, but a means for founding organizations such as the Shelbyville Lions Club and the Shelbyville Rotary Club to raise awareness about new community initiatives. This year, their theme for the Celebration is “Civic Pride,” and they are using the festival as an opportunity to involve more young people in helping to build and strengthen their local community.
Most importantly, the Celebration seeks to preserve the integrity of the Tennessee Walking Horse tradition, which has become such an integral part of the state’s culture as well as a regional pastime. The safety of the horses is an unquestionable priority for the organization. Their inspection process is the strictest, their penalties the strongest, and their compliance rating the highest, at 98.5 percent.
The organization is deeply invested in ensuring that its greatest assets, the horses, are trained safely and humanely. After all, the Celebration centers on the unique Tennessee tradition of the walking horse, one that we hope endures for years to come.
I encourage everyone in Middle Tennessee to head over to Shelbyville and visit the Celebration! It runs from Aug. 22-Sept. 1 and is a great way to spend a day with friends or family immersed in Tennessee tradition.

Pat Marsh, R-Shelbyville, represents District 62 in the state House of Representatives.

Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration opens with intense scrutiny

Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration opens with intense scrutiny

Jordan Howell rides Gi Gi's Majestic, winning first place in the Trail Pleasure English Class on the first day of The Celebration, Tennessee's largest walking horse event, August 22, 2012 in Shelbyville, Tenn. / Dipti Vaidya/The Tennessean

 

 

 

 Written by 

Heidi Hall

The Tennessean

10:33 AM, Aug 22, 2012

The Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration opened this morning with the most intense horse inspections in its 74-year history.

Trainers took their horses through a chemical swabbing station sponsored by their own professional association. The results will be posted on the Walking Horse Trainers Association website in 24 hours.

If trainers are found to have chemically sored the horses -- burned them to induce their gait -- they will be stripped of their ribbons and prize money and immediately suspended.

Inspectors checked 144 horses by noon and found no evidence of soring.

The show will attract an estimated 200,000 fans and runs through Sept. 1.

HSUS Goes After Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration

This story has a lot of twists and turns so please bear with me. I love horses but I'm not a Tennessee Walking Horse aficionado.

Earlier this year HSUS came out with video that showed a well-known, big-winning Tennessee Walking Horse trainer abusing his horses. As usual, HSUS had this video in its possession for quite some time and did nothing with it. They sat on it until it could be most useful to them. In this case, that was when the Tennessee legislature was considering an Ag-gag bill that would have made it illegal for such groups to go undercover on farms or agricultural businesses under false pretenses and videotape. Similar bills have been passed in other states. The reason for these bills is because some animal rights groups have used deception in editing and making these films to accuse farmers and agricultural businesses of cruelty, which can be fairly easy to do with film.

However, in this particular case, the video of the trainer, Mr. Jackie McConnell, appears to have been accurate. Mr. McConnell subsequently pleaded guilty to the charges in court. The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration took the following action:

CELEBRATION SANCTIONS JACKIE MCCONNELL
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

In a precedent setting move, the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration took decisive action today, both denouncing and condemning the actions of trainer Jackie McConnell, who was both videotaped abusing a horse and admitted to a Horse Protection Act violation in federal court today.

The TWHNC Board of Directors voted to suspend McConnell for life and also took the following action:

(1) suspended McConnell for life from entering the TWHNC grounds for any and all events, regardless of the event's affiliation or ownership.

(2) voted to permanently remove Mr. McConnell's name from the list of Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Hall of Fame inductees. Any picture, plaque, image or other mention of his name from Hall of Fame data will be permanently removed from this day forward and his name will be forever erased from Hall of Fame rolls.

(3) voted to permanently remove any and all pictures and signage on the Celebration grounds carrying either the name of Jackie McConnell or the likeness.

(4) banned from entry onto the TWHNC grounds any horse under the custodianship or presumed to be under the custodianship of Mr. McConnell.

"This action is the strongest we can take and it clearly reflects our disgust with the actions of Mr. McConnell,"said Dr. Doyle Meadows, TWHNC CEO. "His actions are not reflective of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry, and we in no way want him associated with our show."

Sounds reasonable, right? But HSUS was not satisfied. This was a huge opportunity for them. They have been bashing and complaining about Tennessee Walking Horses and "soring" for a long time, so finding a high profile trainer guilty of this bad practice was just what they had been hoping for.

Soring is the use of painful chemicals to cause the horse to lift his hooves higher in the show ring and it is illegal under the Horse Protection Act. Tennessee Walking Horses have a natural running walk which is flashy and can be quite spectacular to watch. Some horses naturally have a higher action than others. Training can teach the horses to move out. Length of hoof, pads under the hooves, and some training devices are also used to encourage higher action. Most people who follow Tennessee Walking Horses know what is legal and what is illegal to do.

APHIS inspectors (yes, they do something besides harass dog breeders) are on hand at Tennessee Walking Horse shows to check for the use of foreign substances on the horse's hooves and legs and for prohibited devices.

And, yet, HSUS is still hounding the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration this year. They sent a letter this summer to the Celebration calling for reforms. The Celebration board replied:

TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE NATIONAL CELEBRATION RESPONSE TO HUMANE SOCIETY’S OUTDATED DEMANDS
(Shelbyville, TN) – The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is coming late to the game on this one. Rather than working to reform the industry to rid it of soring trainers, the HSUS is going after the very people who have led the reform effort.
SHOW HIO, which does the inspections at The Celebration, has the strictest inspections and the harshest penalties in the business. In fact our process goes above and beyond what is required by federal regulations. If the HSUS looked at The Celebration’s record it would see that we are doing much of what the organization proposes, and have been for years, and the things we are not doing have nothing to do with protecting the horse but everything to do with the HSUS’s sensationalistic media tactics.
In terms of the HSUS’ requests:
1. We don’t allow soring horses in the ring. We have the strictest inspection business and the harshest penalties in the business. Already being done.
2. Already being done.
3. It would not make sense to do something that could harm the horse when there are a number of things we already do to ensure that the horse has not been sored.
4. This is a ridiculous request as the USDA and The Celebration inspectors are allowed to enter anywhere at anytime.
The HSUS can keep talking about caring for horses but we are actually doing it. The difference between The Celebration and the HSUS is when inspectors at The Celebration see evidence of soring they send the trainer home and punish him or her severely. When the HSUS sees evidence of soring, they send a film crew, spend six months watching abuse, a few more editing a video and use it as a fundraising tool.
When the HSUS becomes more interested in stopping abuse when they see it than watching enough that they can make money off it, maybe someone will listen.

Nice reply.

One part of HSUS's letter is interesting. It's the PS.

P.S. We have become aware that you will be hosting a meeting with a commercial dog breeding advocate on the Celebration grounds. Associating with an individual hostile to animal welfare will not help the process of dialogue. It will only align the industry with puppy mills, animal fighters, and others where this individual has a following. It is an example of a looming public relations threat for the industry, and I hope you will take action before that occurs.

hehehe  If you are on the Petlaw list you know who this is. If not, I'll fill you in. Mr. Pacelle is referring to Mr. Frank Losey, who seems to be a constant thorn in his side. Here's Mr. Losey's confession:

I CONFESS!!!!!!!!!

I am the the "advocate" who Mr. Pacelle was referring to, and I was
permitted to give my presentation, as scheduled, on July 28, 2012 to
270 Attendees who traveled from not only all over Tennessee, but also from NC, FL, GA, AL and KY to hear me speak. My presentation lasted for about an hour. If anyone wishes to watch the video, it may be found on the following link:

http://www.walkinghorseclubky.com/frank-losey-seminar/#comments

Frank


If you will take a look at the link above, you can enjoy Frank's presentation to the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration and see why he drives Wayne Pacelle nuts.

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration begins today, August 22, and runs through September 1, in Shelbyville, Tennessee.  There's a huge billboard across from the Celebration grounds this year as HSUS tries to encourage people to report anyone who sores or abuses horse by calling their tipline. I believe they're offering $10,000 for tips that lead to convictions. They even sent out a press release in Spanish yesterday to try to get Spanish-speakers to report anything they see. They REALLY want to get something on somebody at the Celebration.

The Celebration folks came out with their own news this week:

Celebration changes testing to detect horse abuse

SHELBVYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration is changing procedures at its annual competition that are used to detect signs that a trainer has applied painful chemicals to the horses' legs in a banned practice known as soring.

The celebration's board of directors on Monday announced the changes that will, for the first time, make the results of chemical tests public and result in trainers immediately losing their trophies and prize money if caught abusing horses.

In the past, chemical test results were delayed, but this year the show is expediting the results so they will be available during the event that begins Wednesday and runs through Sept. 1 in Shelbyville.

Soring is a banned practice that exaggerates the breed's high-stepping gait in competitions.

Really, between instantly testing for chemicals and announcing the results, and APHIS inspectors on site, it sounds like it would be hard to do any soring but, as I said, I'm not a Tennessee Walking Horse person. I do know that I wouldn't trust HSUS or their supporters as far as I could throw them so anyone with a horse at the Celebration should be on guard. Do not allow HSUS to tamper with your animals. If possible, keep video cameras handy and have someone in your horse's stall area at all times so no one unauthorized can come near your horses.  HSUS can and will fake evidence. It would be nice if the Celebration has video monitoring on site so they can see who is coming and going and what they are doing.

I don't ever want any horses to be harmed in any way but HSUS will never be satisfied when it comes to horses or any other animals. It's Tennessee Walking Horses right now, but it could be eventing next, or racing (which already draws AR criticism), cutting horses, jumping, or dressage. HSUS and ARs will always find something to criticize about riding and using horses. They go through one industry at a time criticizing it, offering their "reforms" and suggestions, and trying to take over until they can eliminate it. Don't let them do it.

If you love Tennessee Walkers or you're a fan of saddle seat equitation, I hope you can go to the Celebration in Shelbyville over the next few days. These are beautiful, gentle, wonderful horses and their running walk is glorious. Go out and enjoy them. Send a message to HSUS that they aren't going to get rid of Tennessee Walkers. Tennesseans and many others love these horses and they're not going away.

Our Tennessee State Reptile

Official Tennessee State Reptile
The Eastern Box Turtle, Terrapene carolina, was designated official state reptile by Public Chapter 367 of the 99th General Assembly in 1995. This peaceful creature usually reaches a length of less than six inches and has a shell of black or brown with spots of yellow, orange and red. This reptile usually lives between 30 to 60 years and never ventures far from its place of birth.

LETHAL According to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
 

If You LIve In Tennessee, Hide Your Turtles

It's been an eventful few weeks while pet breeders and owners have been occupied with the APHIS comment period and trying to explain to the USDA why raising pets as a hobby should not require the same federal regulation as commercial breeding.  Not only has HSUS been excoriating the Tennessee Walking Horse people and offering bounties on them with the Celebration coming up in Shelbyville (more on that in another post), but it's now illegal to own a turtle in Tennessee.  Yes, you read that right.  Better hide your turtles lest the gub'mint comes to take them away from you.

Oh, it's for our own good, of course.  It always is.

The first we knew about this new edict came from an article in The Tennessean on August 7:

Turtles outlawed as pets in Tennessee because of harmful bacteria

Turtles might be cute to look at, but they also can harbor deadly bacteria, including salmonella.
For that reason, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will not issue permits for pet stores to sell turtles or for people to own turtles. That means it’s illegal to keep them as pets in the state — regardless of whether people find them in their front yard or bring them back as souvenirs from vacation.

As it turns out, it's been illegal to purchase those cute little slider turtles in pet shops in Tennessee for years, but now, courtesy of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, you can't even keep a box turtle that wanders into your yard.

And I have to ask, seriously, has anyone ever, in their wildest imaginings, ever considered getting a permit to keep a turtle?  I didn't think so.

But here's what the TWRA, an organization that I once respected because they gave me some advice about searching for and humanely trapping a missing dog, says on the subject:

Walter Cook, captive wildlife coordinator for the TWRA, says: “It’s common sense.”
“It’s a public health concern and we have to be responsible,” he says. “Being able to pull the skin and legs back into a shell creates a moist environment that aids bacteria growth. And you can’t remove animals from the wild alive because they have a purpose and provide a necessary component to the ecosystem. We don’t know what the population of these animals is or how many could be removed before jeopardizing the population.”

So, if you decipher this statement, Mr. Cook doesn't actually have any data and they haven't done any research, but, by golly, the government is going to protect something or somebody.

Seriously, he makes it sound like millions of Tennesseans are abducting turtles from the wild and I kind of doubt that's happening.  Don't get me wrong.  Turtles are nice and I had some as pets when I was a kid, but without exception, every single one of them was released back where it came from.  My brothers and I always figured out that they weren't too exciting so we let them go.

If Mr. Cook and others say turtles carry salmonella, I will accept that.  But no one I know has ever become ill from handling a turtle.  Maybe they actually washed their hands after playing with the turtle the way their parents taught them.  I know we may have more people with compromised immune systems now, but this whole idea just seems over the top.  They're turtles!  Get a grip.

I've been finding it hard to accept this change myself.  I keep wandering around the house muttering, "I can't own a turtle.  I can't own a turtle in Tennessee."  It boggles my mind.  Not that I wanted to own a turtle, but now I kind of do.  It's just one more thing the government is interfering in, it seems to me.  And it's so silly.

The TWRA says they aren't interested in prosecuting anyone.  Mr. Cook hopes people will donate their current turtles to one of Tennessee's wildlife education facilities.  That just strikes me as funny.  They should go out and get their own turtles, you know?  And turtles are so common in Tennessee who is going to want to see them at an education facility?  Do they really think people are going to surrender their turtles?  Will they have a turtle amnesty period?

Oh, they also say that turtles donated to the wildlife education facilities "will be kept in a closed habitat to reduce the risk of spreading the deadly bacteria."  According to Mr. Cook, "We just don't want anybody to get sick."  THEY'RE TURTLES!  THEY'RE FRICKING TURTLES!  Sorry, but he makes it sounds like they are aliens from another planet.  They live here.  They are a normal, natural part of life in Tennessee and most people who live in suburban and rural areas have no doubt encountered a turtle, with no harm to either side.

Mr. Cook sounds like a fruitcake, if you ask me.  I'm not sure he should be doing this job if he's so scared of animals.

The fact is, all of our pets, our kids, and just about everything around us is full of germs and deadly bacteria.  It's a normal part of life.  If your cat or dog snuggles up to you, you're taking a risk.  When your kids kiss you, you're exposed to germs.  The government cannot protect us from everything.  The more they try, the more of our freedoms they are taking away from us.  There are always people who see danger in everyday things. You can't protect people from every danger they could encounter, including bacteria from pets.

I think if you live in Tennessee and you want to have a turtle, you should go right ahead and have one.  Just wash your hands after you pet him and keep him away from people who have a compromised immune system.

The TWRA can be reached at 615-781-6500 or visit them online at www.tn.gov/twra. Send Mr. Cook some pictures of your turtles, too.  They could hold little signs that say, "Don't Tread On Me."

The End Is Near

The APHIS comment period closes on WEDNESDAY, August 15!!!!!  If you haven't made a comment, you're running out of time.  PLEASE make your comments now!  Even if you have made comments, you still have this short amount of time to make a couple more.  Urge your friends to make comments.  Ask your puppy/kitten or other buyers to make a comment.  Tell your fellow club members to comment.  These proposed rules will affect all of us:  how we breed and keep our animals, how people buy pets, the whole future of pets, show dogs, working dogs, and other animals in this country.

If you have some question or subject in your mind, this is the last chance you'll have to tell APHIS about it, so write them!

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0003-0001

And, if you haven't signed AKC's petition, you only have until MONDAY, August 13 to sign it.

http://www.akc.org/petition/

Deception from APHIS

This article first appeared in the July 27, 2012 issue of DOG NEWS and is posted here by permission of the author.

Deception from APHIS

Carlotta Cooper

I recently had the pleasure of attending a meeting of many of the people in my state involved in dog legislation. Of course, the proposed APHIS rule changes were one of the topics. It was a very productive meeting but one point mentioned by more than one person was that there were still many people in their clubs who didn't know what APHIS was about. And, when they tried to present legislative reports to their clubs, they were often told to shorten them or they said that club members expressed no interest in legislation that would affect them.

I've heard these same complaints from legislative liaisons with parent clubs, specialty clubs, and local kennel clubs. There are a lot of good legislative liaisons working their tails off, to put it bluntly, trying to keep club members informed about important issues that affect dogs and dog breeding, and a lot of people don't want to hear about the issues. Unless animal control is actually at the door, ready to take their dogs, they aren't interested. When things reach that point, it's usually too late for a legislative liaison to help you. You're just a story on the Internet then, and a lot of people still won't believe it can happen to them. Many dog people will conclude that you must have done something to deserve what happened to you instead of understanding that we have serious problems with dog laws right now and we all need to be paying attention to what's going on.

I hate to compare the situation to the Titanic, but if someone is conducting a lifeboat drill, you would be well-advised to pay attention.

APHIS Proposed Changes

The most important issue for all of us who breed dogs at the moment is the proposed changes to the APHIS rules. Under the proposed changes, anyone who has more than four “breeding females” will have to be USDA licensed and allow unannounced inspections of their facilities. You can be exempt from USDA-licensure if each puppy is sold “face to face.” That means for each puppy sold, the buyer has to make at least one visit to your home to see it, either at the time of purchase or sometime before the purchase. However, if you ship even one puppy to a buyer without the buyer visiting your premises, you would loose your exemption.

You can be exempt if you have four or fewer breeding females. However, you cannot sell any puppies or dogs that were not born on your premises. So, if you get a puppy back from a bitch or a stud fee puppy, you can't sell it. If you buy a show prospect and it doesn't work out, you cannot sell him. If you do any of these things, you would lose your exemptions and have to become USDA licensed.

It's also very important for people to realize that co-owned bitches DO count toward their total number of breeding females. If you take in an occasional bitch as a rescue, she counts, even if you get her spayed later. Do you have bitches come in to visit your stud dog? They count. Also, if you have three bitches and three intact cats, for example, you are also over the limit. “Breeding females” is not restricted to dogs. It refers to any of the species covered under the APHIS regulations, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, and others. It doesn't matter that you never intend to breed these animals. If you have them, they count toward your total number of “breeding females.” If they are intact females on your premises, or you have an ownership interest in them, they count.

USDA-Compliant Facilities

One of the worst and most contentious changes for hobby breeders would affect all of their dogs, not just how they sell puppies. It goes to the heart of hobby dog breeding and how we love and care for our dogs. It concerns kennels vs. keeping dogs in the home.

USDA licensed breeders are required to keep their dogs in primary enclosures that meet the following requirements (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9 - Animals and Animal ProductsVolume: 1 Date: 2009-01-01Original Date: 2009-01-01Title: SUBCHAPTER A - ANIMAL WELFARE Context: Title 9 - Animals and Animal Products.)

§ 3.6

Primary enclosures.

            Primary enclosures for dogs and cats must meet the following minimum requirements:
            (a) General requirements. (1) Primary enclosures must be designed and constructed of suitable materials so that they are structurally sound. The primary enclosures must be kept in good repair.
            (2) Primary enclosures must be constructed and maintained so that they:
            (i) Have no sharp points or edges that could injure the dogs and cats;
            (ii) Protect the dogs and cats from injury;
            (iii) Contain the dogs and cats securely;
            (iv) Keep other animals from entering the enclosure;
            (v) Enable the dogs and cats to remain dry and clean;
            (vi) Provide shelter and protection from extreme temperatures and weather conditions that may be uncomfortable or hazardous to all the dogs and cats;
            (vii) Provide sufficient shade to shelter all the dogs and cats housed in the primary enclosure at one time;
            (viii) Provide all the dogs and cats with easy and convenient access to clean food and water;
            (ix) Enable all surfaces in contact with the dogs and cats to be readily cleaned and sanitized in accordance with § 3.11(b) of this subpart, or be replaceable when worn or soiled;
            (x) Have floors that are constructed in a manner that protects the dogs' and cats' feet and legs from injury, and that, if of mesh or slatted construction, do not allow the dogs' and cats' feet to pass through any openings in the floor;
            (xi) Provide sufficient space to allow each dog and cat to turn about freely, to stand, sit, and lie in a comfortable, normal position, and to walk in a normal manner; and
            (xii) Primary enclosures constructed on or after February 20, 1998 and floors replaced on or after that date, must comply with the requirements in this paragraph (a)(2). On or after January 21, 2000, all primary enclosures must be in compliance with the requirements in this paragraph (a)(2). If the suspended floor of a primary enclosure is constructed of metal strands, the strands must either be greater than 1/8 of an inch in diameter (9 gauge) or coated with a material such as plastic or fiberglass. The suspended floor of any primary enclosure must be strong enough so that the floor does not sag or bend between the structural supports.
            (b) Additional requirements for cats.—(1)Space. Each cat, including weaned kittens, that is housed in any primary enclosure must be provided minimum vertical space and floor space as follows:
            (i) Prior to February 15, 1994 each cat housed in any primary enclosure shall be provided a minimum of 21/2 square feet of floor space;
            (ii) On and after February 15, 1994:
            (A) Each primary enclosure housing cats must be at least 24 in. high (60.96 cm);
            (B) Cats up to and including 8.8 lbs (4 kg) must be provided with at least 3.0 ft2 (0.28 m2);
            (C) Cats over 8.8 lbs (4 kg) must be provided with at least 4.0 ft2 (0.37 m2);
            (iii) Each queen with nursing kittens must be provided with an additional amount of floor space, based on her breed and behavioral characteristics, and in accordance with generally accepted husbandry practices. If the additional amount of floor space for each nursing kitten is equivalent to less than 5 percent of the minimum requirement for the queen, such housing must be approved by the attending veterinarian in the case of a research facility, and, in the case of dealers and exhibitors, such housing must be approved by the Administrator; and
            (iv) The minimum floor space required by this section is exclusive of any food or water pans. The litter pan may be considered part of the floor space if properly cleaned and sanitized.
            (2) Compatibility. All cats housed in the same primary enclosure must be compatible, as determined by observation. Not more than 12 adult nonconditioned cats may be housed in the same primary enclosure. Queens in heat may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with sexually mature males, except for breeding. Except when maintained in breeding colonies, queens with litters may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with other adult cats, and kittens under 4 months of age may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with adult cats, other than the dam or foster dam. Cats with a vicious or aggressive disposition must be housed separately.
            (3) Litter. In all primary enclosures, a receptacle containing sufficient clean litter must be provided to contain excreta and body wastes.
            (4) Resting surfaces. Each primary enclosure housing cats must contain a resting surface or surfaces that, in the aggregate, are large enough to hold all the occupants of the primary enclosure at the same time comfortably. The resting surfaces must be elevated, impervious to moisture, and be able to be easily cleaned and sanitized, or easily replaced when soiled or worn. Low resting surfaces that do not allow the space under them to be comfortably occupied by the animal will be counted as part of the floor space.
            (5) Cats in mobile or traveling shows or acts. Cats that are part of a mobile or traveling show or act may be kept, while the show or act is traveling from one temporary location to another, in transport containers that comply with all requirements of § 3.14 of this subpart other than the marking requirements in § 3.14(a)(6) of this subpart. When the show or act is not traveling, the cats must be placed in primary enclosures that meet the minimum requirements of this section.
            (c) Additional requirements for dogs—(1) Space. (i) Each dog housed in a primary enclosure (including weaned puppies) must be provided a minimum amount of floor space, calculated as follows: Find the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; then divide the product by 144. The calculation is: (length of dog in inches + 6) × (length of dog in inches + 6) = required floor space in square inches. Required floor space in inches/144 = required floor space in square feet.

            (ii) Each bitch with nursing puppies must be provided with an additional amount of floor space, based on her breed and behavioral characteristics, and in accordance with generally accepted husbandry practices as determined by the attending veterinarian. If the additional amount of floor space for each nursing puppy is less than 5 percent of the minimum requirement for the bitch, such housing must be approved by the attending veterinarian in the case of a research facility, and, in the case of dealers and exhibitors, such housing must be approved by the Administrator.

            (iii) The interior height of a primary enclosure must be at least 6 inches higher than the head of the tallest dog in the enclosure when it is in a normal standing position: Provided That, prior to February 15, 1994, each dog must be able to stand in a comfortable normal position.
            (2) Compatibility. All dogs housed in the same primary enclosure must be compatible, as determined by observation. Not more than 12 adult nonconditioned dogs may be housed in the same primary enclosure. Bitches in heat may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with sexually mature males, except for breeding. Except when maintained in breeding colonies, bitches with litters may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with other adult dogs, and puppies under 4 months of age may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with adult dogs, other than the dam or foster dam. Dogs with a vicious or aggressive disposition must be housed separately.
            (3) Dogs in mobile or traveling shows or acts. Dogs that are part of a mobile or traveling show or act may be kept, while the show or act is traveling from one temporary location to another, in transport containers that comply with all requirements of § 3.14 of this subpart other than the marking requirements in § 3.14(a)(6) of this subpart. When the show or act is not traveling, the dogs must be placed in primary enclosures that meet the minimum requirements of this section.
            (4) Prohibited means of primary enclosure. Permanent tethering of dogs is prohibited for use as primary enclosure. Temporary tethering of dogs is prohibited for use as primary enclosure unless approval is obtained from APHIS.
            (d) Innovative primary enclosures not precisely meeting the floor area and height requirements provided in paragraphs (b)(1) and (c)(1) of this section, but that provide the dogs or cats with a sufficient volume of space and the opportunity to express species-typical behavior, may be used at research facilities when approved by the Committee, and by dealers and exhibitors when approved by the Administrator.
            (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0093)
            [56 FR 6486, Feb. 15, 1991, as amended at 62 FR 43275, Aug. 13, 1997; 63 FR 3023, Jan. 21, 1998; 63 FR 37482, July 13, 1998]
         
       
       
          Animal Health and Husbandry Standards
         
            § 3.7
            Compatible grouping.
            Dogs and cats that are housed in the same primary enclosure must be compatible, with the following restrictions:
            (a) Females in heat (estrus) may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with males, except for breeding purposes;
            (b) Any dog or cat exhibiting a vicious or overly aggressive disposition must be housed separately;
            (c) Puppies or kittens 4 months of age or less may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with adult dogs or cats other than their dams or foster dams, except when permanently maintained in breeding colonies;
            (d) Dogs or cats may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with any other species of animals, unless they are compatible; and
            (e) Dogs and cats that have or are suspected of having a contagious disease must be isolated from healthy animals in the colony, as directed by the attending veterinarian. When an entire group or room of dogs and cats is known to have or believed to be exposed to an infectious agent, the group may be kept intact during the process of diagnosis, treatment, and control.

(You can find more details about how to keep dogs under USDA licensing and the Animal Welfare Act at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2009-title9-vol1/xml/CFR-2009-title9-vol1-chapI-subchapA.xml#seqnum3.2)

As you can see, these are very precise engineering standards which give instructions, down to the inch, of how dogs are to be kept. They are obviously designed for commercial breeders and people who breed dogs on a large scale for wholesale purposes. They are clearly not appropriate for hobby dog breeders and people who keep dogs in their home.

And, yet, when hobby breeders began objecting in large numbers in their APHIS comments that they could not and would not be able to keep their dogs under these conditions, APHIS issued the following response in a revised fact sheet (July 2012):

Q. If this proposal is adopted, would breeders who

come under regulation and allow their dogs to

roam free in their homes have to put their animals

in a kennel?

A. No. The AWA regulations define a primary

enclosure broadly to mean any structure or device

used to restrict an animal or animals to a limited

amount of space. As such, a home can be considered

a dog’s primary enclosure. If a room of a house is used

as a dog’s primary enclosure (e.g., a whelping room or

nursery), APHIS will apply the applicable regulations

and standards to the room.

If, however, a dog breeder allows their dogs to have

free run of the entire house, APHIS will assess whether

the home can house animals within the health and

humane standards contemplated by the AWA. If the

breeder has a kennel or cages that the dogs can stay

in inside the home that meet AWA standards, we would

consider that compliance with the primary enclosure

requirements has been achieved.

Can anyone see how you could possibly keep your dogs in the house and follow APHIS regulations? I can't. And neither can anyone we've checked with on this issue. That includes people who have been involved with commercial dog breeders and the USDA for decades. Dr. Gerald Rushin of the USDA claims that the USDA is currently inspecting some USDA dog breeders who raise dogs in their home but it's hard to see how they do it. They certainly can't have any kind of normal home if they do. It might be possible to meet the requirements listed above if you had a Toy breed and kept the dogs confined to one room, in small crates. You would have to be able to have extremely large crates for the little dogs, much larger than we normally use for dogs for crating purposes (for safety, for sleeping, for potty training purposes, for traveling). The room and all its contents would have to be capable of withstanding sterilization on a regular basis and be able to pass all of the other inspection points. But this is hardly the same as allowing your dogs to roam freely in the house. And it would seem to be impossible to provide this kind of situation for larger dogs. The cost alone of providing super size crates for large dogs would be prohibitive as they would probably have to be custom-made, and no one would want to keep their dogs confined to a crate in the home continually in this manner.

It's ludicrous that APHIS would try to provide this kind of answer to the critical comments they have been receiving from hobby breeders about putting their house dogs in kennels. Not just ludicrous. It appears to be an attempt to deceive. They appear to be trying to allay breeder criticism to try to get us to go along with the proposed changes. But I don't think any of us want to keep our dogs in the house under these conditions! APHIS needs to get some comments on this issue.

There are other items in the fact sheet which are questionable. The fact sheet claims that breeders will be able to meet buyers off their premises to make a sale instead of requiring a face to face meeting. However, this is not in the proposed rules. Call me skeptical, but it's what's in the rules that matter, not what's in some non-binding fact sheet. If an inspector comes to your home, they will follow the rules and regulations. They won't care what was promised in a fact sheet. And the fact sheet doesn't improve anything for breeders who need to ship a puppy occasionally.

I could go on but you see the problems. Please make sure that everyone in your clubs knows what is in the proposed APHIS changes. They would affect ALL of us. You have until August 15 to comment. Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0003-0001http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0003-0001. You can make a comment of 2000 characters (not words). If you need more space you can attach a document such as a PDF or Word document. It's best to have your comment pre-written so you can simply copy and paste it into the text window.

The proposed APHIS changes would be a disaster for hobby dog breeders. Tell everyone you know and get them to comment!

APHIS Redux

The following article originally appeared in the July 20, 2012 issue of Dog News. It is posted here by permission of the author.

APHIS Redux

Carlotta Cooper

Many of you have been closely following the APHIS rulemaking process since it was announced on May 15. For those of you who haven't been, and just to catch everyone up, here is where we currently stand.

At almost the 11^th hour on the Friday before the Monday, July 16^th deadline for comments, APHIS extended the deadline until August 15. We now how a few more weeks to make persuasive arguments that this wrongheaded effort to regulate breeders should be scrapped. You can make comments directly to the APHIS site through this link.

The Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance is putting together an opposition list to the proposed APHIS rules. They will be sending this list to Washington DC when their lobbyist meets with congressmen at the end of the month. The deadline to add your club, state organization, business, or self to this list is July 30. You can be added to this list by sending a brief message of opposition signed by an officer of your organization to Susan Wolf at cubhill@earthlink.net. Scores of parent clubs and kennel clubs have already signed. <http://www.saova.org/APHIS_Opposition.List.html> If APHIS will not listen to breeders, perhaps pressure from Congress will do some good. Each of these clubs represents dozens, even hundreds of people who vote, something that legislators care about, even if APHIS doesn't.

The AKC's petition to oppose the APHIS rules is still active, as of this writing, and has about 66,000 signatures. Isn't that amazing! The petition was to close on July 15 so it could be delivered to APHIS prior to the end of comments. I don't know how long it will remain open now that the comment period has been extended, but if you haven't signed it, please do. <http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/join-with-the-akc-to-protect-responsible-small-breeders.html> The petition will only count as one comment to APHIS, but it is a powerful indicator of the unity of AKC's breeders, buyer's, and supporters. The petition DOES make a difference. HSUS is also collecting signatures on petitions and we need to show that we have numbers, too.

The AKC has been attacked directly by HSUS on several occasions during this rulemaking process and on each occasion they have responded in a strong, dignified manner. They have shown that they are, and WE are, the experts when it comes to knowing and caring for dogs. HSUS has stooped to sending a troop of Girl Scouts from Maryland to the office of the Secretary of Agriculture and having the girls send a letter to the AKC claiming that the “AKC is mean to puppies” in order to try to get the AKC to change their opposition to the rules. As the AKC explained, “one-size-fits-all” rules are not in the best interest of dogs. AKC has a routine inspection program in place and they have inspected more than 55,000 kennels that register AKC dogs since 2000. No other registry has such a program, and they enhanced their Care and Conditions of Dogs policy at the recent April board meeting. If or when inspectors find signs of cruelty, the situation is reported to the proper local, state, and/or federal authorities, as they should be. Through the Canine Health Foundation, Companion Animal Recovery, and parent club and other rescue programs, the AKC is the leader in caring for dogs. In terms of animal welfare, the AKC does more for dogs than any other organization in the United States, bar none.

That hasn't stopped HSUS from attacking and lying online. They are also lying in the media about the proposed APHIS rules and what their impact would be. (I have a blog for Tennessee pet laws and I know that HSUS people have been trying to post messages about the proposed rules which are flatly inaccurate and misleading. Those messages are moderated and never posted. Likewise, they have not been posted by others with pet law blogs.) HSUS shills are out in force trying to tell the public and others that you can keep dogs in your home under the proposed rules, for instance. This is based on something that was written in the revised fact sheet that was posted by APHIS a few weeks ago in which they stated that your home could be considered your “primary enclosure.” Pardon me while I laugh here. The only way that your home could be considered your “primary enclosure” under the APHIS-AWA regulations is if you set aside a basement or some other room in your house that can be sterilized to 180 degrees and which has no sharp edges anywhere. (Can you sterilize your carpets? Hose down your hardwood floors? Do you have Venetian blinds in your rooms?) Any room your dogs inhabit would be subject to unannounced USDA inspections. If you raise puppies in your bedroom, you would have APHIS inspectors in there. So, if you want to live in a kennel and have unannounced visits from government inspectors, then sure, I guess these rules won't bother you at all. Don't believe anything posted by these HSUS mouthpieces who are just trying to get into your home and stop all dog breeding.

Currently there are about 9000 comments on the APHIS site and there are more comments opposed to the APHIS proposed rules than for them. The comments opposed to the rules are also of much better quality. Many of the comments in favor of the rules read like, “I hate puppy mills! I support these rules.” And “Shame on the AKC.” There are many “Me, too” type comments and they aren't very smart. They do not show any familiarity with what is actually in the proposed rules. However, HSUS claims that they have another 100,000 comments to deliver. Whether you believe that or not, and whether they are any better than the comments in favor of the rules so far, is anyone's guess.

Comments from breeders, parent clubs, and others opposing the rules have been excellent, for the most part. They show a much deeper understanding of the proposed rules and how they would impact breeders and their dogs. But more comments are needed, so please continue to post. You have until August 15. No one knows what it will take to make APHIS drop these rules, or if that is possible, but we need to keep writing.

If you have questions about the proposed rules there are many good places to look online for more information. You can check the AKC resource page: http://www.akc.org/governmentrelations/usda_aphis.cfm

SAOVA has an entire page of information: <http://www.saova.org/APHIS_rulemaking.html> with links.

NAIA has information: <http://www.naiaonline.org/articles/article/the-usda-proposed-rule-and-you>

And there are many good articles and blog posts online.

Please keep writing. If these proposed rules are passed, our rarer breeds could disappear and the quality of the remaining breeds will be seriously hurt. We need to stop these rules.

APHIS Deadlines! Write Your Comments NOW!

This is a last call to stand up and be counted against the incredibly misbegotten APHIS rules for selling pet animals.  The final deadline for individual comments is MONDAY, July 16; the deadline for SAOVA opposition list signatures is July 30; and the deadline for AKC petition signatures is July  15.

Please note that the Irish Wolfhound Club of America, the Potomac
Valley Irish Wolfhound Club, the Irish Wolfhound Association of the
West Coast, the Irish Wolfhound Club of Puget Sound, and the Northern California Irish Wolfhound club have joined the SAOVA list of organizations opposed to the proposed APHIS rules.

Thank you, Christina Kallay, Harley Blanchard, Lori Walker, Chris Thompson,and Pat Cobb.  Thank you, also, to A. Nelson Sills and his Labrador Retriever Club  (their parent club).

The SAOVA opposition list is important because it is going to Congress to enlist Congress's help in getting rid of those destructive APHIS proposed rules.  Each organization listed represents multiple people, i.e., multiple voters, in some cases many hundreds or even thousands of voters.  Bureaucrats, such as those who run the USDA and its APHIS division, tend to ignore voters.  Senators and congressmen (and women) do not.

More clubs, whether IW clubs or other clubs to which any of you belong, putting their names on the SAOVA opposition list will drive that many nails into the APHIS rules coffin.

This is the link for the opposition list.  Just send a brief statement of opposition to the APHIS rules to:  Susan Wolf, cubhill@earthlink.net.  Give her the full name of your club or other organization and your address (only for verification purposes, it won't be on that list).

http://saova.org/APHIS_Opposition.List.html

Then, read Susan's excellent letter to Congress explaining why the proposed APHIS rules are so destructive to all of us as owners and breeders.

http://saova.org/news/APHIS/SAOVA_Letter.To.APHIS_Final.pdf

You cannot copy any part of the letter, but you can use its ideas as the basis of your own comments to APHIS.

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0003-0001.

On this page is APHIS own summary of the proposed rules and other relevant information.  If you don't feel like re-reading all of that again, click onto:  "Comment Now"  at the top right-hand corner of the page.  That will take you to:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=APHIS-2011-0003-0001

There, you follow the prompt and submit your comment.  You have a limit of 2000 characters and 20 minutes, but you'll get a warning just before the 20 minutes is up, and you can press that link for more time.  You can comment as many times as you want, but you have to re-submit your name and other identification for each comment.

Finally, here is the link for AKC's petition for individuals to sign that will be sent to APHIS.  It's good and will be sent with AKC's official comments, but the more effective measures are your own individual comments on the APHIS site and your club's name (or even your own business name) on the SAOVA opposition list.

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/join-with-the-akc-to-protect-responsible-small-breeders.html

Remember, the deadline is July  15.  Everything must be in by midnight, July 15.

--Roberta Pliner