Urgent alert for Michigan dog owners: please contact the House - TopicsExpress

Urgent alert for Michigan dog owners: please contact the House Regulatory Reform Committee members and urge them to oppose House Bill 5095 as it may be up for a vote next week. HB 5095 would add the classification of so-called “large scale dog breeding kennels” to the current pet shop and animal shelter regulations. The bill defines “large scale dog breeding kennels” as those with “more than 15 female intact dogs over the age of 4 months.” While many of the additional regulations added in the bill for animal shelters are long overdue, the “large scale dog breeding kennels” would be subject to regulations and standards of care that could be changed at the Michigan Department of Agriculture’s whim. The bill creates an overly broad classification of “large scale dog breeding kennels” because it does not clearly delineate between female dogs being kept for breeding and those kept for other purposes, and it opens the door for further restrictions, inspections, and other potentially over-burdensome impositions on responsible breeders. UKC offered amendments to narrowly tailor the definition and ensure that the legislation would encompass the intended commercial breeders, while exempting the breeders who are active with their dogs and ostensibly not the targeted group. However, these amendments have been refused, and the over-inclusive definition stands. Current Michigan cruelty and neglect laws provide for far more regulation and punishment, and the recent sweeping USDA/APHIS changes will already over regulate breeders. Furthermore, one of the first states to adopt a breeder law similar to this has very recently revoked it due to the high cost to the state, despite promises by proponents that it would not only be self-sustaining but profitable. The ‘breeder’ portion of this bill is unnecessary, costly, and more than the Michigan Department of Agriculture can handle to enforce. Please contact the sponsor of the bill, Representative Mike McCready, and the members of the House Regulatory Reform Committee who will be voting on this next week. Re. Mike McCready Phone: (517) 373-8670 Toll Free: (855) 373-8670 Fax: (517) 373-5868 Email: [email protected] Rep. Hugh Crawford, Chair (Dist. 38) Phone: (517) 373-0827 Fax: (517) 373-5873 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Ed McBroom, Majority Vice Chair (Dist. 108) Phone: (517) 373-0156 Toll Free in MI: (855) 347-8108 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Harold Haugh, Minority Vice Chair (Dist. 22) Phone: (517) 373-0854 Toll Free in MI: 866) 994-2844 Fax: (517) 373-5911 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Cindy Denby (Dist. 47) Phone: (517) 373-8835 Toll Free in MI: (866) 828-4863 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Tom McMillin (Dist. 45) Phone: (517) 373-1773 Toll Free in MI: (866) 969-0450 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (Dist. 32) Phone: (517) 373-8931 Toll Free in MI: 1-866-DIST-032 (1-866-347-8032) E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Bruce Rendon (Dist. 103) Phone: (517) 373-3817 Toll Free in MI: (888) 347-8103 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 517-373-5495 Rep. Ken Yonker (Dist. 72) Phone: (517) 373-0840 Toll Free in MI: (888) 347-8072 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Tim Kelly (Dist. 94) Phone: (517) 373-0837 Toll Free in MI: (855) 945-3559 Fax: (517) 373-3589 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Klint Kesto (Dist. 39) Phone: (517) 373-1799 Fax: (517) 373-8361 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Theresa Abed (Dist. 71) Phone: (517) 373-0853 Toll Free in MI: (855) 328-6671 Fax: (517) 373-6589 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Woodrow Stanley (Dist. 34) Phone: (517) 373-8808 Toll Free in MI: (888) 966-3034 Fax: (517) 373-5997 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Scott Dianda (Dist. 110) Phone: (517) 373-0850 Toll Free in MI: (888) 663-4031 Fax: (517) 373-9303 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. David Nathan (Dist. 8) Phone: (517) 373-3815 Toll Free in MI: (888) 697-3711 Fax: (517) 373-5986 E-mail: [email protected] Rep. Andy Schor (Dist. 68) Phone: (517) 373-0826 Fax: (517) 373-5698 E-mail: [email protected]