URGENT - MORE ACTION NEEDED - PLEASE CALL NOW! SPEAK UP FOR MN DOGS AND CATS IN THE SENATE - The Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill – S.F. 36 – passed all of the necessary Senate policy committees by the deadline and is going to be heard in the Senate Finance Committee as soon as THIS Wednesday morning. We appreciate all of your calls and we need to pass this committee, which is a finance committee, in order to keep the bill moving. Please CALL NOW ALL of the members on the committee before this Wednesday morning (April 9) and ask them to vote in favor of S.F. 36 and not to accept any amendments that would weaken the bill (see below for phone numbers). We need to protect Minnesota dogs and cats who are forced to live in substandard and deplorable conditions. You can also leave your message with the Senator’s legislative assistant because it is hard to reach legislators directly. Important: If you are a constituent of one of the committee members listed below, be sure he/she knows that. For additional talking points, we have provided those below the committee members’ names and numbers. Please keep your message short and respectful. House Update Great News - The House companion bill (H.F. 84) was incorporated into the House Omnibus Supplemental Appropriations Bill (H.F. 3172) which passed the House floor on April 3 by a vote of 70-59! (An omnibus bill incorporates several other bills into one.) Thank you for caring and taking action! Senate Finance Committee Members Senator Richard Cohen (District 64) - 651-296-5931 Senator Bobby Champion (District 59) - 651-296-9246 Senator Michelle Fischbach (District 13) - 651-296-2084 Senator Bruce Anderson (District 29) – 651-296-5981 Senator Terri Bonoff (District 44) - 651-296-4314 Senator Scott Dibble (District 61) - 651-296-4191 Senator Barb Goodwin (District 41) - 651-296-4334 Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (District 8) - 651-297-8063 Senator Ron Latz (District 46) - 651-297-8065 Senator Warren Limmer (District 34) - 651-296-2159 Senator Tony Lourey (District 11) - 651-296-0293 Senator Jeremy Miller (District 28) - 651-296-5649 Senator Scott Newman (District 18) - 651-296-4131 Senator Sean Nienow (District 32) - 651-296-5419 Senator Sandra Pappas (District 65) - 651-296-1802 Senator John Pederson (District 14) - 651-296-6455 Senator Tom Saxhaug (District 5) - 651-296-4136 Senator Katie Sieben (District 54) - 651-297-8060 Senator LeRoy Stumpf (District 1) - 651-296-8660 Senator David Tomassoni (District 6) - 651-296-8017 Senator Torrey Westrom (District 12) - 651-296-3826 Senator Charles Wiger (District 43) - 651-296-6820 The Problem There is no State law to license, inspect or regulate commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota. The problem is inhumane breeding practices. Minnesota is among the top producers of puppies in the United States with some of the largest breeding kennels in the nation - housing 300, 600 or over 1,000 dogs and puppies. Kittens are also mass-produced in Minnesota. Many dogs and cats live out their lives in small, overcrowded wire cages and are bred repeatedly. Their cages are often stacked, allowing feces and urine to fall onto the animals below. Animals may be malnourished from inadequate food and water, receive little or no veterinary care, are stressed from constant confinement and neglect, have fleas, worms, etc. Many have deformed paws, are severely matted, or are burned from sitting and standing in urine and feces. And, they are rarely, if at all, provided human socialization. While many breeders in Minnesota act responsibly, there are those who keep dogs and cats in deplorable conditions and are willing to make a profit at the expense of the animal’s health and wellbeing. The puppies and kittens are sold to the public and many are sick, diseased, and have genetic problems. The Solution S.F. 36 addresses the problem by giving the State of Minnesota the authority to: •License - Require commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to be licensed; •Inspect and Enforce - Give legal authority to the MN Board of Animal Health to inspect commercial dog and cat breeding facilities and enforce existing State laws to ensure animal care standards are met; and •Penalties - Impose civil, administrative and criminal penalties for those who violate the law. For more information, go to speakupmn.org Speak Up for Minnesota Dogs and Cats Coalition members include A Rotta Love Plus, Animal Folks MN, Animal Humane Society, Minnesota Animal Control Association, Minnesota Humane Society, Minnesota Voters for Animal Protection, Minnkota Persian Rescue, Pause 4 Paws, Pet Haven Inc. of Minnesota, Retrieve A Golden of Minnesota, Second Chance Animal Rescue, and Tri-County Humane Society. These legislative efforts are also supported by numerous other organizations and individuals, including the Animal Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, veterinarians, law enforcement, prosecutors, humane agents, animal control, rescue groups, animal shelters, breeders, businesses, and countless citizens throughout Minnesota.
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 14:42:33 +0000
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