Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Dog-friendly parks and beaches on Long Island in New York
corris.little@newsday.com
There's nothing better than enjoying the great outdoors with a few good friends, but what if your friends are among the four-legged set? Long Islanders enjoy several parks where dogs are free to socialize, romp and play to their heart's content. So go ahead, BYOD – bring your own dog -- and check out a few great spots for you and your furry friends.
Here's a growing list of state and county parks where your dogs can roam free or leashed. If you know of more dog parks, dog runs and the like, send an e-mail to corris.little@newsday.com for inclusion on this list.
Click on link below for full story -
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Pregnancy Management in Dogs and Cats
Great article which can be freely accessed on the web.
Click here
.............................
Pregnancy Management in Dogs and Cats
Patrick W. Concannon1, MS, PhD, DACT (Hon); John Verstegen2, DVM, PhD, DECAR
1Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; Univ. of Florida, 2Gainesville, FL, USA
In recent years, advances in small animal reproduction have allowed pregnancy management to evolve into a clinical service that has application form the beginning to the end of gestations. The advances provide for new and improved methods of pregnancy detection; improved use of ultrasound to determine gestational age, assess fetal well and predict the date of parturition; the use of progesterone assays to monitor luteal function and allow consideration of progesterone supplementation; use of progesterone assays and managed breeding information in the evaluation of prolonged gestations and in the timing of elective of interventive caesarian sections; use of fetal and uterine monitoring in management of critical pregnancies late in gestation; use of ancillary and supportive therapy in caesarian and induced deliveries; the potential to use anti-progestin therapy to induce pre-scheduled whelping in normal pregnancies; the availability of multiple protocols for termination of unwanted pregnancies. In addition there have been recognized pregnancy management concerns that need to be considered prior to the detection to the detection of pregnancy including discontinuation of organophosphate parasiticides, confirming treatment of heartworm, determination of distemper and parvovirus titers, and likewise herpes virus antibody titers and herpes vaccination schedule (Eurican Herpes 205©, Merial) where applicable and available, as well as recording of periovulatory parameters useful for timing subsequent examinations and interpreting their results.
GESTATION LENGTH
Several studies have confirmed that the duration of gestations in nearly all bitches is consistently 64-66 days when measured as the interval from the day of the LH surge to the day of spontaneous parturition. Further-more, in vivo and ex vivo evaluations of embryonic development have established a rather precise timeline of the early events of pregnancy and of expected change sin ultrasonic and radiographic appearance. Some landmark events and findings include: LH peak, day 0; ovulation, day 2; implantation, day 21; U/S detectable fetal heart, day 24; elevated relaxin day 23-28; elevated prolactin, day 28-30; fetal crown-rump length equals placental width, day 39-40; x-ray detectable fetal skull, day 44-48 vs. teeth, day 58-62; parturition, day 64-66.
Understanding the period of fertility in dogs is important in managing bitches presented as overdue and requiring intervention, as well as evaluating bitches claimed to be whelping prematurely. Because the canine sperm can remain viable in the female tract for up to 9 days and because the mature oocytes can survive for several days before fertilization, the apparent gestation length, form an observed breeding to normal parturition can range from 57 to 69 days; it can also be as long as 72 or more days from the first of multiple matings70. In addition, in rare cases of natural insemination and in cases of intrauterine insemination in late estrus, the interval from a single service to whelping may be as short as 55 or 56 days.
PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS
Palpation of uterine swellings is possible by day 20 and easiest when they are of 3 cm diameter between days 28 and 32 and progressively more difficult after day 35 when individual swellings become less distinct from one another. The currently available assays for the pregnancy-specific placental hormone relaxin include Reprochek © ELISA quantitative assay and Witness Relaxin© immuno-migration qualitative slide test (both Synbiotics). Both are very accurate and definitive, since relaxin is not produced absent a pregnancy. The ELISA may detect relaxin as early as day 20-23 and the Witness test often detects pregnancy relaxin as early as day 26-30. False positives occur in cases of recent resorption or with retained placental tissue. False negatives as late as day 30 or 34 have been observed anecdotally, and negative results should be followed by U/S or re-assay one week later. U/S can detect pre-implantation vesicles by day 21 or earlier, embryonic masses by day 22-25, embryonic heart movement by day 24-27 using 5 or 7.5 MHz equipment. .
IMAGING
Ultrasound (U/S) exams can be very useful in pregnancy management. Its use to document pregnancy 3 weeks after the end of estrus (metestrus vaginal smear), or at day 26-28 after the estimated day of the LH surge can be a critical service. It can document pregnancies in bitches that might otherwise have been judged infertile. It can also provide confirmation of normal development and a reasonable estimate of the stage of pregnancy and estimated whelping date in bitches in which the day of the LH surge was not determined. Before and after the day-40 change in the fetal-placental ratio, morphological features and changes in dimensions such as chronic cavity diameter and bi-parietal skull diameter and ratio of fetal length to placental width observed by U/S can be used to estimate gestational age with significant accuracy using published values. Accuracy of fetal number estimation deceases with littler size and stage of pregnancy.
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
There are important physiological changes associate with pregnancy that must be appreciated as they can affect clinical test results. These include a progressive pregnancy anemia evident by day 35, progressing to hematocrits as low as 30-35% at term, and often not returning to normal until more than two months post-partum. There are also increases in serum concentrations of several positive acute phase proteins including c-reactive protein, fibrinogen and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, all of which increase after implantation and peak in late gestation. There are also reports of transient or progressive increases in fibrin degradation product levels, euglobulin lysis time, plasminogen activity, and alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor activity. The increases in acute phase proteins is assumed to represent an inflammation-like responses to the insult caused by implantation and placentation. Transient anorexia for several days around day 28 is normal. Increased food must be supplied to account a 40 percent average increase in food consumption which adds a 20 to 55 percent increase in body weight. Calcium or Vit. D (or any additive) supplementation is contraindicated as they can complicate normal calcium regulation increase incidence peripartum hypocalcaemia. There can also be an increase in insulin resistance sufficient to affect therapy of diabetic animals and cause pre-diabetic bitches to become frankly diabetic. Surprisingly, the insulin resistance is also accompanied by a reduced counter-regulatory hormone response, and the diet must be properly balanced and exercise maintained.
PROLACTIN AND MAMMARY
Prolactin concentrations increase above those in non-pregnant cycles by day 30, and in pregnancy reaches values similar to those seen in lactation, and may surge even higher 1 day before parturition during the rapid decline in progesterone that occurs immediately prepartum. Increase prolactin is assumed to be the cause of the increased progesterone secretion that occurs during pregnancy, and is also the major stimulant for the increased mammy development and lactogenesis that occurs during the last 30 days of gestation. Prolactin is luteotropic in both the pregnant and non-pregnant bitch, and prolactin-suppressing doses of dopamine agonists can readily cause luteolysis and termination of pregnancy any time aft6er day 25-30 of gestation. Whether or not insufficient prolactin secretion may be involved in cases of insufficient mammary development and/or agalactia due to mammary underdevelopment has not been determined. Prolactin is required for the lactogenesis that occurs during gestation, while progesterone suppresses actual lactation. The decline in prolactin at parturition, with a continued elevation in prolactin, is the initiator of milk synthesis and secretion. Dopamine antagonists including domperidone, metoclopramide and sulpiride stimulate prolactin secretion and have been shown in some species to stimulate lactation, and metoclopramide (1 mg/kg bid) has been used in some clinics to treat mammary insufficient or agalactia in small animals although behavioral side effects occur after 5 days of treatment. Dopamine agonists inhibit lactation and can be used in treatment of milk engorgement mastitis and persistent unwanted lactation.
RESORPTIONS AND ABORTION
Multiple ultrasound studies have documented idiosyncratic embryonic and fetal losses that would have other wise gone undetected, including partial as well as full resumption of litters as late as day 35. Even after day 35, fetal losses with related vaginal discharges may go undetected in fastidious bitches that lick away or ingest discharged materials. Ultrasound studies have also indicated that resorption may occur in 10-15 % of pregnancies, and total resorption in 5-10% of pregnancies. In one study, many instances of resorption were preceded by embryonic development retarded in relation to the expected time course.
PROGESTERONE
Progesterone levels required maintenance of pregnancy may vary; normal and progesterone-supplemented pregnancies have continued with low levels below 2 ng/ml for periods of sever days or weeks. The low levels are presumably simply the result of the increased extraction of progesterone from the plasma by the gravid uterus. In the bitch, progesterone is entirely of ovarian origin, and there is no placental contribution like in the cat. During pregnancy, progesterone secretion by the corpora lutea is enhanced over that in non-pregnant bitches mostly due to a pregnancy increase in prolactin secretion that begins by day 27-30 and persists throughout gestation. However, circulating concentrations are not greatly different from those of the non-pregnant bitch because the increased progesterone is diluted by an increase in plasma volume and is more rapidly metabolized and cleared from the circulation by the uterus, placenta, mammary, and liver.
Fecal progesterone is distinctly elevated in the second half of pregnancy compared to that in the non-pregnant bitch. Serum progesterone should be monitored every 1-2 weeks in bitches with a history of pregnancy failure or luteal insufficiency.
Serum concentrations in progesterone typically peak at 15 to 90 ng/ml between day 15 and 30, and slowly decline thereafter, and somewhat less rapidly than the decline in non-pregnant cycles in many cases. The average peak level is around 50 ng/ml, and between days 35 and 50 there is typically a slowly decline to below 20m ng/ml by day 50 and below 10 ng/ml by day 60, but the range and variation in levels observed is considerable. In experimental studies, and in some clinically observed cases, pregnancy could be anointed with progesterone near or below 2 ng/ml, and the excess observed during most normal pregnancies may represent a mechanism to ensure pregnancy maintenance in the majority of animals.
PROGESTERONE SUPPLEMENTATION
However, there have been reports of instances of suspected luteal failure, luteal insufficiency, or "hypoluteoidism" in which peripheral concentrations of progesterone were observed to be exceptionally low in bitches which were confirmed to have resorbed or aborted their litter. The extent to which the low progesterone was a cause versus a consequence of pregnancy failure has not been well established. Nevertheless, protocols have been suggested for progesterone supplementation in pregnant bitches in which progesterone fall below 5 ng/ml before day 55, or declines more rapidly than expected in mid-gestation. The application of such progesterone replacement in bitches which previously failed to become pregnant or which were documented to have resorbed litters has involved successfully pregnancies--but whether the "successes" have been the result of treatment, better breeding management, or unknown factors is not known. Some protocols for progesterone supplementation have involved administration of progesterone in amounts too low or too infrequent to result in a meaningful effect of circulating progesterone concentrations, and there have been no studies to determine the effects of specific supplementation protocols on circulating progesterone concentrations. Progesterone supplementation protocols have included the following: (1) progesterone in oil, i.m., 2 mg/kg, every 72 h. (2) altrenogest, daily, p.o., 0.088 mg/kg (0.2 cc/10 lb, using Regu-Mate©, Hoechst-Roussel). Medroxyprogesterone, megestrol and some other synthetics can cause masculinization of female fetuses. Recently, human products of micronized natural progesterone in capsules have been used, being given orally 1-2 times per day at doses of 5-10 mg/kg (i.e., 100 mg capsules in 10-20 kg dogs) and the efficacy monitored by progesterone assays. This has been successful in some clinics although it relies on owner compliance. Natural progesterone requires frequent administration but has he advantage that withdrawal can be done rapidly. Whether the successful pregnancies obtained in P-supplemented bitches have been incidental or the result of treatment is not known, and controlled study is lacking.
Any use of progesterone supplementation must be done with a plan to discontinue therapy in a manner that will allow for progesterone to decline below 2 ng/ml shortly before expected "term" and thus permit or promote normal whelping. Excessive exogenous progesterone or other progestin can compromise normal parturition and can result in dead puppies that must be recovered by C-section. Oral progestin therapy should be discontinued 2 days prior to the estimated day of parturition. Serial injections of synthetic preparations should be discontinued early enough for the progestin to decline to non-effect concentrations by the expected day of parturition.
PARTURITION
Normal parturition occurs as a result of a rapid decline in progesterone from the 4-10 ng/ml observed in the preceding days to values below 2 ng/ml over a 12-24 hr period beginning 1-2 days prior to whelping. The decline in progesterone and associated luteolysis occur in response to an increase in prostaglandin to luteolytic levels, which in turn occur in response to maturation of the fetal pituitary-adrenal axes and elevation in fetal glucocorticoid concentrations. Monitoring and/or examining for the decline in progesterone can be an important tool in managing bitches with an apparent or presumed prolonged gestation, in evaluating bitches presented for dystocia, and in timing elective c-sections, especially in bitches in which the day of ovulation or day of the preovulatory LH surge was not estimated with accuracy. The prepartum decline in progesterone is presumably the cause of the acute rise in prolactin immediately prepartum. The decline in progesterone also disinhibits the suppressive effects of progesterone on lactation and thus initiates lactation. Temperature declines of 1°C or more during the 12-24 h prepartum, and is a parameter that can be monitored twice daily starting day 60 by owners who wish to be involved.
FETAL AND UTERINE MONITORING
U/S detection of fetal HR below 180, often accompanied by bowel movements, is indicative of fetal distress and can be the basis of intervention in near-term bitches. U/S can also reveal fetal overgrowth or growth retardation, and other abnormalities including hydrocephalus, fetal anasarca, herniation of the ventral abdominal wall. Such case can then benefit form intervention. Uterine contraction activity has also been monitored with commercial devices designed for that purpose.
C-SECTIONS AND ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY
In cases of pre-scheduled c-sections and when emergency surgery is required in bitches with obvious signs of dystocia at the expected whelping time, additional steps can be considered. Collection of a serum sample for progesterone analysis can be retrospectively informative. "Term" dystocia in the absence of a normal prepartum decline in progesterone is unlikely, but no studies have been performed to document progesterone in term bitches with dystocia. Whether small litters or other factors can result in a failure of the expected fetal-induced prepartum luteolysis bitches is not known. Singleton mummified fetuses can occur and result in prolonged gestation; whether there is a maintenance of elevated progesterone in such cases is not known. Some clinics administer single shock-management doses of a short-acting corticosteroid to induce lung surfactant and other maturational changes in the fetuses. Such corticoid administration when prescheduled is given 8-24 hr prior to elective c-sections in brachycephalic breeds, and bitches with over-grown fetuses or a history of dystocia or excessive early neonatal loss of pups; normal losses range from 10-20%. Bitches scheduled for c-section should be provided access to 100% oxygen gas before as well as during surgery to improve fetal surfactant and decrease neonatal anoxia; O2 should be provided whether using inhalation anesthesia or continuous i.v.-delivery of a short-acting anesthetic (propofol) and a rapidly reversible opioid agent (fentanyl). Respiratory depression is typically not a problem in pups, but naloxone can be used to reverse effects of residual opiate.
INDUCED PARTURITION
The availability of a progesterone antagonist as a veterinary drug marketed for termination of unwanted pregnancies has resulted in research and clinical application of the drug as a means to induced parturition. Single s.c. administration of aglepristone at 15 mg/kg, after day 58 of pregnancy, when followed 24 h later by oxytocin 0.15 IU/kg every 2 h until the end or parturition, resulted in onsets of normal parturition at 32± 4 hr of treatment, without complications and with normal fetal parameters post partum. The expulsion phases of labor extend over 4.5± 2 h. Repeated administration of the same dose may be sufficient without administration of any tocolytic agent but study is limited. Repeated lower doses were poorly effect alone. The values of any such therapy in normal pregnancy except for the possible convenience it might afford is not clear. It is difficult to recommend in light of anecdotal reports of such treatments yielding less timely or less successful results in some bitches with or without support of tocolytic doses of OT or PGF. However, the potential reliability, safety and benefits of such protocols in cases of prolonged gestation or prior dystocia, or in preparation for prescheduled caesarian sections merits consideration.
References
1. Concannon, P., and Verstegen, J. (1998) Pregnancy in Dogs and Cats. Chapter. In: Knobil, E., and Neill, J. (Eds), Encyclopedia of Reproduction, Academic Press, San Diego
2. Concannon P.W., England G., Verstegen J. and Linde-Forsberg C. (Eds.) Recent Advances in Small Animal Reproduction, International Veterinary Information Service, Ithaca NY (www.ivis.org), 2001; A1220.0401
3. Connolly CC, Aglione LN, Smith MS, Lacy DB, Moore MC (2004) Pregnancy Impairs the Counterregulatory Response to Insulin-Induced Hypoglycemia in the Dog. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2004 (in press)
4. Kutzler MA, Yeager AE, Mohammed HO, Meyers-Wallen VN. Accuracy of canine parturition date prediction using fetal measurements obtained by ultrasonography. Theriogenology. 2003 ; 15;60(7):1309-17.
Speaker Information
(click the speaker's name to view other papers and abstracts submitted by this speaker)
Patrick W. Concannon, MS, PhD, DACT (Hon)
Dept. Biomedical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
Speaker Information:
Dr. Concannon's current positions: (1) Visiting Fellow and Emeritus Faculty, Dept. of Clinical Sciences and Dept. of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853.(2) Visiting Lecturer, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (3). President and Chairman, International Veterinary Information Service. He obtained his B.S. Biology, Boston College, Massachusetts, 1963; M.S. Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, 1965; Ph.D. Animal Physiology (Reproduction), Cornell University, Ithaca NY 1971. He has been Chairman, International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004. Lecturer in Human Physiology, Animal Physiology, Veterinary Endocrinology and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Division of Biological Sciences, Cornell University. External thesis reviewer (U. Liege, Belgium; Swedish National University, Uppsala, Sweden; U. Pretoria, So. Africa). Also Invited lecturer WSAVA, SCIVAC (Italy), EVSSAR, ACT. He has published over 130 publications (excluding abstracts) dealing with reproductive regulatory mechanisms, endocrinology and pathology, and editor or co-editor of several books, including the Proceedings of the International Symposium on Canine and Feline Reproduction.
John Verstegen, DVM, PhD, DECAR
Gainesville, FL
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Canine athletes and spay/neuter considerations
An interesting article which perhaps should be read by Levine before
he jumps the gun again in January 08. This addresses the impact of
spay/neuter for dogs used for athletic/schtuzhund type activities.
Generally good advice which should be heeded by all.
This article provides evidence through a number of recent studies to
suggest that veterinarians and owners working with canine athletes
should revisit the standard protocol in which all dogs that are not
intended for breeding are spayed and neutered at or before 6 months of
age.
Please click on this link -
http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html
________________________________
Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL.com.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Tribute Statue Must Appear "Neutered"
No comment but we leave you to decide -
Official News Agency.com
Written by Kevin Clayborne - Staff Writer
Sunday, 22 July 2007
[Sacramento, CA]
A marble monument to service dogs, originally set to be displayed in Sacramento, California, may be on its way out of the golden state. The reason? The statue's "manhood" is still intact.
Proponents of the recently-tabled state assembly bill AB-1634, the so-called "California Healthy Pets Act", which would require that most of the state's dogs and cats over the age of 6 months be sterilized, claim that placing the image of an intact male dog on public property is harmful and sends the wrong message to California pet owners.
"Its not an appropriate display, in a state that carries out three million euthanasias a year." said Dan Nender, a 1634 supporter who filed suit in Sacramento Federal Court to have the monument altered.
Pressed about the number, since most reputable sources set that number at 400,000, Nender replied, "One is too many. Concentrate on the point I'm making, not the numbers."
The sculptor who created the piece, Fidel Marquez of Hemingford, Nebraska, has already refused to alter it. "This is ridiculous. I'll put the damn thing on my lawn before I 'neuter' it."
"Frankly, it doesn't matter what the artist wants, or for that matter whether the lawsuit succeeds." responded Nender. "This is the will of the people... and don't ask me which people, and we're going to carry it out. If this guy doesn't want to do the work himself, we'll sneak in there at night and use a Saws-All on it."
"We cannot have intact testicles on government property. As California government officials, at least the ones on our side, will attest to, Sacramento is a testicle-free zone."
Assembly Bill AB-1634 may come before the California legislature some time again in 2008, according to supporters, but in the meantime, they say they will fight the battle their way. "The ends justify the means," said Nender. Even if the means includes vandalism.
California Department of Parks, who oversee this sort of project, did not return our calls immediately, and the Governor could not be reached for comment. However, plans to erect the monument are on hold until the lawsuit is settled or dismissed.
"It's a shame," Karen Billings, planning coordinator for the National Association for Dogs in Service (NADS) told us. "These folks just won't let it go. They're obsessed with dog testicles. That didn't sound right..."
Friday, July 20, 2007
Buy a Dog
If you want someone who will eat whatever you put in front of him and
never say its not quite as good as his mother made it
then buy a dog.
If you want someone always willing to go out, at any hour, for as long
and wherever you want
then buy a dog.
If you want someone who will never touch the remote, doesn't care
about football, and can sit next to you as you watch romantic movies
then buy a dog.
If you want someone who is content to get up on your bed just to warm
your feet and whom you can push off if he snores .....
then buy a dog !
If you want someone who never criticizes what you do, doesn't care if
you are pretty or ugly, fat or thin, young or old, who acts as if
every word you say is especially worthy of listening to, and loves you
unconditionally, perpetually
then buy a dog.
BUT, on the other hand, if you want someone who will never come when
you call, ignores you totally when you come home, leaves hair all over
the place, walks all over you, runs around all night and only come s
home to eat and sleep, and acts as if your entire existence is solely
to ensure his happiness.............
then buy a cat!
Now be honest, you thought I was going to say....then marry a man.
Monday, July 16, 2007
DOG PHILOSOPHY
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail
instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous
Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive evidence that you
are wonderful.
-Ann Landers
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where
they went.
-Will Rogers
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings
The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.
-Andy Rooney
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare.
And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has
ever made.
-M. Acklam
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,
who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate.
-Sigmund Freud
I wonder if other dogs think poodles are members of a weird religious cult.
-Rita Rudner
A dog teaches us fidelity, perseverance, & to turn around three
times before lying down..
-Robert Benchley
Anybody who doesn't know what soap tastes like never washed a dog.
- Franklin P. Jones
If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I
have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons.
-James Thurber
If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise
-Unknown
My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to $3.00 a
can. That's almost $21.00 in dog money!
-Joe Weinstein
Ever consider what our dogs must think of us? I mean, here we come
from a grocery with the most amazing haul, chicken, pork, half a cow.
They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!
-Anne Tyler
Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should just
relax and get used to it.
-Robert A. Heinlein
If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not
bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain
You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a
look that says,
'Wow, you're right! I never would've thought of that!'
- Dave Barry
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in
your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret
My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
CA AB 1634 Pulled
Good news for a change
Quote
The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that CA AB 1634 was
pulled today from the California Senate Local Government Committee by
the bill sponsor Assemblymember Lloyd Levine. The bill would have
required owners to spay or neuter all dogs and cats six months of age,
with few practical exceptions. Because of this development, AB 1634
will not be considered for the remainder of this legislative session.
Unquote
See
http://www.akc.org/canine_legislation/CA_action_center.cfm
Monday, July 9, 2007
AB1634 ... NEW PetPAC TV COMMERCIALS ... COME TO THE CAPITOL ON 11 JULY!!
BRAT <brat.zinsmaster@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
*** PLEASE CROSSPOST *** SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS ***
NEW!! PetPAC TV Commercials!! Here are two incredible commercials
to watch and share with your family & friends! After viewing each
video, please take a moment ... and ... leave a comment! Then...
forward this to everyone in your Address Book!
"DANTES"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TROzWOqJBFU
"IRRESPONSIBLE"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f78IeQKhFEQ&NR=1
MONDAY, 9 JULY
10:30am Press Conference hosted by Senate Republican Caucus Chair
George Runner (Antelope Valley). Sen. Runner will lead the opposition
to AB1634 and will be joined at this Press Conference by:
-- Bill Hemby, Chair of PetPAC
-- Dr. Kathleen Kenyon, Sanger Veterinarian Hospital
-- Beth Shea, International Association of Assistant Dog Partners
-- Kelley Moran, Director of the "NO on AB1634" State Campaign
WEDNESDAY, 11 JULY
8:00 am Senate Local Government Committee Hearing, State Capitol, Room 112
9:30 am PetPAC CAPITOL RALLY, State Capitol, West Steps (10th Street side)
11:00 am AKC sponsored "Lobby Day", Hyatt Regency Ballroom, 12th & L Streets
JOIN US AT THE CAPITOL ... 11 JULY!!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Your Dog's Favorite Hikes In New York
Your Dog's Favorite Hikes In New York
Submitted by Andrea and Harley
Our favorite hike in the Lake Placid area is up Mt. Van Hoevenberg. It
starts on the south end with a wide, pine-laced opening trail that is
flat. After you pick your way around a swamp you start on a
horseshoe-shaped climb that is pretty easy and tops out at 2,876 feet.
At about 2 miles you pop out onto a rocky summit with great quiet
views of the High Peaks of the Adirondacks.
Submitted by Jennifer and Cubby
My dog Cubby and I hike through the Swangunk Mountains. They are so
beautiful in the fall. We hike through Bear Mountain in the summer and
fall also. We hike through Lake Mohonk - it is by Swangunk Mountain.
This area in upstate NY is beautiful and quite private.
Submitted by Heather
I take my dogs to the Interloken trail in Hector, NY. It is a trail on
government land so it is out in the country. But, it is beautiful and
if you love nature, then you should try it. We go there every summer
and hike past trails, animals, and beautiful ponds.
Submitted by Karen
I love to bring my dog to the Piermont Pier, located in Piermont NY.
This flat, paw friendly pier extends 2.25 miles into the Hudson River.
Rich with history, this place was the embarktation point for GIs going
to the European Theater during WWII. Teeming with wildlife, one can
see birds, deer, and fox along parts of the path. There are many
locals and fisherman who use this path so it is seldom deserted, and
there are many dog-friendly "scooper-bag" stations and trash bins
along the pier. Dogs must be on a leash.
Submitted by Gail and Caleb
One of my favorite places to walk with my dog is along the Erie Canal
in the Rochester area. You can access the Canal Path at many locations
in the area. It is easy walking and there are places to stop and rest
as you enter villages in the area and the many parks that are adjacent
to the Canal. It is great fun watching the boats floating by and to
meet people and their dogs walking the Path.
Submitted without name
Gardiner Manor Park in Bayshore (Long Island) New York, is a very dog
friendly park. The area has open meadows, wooded trails, and a wide
path
that leads to the Great South Bay, where your dog can go swimming.
Submitted by Susan
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harrimanhike/
we have a dog hiking group in the greater NYC area, mostly we hike in
harriman park. if you are in this area check us out. all our hikes are
dog friendly.
Susan and the Wolves
Submitted by Joe and Ziggi
My dog ziggi loves the Valley View walking trails in Sidney, NY. It is
all cleared grass in the woods. Also the greenway trail in Oneonta,
NY. Which is 99.9 percent flat.
Submitted by Kate, Albert and Grendel
We also like to take our dog hiking in the Finger Lakes National
Forest. The Interloken Trail can be accessed from a number of points
between Hector and Burdett, NY, and offers hikers varied terrain
(woodlands, marshes, gorges, meadows) and beautiful views of Seneca
Lake. The trail is about 12 miles from end to end, so you can carve
out several wonderful out-and-back trips along different sections.
The various spur trails (i.e. the Backbone Trail, the Gorge Trail) are
also worth exploring, though the horse trail should be avoided--
it's very muddy, and occasionally runs along the shoulder of the road.
Keep in mind that the trail doesn't offer much in the way of
amenities, so you'll need to bring water for your pooch. And, if your
return trip takes you along Route 79 West into Burdett, stop by the
Grist Mill Cafe--this dog-friendly establishment makes a mean peanut
butter biscuit (not to mention good people food, too--the sandwiches
are excellent).
Submitted by Marjorie
Our Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway website
http://www.oneontagreenway.org has a page showing our trail being used
by dogs and their owners. The page is called Greenway Dogs. Check us
out.
Submitted by Matthew
We like to take our dog to breezy point, its the end of the rockaways
closest to coney island in brooklyn. you must exit before the
rockaways and drive all the way down to the fisherman's parking lot.
If you have a 4x4 you can drive out onto the sand. Otherwise it is a
very nice beach and a nice walk out to it.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
NJ-NY Interesting story regarding mandatory spay and neuter
Click on the link for the full story -
http://itchmo.com/read/man-trying-to-bail-his-dog-out-of-jail_20070626#more-1281
In brief,
" Pete Georgoutsos, who lives in New Jersey, was visiting friends in
Queens one night last month when someone broke into his truck. Spartacus
got loose and landed in a city animal shelter.
The shelter has refused to release the dog unless he is neutered, which
Georgoutsos has opposed.
A Brooklyn judge ruled in Georgoutsos' favor, but the city is appealing.
A hearing on the appeal will be held today. "
Can you imagine the expense to both the dog owner and the boro, in time
and money spent arguing this case in the courts? The effect on this dog
for being jailed needlessly? The opportunities for arbitrary
interpretation of the law by veterinarians and clerks? And, finally, the
utterly obscene control exerted over our personal rights?
Sunday, June 10, 2007
CA AB 1634 - Next steps
The Bill will now needs to be assigned to a Senate policy committee and we will advise details as known. The USA continues to oppose this Bill even with all the current amendments. The GEC which is the arm of the USA fighting such BSL will be working with the Regional Directors in California to continue to the fight in defeating the Bill through its progression through the Senate Committee, Senate and ultimately to the Governor.
Please check the AKC alert for fuller information by clicking here ( and use the return arrow key of your Browser to return to the Blog).
CA AB 1634 Voted in by Assembly
As all of you are now aware; the Bill passed 41 to 38 on June 6.
Given below is a great summary by the Animal Council.
Please also visit their website for more information and updates.
CA AB 1634 (LEVINE, NAVA, SOLARIO; SEN. PADILLA), the "California
Healthy Pets Act" passed the Assembly Floor with the bare minimum 41
affirmative votes and 38 noes on Wednesday, June 6 after weeks of
hectic lobbying efforts ranging from retained professionals to green
grassroots. In the end, all 32 Republican votes held and 6 Democrats
crossed over. Democrat Nell Soto was absent and probably would have
been an extra affirmative vote. The 40 member Senate has a similar
ratio with only 15 Republicans, 25 Democrats and only 21 affirmative
votes needed to pass a bill on the Senate Floor. Democrats also have
majorities in all committees. Very few California legislative
districts are competitive by party, making the primary process
critically important as legislators rotate through term limits of 3
terms in the Assembly and 2 in the Senate. Current Senators all have
known past voting records and Democrat Senate President Pro Tem Don
Perata (D-9) of Oakland has been bullying moderates this year.
AB 1634 would mandate creation of a new, permanent bureaucracy for
California's 536 local jurisdictions to enact and implement an intact
permit to keep unaltered dogs and cats over 4 months of age subject
to eligibility requirements and restrictions, which have been and
will be further amended in the Senate as promised by author Levine in
response to Democrats objecting on the Assembly Floor as well as
other interest groups. So far, there are no provisions for
assessment of results over time, sunset date or accountability
standards for local agencies. AB 1634 awaits assignment to a Senate
policy committee. When a bill is amended in the second house, it
must return to the house of origin for concurrence in the later
amendments before being sent to the Governor who must actually veto a
bill to prevent it from becoming law.
CALIFORNIA HEALTHY PETS ACT web site at http://www.cahealthypets.com
now features several text boxes at the top of the home page,
accessible by clicking past Bob Barker's letter that now opens the
web site. While we could take issue with each of these topics, our
readers have specifically asked that we respond to the following
topic that concludes with a false statement:
***""Hobby Breeders" and "Amateur Breeders" are subject to the same
rules as the larger breeders.
The titles hobby breeder and amateur breeder have been coined by "low
volume" breeders in an effort to make themselves seem innocuous, but
the terms do not reflect any legal standing.
According to a 2001 analysis by the State Board of Equalization, "any
breeder making more than two sales of puppies or kittens during any
12-month period is required to obtain a seller's permit and report
the tax on those sales".
In other words, anyone in California who sells two or more animals
per year is already required by law to obtain a permit and pay taxes
on the income. The vast majority of current breeders in California do
not follow this requirement.***
We agree that the term "hobby" breeder is not a legal term of art in
California law (it often is elsewhere), and "amateur" and "low
volume" are meaningless nonsense. But none of these terms apply to
whom must have a "California Seller's Permit" – the term of art used
by the California Board of Equalization for those sellers required to
collect and remit sales tax. The threshold for sellers who are not
engaged in business is "occasional sales" covered in Regulation 1595,
essentially "Generally, a person who makes three or more sales for
substantial amounts in a period of 12 months is required to hold a
seller's permit regardless of whether the sales are at retail or are
for resale." The BOE position is that this does not mean sales of
individual pet animals sold by those not otherwise engaged in selling
pets as a business, so that "sales" would generally include all
members of a litter in the same way that the exemption for 2 garage
sales covers sale of ALL items at each of two garage sales – a garage
sale being an occasional event different from a regular flea market
vendor. The CAHPA web site conclusion claims that only one pet
animal could be sold without a Seller's Permit which is totally
incorrect. Further, sales tax is not a tax on income but a tax on
the amount of the sale, paid by the buyer and collected and remitted
by the seller. It is NOT a tax on the seller's income!
Of course, the "vast majority" of California breeders do not have
Seller's Permits, because they do not need them and SHOULD NOT have
them. Seller's Permits are intended for people making sales in the
course of business, and very few California breeders are actually
engaged in breeding as a business. Another common allegation is that
breeders are pocketing "tax free" income from sales, whereas proper
accounting for all legitimate deductions (either as hobby or Schedule
C filers) rarely results in significant taxable income.
This misrepresentation of fact – whether made by intentional malice
or reckless failure to check and cite basic facts is inexcusable when
linked to the elected legislators and primary sponsors of AB 1634.
Unfortunately, this approach permeates the entire bill and its
concept of further reducing shelter entry by placing an ongoing
burden on the relatively small proportion of owners of intact dogs
and cats.
For more information about California sales tax, see
http://www.boe.ca.gov
Or speak with a representative at 800-400-7115
*****
*a service of THE ANIMAL COUNCIL, P.O. BOX 168, MILLBRAE CA 94030
Contact us at http://www.theanimalcouncil.com
Incorporated 1991, tax exempt under IRC Section 501(c)(4)
Online news updates published sporadically since 1997.
Legislative tracking subject to change.
Animal Rights Activists in action
Four Day Program
Animal Rights 2007 is the animal rights movement's annual national conference. It is a forum for sharing knowledge, reporting on progress, discussing strategies and tactics, networking, and "recharging our batteries."
Animal Rights 2007 brings our movement together under the banner of animal liberation from all forms of human oppression. All viewpoints that support this goal are welcome (except for advocacy of injury).
Animal Rights 2007 reflects America's continuing concern with terror. Indeed, it is dedicated to exposing and challenging the terror perpetrated every day against billions of innocent, sentient nonhuman animals.
Click here to see how well they are organized.
Maybe we should follow suit.
( Use your browsers return arrow key to get back to the Blog).
What Were They Thinking? More Than We Knew.
A great article endorsing what we knew about our canines.
What Were They Thinking? More Than We Knew.
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 4, 2007; A05
Dog owners have long maintained that their pooches have a lot more going on between their furry ears than scientists acknowledge. Now, new research is adding to the growing evidence that man's best friend thinks a lot more than many humans have believed.
The provocative new experiment indicated that dogs can do something that previously only humans, including infants, have been shown capable of doing: decide how to imitate a behavior based on the specific circumstances in which the action takes place.
"The fact that the dogs imitate selectively, depending on the situation -- that has not been shown before," said Friederike Range of the University of Vienna, who led the study. "That's something completely new."
Click here for the full article.
Use the reverse arrow key of your browser to return to the Blog.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
CA AB 1634 Voted Out of Committee
As summarized by the AKC alert -
Quote - May 16th Update - CA AB 1634 Voted Out of Committee
Today, the California Assembly Committee on Appropriations voted
9-to-7 in favor of Assembly Bill 1634. The bill will now be considered
by the full Assembly.
Unquote
While this is horrible news; this was somewhat predicated.
Voting apparently went on party lines ( no surprise) but apparently
two democrats opposed it outright. Two more democrats apparently voted
for it but said they will oppose it in the full Assembly if the
concerns of law enforcement and groups representing guide dogs &
service dogs for the disabled are not met.
We are unsure when it will go to the full assembly for the vote but understand that it could be slipped in one way or the other and be passed with the public oblivious to it.
While the concerns of law enforcement may well impede the Bill; Levine could introduce an amendment totally exempting these canines which will leave all of us in the lurch as it were.
If any of you have any additional input or suggestions; please do let us
know. These should be apart from writing the Assembly and Senate. The
best bet maybe writing the Governor. We need find the correct
buttons to persuade him veto the Bill.
( You should also Google the words AB 1634 to see the number of sites
which are around in support of the Bill. It is amazing. Some are even
sponsored/paid sites. )
More to follow. This is only an update for those who have not heard the news.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
CA AB 1634 - Update
Update - May 9, 2007
"If you're going through hell, keep going." Winston Churchill
We empathize with our members in California to whom this quote is most apposite and is dedicated. Our best wishes are with you all and the hope that sanity will prevail.
1. We are assuming that all clubs and members have sent in their letters as suggested in the posts below. If not, you can still get them in before the May 11 deadline. The hearing is set for May 16.
2. Lyle Roetemeyer's very strong letter to the Appropriations Committee was sent yesterday, May 8. To see a copy please click here.
3. We attempted to send a Senior Representative to present our position to the Committee but was not allowed any floor time. Neither apparently are most others.
4. Please attempt to be physically present at the hearing on May 16, if this is at all possible.
5. A copy of AKC President and CEO, Dennis Sprung's letter is also available. Please click here.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
CA AB 1634 - Update
Position - May 4, 2007
"Success isn't the result of who has the most brilliant ideas - it's the result of who executes a few brilliant ideas best. – Bob Lewis"
The Appropriations Committee is now set to meet on Wednesday, May 16 to review some 200 Bills including AB 1634. The deadline to "register" opposition to the Bill is apparently Friday, May 11th.
Given the volume of Bills under consideration; only one person from each side ( for and against) will be given the opportunity to make a presentation. The author of the bill will be the proponent presenting. The entire opposition camp need select ONE person to represent our interest in this. Given the clout and resources of the AKC, we will have no objections to their selection ( we have always maintained that we are not leaders in this effort but just trying to guide the membership). After this, the only time folks from either camp will get will be to give their names, and whom they represent and their position on the Bill. Just as it happened for the BNP hearing.
The impact of the Bill is currently being analyzed and the end result will be a fiscal impact statement. This will not be public record until the day before the hearing viz May 15, 2007.
Our next steps -
1. Clubs are strongly encouraged to send a "protest" letter to the Committee Chair copying the consultants and if necessary their local Assembly person. Drafts of these letters are given in the post below. Letters should be sent well before the deadline of May 11 so that it can get into the "Oppose List". In addition, consider the practicalities. Their fax machines will get overloaded towards the end and your letters may not go through for a variety of reasons. Just sent your protest now.
2. Members should likewise send their letters to their local Assembly person. We are drafting a suggested format and this will be given below shortly. In the interim, the format recommended by the AKC has been reproduced in the post below.
3. We have made an "official" request for one of our senior representatives in the Executive Board to make a formal presentation to the Chair of the Appropriations Committee. He/She will have "talking" points available to clearly articulate the USA position on the Bill - which in one word is "OPPOSE".
4. If it is logistically possible your physical presence during the Bill hearing on May 16, 2007 will be of enormous value. If nothing else you can indicate your opposition to the Bill in no uncertain terms. The AKC has planned a Lobby Day for May 15. See post below.
5. We are also writing a strong worded protest to be sent by the President to the Committee Chair. This will be posted here when available.
CA AB 1634 - Individual Member Letter Formats
We give below a selection of formats to be adapted by our membership record their unequivocal opposition to the Bill. It has been our experience that given the volume of "paper" flowing into these committees; that the they generally do not "study" any content but generally categorize them into "for" and "against" piles.
You can use any and all formats for your letters. Our goals is to provide suggested paragraphs so that you can send a letter, suitably mixing and matching content, so as to preclude it being considered a "canned" presentation.
What is absolutely important is -
1. Send the letter by fax well before the deadline of May 11. Fax machines get overloaded. People get overworked, If you wait until the last minute your letter may not make the "oppose List". THIS HAPPENED BEFORE FOR THE BNP SESSION AND THE CLUB/MEMBER EFFORT WAS TO NO AVAIL.
2. Address the letter to your local Assembly person. Way to find them is also provided below using your zip code.
4. Copy any relevant member of the Appropriations Committee.
Again, these letter formats given are only suggestions. Use your good judgement and common sense. Most important get the letter out without attempting to create a literary masterpiece.
There is a clear transgression of your rights as a human being and your rights as a a dog lover/breeder/trainer/etc are at stake. Please act NOW.
Find your Representative
Click here
Find the Appropriations Committee Members
Click here
USA Letter format
Date
# Any Street
Any City, CA Zip Code
The Honorable XXXXXXX
State Capitol
Room Number
Sacramento, CA Zip Code
Dear Assembly member or Senator (use last name):
RE: Oppose AB 1634 as Amended April 30th
(Suggested Opening Paragraph---modify as appropriate)
My name is John/Jane Doe, and I am writing the Appropriations Committee in the hopes that my letter will add to the thousands more that you have already undoubtedly received in opposition to Assembly Bill 1634, which mandates spaying/neutering of dogs or cats over four months of age, unless the owner purchases an intact animal permit. I am a responsible dog owner (and or breeder) and I oppose this legislation.
(PERSONALIZE HERE—DISCUSS WHAT TITLES YOUR DOG HAS, WHAT SCHUTZHUND TRIALS YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN, BREED SURVEYS, SIEGER SHOWS, ETC. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS LETTER SHOW HOW THE LEGISLATION IN QUESTION HAS AFFECTED/WILL AFFECT YOU!!!!!!!
IF YOU ARE A BREEDER, DISCUSS THE NUMBER AND QUALITY OF YOUR LITTERS; DISCUSS THE PROCESS BY WHICH YOU SELECT BUYERS FOR YOUR PUPPIES.)
What this bill fails to do is target the proper audience. The vast majority of dogs and cats in the animal shelters in California are OWNER TURN INS! Therein lays the heart of the problem—irresponsible pet owners, and a society that views dogs and cats as “disposable.” THIS is the audience that should be targeted; not seriously committed sport dog enthusiasts, and responsible pet owners.
Responsible owners who are already complying with local animal control laws will be unfairly punished by AB 1634, while irresponsible owners will continue to make problems for the community and local shelters. Concentrating animal control efforts on dogs whose behavior demonstrates that they are a problem for the community would be a much better use of taxpayer funds.
I respectfully ask that you support responsible owners and breeders by opposing AB 1634 as it will not achieve its stated objective, and infringes on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
I therefore respectfully request that this committee vote “NO” on AB 1634, as amended by the Business and Professions Committee on April 27, 2007, and all subsequent amendments.
Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
John or Jane Doe
Use the AKC format in the interim
The Honorable (name)
California State Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249
RE: Oppose AB 1634 as Amended April 30th
Dear Assemblyman or Assemblywoman __________:
I am writing you today because I am concerned about Assembly Bill 1634, a measure that would require mandatory spaying/neutering of dogs and cats over four months of age unless the owner purchases an intact animal permit. I am a responsible dog owner (and or breeder) and I oppose this legislation.
(Personalize here – tell about yourself as a dog owner, breeder and fancier. How many years have you been involved with dogs? What breeds have you owned or shown? Do you compete in any other activities with your dog – Obedience, Rally, Agility…Have any of your dogs achieved a Championship? Won a prestigious award?
Please describe the money you spend when traveling to shows. Do you spend money in hotels, for gas, eat out at restaurants? Details the money you spent in the last few years. Let them know where the shows were that you attended and what businesses you impacted.
Breeders - Details the steps you take when preparing to breed/whelp a litter – applicable health testing, evaluation of breeding stock, training, etc…How much money do you invest in these things? How do you work with puppy purchasers to ensure they will be responsible owners? Do you encourage obedience training? Do you remain in contact with the new owners?)
Mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control problems because it fails to address the heart of the issue—irresponsible ownership. These laws are extremely difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners by not licensing their pets. It will hurt responsible breeders like me who raise healthy, well cared-for dogs and work to ensure that these puppies are placed with responsible owners.
Responsible owners who are already complying with local animal control laws will be unfairly punished by AB 1634, while irresponsible owners will continue to make problems for the community and local shelters. Concentrating animal control efforts on dogs whose behavior demonstrates that they are a problem for the community would be a much better use of taxpayer funds.
I respectfully ask that you support responsible owners and breeders by opposing AB 1634.
Sincerely,
John Smith
1234 Main Street
Los Angeles, CA
end
CA AB 1634 - Club Letter Formats
We give below a selection of formats to be adapted by the Clubs to signal their unequivocal opposition to the Bill. It has been our experience that given the volume of "paper" flowing into these committees; that they generally do not "study" any content but generally categorize them into "for" and "against" piles.
You can use any and all formats for your letters. Our goals is to provide suggested paragraphs so that you can send a letter, suitably mixing and matching content, so as to preclude it being considered a "canned" presentation.
What is absolutely important is -
1. Send the letter by fax well before the deadline of May 11. Fax machines get overloaded. People get overworked, If you wait until the last minute your letter may not make the "oppose List". THIS HAPPENED BEFORE FOR THE BNP SESSION AND THE CLUB/MEMBER EFFORT WAS TO NO AVAIL.
2. Send or copy the Club letter to the Committee Consultants ( provided below). They are the ones collating all the information and need to be kept in the information loop.
3. Copy the Club letter, if possible, to your local Assembly person. Way to find them is also provided below using your Club's zip code.
4. Copy any relevant member of the Appropriations Committee.
Again, these letter formats given are only suggestions. Use your good judgement and common sense. Most important get the letter out without attempting to create a literary masterpiece.
There is a clear transgression of your rights as a human being and your rights as a a dog lover/breeder/trainer/etc are at stake. Please act NOW.
It is imperative that clubs copy or send official opposition letters to the committee consultants to ensure your club is listed in the bill analysis!
Assembly Appropriations Committee
ATTN: Chuck Nicol, Committee Consultant
State Capitol, Room 2114
Sacramento, California 95814
FAX: (916) 319-2181
Assembly Republican Fiscal Office
ATTN: Chris Ryan
State Capitol. Room 6031
Sacramento, CA 95814
FAX: (916) 319-3560
Find your Representative
Click here
Find the Appropriations Committee Members
Click here
Suggested Club Letter
USA Version
Date
Club Name ( unless you use a letter head)
# Any Street
Any City, CA zipcode
The Honorable Mark Leno
Chair, Assembly Appropriations Committee
California State Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249
Dear Mr. Chair:
RE: Oppose AB 1634 “California Healthy Pets Act” as Amended April 30th
(Suggested Opening Paragraph---modify as appropriate)
We are XXXXX Club/Working Dog Association (put club’s name here), and we are a part of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. We strongly oppose AB 1634 for a myriad of reasons. For purposes of this audience, the Appropriations Committee, we will condense the argument to the financial ramifications and implications this dangerous bill presents.
(Main Body—modify as appropriate)
First and foremost, this bill calls for civil and criminal penalties against a dog or cat owner if an animal is unaltered after the requisite four-month age as set forth by the Bill. Specifically, the civil penalty will be $500.00 FOR EACH ANIMAL for which a violation occurs, and permit local government to add additional civil and criminal penalties. There is no cap, or provision to set a cap or limit, on this dollar amount. This appears to grant the local and state government unfettered power, and this is, at its most basic level, infringes on the civil liberties of this nations’ citizens.
Secondly, the issue of an “intact animal permit” is problematic. Who is going to set the criterion for the intact animal permit? Will it vary from city to city; indeed from county to county? Again, there is no mention of a cap, in terms of what this intact animal permit will cost. Is the State going to require commercial breeders and puppy mills to hold an Intact Animal Permit for each and every intact dog or cat they own? Or, is this requirement strictly for the “hobby breeder”; one who carefully studies bloodlines of quality working dogs, selects only the best and proven members of the breed, and sells to serious working or sport homes?
Thirdly, while support for this bill from the veterinarians in this state may be scattered, it is a strong argument that this bill could hurt their bottom line as well. It is a valid argument that people will stop taking their dogs to the vet, if there is a concern that they are going to be “turned in” by their veterinarian for not having their pets spayed or neutered. What will the State of California have to pay, if there is a skyrocketing number of rabies incidents reported? This is a real concern.
Furthermore, as the bill is presented, it does not address HOW animal shelters become so overpopulated in the first place. The vast majority of dogs that wind up in animal shelters are owner turn-ins. The vast majority of those animals were procured at pet stores. It is common knowledge that pet stores acquire their puppy stock from puppy mills. Puppy mills pump HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dogs into California’s pet population annually. Yet these operations are getting a “free pass” from the State of California.
Finally, this bill, if passed in any form, can’t help but have a negative impact on this state’s economy. Long Beach, California, is the host city to the Euckanuba National Championships. It is foreseeable that the American Kennel Club would pull this National event from out of our State’s revenue “pocket” if this bill is passed. Our own national organization, the United Schutzhund Clubs of America, would pull their support for any national or international event they were to sponsor from being held in California, since exemptions will not be granted to handlers who bring their dogs in from out of state.
Following this theory, it is logical that to conclude that the reduction of purebred dogs in this state will reduce the number of dog shows which are held annually. This also impact the livelihood of a number of people in California, who manage either full-time or part-time, to make ends meet, by operating small and home-based businesses dealing with training, breeding, and production of canine-related items for sale. This in turn could arguably affect the amount of sales tax collected, and also result in some level of unemployment or underemployment. While our club and its members are not economists, it is not illogical to consider that the Bill will cause a tremendously negative impact to the state’s economy.
(Suggested ending paragraph—modify as appropriate)
The provisions of this bill are clearly impractical, do not achieve the stated objective for which it was intended, the provisions are arbitrary, and there is a real argument that there could be serious financial ramifications for our great state—a dramatic increase in rabies incidents due to dogs not being brought in to their vets for vaccinations, along with the reduction of revenue due to loss of major canine sport competitions, dog shows, and related industries that would be adversely effected by this bill.
We therefore, strongly oppose this transgression of our rights as law-abiding citizens of this state, and we oppose AB 1634, as amended by the Business and Professions Committee on April 24, 2007, and all subsequent amendments.
Respectfully Submitted,
Club Officer Name and Title
Suggested Club Letter
AKC version
The Honorable Mark Leno
Chair, Assembly Appropriations Committee
California State Assembly
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 94249
RE: Oppose AB 1634 as Amended April 30th
Dear Mr. Chair:
The __ (Insert Club Name) is writing today to ask you to oppose Assembly Bill 1634 when it comes before your committee. Please ensure that our opposition is reflected in the committee analysis. AB 1634 would require mandatory spaying/neutering of dogs and cats over four months of age unless the owner qualifies for and purchases an intact animal permit.
(Insert Club Name) represents # dog owners in California (and # nationwide if this is from a parent club) and we believe that AB 1634 will be detrimental to the sport of purebred dogs, as well as to all dog owners in California.
(Personalize here – tell about club. When was it founded? How do you encourage responsible breeding practices and responsible animal ownership? What has your club done for the community? Have you bought a vest for a police dog, sponsored a search and rescue dog, worked with therapy dogs? Has your club donated money to rescue efforts, in the community or for natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina? Does your club do programs in the schools or libraries, or work with civic groups? Tell the good things your club does for the community!!!
Provide information about your shows in California. How many entries did you have? What event site did you rent and for how much? What was your host hotel and how many rooms did you fill? Did you rent any additional conference rooms? Did you host any dinners in the area – at what restaurants? Detail other revenue that came to the community through your event. How would passage of AB 1634 affect your event?
Mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control problems because it fails to address the heart of the issue—irresponsible ownership. These laws are extremely difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners by not licensing their pets. It will hurt responsible breeders who raise healthy, well cared-for dogs and work to ensure that these puppies are placed with responsible owners.
Responsible owners who are already complying with local animal control laws will be unfairly punished by AB 1634, while irresponsible owners will continue to make problems for the community and local shelters. Concentrating animal control efforts on dogs whose behavior demonstrates that they are a problem for the community would be a much better use of taxpayer funds.
I respectfully ask that you support responsible owners and breeders by opposing AB 1634.
Sincerely,
Club Officer Name and Title
end
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