Sportsmen's Federation Joins USSA

[windy hollow]

Sportsmen's Federation Joins USSA to Protect Sporting Dog Interests
PA Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs gets on board

July 27, 2007 (Pennsylvania)



Pennsylvania’s largest sportsmen’s organization has joined the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance in its campaign to strike down proposed regulations that would make it impossible to keep hunting dogs in the state.

The Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs (PFSC) has joined the fight by sending a letter to Dennis Wolff, Secretary of Agriculture, asking that the dog care proposal be scrapped. Together, the USSA and the PFSC have sent a joint mailing encouraging Federation members to get involved and compel the governor to withdraw the regulation.

The regulations, which were drafted in December 2006, came as a result of public outcry over large, abusive commercial breeding operations. The proposal will impact sportsmen who breed and raise hunting dogs, as well. It will impose expensive animal housing upgrades, mandatory daily exercise, and the keeping of daily sanitation and cleaning records. State regulators could not find a single existing kennel that would be in compliance with the proposal.

“The success of our mission to take down these regulations will be greatly aided by the powerful combination,” said Rob Sexton, USSA vice president for government affairs. “We will protect sportsmen’s rights by disabling the utterly ridiculous regulations that have been proposed.”

On July 11, more than 200 Pennsylvania sportsmen attended a Dog Law Advisory Board hearing at the Radnor Hunt Club in Malvern. The meeting was advertised as an opportunity to focus on sportsmen’s concerns about the proposal. Several sportsmen’s rights advocates, including USSA Associate Director for Government Affairs Evan Heusinkveld, were silenced while trying to express their thoughts.

“This proposal will devastate hunting dog kennels and hobby breeders,” said Melody Zullinger, PFSC executive director. “Hunting with dogs is an important segment of Pennsylvania’s sporting community. We’re proud to be allied with the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and we are very confident that together, we will prevail in the protection of sportsmen’s rights.”

The Federation, representing 318 sportsmen’s clubs and over 100,000 sportsmen and conservationists across the commonwealth, wrote comments criticizing the regulations in March, and its leadership has become increasingly concerned that the voices of sportsmen are being ignored.

The USSA Sporting Dog Defense Coalition has also joined forces with other opponents of the proposed PA dog regulations:

American Beagler Magazine
American Brittany Club, Inc.
American Cooner Magazine
American Field Magazine
American Plott Association
Better Beagling Magazine
Cabela’s, Inc.
Full Cry Magazine
Hounds and Hunting Magazine
Hunter’s Horn Magazine
German Shorthaired Pointer Club of America, Inc.
Jack Russell Terrier Clubs of America, Inc.
Masters of Foxhounds Association of North America
National Cur & Feist Breeders Association
National Hunting Beagle Association
Ruffed Grouse Society
The Rabbit Hunter Magazine
United Kennel Club, Inc.
Ardrossan Beagles, Inc.
Carlisle Beagle Club
Pennsylvania Beagle Gundog Association
Towanda Beagle Club

[Michhuntr]

Penn. state beaglers call your reps and let them know how you feel about this proposed bill. Take action...if you don't who will....make that call....thanks