INDIANA DOG BREEDING LICENSE BILL
Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:16 am
---Subject: [evansvilledogowners] ALERT- INDIANA DOG BREEDING LICENSE BILL!
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 1:37 PM
Indiana House Bill 1468 passed Committee vote on February 11, 2009 despite the opposition of two Committee members, one of whom accurately described the bill as "anti dog breeder."
H.B. 1468 now moves to the Indiana House floor and is reportedly up for reading and vote during the week of February 16th. We must act quickly to bombard our Representatives with requests to VOTE NO to H.B. 1468. Please call, write, fax and email your Representatives as soon as possible to inform them of your position on this bill.
The amended bill was introduced to the Committee in a manner that can only be described as underhanded. The original bill merely strengthened Indiana's current animal cruelty laws and was not particular offensive. The current amendment that is more concerning was added to the bill only after the Committee heard testimony from Humane Society of the United States representatives as well as the testimony of Indiana Representative Trent VanHaaften's (one of the co-authors of the original bill) wife who purchased a diseased puppy from a bad breeder. Those witnesses somehow "inspired" the Committee to amend the bill to include breeder licensing language. After dog breeders and fanciers heard that breeder licensing requirements were to be added to the bill, they were then informed that the Committee would not allow for further testimony on the bill. This is despite the fact that the contents of the bill were not disclosed until the morning of
February 11, 2009, the day of the Committee's vote. We need to say NO to the adding of breeding restrictions to this bill through the backdoor, without opportunity for comment or civil discourse.
You can read the bill at: http://www.in. gov/apps/ lsa/session/ billwatch/ billinfo? year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=1468&doctype=HB
 As of this morning, the bill had not been updated with the amendments, so I am including the amendments as an attachment to this email.
The bill does not seem extreme at first glance. Many of you will think that it is harmless because "the licensing requirement won't apply to me because I would never breed enough litters a year." However, note that any person who sells 5 or more puppies a year is considered a "pet dealer" under the amended bill and will have to provide their name, contact information, and veterinary records to law enforcement officials. This is the case regardless of whether or not you will be required to obtain the commercial breeder license required for persons with more than 10 litters per year. If you have one litter a year and sell 5 puppies from that litter, the "pet dealer" portion of the law applies to you.
The Humane Society of the United States ("HSUS") is an Animal Rights organization, not a supporter of Animal Welfare. It is behind the introduction of this bill in Indiana. It wants to take away your right to breed dogs. Its method is one referred to as "incrementalism" -- taking very small steps to make small gains and establish new public policy precedents that can be exploited and expanded over time. This means that what applies to breeders of 10 litters today will be amended in subsequent years to apply to those that breed five litters, then 3 litters, then 1 litter. It is time to draw a line in the sand. Make no mistake; the ultimate goal of the HSUS is to stop breeders from breeding dogs. HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle made this goal crystal clear when he said: "I don't have a hands-on fondness for animals...To this day, I don't feel bonded to any nonhuman animal. I like them and pet them and am kind to them, but there's no
special bond between me and other animals...In fact, I don't want to see another dog or cat born." For more information about the true nature of HSUS, please visit the website of the Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting Alliance at http://saova.org/threat.html.
The HSUS has lobbyists in multiple states this legislative session, all of who are pushing legislation very similar to H.B 1468. In states it believes will be more friendly to its cause it requests harsher restrictions like the bill currently being considered in the Illinois legislature. That HSUS supported bill calls for licensing of all breeders who have three or more intact bitches and requires things such as indoor/outdoor runs for every dog in the household, with the consequences of non-compliance being that pets will be destroyed by local shelters or your own veterinarian. To view the Illinois bill, go tohttp://www.ilga. gov/legislation/ fulltext. asp?DocName=&SessionId=76&GA=96&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=198&GAID=10&LegID=40220&SpecSess=&Session= In more conservative states such as Indiana, the HSUS initially requests less burdensome restrictions with the goal of gradually strengthening the restrictions over the course of several years. Do
not doubt that if H.B 1468 passes, the HSUS will be back at some point asking for legislation similar to what is being proposed in Illinois. Now is the time to stop the HSUS in Indiana. We cannot not wait until an aberration like what is being proposed in Illinois is proposed here.
I am not pro-puppy mill. I am not pro-pet shop. I am against cruelty to animals, whether the offender harms a single pet, breeds one litter, or owns 50 dogs and breeds 20 litters a year. Indiana already has harsh penalties for people who are cruel, abusive, or mistreat their pets. These penalties include jail time as well as confiscation and disposition of affected animals. If you know of a puppy mill situation, or if you know of an individual who abuses their pets, you need to report this information to your local law enforcement officials and/or local animal control officers so that they are aware of the problem and can use the tools already at their disposal to protect Indiana's pets.. If they are not responsive, contact your local prosecutor, mayor, commissioners, town manager, or council and demand that they use the arsenal Indiana lawmakers have already provided to stop animal abuse. If the breeder is someone that sells dogs to a
broker or directly to pet stores the federal Animal Welfare Act already controls them, and if they are in violation of that law their operation needs to be reported to the USDA so that it can enforce its regulations. None of us wants to see animals suffer, but H.B. 1468's breeder licensing requirements are redundant and unnecessary.
Please write your Representatives - email your Representatives - and call your Representatives ASAP. Phone calls and handwritten letters carry the most weight, but they will need to be sent out NOW in order to be received before the bill is brought before the House. If you don't know who your Representative is, go to
http://www.in. gov/apps/ sos/legislator/ search/index. jsp?currentPage= gotoIndex.
You can also get his or her email address from there. You can reach the offices of all Representatives at 800-382-9841 or 317-232-9600.

It is best to not use form letters, so write your letters in your own words and express what is important to you.
Remember in your letters and other interaction with your legislators: Be polite, be straightforward and be respectful. Also, keep in mind that the majority of legislators do not know what dog showing and dog breeding is about so you will need to provide an explanation. Here are some points you can use in your letters if you choose:
· Dogs are valuable to the economy. The basic annual expenses for maintaining a single dog including vet bills, food, boarding, grooming, vitamins/supplement s, treats and toys are in excess of $1500.00 per year.
· Dog shows are valuable to the economy
- There were 90 AKC conformation dog shows in Indiana last year.
- There were 393 AKC performance events in Indiana last year, including obedience trials, field trials, agility trials, rally trials, hunt tests, coonhound hunts, tracking trials, earthdog trials and lure coursing trials..
-Exhibitors spend average of $320 each per weekend.
-Three day dog show weekend can bring in between $300,000 to over $1 million to community hosting the show.
· We already have laws in place that if enforced would shut down so-called "puppy mills." This includes IC 35-46-3 et seq. that makes animal abuse and mistreatment a criminal offense that can require jail time as well as allowing for the confiscation and placement of the mistreated animals
· Breeder Licensing is bad for dog breeders. Such laws require breeders to pay for "privilege" of breeding animals and are designed to limit number of purebred dogs produced by home breeders. It will not affect irresponsible owners who are already ignoring leash laws allowing their pets to roam and breed at will.
· Dog limit laws are bad for dog breeders. Such laws limit the number of dogs/pets that may be owned by individual or household. Such laws have already found unconstitutional in 2 states (PA and GA). Limits can make it difficult to maintain a genetically responsible breeding program.
· Puppy Lemon Laws encourage consumers to buy from bad breeders with fewer consequences. These shift all risk of purchasing a dog to the seller under guise of consumer protection law, and punish breeders who openly acknowledge existence of health problems. They relieve a buyer of all risk and the responsibility to do their homework when purchasing a pet.
Protect your hobby. Contact your Representative with a polite but firm message of opposition and ask your fellow dog fanciers and breeders to do the same. Please cross post this wherever concerned dog breeders will read it.
To take your opinion a step farther and help a group of Indiana animal owners protect the sport and science of dog breeding in Indiana, please contact me for more information.
Stacy Newton
Wildcard Papillons
Home of multiple AKC CHs, UDs, and a very special CH/MACH/UD/RAE dog
Newburgh, Indiana
Date: Thursday, February 12, 2009, 1:37 PM
Indiana House Bill 1468 passed Committee vote on February 11, 2009 despite the opposition of two Committee members, one of whom accurately described the bill as "anti dog breeder."
H.B. 1468 now moves to the Indiana House floor and is reportedly up for reading and vote during the week of February 16th. We must act quickly to bombard our Representatives with requests to VOTE NO to H.B. 1468. Please call, write, fax and email your Representatives as soon as possible to inform them of your position on this bill.
The amended bill was introduced to the Committee in a manner that can only be described as underhanded. The original bill merely strengthened Indiana's current animal cruelty laws and was not particular offensive. The current amendment that is more concerning was added to the bill only after the Committee heard testimony from Humane Society of the United States representatives as well as the testimony of Indiana Representative Trent VanHaaften's (one of the co-authors of the original bill) wife who purchased a diseased puppy from a bad breeder. Those witnesses somehow "inspired" the Committee to amend the bill to include breeder licensing language. After dog breeders and fanciers heard that breeder licensing requirements were to be added to the bill, they were then informed that the Committee would not allow for further testimony on the bill. This is despite the fact that the contents of the bill were not disclosed until the morning of
February 11, 2009, the day of the Committee's vote. We need to say NO to the adding of breeding restrictions to this bill through the backdoor, without opportunity for comment or civil discourse.
You can read the bill at: http://www.in. gov/apps/ lsa/session/ billwatch/ billinfo? year=2009&session=1&request=getBill&docno=1468&doctype=HB
 As of this morning, the bill had not been updated with the amendments, so I am including the amendments as an attachment to this email.
The bill does not seem extreme at first glance. Many of you will think that it is harmless because "the licensing requirement won't apply to me because I would never breed enough litters a year." However, note that any person who sells 5 or more puppies a year is considered a "pet dealer" under the amended bill and will have to provide their name, contact information, and veterinary records to law enforcement officials. This is the case regardless of whether or not you will be required to obtain the commercial breeder license required for persons with more than 10 litters per year. If you have one litter a year and sell 5 puppies from that litter, the "pet dealer" portion of the law applies to you.
The Humane Society of the United States ("HSUS") is an Animal Rights organization, not a supporter of Animal Welfare. It is behind the introduction of this bill in Indiana. It wants to take away your right to breed dogs. Its method is one referred to as "incrementalism" -- taking very small steps to make small gains and establish new public policy precedents that can be exploited and expanded over time. This means that what applies to breeders of 10 litters today will be amended in subsequent years to apply to those that breed five litters, then 3 litters, then 1 litter. It is time to draw a line in the sand. Make no mistake; the ultimate goal of the HSUS is to stop breeders from breeding dogs. HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle made this goal crystal clear when he said: "I don't have a hands-on fondness for animals...To this day, I don't feel bonded to any nonhuman animal. I like them and pet them and am kind to them, but there's no
special bond between me and other animals...In fact, I don't want to see another dog or cat born." For more information about the true nature of HSUS, please visit the website of the Sportsmen's & Animal Owners' Voting Alliance at http://saova.org/threat.html.
The HSUS has lobbyists in multiple states this legislative session, all of who are pushing legislation very similar to H.B 1468. In states it believes will be more friendly to its cause it requests harsher restrictions like the bill currently being considered in the Illinois legislature. That HSUS supported bill calls for licensing of all breeders who have three or more intact bitches and requires things such as indoor/outdoor runs for every dog in the household, with the consequences of non-compliance being that pets will be destroyed by local shelters or your own veterinarian. To view the Illinois bill, go tohttp://www.ilga. gov/legislation/ fulltext. asp?DocName=&SessionId=76&GA=96&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=198&GAID=10&LegID=40220&SpecSess=&Session= In more conservative states such as Indiana, the HSUS initially requests less burdensome restrictions with the goal of gradually strengthening the restrictions over the course of several years. Do
not doubt that if H.B 1468 passes, the HSUS will be back at some point asking for legislation similar to what is being proposed in Illinois. Now is the time to stop the HSUS in Indiana. We cannot not wait until an aberration like what is being proposed in Illinois is proposed here.
I am not pro-puppy mill. I am not pro-pet shop. I am against cruelty to animals, whether the offender harms a single pet, breeds one litter, or owns 50 dogs and breeds 20 litters a year. Indiana already has harsh penalties for people who are cruel, abusive, or mistreat their pets. These penalties include jail time as well as confiscation and disposition of affected animals. If you know of a puppy mill situation, or if you know of an individual who abuses their pets, you need to report this information to your local law enforcement officials and/or local animal control officers so that they are aware of the problem and can use the tools already at their disposal to protect Indiana's pets.. If they are not responsive, contact your local prosecutor, mayor, commissioners, town manager, or council and demand that they use the arsenal Indiana lawmakers have already provided to stop animal abuse. If the breeder is someone that sells dogs to a
broker or directly to pet stores the federal Animal Welfare Act already controls them, and if they are in violation of that law their operation needs to be reported to the USDA so that it can enforce its regulations. None of us wants to see animals suffer, but H.B. 1468's breeder licensing requirements are redundant and unnecessary.
Please write your Representatives - email your Representatives - and call your Representatives ASAP. Phone calls and handwritten letters carry the most weight, but they will need to be sent out NOW in order to be received before the bill is brought before the House. If you don't know who your Representative is, go to
http://www.in. gov/apps/ sos/legislator/ search/index. jsp?currentPage= gotoIndex.
You can also get his or her email address from there. You can reach the offices of all Representatives at 800-382-9841 or 317-232-9600.

It is best to not use form letters, so write your letters in your own words and express what is important to you.
Remember in your letters and other interaction with your legislators: Be polite, be straightforward and be respectful. Also, keep in mind that the majority of legislators do not know what dog showing and dog breeding is about so you will need to provide an explanation. Here are some points you can use in your letters if you choose:
· Dogs are valuable to the economy. The basic annual expenses for maintaining a single dog including vet bills, food, boarding, grooming, vitamins/supplement s, treats and toys are in excess of $1500.00 per year.
· Dog shows are valuable to the economy
- There were 90 AKC conformation dog shows in Indiana last year.
- There were 393 AKC performance events in Indiana last year, including obedience trials, field trials, agility trials, rally trials, hunt tests, coonhound hunts, tracking trials, earthdog trials and lure coursing trials..
-Exhibitors spend average of $320 each per weekend.
-Three day dog show weekend can bring in between $300,000 to over $1 million to community hosting the show.
· We already have laws in place that if enforced would shut down so-called "puppy mills." This includes IC 35-46-3 et seq. that makes animal abuse and mistreatment a criminal offense that can require jail time as well as allowing for the confiscation and placement of the mistreated animals
· Breeder Licensing is bad for dog breeders. Such laws require breeders to pay for "privilege" of breeding animals and are designed to limit number of purebred dogs produced by home breeders. It will not affect irresponsible owners who are already ignoring leash laws allowing their pets to roam and breed at will.
· Dog limit laws are bad for dog breeders. Such laws limit the number of dogs/pets that may be owned by individual or household. Such laws have already found unconstitutional in 2 states (PA and GA). Limits can make it difficult to maintain a genetically responsible breeding program.
· Puppy Lemon Laws encourage consumers to buy from bad breeders with fewer consequences. These shift all risk of purchasing a dog to the seller under guise of consumer protection law, and punish breeders who openly acknowledge existence of health problems. They relieve a buyer of all risk and the responsibility to do their homework when purchasing a pet.
Protect your hobby. Contact your Representative with a polite but firm message of opposition and ask your fellow dog fanciers and breeders to do the same. Please cross post this wherever concerned dog breeders will read it.
To take your opinion a step farther and help a group of Indiana animal owners protect the sport and science of dog breeding in Indiana, please contact me for more information.
Stacy Newton
Wildcard Papillons
Home of multiple AKC CHs, UDs, and a very special CH/MACH/UD/RAE dog
Newburgh, Indiana
