Legislation Issues
CFDC POSITION & INFORMATION ON HB-1125
We will be asking for action soon to oppose this bill as currently written. This is an important one guys! This notice can be found on our website at www.CoDogFederation.org
The Feb 2012 issue of Taking Command
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2012 Key Legislation
Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs
Legislative Updated, February 19, 2012
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State Legislation Brief Update-
HB 12-1087 – AN ON-LINE REGISTRY OF PERSONS WHO ARE CONVICTED OF CERTAIN CRIMES AGAINST ANIMALS-
Bill Defeated - CFDC opposed this bill because of the unintended consequences of such a list, and the potential for abuse. The bill was defeated in its first reading in the House Agriculture Committee hearing. Several groups including CFDC opposed this bill for numerous reasons. We will discuss those reasons more in depth at the meeting if anyone has questions. This bill was being pushed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) an animal rights group, along with other animal rights organizations. It has been presented in 5 states just this year, as well as in 18 states last year, and has been defeated each time.
HB 12-1125- CONCERNING PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE COSTS OF IMPOUNDED ANIMALS –
Bill passed to 2nd committee hearing – CFDC opposed, amendments submitted- This bill is practically the same bill that was defeated last year, and a significant attack on owners rights to due process and property in Colorado. The supporters say it is a bill to give animal owners more rights in a seizure. We know it to be the opposite. We will be sending out a separate email to delegates with our “Fact Sheet” as was presented to the House Agriculture Committee members 2/6 on this bill. This bill is also being opposed by the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council. We were able to draft amendments to the bill which we feel will provide for owners to be refunded bonds collected if for any reason the charges are dropped or the search warrant determined to be invalid, and to have their own vet examine any animals in a seizure within 24 hours of the seizure, require itemized costs being paid by the bond, as well as deleting a provision in the existing bill that would take away your rights to contest the seizure or taking of funds at any future time, even if found innocent, if you can’t afford to pay the bond. We may be sending out an alert on this bill if our amendments are not accepted, or if we feel the bill still denies due process to animal owners in such cases. AKC and NAIA are also assisting us in watching this bill and will help with alerts and action as needed. More details and a current update will be available at the Annual meeting.
AKC Federation Legislative Conference – Report from Linda Hart-
CFDC paid airfare for me to attend the first AKC Legislative Conference on January 28-29th in Raleigh, NC. My breed parent club (Silky Terrier Club of America) paid for the hotel. The conference was suppose to have initially taken place in August, but was delayed by Hurricane Irene. The seminars were excellent and the energy level was high, with lots of good ideas as well as common frustrations being shared by the 50+ attendees who packed the room. Patti Strand presented the opening seminar on ballot initiatives and how to effectively fight back against animal rights extremism. The speakers were outstanding and it was very evident that AKC has put together a talented and experienced team in the Government relations department these past few years. Their individual presentations were full of useful information and real life expertise as legislative aids, lobbyists, legal and more. I was invited by AKC to participate in a panel discussion on Sunday on the subject of political advocacy and federation building. It was a lively discussion and I came away with as many new ideas for us to use, as I was able to share. In attending this seminar I was very proud to find that we have one of the most active and effective Federations of any state with few exceptions. We do have more to work on, and lots more to accomplish, but we also have a lot to be proud of and have made great strides in recent years in several areas. We have a professional lobbyist who is an active and experienced show dog enthusiast, a Board and Officers who are dedicated to the mission of this organization, and member clubs and individuals who support our efforts to protect the rights of dog owners in Colorado. Hopefully this AKC Conference will be an annual or at the very least a biennial event so that all the state federations can gain strength and knowledge by sharing of experiences and expertise. The AKC Conference and the NAIA Annual Conference are both valuable tools to advancing our ability to fight back against well funded and established animal rights groups who are dedicated to making purebred dogs extinct. It was well worth the expense of attending and I thank the members and board for making it possible. LH
Please plan on attending the Annual meeting on Sunday. You represent your clubs and your input in important to them and us!
Submitted by
Linda Hart
CFDC Secretary & State Legislative Liaison
STATE OF COLORADO
A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE COSTS OF IMPOUNDED ANIMALS
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Federal PUPS Legislation Information Update
The American Kennel Club and our Washington, D.C.-based advocacy team continue to closely monitor the federal Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) legislation introduced last spring as Senate Bill 707 (S.707) and House Bill 835 (H.R. 835). Each of the bills has been assigned to the Agriculture Committees of their respective chambers. To date, no hearings have been scheduled and no formal action has been taken on this bill.
PUPS would purportedly require anyone who owns or co-owns dogs that produce 50 or more puppies offered for sale in a 12-month period to be regulated under existing USDA dog “dealer” regulations. These regulations are designed for high-volume commercial kennels that produce puppies for wholesale, and require a USDA commercial license, maintenance of specified commercial kennel engineering standards and regular inspections.
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Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs, Inc. wins major award
The American Kennel Club is pleased to announce that the Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs, Inc. (CFDC) is the third quarter 2011 recipient of the Walter Bebout Memorial Award for Leadership in Canine Legislation.
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New Rule Will Limit Importation of Puppies for Resale in the United States
Yesterday, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) distributed proposed rules that provide guidance to federal agencies tasked with enforcing a 2008 law that amends the federal Animal Welfare Act. This measure limits the importation of dogs under the age of 6 months into the United States for the purpose of resale. The proposed rule is necessary to implement this law and further ensure the health and welfare of America’s dogs. The AKC believes the proposed regulations, as written, are a reasonable interpretation of the statute.
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