AB 610 - letter to governor

The Honorable Jerry Brown

Governor, State of California

State Capitol, Suite 1173

Sacramento, CA 95814

Fax: (916) 558-3160

April 25, 2012

 

Re: CA AB 610 (Solorio) Vehicles, specialized license plates. (as amended 3-21-2012) : OPPOSE. REQUEST FOR VETO.

  

Dear Governor Brown,

 

The California Federation of Dog Clubs, founded in 1990, represents thousands of dog owners across our state. We are advocates for animal welfare and for protecting the rights of responsible dog owners. The CFoDC conducts breed identification workshops for shelter workers, distributes a dog care and training brochure for new owners who adopt from shelters, and provides a 1-800 help line for pet owners struggling with behavior or training problems. We also maintain and administer a relief fund for animals affected by disasters such as earthquakes or fires. CFoDC supports animal legislation which positively benefits society.

 

We know of no other special license plate program granted such an extension; and there is no clear path for the collection or distribution of any funds generated by this program.

 

While the bill author claims that a state of 'urgency' exists, there is no evidence to support such an assertion. Spay-neuter drives in California over the past 40 years have resulted in sharp declines in shelter numbers. Intakes are down by over 80% since the 1970s. Over 78% of all owned dogs and over 88% of all owned cats are already spayed or neutered (Source: American Pet Products Association 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey). According to Dr. John Hamil, past president of the California Veterinary Medical Association, "If the animals in the shelter were due to 'overpopulation'; we would find desirable puppies available in shelters, there would be no market for internet and pet store puppies, there would be no need for shelters to import puppies and puppy smugglers and brokers would be out of business due to market saturation. There is, in fact, a shortage of healthy, well-bred and socialized puppies and kittens in California."

 

Many rescue groups right here in California import dogs from other states and even from other countries. The Helen Woodward Humane Society in San Diego imports dogs from Romania. "Dogs Without Borders" in Los Angeles imports dogs from Taiwan. The US Border Patrol estimates that over 10,000 dogs are smuggled into San Diego County each year from Mexico. Beagle rescue flew 41 dogs into Los Angeles from Spain last November. Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern California imports dogs from Taiwan on an ongoing basis. These are just a few of the more recent examples. Demand for dogs in our state far outstrips supply.

 

The claim of "urgency" is being falsely made for the sole purpose of raising funds for unspecified organizations.

 

CFoDC urges you to VETO CA AB 610.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

Geneva Coats, R.N.

Secretary

California Federation of Dog Clubs

 

SB 1221 - hunting with hounds (letter)

California State Senate

Committee on Natural Resources and Water

State Capital, Room 4035

Sacramento, CA 95814

Fax: 916-323-2232

 

Re: SB 1221 (Lieu) Hunting with hounds: OPPOSE.

Request to be listed as official opposition

 

April 20, 2012

 

Dear Senator Pavley and committee members,

 

The California Federation of Dog Clubs, founded in 1990, represents thousands of dog owners across our state. We are advocates for animal welfare and for protecting the rights of responsible dog owners. The CFoDC conducts breed identification workshops for shelter workers, distributes a dog care and training brochure for new owners who adopt from shelters, and provides a 1-800 help line for pet owners struggling with behavior or training problems. We also maintain and administer a relief fund for animals affected by disasters such as earthquakes or fires. CFoDC supports animal legislation which positively benefits society.

 

The CFoDC is OPPOSED to SB 1221. The sponsors of this bill allege that the use of hounds is inhumane, unsporting and unfair.  Unfortunately, the information they use to support this bill comes from anti-hunting organizations that have no motivation to be truthful about the practice. 

 

Hunting with hounds is not only humane but a sensible and valuable tool for wildlife managment. Hound hunting is virtually the only form of non-consumptive hunting, and is very similar to catch-and-release fishing. It allows an animal's age and sex to be determined before any attempt to harvest is made. It also allows a houndsman to determine if a female is pregnant, nursing, or has offspring so that they can be left alive and well in the tree. The use of hounds allows for the timely and accurate resolution of incidents involving threats to public safety or livestock by identifying, locating, and taking only the offending animal. 

 

Not only is this bill unreasonable as a hunting and wildlife management measure, but it places the lives of our dogs in danger. Any dog felt to be a threat to a "big game mammal" can be captured and/or "dispatched" (i.e. KILLED) by game wardens, and the owner of the dog would have no recourse. We urge you to reject SB 1221.

                              

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

Geneva Coats, R.N.

Secretary,California Federation of Dog Clubs

 

CC: Fran Pavley, Doug LaMalfa, Anthony Cannella, Noreen Evans, Jean Fuller, Christine Kehoe, Alex Padilla, Joe Simitian, Lois Wolk

__._,_.___

 

SB 969 - Establishes a council to regulate grooming

California State Senate

Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development

State Capital, room 2053

Sacramento, CA 95814

Fax: 916-324-0917

 

April 20, 2012

 

Re: CA SB 969 (Vargas). Pet Grooming. (As amended 4-18-2012): OPPOSE

Request to be listed as official opposition

 

Dear Senators,

 

The California Federation of Dog Clubs, founded in 1990, represents thousands of dog owners across our state. We are advocates for animal welfare and for protecting the rights of responsible dog owners. The CFoDC conducts breed identification workshops for shelter workers, distributes a dog care and training brochure for new owners who adopt from shelters, and provides a 1-800 help line for pet owners struggling with behavior or training problems. We also maintain and administer a relief fund for animals affected by disasters such as earthquakes or fires. CFoDC supports animal legislation which positively benefits society.

 

The CFoDC is OPPOSED to SB 969. This bill would further strain the state's budget for a program regulating the bathing and brushing of pets. A costly new council will be created to oversee another bureaucratic agency. Groomers must complete 1300 combined hours of instruction and hand-on experience before they will be allowed the privilege of paying for a biennial certification, in order to bathe and brush pets. All grooming schools must be approved by this new board. An examination process must also be instituted, to include written exams as well as demonstrations. This is unnecessary and presumes that certification for grooming of animals should be on a par with provision of cosmetology services to humans. Costs for the taxpayers and for grooming customers will necessarily skyrocket in order to pay for the administration of this new certification program.

 

The proposed council would be composed primarily of individuals who know nothing about professional grooming practices. Only two of the members would be familiar with grooming. The council would prominently include animal rights proponents and animal rights activist lawyers (who are anti-animal ownership in general). All grooming programs and the certification examinations must be approved by the council, a group overwhelmingly unfamiliar with established grooming practices.

 

This bill would adversely affect dog show handlers, groomers and junior handlers under the age of 18, all of whom groom for financial compensation. AKC administers a nationwide Registered Professional Handlers program, which is voluntary. Professional handlers certainly should not need to also apply for state certification in order to claim they are professionally qualified to groom dogs, and indeed, AKC's RPH program itself is a voluntary program. Professional handlers who travel into California from other states may find themselves in a legal quandary under the terms of SB 969.

 

 

Grooming establishments already must comply with requirements for business licenses and are subject to consumer regulation by word of mouth. If groomers do a poor job, they go out of business. Our state can ill-afford a new program that provides no benefits to the citizens of the state beyond the functions of local Better Business Bureaus.

 

Incidentally, the exact type of pet covered by this bill is not specified; it could be any sort of pet from a hamster to a horse.

 

Please reject SB 969 so that the state's resources can instead be utilized for programs of genuine importance to our taxpayers and citizens.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

  

Geneva Coats, R.N.

Secretary

California Federation of Dog Clubs

 

 

 

 

CC: Curren Price, Bill Emmerson, Ellen Corbett, Lou Correa, Ed Hernandez, Gloria Negrete McLeod, Tony Strickland, Juan Vargas, Mark Wyland

Laguna Beach proposes to ban retail sale of pets

City of Laguna Beach

505 Forest Ave.

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Fax 949-497-0771

April 17, 2012

Dear Mayor Eggly and City Council Members,

The California Federation of Dog Clubs, founded in 1990, represents thousands of dog owners across our state. We are advocates for animal welfare, for promotion of responsible dog ownership and for protecting the rights of responsible dog owners. Among our current projects, we conduct breed identification workshops for shelter workers, we distribute a dog care and training brochure for new owners who adopt from shelters, and provide a 1-800 help line for pet owners struggling with behavior or training problems. We also maintain and administer a relief fund for animals affected by disasters such as earthquakes or fires. We support animal legislation that provides positive benefits to society.

The CFoDC is OPPOSED to bans on retail sales of pets, regardless of exemptions. It seems the intent of your ordinance is to eliminate anyone who breeds or sells animals with the intent to profit; as if the intent to sell well-bred, healthy animals as a profitable business is something to be ashamed of! In any event, California's Lockyer-Polanco act provides consumer protection for pets purchased in pet stores. This law provides no consumer protection for animals that come from shelters or rescues.

 Further, the premise in your "Summary" of April 6, includes a false supposition that "animal rescue shops……do not rely on commercial breeders as a source for dogs or cats."

In fact, it is impossible to know for sure exactly WHERE the animals in most shelters or rescues originated. These animals often come from unregulated sources such as casual home breeders, from unregulated foreign puppy mills or from groups who rescue "street strays" from outside the continental US, and a few may even originate in commercial breeding establishments. Rescue groups often obtain animals from "raids" of commercial breeding establishments so yes, they do rely on commercial breeders as a source for dogs or cats. A sales ban would only hurt legitimate businesses and responsible, regulated breeders, not substandard facilities.

Sales bans create a shortage of desirable pets, a black market for dogs and cats, and a rise in imports from other countries. And, replacing pets from licensed breeders with unregulated "rescue" animals is very unwise. Many "rescue" groups are already importing dogs from overseas to meet the demand for pets. This is happening right now in southern California! A rescue group in LA imports dogs and sells them for hundreds of dollars each. Per the "Dogs Without Borders" website: "We currently rescue most dogs from local shelters and strays, but sometimes we rescue dogs from as far away as Taiwan!....Some of the dogs you see on our site are not here in the States."

This practice is not only outrageous, but also is very irresponsible on the part of the shelters/rescues that participate. There are diseases and parasites in other countries which are transmitted from dog-to-dog or from dogs to humans which put the safety of our citizens and our dog population at great risk. In late 2004, the first case of canine rabies in Los Angeles County in 30 years was confirmed. The dog had recently come in from Mexico. Rabies is a fatal disease that still causes over 50,000 human deaths annually worldwide. 

Claims of high incidence of illness in pet store puppies are totally unsubstantiated. There is evidence that the pet industry provides more veterinary care for puppies than the public at large. DVM/VPI Insurance Group, the largest provider of animal health insurance, testified during a hearing in California that "preconceived notions" concerning pet store puppies "could not have been more wrong."

After insuring more than 89,000 pet store puppies and kittens and handling health claims from a pool of more than 500,000 insured animals, the insurance company reduced its premiums for pet store puppies and kittens substantially by as much as 22 percent compared to premiums charged for animals from other sources. Why? Pet store puppies receive more veterinary attention during the first 12 weeks of age than any other puppies and, as a result, have fewer claims.

Commercial breeders are a legitimate source for healthy, well-bred animals. Studies show pet store animals are generally very healthy. Shelter and rescued animals are a different matter, with unknown health, temperament, parasites and infectious diseases. We urge you to reject the proposed ordinance to prohibit the retail sale of puppies, dogs, kittens and cats.

Sincerely yours,

Geneva Coats, Secretary

California Federation of Dog Clubs

Cc: Jane Eggly, Verna Rollinger, Kelly Boyd, Elizabeth Pearson, Toni Iseman

__._,_.___

Huntington Beach considers ban on retail sales of dogs and cats

The City of Huntington Beach will consider a new ordinance banning the sales of dogs and cats in commercial establishments at their meeting on Monday, April 16th 2012. Please contact the mayor and city council members to express your opposition. CFoDC sent this letter. The fax for the City is included for your convenience. Email contacts are also available on the City's website: http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/government/elected_officials/city_council/

 

 

City of Huntington Beach

2000 Main Street

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Fax: 714-536-5233

 

April 13, 2012 

Dear Mayor Hansen and City Council Members,

 

The California Federation of Dog Clubs, founded in 1990, represents thousands of dog owners across our state. We are advocates for animal welfare, for promotion of responsible dog ownership and for protecting the rights of responsible dog owners. Among our current projects, we conduct breed identification workshops for shelter workers, we distribute a dog care and training brochure for new owners who adopt from shelters, and provide a 1-800 help line for pet owners struggling with behavior or training problems. We also maintain and administer a relief fund for animals affected by disasters such as earthquakes or fires. We support animal legislation that provides positive benefits to society.

 

The CFoDC is OPPOSED to retail sales bans on pets, and urges you to reject proposed ordinance #3938.

 

Research shows that less than 5% of shelter animals originate from pet stores, and that the vast majority of pet store customers are very happy with their pets. A sales ban would only hurt legitimate businesses and responsible, regulated breeders, not substandard facilities. 

 

Sales bans create a shortage of desirable pets, a black market for dogs and cats, and a rise in imports from other countries. And, replacing pets from licensed breeders with unregulated "rescue" animals is very unwise. Many "rescue" groups are already importing dogs from overseas to meet the demand for pets. This is happening right now in southern California! A rescue group in LA imports dogs and sells them for hundreds of dollars each. Per the "Dogs Without Borders" website: "We currently rescue most dogs from local shelters and strays, but sometimes we rescue dogs from as far away as Taiwan!....Some of the dogs you see on our site are not here in the States."

 

This practice is not only outrageous, but also is very irresponsible on the part of the shelters/rescues that participate. There are diseases and parasites in other countries which are transmitted from dog-to-dog or from dogs to humans which put the safety of our citizens and our dog population at great risk. In late 2004, the first case of canine rabies in Los Angeles County in 30 years was confirmed. The dog had recently come in from Mexico. Rabies is a fatal disease that still causes over 50,000 human deaths annually worldwide. 

 

Claims of high incidence of illness in pet store puppies are totally unsubstantiated. There is evidence that the pet industry provides more veterinary care for puppies than the public at large. DVM/VPI Insurance Group, the largest provider of animal health insurance, testified during a hearing in California that "preconceived notions" concerning pet store puppies "could not have been more wrong."

 

After insuring more than 89,000 pet store puppies and kittens and handling health claims from a pool of more than 500,000 insured animals, the insurance company reduced its premiums for pet store puppies and kittens substantially by as much as 22 percent compared to premiums charged for animals from other sources. Why? Pet store puppies receive more veterinary attention during the first 12 weeks of age than any other puppies and, as a result, have fewer claims.

 

Statistics collected over the past two years at the animal sanctuary "Heaven Can Wait" showed that fewer than 5 percent of shelter animals are from pet stores and no more than 1 percent or 2 percent are from professional breeders.

 

A ban on sales of commercially-bred pets is not necessary. Currently, most pet stores already do support rescue with adoption drives. 

 

Pet stores are a legitimate source for healthy, well-bred animals. Studies show pet store animals are generally very healthy. Unregulated strays are a different matter, with unknown health, temperament, parasites and infectious diseases. Banning sales of animals from licensed and inspected sources in pet stores will have many adverse unintended consequences harmful to public health and safety. We urge you to reject the proposed ban on retail sales of pets.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Geneva Coats, R.N.

Secretary, California Federation of Dog Clubs

 

 

CC: Don Hansen, Devin Dwyer, Connie Boardman, Keith Bohr, Joe Carchio, Matthew Harper, Joe Shaw

Legislative update

The legislative session is in full swing now. There are several bills of concern, that the California Federation of
Dog Clubs has already taken steps to address. News, updates and  copies of letters we have sent can be accessed on our blogsite:

 

http://www.capetlawnews.blogspot.com

 

This year we are dealing with the following:

 

SB 969 (Vargas) - Groomer/bather regulations. We OPPOSE as written. Would establish a new state council to issue biennial licenses which would be required for anyone who grooms or washes/brushes pets for compensation. No one under the age of 18 would qualify to obtain this license. Requires 300 hours of instruction and 1000 hours of hands-on experience for new licensees. Would adversely affect professional handlers. High schoolers who apprentice in grooming shops may be affected. Hearing April 23 in the Senate Business Professions and Economic Development Committee. The author is amending the bill. There will be a capwiz tool available to us from NAIA once the bill alterations are made public.

 

SB 1145 (Emmerson) - Increased fines and penalties for animal fighting. Neutral. We are watching this one at this point. Fines and penalties for animal offenses seem plenty high enough already.

  

SB 1221 (Lieu/Steinberg) outlaws hunting with hounds. Sponsored by the HSUS. Would prohobit a person from allowing a dog to pursue any big game animal. Allows the capture or killing of such dogs. We OPPOSE. Hearing in the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on April 24th.

 

SB 1229 (Pavley) - Real Property: rentals: animals. Would prohibit a landlord from requiring debarking or declawing as a condition of rental. CFODC is neutral at this time, believing a landlord shoud be able to set the rules for their property. In Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

SB 1500 (Lieu) - Liens on animals. We OPPOSE. This bill removes some protections for accused offenders and enables state or private seizing agencies to remove ownership rights to seized animals, even if the defendent is acquitted of charges or charges are dropped. In Senate Public Safety Committee, hearing April 17th.

  

AB 610 (Solorio) Spay/Neuter license plate fund. Amended 3-21-12.  We have OPPOSED this since last session, initially due to inflammatory rhetoric about "overpopulation"  contained in the text of the bill, (which has since been removed) but now primarily due to concerns about the disbursement of the funds that would be collected from such a program. No fund recipient or method is specified. Judie Mancuso, an advocate for statewide mandatory spay/neuter, is the primary proponent of the bill and the director of a non-profit animal group that advocates for MSN. This group might eventually benefit from the funding. Passed by Senate yesterday, and returned to the assembly for concurrence of amendments.

 

AB 1279 (Fletcher) - Animal Shelter terminology.  Changes, for example, from "pound' to "shelter" and from "destroy" to "euthanize". Watching at this time, to see if there will be amendments. In the Senate. 

 

AB 1839 (Ma) - Veterinary assistants - Would require fingerprinting and background checks for vet assistants, presumably for animal abuse offenses. In Assembly Appropriations committee. No hearing date yet. CFoDC is watching.

 

AB 1939 (Pan) Seller reporting of puppy sales and puppy licensing. Sponsored by Concerned Dog Owners of California. We (CFODC) OPPOSE this bill and have contacted the assembly local government committee with a letter of opposition. The hearing will be Wednesday, April 25th.

 

AB 2148 (Hayashi) - Guide Dogs reclaimed by agency. CFoDC supports at this time, although these agencies can already reclaim their dogs under current law. Ideally, contracts between the parties involved should specify all terms of the arrangement rather than more laws being passed. In the Assembly Business, Professions and Consumer Protection committee.

 

AB 2194 (Pan) - humane officers criminal background checks. Neutral. Watching. In the Assembly Public Safety Committee, hearing April 17th.

  

AB 2304 (Garrick) - Cosmetic Tooth Cleaning. Neutral. Would require written permission from owners for groomer to do nonmedical dental cleaning. Keeping an eye on this one. In Assembly Business Professions and Consumer Protection committee, hearing on 4-17.

 

AB 2444 (Portantino) - Amends definition of Grand theft to include when property "is taken as a result of an agreement or prior arrangement to
take and the taking is made in concert with one or more other individuals." CFoDC is neutral. In Assembly Public Safety Committee.

 

AB 2536 (Butler) - Stray Animal, Ownership - establishes a "finders, keepers" rule for lost dogs. Finders must report the stray dog to animal control but may keep in their custody and can obtain ownership after 14 day. We are OPPOSED. It is difficult enough for owners to reclaim their lost or stray dog without having 3rd parties involved. This bill would encourage animal theft. In Assembly Agriculture and Judiciary at this time.

 

AB 2540 (Gatto) - Would add tax to pet spa services and grooming services of $50 or more. CFODC OPPOSES. Hearing April 23rd in the Assembly Revenues and Taxation Committee.

 

County of Ventura has a Breed-specific mandatory spay neuter proposal for "pit bulls" as does the city of Upland.

 

And finally, the city of Los Angeles is proposing a ban on the sale of dogs, cats and even rabbits (!) in pet stores. The proposal would only allow sales by licensed "rescues" in pet stores. We are opposed to retail sales bans of animals.

 

Those clubs and individuals who have not yet joined or renewed their membership for 2012, we urge you to do so at this time so that we can advocate more effectively for you. Our membership form is available here: 

 

http://www.cfodconline.org/docs/CFODC2012MembershipApplication.pdf

 

Thank you for your support, and please do not hesitate to contact us if you have local news and information or suggestions for us.

 

Sincerely yours,

 

Officers and Board of Directors

California Federation of Dog Clubs

 

 

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