Working Dog Preservation Bill close to being sponsored

[catchrcall]

Folks, we are close to getting the LSWDA's Working Dog Preservation Bill sponsored and on to the next step in the process.  We have three representatives interested in the bill.  Reps White, Aycock, and Guillen.  What we need now is as many calls, letters and emails to these reps, and your local reps as possible.  If we make it a big deal, it can be a big deal.  Here is the updated text and the info on how to find your rep can be found at  www.lswda.org

Working Dog Preservation Bill

By:________________________ ____.B. NO. ________
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT
relating to the classification and care of working dogs

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1.
DEFINITION. In this Act a “working dog” means:
(1) A dog used primarily for the purpose of driving, tending, locating,
working, or protecting stock to include domestic and feral stock, swine and exotics;
(2) A dog used for police, military, substance detection, protection, search, rescue or recovery purposes;
(3) A dog used as a service, assistance or therapy animal;
(4) A dog used to locate, retrieve, or capture an animal, or used in the
recovery of wounded or dead animals;
(5) A dog that is in training for any of the above purposes;
(6) The definition does not rely upon where the dog lives, or it’s breed,
but its primary use;

SECTION 2.
A dog that is defined as a “working dog” is not considered a
pet and will be exempt from laws intended to apply to pets.

(2) A working dog will not be subject to laws:
(a) Requiring mandatory spay or neuter;
(b) Restricting or requiring permits for the number of animals an owner
may possess, regardless of reproductive status;
(c) Restricting how the dog may be housed;
(d) Requiring additional insurance due to weight, breed, sex, or
reproductive status is of the dog;
(e) Restricting breeds that may be kept by the owner.

SECTION 3. Section 42.09, Penal Code applies to the care of working dogs.

SECTION 4. This act takes effect September 1, 2011.

[uglydog]

People for the sake of being able to avoid all these ridiculous bills becoming laws that remove your liberties and rights to use your dogs to hunt and work, WE NEED YOU ALL to write your representatives.

If you do not know how or what to say, these instructions and details can be founds at www.lswda.org on the front page, it only takes a few nimutes of your time but can save you a lifetime of trouble with your dogs. PLEASE lets be PRO ACTIVE, and get started to help ourselves, instead of whining about it next year when its too late. This is time Sensetive and needs to be done NOW.

[catchrcall]

That's right.  The whole reason this bill was started was because every legislative session we run around playing whack-a-mole with these outlandish bills that have no consideration for a dog that is anything other than lawn art or a lap warmer.  They introduce something and we have to react and try to get it put down.  We decided that is a great way to not lose, but a poor way to win so we did something about it and came up with the bill above.  We need the breathing room.  We need this precident set at the state level so that it will offer protection from there on down.  Please write those letters and emails or better yet make those phone calls.  We only have until 11 March to get this thing filed. 

[Circle C]

I will me making phone calls and mailing letters...  Thanks Lance and LSWDA

[uglydog]

Also for FaceBook friends
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=184313954938086&comments#!/profile.php?id=100001692200651

click "like" or comment to the post and spread the word to your friends on Facebook, the more people getting behindthis the better!

[Txmason]

Thanks Lance for getting this started.
This is the only way too stay on top with our hunting dogs, I'll work with any one too preserve that.

Making calls and sending letters.

[Silverton Boar Dogs]

Lance has done a great job putting this together. I am not sure everyone realises how important this type of legislation is to all of us who hunt with dogs, Its a game changer. I encourage all TDHA members to support this, everyone who owns a hunting dog or working dog should be vigorously supporting this Bill.

Thanks,
Paul T

[matt_aggie04]

If your a member of this board at some point you took a few minutes to sign up to become a member, for about that same amount of time you could send a letter to your congressman/rep.  There should be nearly 3000 people writing a letter or email in the next few days!

[jdt]

what can i do if i'm out of state ?

[jls41]

Thanks everyone for your support so far!!  We now have 5 State Reps taking a look at this Bill!!  Keep the letters, emails, and phone calls going!!
For those that do not know how to write your Representative, there is also a form letter on the main page of the LSWDA website too.  You can add your own reasons for support and we recommend that you change the font to fit your style as well.  We wanted to make this as easy as possible for everyone, so please go to www.lswda.org/ and make your voice heard regarding your working dogs and this bill!

Thanks!!

[slimpickins]

I also urge all members here to pass on the word through other forums you are members of.
Cross post on all other hunting/outdoor forums, coon, squirrel, hog, retriever, pointer, bloodtracker, etc.
Any and all, even the fishing and bowhunting sights, if it makes 1 more person aware and write a letter or make a call it'll help.
Be sure to clear it with admin at those sights to help get the word out.
Visit www.LSWDA.org to get you copy, it only takes a second.

[Cristina]

I sent a letter to the Rep of my district. Who else can I send this to?

[Bar W]

I just found this website and about this bill being circulated. I mentioned it to a couple people I know who are at lobby day in Austin today. They are going to mention the bill to some reps who might be sympathetic to our cause. Hope it helps. Some of the new laws being proposed are outrageous.

[uglydog]

Cristina and everybody else Great job! It takes everyone and family members, Emails are overlooked many times but a phone call or a letter well, that is well written are harder to over look. Those letters go into the office and are veiwed by an Aid, put into stacks and when that stack starts getting tall, they have to give it consideration as to "what the people want" what will get them re-elected next term.
Phone calls also cannot be avoided but you have to be simple very polite and to the point. Talking in circles or vulgar langauge, insults will get you put on another list of "nut cases" which none of us want to be on, we want to be taken seriously.

Take the letter and the bill proposal off of the front of LSWDA website, change the letter some to fit your personal views, but it has to stay short and too the point. Before you print it change the fonts so everybodies is a little different, fill in information, and take to your family members, family friends, neighbors, Land owners you hunt for, feed stores you buy you dog feed and supplies from, Go to the local auction barn and coffee shops and have them all do the same thing to send this in, even if you can print theirs for them to make it easier, have them sign it, and then take it to the mailbox for them.

Cross post it on other websites, take what you are doing, explain it to others, and get then on board and doing it also, If we can all unite for this one thing, think how powerfull of a force we can all be?

[catchrcall]

jdt, since you are out of state, about all you can do is to give these reps that are thinking about sponsoring the bill a call, let them know that you are interested and want to see how this turns out.  Let them know that this is getting some national attention, and if possible get any dog organizations you know of to do the same. 

It may be possible for Texas to set a precident here that could catch on in other states.  I certainly hope so. 

What about the AKC?  Should we be letting them know about the bill?

[jls41]

jdt, since you are out of state, about all you can do is to give these reps that are thinking about sponsoring the bill a call, let them know that you are interested and want to see how this turns out.  Let them know that this is getting some national attention, and if possible get any dog organizations you know of to do the same. 

It may be possible for Texas to set a precident here that could catch on in other states.  I certainly hope so.

This would be a great help!!  It will let the 5 Representatives know that working dog owners in other states are watching and interested in moving with a Bill like this in their own state. 
The 5 Reps that are looking at this Bill proposal are:
Jimmie Don Aycoc k
James White
Ryan Guillen
Leo Burman
Cindy Burkett
To find their contact information, click this link http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/find-your-representative/  at the top there is a box with a drop down arrow and you can scroll to find the Representative by name, click on their name, and then their contact information comes up.

[leonidas]

DAMN this is a great idea...... I never thought of it at this aspect...

[catchrcall]

the staff that we've talked to are telling us that phone calls and paper letters get the most immediate attention.  emails get through eventually but for quickest results the telephone, fax, or mail is what's getting through the best.  Keep it coming folks!

[bigdics_offroad77]

Sent letters out to the box about 30 minutes ago and have been sending emails about two weeks now when i first saw about it on here...thanks for the heads up guys and let me know of any other thing that i can do to help out...as is this is my first post might as well say that i'm new here but have been reading this site for sometime now and love the atmosphere of everyone and the info given....thanks

[jls41]

Thanks everyone!!  Keep it up!!  The more their phones and faxes ring and the more paper we use up, the more attention we get!!  Remember when speaking to them over the phone, be courteous and respectful.