EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

Crossposting is encouraged.
October 18, 2011

The devil is in the details!
Texas HB 1451, the misnamed "Puppymill" Bill

Think again . if you thought it was all over when Governor Rick Perry signed
Texas HB 1451. It's just begun! This is the bill HSUS, ASPCA and Texas
Humane Legislation Network (THLN) sold to Texas legislators and the media
under the guise of being a "puppymill" bill although that word isn't found
anywhere in the bill. The words "commercial" and later "high volume"
breeder were deleted from HB 1451 before it passed. It's now simply a Dog &
Cat Breeders Bill with USDA requirements as minimum standards for
"possessing" more than 10 Intact Female Animals (Dogs and Cats) and even
"offering" to sell 20 animals annually from those females. THLN President
Cile Holloway's mantra was "Get anything passed and come back later!" It
will never end. Senator John Whitmire said the bill will be back next
legislative session.

RPOA has an attorney on retainer for legal action regarding HB 1451 but we
desperately need donations if we're going to be able to keep him. Instead
of sending $19 a month to HSUS as they beg with those sad TV commercials,
please send it to RPOA.

One Great Dane breeder contacted RPOA recently and said two litters of Great
Danes and show prospects held back for two years observation brings her
under licensing requirements with the USDA regulations.

The legislators and media never mentioned the minimum requirement of federal
USDA standards for the humane handling, care, treatment, and also
transportation of dogs and cats set forth in 9 C.F.R. Part 3, Subpart A of
the Animal Welfare Act; requiring special drainage, impervious cover, etc.
which are impossible to meet in a home environment.

HB 1451 defines possess as "having custody or control over." A "Controlling
Person is defined as having direct or indirect control of 25% or more of a
dog or cat breeder." This appears to include in or out of state
co-ownership of show dogs whose owners' names and addresses can be found in
show catalogs. These could be included in the allowed number of Intact
Female Animals. The extremists already scan, cuss and want to eliminate
breeders listed in newspaper Classified Ads so now they'll have dog and cat
show catalogs for reference in Texas.

License fees are mandated to cover all costs of administering and enforcing
HB 1451. The state predicts they'll have 1,000 licenses sold. However that
is questionable since Texas only has 35 USDA dog licensed facilities now and
AKC conducted 359 inspections in Texas in 2010 (more than 7 litters that
year registered with AKC). Some breeders are quitting and others are
arranging to fall under the number of Intact Female Animals. More likely
there'll be around 500 licenses sold - if that many.

We had HB 1451 down for the count and only lost by TWO senators' votes on
the Senate Floor because of last minute bailouts for exemptions which are
not defined in the bill. What is a "chasing dog?" Divide and conquer
worked and we lost. There's no way to compromise or work with HSUS and win.
The Farm Bureau, Texas State Rifle Association, and Texas Wildlife
Association deserted us in the home stretch.

The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) wants out of
the 2012 federal Farm Bill as they fear it provides ample opening for new
regulations inspired by animal rights groups such as People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals and the Humane Society of the United States. "We're
concerned that groups like that have an agenda to put animal agriculture out
of business, and they will go to great lengths to do that in the Farm Bill,"
said Jason Skaggs, TSCRA director of government and public affairs. The
livestock title covers other species besides cattle, including poultry. So
where were they when we needed them?

The only way to stop the Animal Rights Snowball from Hell in its tracks is
legal action regarding HB 1451. Then we can go to work personally educating
our personal legislators, veterinarians, and the media on their real agenda
while it plays out in the courts.

Donations can be sent via Paypal on www.rpoatexasoutreach.org or mailed to:
RPOA Texas Outreach
Legislative Action Fund
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
These donations are not tax deductible.

To make a tax deductible donation, send via PayPal at
www.responsiblepetowners.org or mail to Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
at the same address.
It takes a barebones budget of $50,000 annually just to keep our office open
with a part-time person on salary. No donation is too small.
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