Pet Owners and Breeders in N. Carolina read below and contact your legislators (listed below) if you want to keep the right to breed and own dogs. THIS IS SERIOUS

NC ALERT: Strict Breeder Bill To Be Heard On Tuesday, June 30!
[Friday, June 26, 2009]
Senate Bill 460, a bill which regulates breeders and infringes on the rights
of responsible dog owners, will be heard in the Senate Finance Committee on
Tuesday, June 30.

All responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are encouraged to
attend the hearing on Tuesday in opposition to the bill. We need to show
strong opposition to SB 460. While attendees will not be able to speak in
opposition, NUMBERS MATTER! If you are unable to attend, please call or
e-mail the members of the committee and ask them to oppose SB 460.

The American Kennel Club is appalled by the conditions in which some dogs
are kept and abhors animal cruelty. However, as the AKC wrote in a letter to
the Finance Committee, Senate Bill 460 is a costly, ineffective bill that
punishes responsible breeders and owners and does nothing to help the dogs
kept in deplorable conditions.

The AKC opposes several other provisions of Senate Bill 460, including:

  a.. A vague definition of commercial breeder. As amended, SB 460 defines
“commercial breeder” as anyone who owns or maintains at least 15 intact
females of any age for the primary purpose of the sale of the offspring.
This definition could include anyone who has bred even a single litter of
puppies, including fanciers and show breeders.
  b.. Inspections of private property at any time. The bill allows law
enforcement and local animal control to search the homes and private
property of anyone who falls under the definition of “commercial breeder” at
any time of day or night.
  c.. Directive for the NC Department of Agriculture to develop standards of
care with no public input. SB 460 calls for the Department of Agriculture to
develop care and condition policies for dogs belonging to commercial
breeders. This does not allow for any input from dog breeders and others who
are experts in animal care.
This bill is unnecessary, as North Carolina already has laws that address
animal cruelty and mistreatment. Senate Bill 460 will do nothing to address
irresponsible breeding and will cost the state over $400,000 a year to
enforce. At a time when the state is facing a projected $3 billion budget
gap, improved enforcement of existing laws would be a better use of North
Carolina taxpayers’ money.

How You Can Help:

·         Attend the Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, June 30.
The details are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: North Carolina Legislative Office Building
Room 544
16 W. Jones Street
Raleigh, North Carolina

  a.. Contact the members of the Senate Finance Committee TODAY. Tell the
members of the committee that you oppose this bill, and urge them to oppose
Senate Bill 460. A phone call would be most effective. E-mail is acceptable,
but we ask that you also call.
Click here for basic phone scripts for breeders and fanciers.

The contact information for the committee is as follows:

Senator David Hoyle (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-5734
E-mail: David.Hoyle@ncleg.net

Senator Daniel Clodfelter (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 715-8331
E-mail: Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net

Senator Clark Jenkins (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 715-3040
E-mail: Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net

Senator Larry Shaw (Vice-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-9349
E-mail: Larry.Shaw@ncleg.net

Senator Fletcher Hartsell, Jr. (Vice-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-7223
E-mail: Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net

Senator Charles Albertson
Phone: (919) 733-5705
E-mail: Charlie.Albertson@ncleg.net

Senator Austin Allran
Phone: (919) 733-5876
E-mail: Austin.Allran@ncleg.net

Senator Tom Apodaca
Phone: (919) 733-5745
E-mail: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net

Senator Bob Atwater
Phone: (919) 715-3036
E-mail: Bob.Atwater@ncleg.net

Senator Philip Berger
Phone: (919) 733-5708
E-mail: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Senator Charlie Dannelly
Phone: (919) 733-5955
E-mail: Charlie.Dannelly@ncleg.net

Senator Eleanor Kinnaird
Phone: (919) 733-5804
E-mail: Ellie.Kinnaird@ncleg.net

Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr.
Phone: (919) 733-4599
E-mail: Floyd.McKissick@ncleg.net

Senator Joe Sam Queen
Phone: (919) 733-3460
E-mail: Joe.Queen@ncleg.net

Senator David Rouzer
Phone: (919)733-5748
E-mail: David.Rouzer@ncleg.net

Senator R.C. Soles, Jr.
Phone: (919) 733-5963
E-mail: RC.Soles@ncleg.net

Senator Harris Blake
Phone: (919) 733-4809
E-mail: Harris.Blake@ncleg.net

Senator Julia Boseman
Phone: (919) 715-2525
E-mail: Julia.Boseman@ncleg.net

Senator Andrew Brock
Phone: (919) 715-0690
E-mail: Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net

Senator Harry Brown
Phone: (919) 715-3034
E-mail: Harry.Brown@ncleg.net

Senator Don East
Phone: (919) 733-5743
E-mail: Don.East@ncleg.net

Senator Tony Foriest
Phone: (919) 301-1446
E-mail: Tony.Foriest@ncleg.net

Senator Linda Garrou
Phone: (919) 733-5620
E-mail: Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net

Senator Eddie Goodall
Phone: (919) 733-7659
E-mail: Eddie.Goodall@ncleg.net

Senator Steve Goss
Phone: (919) 733-5742
E-mail: Steve.Goss@ncleg.net

Senator Neal Hunt
Phone: (919) 733-5850
E-mail: Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net

Senator Martin Nesbitt, Jr.
Phone: (919) 715-3001
E-mail: Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net

Senator Jean Preston
Phone: (919) 733-5706
E-mail: Jean.Preston@ncleg.net

Senator William Purcell
Phone: (919) 733-5953
E-mail: William.Purcell@ncleg.net

Senator Tony Rand
Phone: (919) 733-9892
E-mail: Tony.Rand@ncleg.net

Senator Bob Rucho
Phone: (919) 733-5655
E-mail: Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net

Senator Josh Stein
Phone: (919)715-6400
E-mail: Josh.Stein@ncleg.net

Senator Richard Stevens
Phone: (919) 733-5653
E-mail: Richard.Stevens@ncleg.net

Senator A.B. Swindell
Phone: (919) 715-3030
E-mail: AB.Swindell@ncleg.net

Senator Jerry Tillman
Phone: (919) 733-5870
E-mail: Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net

Senator David Weinstein
Phone: (919) 733-5651
E-mail: David.Weinstein@ncleg.net

Senator Dan Blue
Phone: (919) 833-1931
E-mail: Dan.Blue@ncleg.net

For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919)
816-3720; or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.

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