Thanks to the tremendous response to last week’s alert, the hearing on Senate Bill 460 did not take place on Thursday, June 24.  The anti-hunting extremists at the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) must have realized they were losing support for this legislation, and agreed to have the bill pulled from the calendar so that they could redouble their efforts for another push.  Time is rapidly running out for HSUS, and the word we are hearing is that S 460 will be heard in the House Finance Committee on Wednesday, June 30, at 8:30 AM. 

A large coalition of groups that are truly concerned with both dogs and their owners remains steadfast in opposition to S 460.  The coalition includes The American Kennel Club, the United Kennel Club, the American Veterinarian Medical Association, the North Carolina Agribusiness Council, the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs, and the North Carolina Sporting Dogs Association, to name just a few.  Also opposed to S 460 is the National Animal Interest Alliance, a national group that promotes animal welfare (not “animal rights”) without promoting an anti-hunting agenda.

Next week could be the final chance for HSUS to gain a foothold in North Carolina.  Passage of S 460 would be devastating to not just commercial dog breeders and dog lovers, but those who hunt with dogs or enjoy any kind of hunting.  If HSUS is successful with its apparent goal of eliminating commercial dog breeders, then hunting with dogs will quickly become an activity of only the wealthy who can afford dogs that will become rarer and more expensive.  Anyone who cares about our hunting heritage, even those who do not use dogs in their activities, should be very concerned about S 460.  You can be sure that HSUS does not intend to stop at just hurting hunters who use dogs.  The organization’s president, Wayne Pacelle, has stated, “We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States….  We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped….”  People who simply love their pets, and think HSUS is just working to help keep pets happy and healthy, may want to consider another quote attributed to HSUS President Pacelle.  When asked if he envisioned a future with no pets, he replied, “I wouldn’t say that I envision that, no.  If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold.  In fact, I don’t want to see another cat or dog born.”

We believe that HSUS is working to amend S 460 in order to strip as much opposition from it as possible, while maintaining its threat to all commercial dog breeders and those who hunt with dogs.  And while NRA’s opposition to S 460 is well known within the North Carolina General Assembly, we have yet to be invited to offer input regarding any proposed new language.  This is a strong indication that HSUS wants to ensure the language of this bill remains a threat to those who hunt with dogs.

The North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs and the North Carolina Sporting Dogs Association are organizing a Legislative Lobby Day for Tuesday, June 29, so if you wish to assist by attending, please meet in front of the North Carolina General Assembly at 16 W. Jones Street, in Raleigh.  You should plan to arrive between 8:30 and 9:00 AM.  For details, please contact Henri McClees, with the NC Sporting Dogs Association, at (252) 671-1559.

If you cannot attend the Lobby Day, you can still help by contacting members of the House Finance Committee, and voicing your objections to S 460, or any other attack on responsible commercial dog breeders if legislators supporting the HSUS agenda work to change the bill number.  Contact for the House Finance Committee can be found here.