TO: USF & NRA Members and Friends
FROM: Marion P. Hammer
USF Executive Director
NRA Past President
NRA and Unified Sportsmen of
Under the pretense of shutting down “puppy mills,” once again, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is pushing Senate Bill 2002, a bill that threatens to shut down many legitimate breeders of hunting, sporting, and working dogs, as well as small breeders of household pets.
The bill strictly BANS any person from owning or controlling more than 50 “intact” dogs older than four months of age. The bill would immediately put many kennels out of business that train hunting dogs. A 50-dog kennel in many areas is considered a small to average sized training facility.
A person who owns, possesses, controls, or otherwise has custody of 10 or more dogs that are 4 months of age is regulated by onerous and subjective controls that would shut down many legitimate businesses.
The bill is scheduled to be heard at 9:00 TOMORROW MORNING (Tuesday, April 14)
PLEASE IMMEDIATELY EMAIL Members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee
In the subject line put: Protect Hunting Dogs -- OPPOSE SB-2002
Send Email to ALL members of the Committee
(Block and Copy All email addresses into the “Send To” box)
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]
BACKGROUND
The provisions of this bill are extremely subjective, vague and broad. There is no doubt that any sporting dog kennel in the state could be found in “violation” of something in this bill, if the enforcement official was intent on imposing sanctions against the kennel owner.
The bill gives broad authority for “warrantless searches.” It represents a major violation of private property rights. The bill authorizes:
"An animal control officer, other authorized public health or safety official, or law enforcement officer may, upon receiving a complaint or upon his or her own initiative, investigate any alleged violation of this section. The investigation may include: (a) The inspection of the books and records of any person or business that is subject to the provisions of this section; and (b) The inspection of any place where dogs are bred or maintained."
The bill mandates temperature controls, ventilation controls, moisture condensation controls, lighting controls, smoke detectors, etc. for kennels.
Exercise requirements include removing every dog from its primary enclosure for a minimum of leash walking for no less than 1 hour everyday or giving the dog access to an exercise area at least 4 times the size of the primary enclosure.
Any hunting club, sporting dog group, hunting plantation, shooting preserve, individual or facility that possesses, trains or boards dogs for hunting or sporting purposes and whose primary business is NOT breeding dogs would either be SHUT DOWN because of the outright 50-dog ban or because they possess, control, or otherwise have custody of 10 or more dogs that are 4 months of age at any given time.
Any sporting dog field trial, competition or show, or any versatile dog or working dog trial or any event, activity or designated recreational area on public lands where the use or containment of hunting or sporting dogs is permitted would also have to be shut down.
An amendment to exempt hunting and sporting dogs; hunting clubs, sporting dog groups, hunting plantations, shooting preserves that possess, train or board dogs for hunting or sporting purposes and whose primary business is NOT breeding dogs was opposed by HSUS and WAS REJECTED by the sponsor.
PLEASE SEND EMAIL IMMEDIATELY -- OPPOSE SB-2002
To read the bill, please click here.
Please continue to check your email and www.NRAILA.org for updates on this important issue.