Please note what is going on in Mississippi - very close to home. And also, Alabama's Terri Sewell has been named to the US House Ag Committee................. Donna & the Dosido Gang Remlap, Alabama Visit me at _www.mydoublenickellife.blogspot.com_ (http://www.doublenickellife.blogspot.com/) and help support the Alabama Canine Coalition by shopping/searching through _http://www.goodsearch.com_ (http://www.goodsearch.com/) and _http://www.igive.com_ (http://www.igive.com/) Every year of dog love is worth seven years of the human stuff. (Michael Rosen) ____________________________________ From: saova_south@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To: saova_south@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: 1/19/2011 11:38:13 P.M. Central Standard Time Subj: [SAOVA_South] NEWS BRIEFS January 19, 2011 A SAOVA message to sportsmen, pet owners and farmers concerned about protecting their traditions, avocations and livelihoods from anti-hunting, anti-breeding, animal guardianship advocates. Forwarding and cross posting, with attribution, encouraged. NEWS BRIEFS January 19, 2011 The world not only belongs to those who show up, it's controlled by the best informed and most motivated. Thanks for reading. Susan Wolf Sportsmen’s & Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance Issue lobbying and working to identify and elect supportive legislators Visit SAOVA News _http://saovanews.blogspot.com_ (http://saovanews.blogspot.com/) NEBRASKA NOTES LB 305 introduced by freshman state senator Tyson Larson—a horse rancher from O’Neill—would create a state meat inspection program in Nebraska that could pave the way for a return to horse processing in the state. As reported in Brownfield Ag: Larson says the closure of horse processing plants in 2007 has created a horse overpopulation problem, which has led to increased abandonment and abuse. But he says his bill is not just about animal welfare—it’s also good for rural economic development. “When we used to be able to sell horses to processing facilities for $600 and those horses now can only go for $100, that’s $500 out of rural America—rural Nebraska,” Larson says. “You know, farmers and ranchers aren’t the wealthiest people in the world and when we have a horse that we’re done with, then processing it makes good economic sense and puts money back in our wallets.” Full story: _http://tinyurl.com/4jqkvtv_ (http://tinyurl.com/4jqkvtv) Brownfield Ag also reports that former Lincoln mayor Don Wesely, who has lobbied for HSUS in the Nebraska legislature for the past four years, has severed his ties with the animal rights organization. Wesely told the Lincoln Journal Star that he made the decision after another one of his clients raised concerns about his—Wesely’s—association with HSUS. Wesely declined to name the organization that complained. Full story: _http://tinyurl.com/4dtgncv_ (http://tinyurl.com/4dtgncv) PET BREEDER BILLS Nebraska LB 427 introduced by Senator Abbie Cornett revises current law to define commercial dog breeder as anyone who owns 4 or more dogs [of any age or sex] intended for breeding. Female dogs may only be bred once in 18 months unless a veterinarian certifies approval for more frequent breeding. Breeding ages regulated at over one year and under 8 years of age. Includes requirement for "mental stimulation" and mandates monthly grooming. LB 427 includes new engineering standards for enclosure size and requirement for unfettered access to an outdoor area 10 times the size of the primary enclosure. Compliance with the new restrictions would earn the commercial breeder an "outstanding" designation that would be advertised on a state website. This bill should be OPPOSED. Requirements proposed in the bill are arbitrary and expensive. Contact your Senator now _http://tinyurl.com/8veteg_ (http://tinyurl.com/8veteg) Mississippi SB 2947 “Puppy Mill Cruelty” introduced by Sen. Bob Dearing (D, 37) establishes regulations for breeders with more than 10 intact female dogs [for the purpose of breeding] and caps ownership at 50. Mandates yearly veterinary exams; temperature control between 45 and 85 degrees; unfettered access between indoor and outdoor enclosures; engineered space requirements; maximum of 2 litters in 18 month period. Establishes penalty for first conviction of $1000 fine, 6 months imprisonment or both. Every violation is a separate offense. The bill has been referred to Senate Judiciary, Division B. Dog breeders and hunters should OPPOSE this bill. Follow the SAOVA website for further developments and alerts. ANIMAL ABUSER REGISTRIES Nearly all animal cruelty involves neglect by the animal’s owner. The likelihood that “animal abusers” will stalk neighbors and snatch pets in order to abuse them is infinitesimal. Registry bills continue to be introduced and should be opposed: * Connecticut: HB5013 sponsored by Rep. Kim Rose (D, 118) * New Hampshire: 2011-H-0587-L sponsored by Rep. Lynne Blankenbeker (R, Merrimack-11); Regina Birdsell (R, 8-Rockingham); Jason Antosz (R, Rockingham-9) * Nevada: AB751 sponsored by Assembly Member Stewart (R, 22) * Virginia: HB1930 sponsored by Delegate Daniel Marshall (R, 14) Animal abuser registries are the brainchild of the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) and are supported by PETA. ALDF estimates that start up costs for states to implement registries could run as high as $60,000. The Crime Report carried an article last week, “Tracking Animal Abuse (and Abusers) on the Web” which reiterated the murky success of public registries. According to the article, two studies—one of a sample of Nebraska residents in 2008 and the other of Michigan residents in 2009—found that most of those surveyed had not looked at their state’s sex offender registry. In the Nebraska survey, of those who did use the registry, few took preventive measures. Full article: _http://tinyurl.com/5sfukff_ (http://tinyurl.com/5sfukff) AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON - U.S. House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., today announced the Democratic members who will serve on the Agriculture Committee during the 112th Congress. "The Agriculture Committee oversees a wide range of issues, including farm programs, nutrition programs, crop insurance, renewable energy, conservation, commodity markets and rural development. These members bring a great deal of expertise and a commitment to addressing the challenges of those who live, work and raise their families in rural America. I look forward to working with them, along with the new majority, in this Congress," Peterson said. The Democratic Caucus today named 20 Democrats, including 13 returning Members and seven new members, to the House Agriculture Committee. The Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee: .Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson, Minnesota .Tim Holden, Pennsylvania .Mike McIntyre, North Carolina .Leonard Boswell, Iowa .Joe Baca, California .Dennis Cardoza, California .David Scott, Georgia .Henry Cuellar, Texas .Jim Costa, California .Timothy J. Walz, Minnesota .Kurt Schrader, Oregon .Larry Kissell, North Carolina .Bill Owens, New York .Chellie Pingree, Maine .Joe Courtney, Connecticut .Peter Welch, Vermont .Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio .Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands .Terri A. Sewell, Alabama .James McGovern, Massachusetts ANIMAL RIGHTS HSUS Lobbying Calendar HSUS state directors have a full schedule planned for the month of February. According to the HSUS website, Lobby Day 101 seminars will cover everything you need to be an effective citizen advocate for animals. HSUS will show you basic, but effective, lobby techniques; teach you what influences a legislator and what animal-related bills and issues are being considered in your state. HSUS directors will also be holding Grassroots Meetings to discuss their legislative initiatives; legislators from the district are often invited to attend. Humane Lobby Days at your state capital are also on the agenda. In February HSUS directors will be working in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Schedules for all these events can be found at the HSUS website _http://tinyurl.com/4s25fvb_ (http://tinyurl.com/4s25fvb) Get organized and be prepared for the HSUS 2011 initiatives. HSUS – FARMER’S FRIEND?? Never one to leave a stone unturned, miss an opportunity to position itself as the “expert” on all things animal, or find a new money-maker, HSUS has announced plans to launch a “national farmers and ranchers council”. Video interview is available at AgWeb _http://tinyurl.com/6jnsbqf_ (http://tinyurl.com/6jnsbqf) The message above was posted to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas residents by the Sportsmen's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance (SAOVA). SAOVA is a nonpartisan volunteer group working to protect Americans from the legislative and political threats of radical animal rightists. Visit our website at http://saova.org for this program's goals, methodology and list signup details. To unsubscribe from this list, exercise that option at http://mailman.montana.com/mailman/listinfo/saova_south SAOVA PO Box 612, Spencer NC 28159 SAOVA_South mailing list SAOVA_South@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx http://mailman.montana.com/mailman/listinfo/saova_south