[ SHOWGSD-L ] AB 1634 IS DEAD
- From: Crossroadsgsd@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 14:55:24 EDT
THANKS TO YOU, AB 1634 - THE MOST HOTLYCONTESTED BILL OF THE 2007-2008
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS DEAD!
Thanks to the Herculean efforts of California pet owners and their friends
and supporters nationwide, the 11-headed legislative Hydra known as AB 1634 is
dead. In the end, bill author Assembly Member Lloyd Levine and sponsor Judie
Mancuso could not convince lawmakers that mandatory spay/neuter was either
needed or appropriate, and they refused to force surgery on their citizens'
pets.
An important side benefit of AB 1634 is that it aroused an army of dog and
cat enthusiasts who had never been united before. Prior to AB 1634 many
believed they could have it both ways; that they could pick and choose their
way
around the activist agenda and let others contend with aspects that didn't
touch them personally. However, this bill was so radical it captured the
attention of pet owners from coast to coast and provoked a level of activism
not
encountered before. AB 1634 galvanized thousands of pet owners and
organizations
who for 18 months never stopped opposing the bill with letters, phone calls,
emails and repeated visits to the Capitol.
Slowly, lawmakers began to realize that this legislation would be costly,
unfair and that it would do nothing to resolve the surplus pet problems some
communities and shelters face. But Levine managed to keep his bill alive and
lead his colleagues on a wild goose chase to pass something - anything - that
carried the label of AB 1634. To accomplish this elusive goal, he amended his
bill eleven times, eliminating section after section and adding new
provisions, in what can only be described as a self indulgent and
irresponsible effort
to ram through legislation that included some form of mandatory spay/neuter.
In the end, California Senators saw through the smoke and mirrors and
recognized AB 1634 for what it is and always has been: a fundamentally flawed,
unfair and fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation that was agenda-driven,
not solutions-oriented.
Looking back on the last 18 months battling this bill, it should be clear to
all that it was no one group or individual that brought AB 1634 down, but
the combined activism of scores of dedicated individuals and organizations,
each playing their own unique role. Groups representing pet owners included
the
National Animal Interest Alliance, the American Kennel Club, Cat Fanciers
Association, California Federation of Dog Clubs, Concerned Dog Owners of
California, Pet PAC, Save Our Dogs, The Animal Council, The United Kennel
Club,
several veterinary groups and many others that rallied together to educate
lawmakers about the unintended consequences of such a mandate. Some provided
information and arguments; some hired lobbyists; some recruited businesses in
key
districts to oppose the bill; some flew to Sacramento and walked the
legislative halls (repeatedly); some organized rallies; many wrote letters and
still
others kept the fancy informed as things unfolded. Defeating AB 1634 is an
awesome achievement that will have immediate and long-term effects on radical
animal legislation and copycat bills promoted by Mancuso and others in Chicago
and across the nation.
At NAIA we saw our primary role in the campaign against AB 1634 as providing
the facts and making the arguments necessary to refute the proponents'
claims. To that end, NAIA and the NAIA Trust wrote numerous articles, alerts
and
letters, participated in numerous media interviews and NAIA Trust retained the
services of the Dolphin Group lobbyist Brian Rees for both the 2007 and 2008
sessions. Brian stayed with us to the very end, opposing the bill and
keeping us informed throughout the process, even calling us from the Capitol
during
the last vote. Special thanks to Laura Sanborn and Angie Niles for their
continued collaboration. It's been great working with all of you.
____________________________________________________________
Here is a radio interview and some letters, articles and alerts NAIA or NAIA
Trust produced to help the cause:
Listen to a lively radio debate between Mancuso, Strand and Assembly Member
Adams: _click here_
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/DKGLJDPFNS/2338180791) and then
scroll to Which Way L.A.
August 22, 2008: _The ship is sinking_
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/ABGJJDPFNT/2338180791)
August 18, 2008: _Opposition letter to full senate _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/EDKHJDPFNU/2338180791)
August 18, 2008: _Criticism disregarded, AB 1634 barrels ahead _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/HXTXJDPFNV/2338180791)
July 11, 2008: _Donâ??t let AB 1634 sponsors downplay fiscal cost _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/BTASJDPFNW/2338180791)
July 11, 2008: _Letter to Appropriations attached to July 11, 2008 alert _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/IVHSJDPFNX/2338180791)
July 7, 2008: _Write letter to Senate Appropriations Committee opposing AB
1634 now!_ (http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/LVMIJDPFNY/2338180791)
June 22, 2008: _Letter to Senate Local Government Committee Chair Gloria
Negrete McLeod _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/FRNSJDPFNZ/2338180791)
June 29, 2007: _Letter of opposition to the Senate Local Government
Committee Chair, Gloria Negrete-McLeod_
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/JMJHJDPFOA/2338180791)
May 9, 2007: _Letter to Assembly Committee on Appropriations
_ (http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/COPDJDPFOB/2338180791)
March 25, 2007: _Letter to Assembly Committee on Business and Professions
Chair Mike Eng _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/GBWFJDPFOC/2338180791)
_Veterinarians were key in defeating AB 1634 _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/FGLIJDPFOD/2338180791)
______________________________________________________________
Articles from NAIA newsletters 2007:
June 4, 2007: _California Healthy Pets Act Assures Unintended Consequences:
Elimination of Californiaâ??s Healthy Pets! _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/OVDAJDPFOE/2338180791)
June 26, 2007: _Appeasing animal rights activists wonâ??t save pets or taxpayer
dollars _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/BBCTJDPFOF/2338180791)
July 17, 2007: _Thanks to everyone for a job well done
_ (http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/ITIEJDPFOG/2338180791)
_Proponentsâ?? data raises authenticity questions, by Angie Niles _
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/BLKIJDPFOH/2338180791)
NAIA also provided legislators with studies on health and behavioral
problems resulting from spaying/neutering too early:
_Long-Term Health Risks and Benefits Associated with Spay/Neuter in the Dog
by Laura Sanborn
_ (http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/KUZMJDPFOI/2338180791)
_Early Spay-Neuter Considerations for the Canine Athlete by Chris Zink, DVM_
(http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/IBKRJDPFOJ/2338180791)
_Third International Symposium on Non-Surgical Contraceptive Methods for Pet
Population Control, November -12, 2006
_ (http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/utr/1/HZRQJDPAYI/JTXAJDPFOK/2338180791)
Cathleen Bennett & Joe Guay
Rialto, Ca
_www.crossroadsgsd.com_ (http://www.crossroadsgsd.com/)
Raised with LOVE, Sold with Care
Updated Web site
Puppies Here
**************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel
deal here.
(http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)
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