[ SHOWGSD-L ] Fwd: LD1473 as amended

From: pruett@xxxxxxxxx
To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 12:14:17 -0400
Maine's LD1473 which contained several anti-breeder provisions was worked by the
agriculture committee yesterday and was amended to remove those same
provisions.  My testimony was cited by the committee in their decision making. 
Here is the "thank you" I sent to the committee.  I am forwarding to the list
in hopes that it might be helpful to those of  you in other states fighting
similar battles.

Laurie Prutt

Dear Committee Members,

I was unable to attend your work session on LD1473 today because of work
responsibilities, but I was able to listen to your deliberations via the
internet.  As a taxpayer with more than a passing interest in animal welfare
matters and an individual with more than 20 years of volunteer efforts in this
area, I was pleased that you chose to amend the bill as you did. I
wholeheartedly believe in animal welfare, but feel there is considerable
pressure in this state to sway our animal welfare policy towards the animal
rights agenda, with the underlying goal of eliminating man?s use of animals in
any way, even as companion animals.

Kudos to you all for your good old fashioned common sense.

Norma?s comments that the current advisory committee unanimously supported this
bill were not correct, as Paul Murphy, a committee member and boarding kennel
operator, told me directly that he did not agree with all of the proposed
changes and that he voiced his concerns directly to Norma, and said that he
thought others on the committee had voiced concerns as well.   Paul feels, as
do I, that the dogs in Maine are often unfairly targeted in legislation and
bear the brunt of the cost of animal welfare in this state.  Dogs bring in
revenue to the department from licensing, while cats (who pose a much greater
population problem than do dogs and are also more likely to transmit rabies)
and ?pet? horses bring in no revenue, but are often the source of animal
welfare complaints which must be investigated and addressed with department and
town resources generated from dog ownership.

As a long-time director of one of the larger humane societies in this state, I
can tell you that the dog population problem has steadily declined over the
years, while the cat population problem has continued to grow.  Our shelter
usually places the dogs that we receive unless there are underlying health or
behavioral issues, while we are NOT able to do the same with cats.

Laura Pruett

----- End forwarded message -----


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[ SHOWGSD-L ] Fwd: LD1473 as amended

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