[ SHOWGSD-L ] Fwd: MA Update: Call Committee Members TODAY and Attend Legislative Hearing on June 4!
- From: "Stormy V. Hope" <stormy435@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx List" <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 30 May 2013 18:29:08 -0700
Begin forwarded message:
From: "AKC's Government Relations Department" <mba@xxxxxxx>
Subject: MA Update: Call Committee Members TODAY and Attend Legislative Hearing
on June 4!
Date: May 30, 2013 7:07:01 AM PDT
May 30, 2013
http://www.akc.org/press_center/article.cfm?article_id=5009
Please forward the following alert to dog owners residing in Massachusetts and
others who may be impacted:
Several dog-focused bills are scheduled for a hearing by the Massachusetts
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on Tuesday June 4,
2013. AKC Government Relations (AKC GR) is working closely with the
Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners (MassFed) and
other concerned individuals to address those bills that may most negatively
impact responsible dog owners and breeders.
Because of the severity of pending legislation, it is important that concerned
responsible dog owners and breeders contact the members of the Joint Committee
on Municipalities and Regional Government TODAY and, if possible, attend the
committee hearing on June 4. NUMBERS MATTER! Even if you do not speak,
committee members will see the number of constituents who took the time to
attend and stand up for responsible dog breeders and owners.
Scroll down for more information on the hearing and how to contact the
committee members.
Summary:
HB 1874 / SB 401 – OPPOSE AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN - Described as acts that would
“protect puppies and kittens”, these bills would actually require individuals
who house more than 3 females (dogs and/or cats) to be licensed as “pet
dealers” and be subject to commercial breeder regulations. The bill also
provides for consumer protection provisions that, if enacted as introduced,
will have far-reaching negative impacts on Massachusetts breeders.
• It repeals current exemptions from commercial licensing enjoyed by
those who transfer the offspring of their personally-owned animals. As a
result, the law will treat such breeders similar to the way pet shops are
treated for licensing purposes under state law.
• It expansively redefines “hobby breeders” as any “person engaged in
the incidental breeding and subsequent sale, barter, or exchange of the
offspring of not more than three personally-owned breeding females” and would
include such hobby breeders in the definition of pet dealer.
• It subjects “pet dealers” (excepting hobby breeders) to new consumer
protection provisions that do not afford breeders the opportunity to provide
better puppy and buyer protections by private contract, or a second veterinary
medical opinion or appeal prior to being required to provide a buyer with
state-mandated remedies.
• It extends rulemaking power to the Massachusetts Department of
Agricultural Resources over commercial breeder kennels, personal kennels, and
to persons otherwise selling, exchanging or otherwise transferring the
offspring of their personally- owned dogs and/or cats, and provides that a wide
variety of standards of care must be addressed by administrative rule.
The AKC joins MassFed in opposing these bills as currently written. The AKC
believes that, as introduced, HB 1874 and SB 401 feature inadequate consumer
protection provisions that must be addressed. Additionally, the AKC is deeply
concerned with unintended consequences that may flow from these bills.
Specifically, if enacted in their current form, these bills would treat hobby
breeders similarly to how commercial facilities are handled in the
Commonwealth. Such a declaration could negatively impact home-based purebred
dog fanciers whose residential property zoning classifications may, as a result
of the new treatment, prohibit such activity.
SB 969 – A law enacted in 2012 created a new statewide definition of "dangerous
dogs" that prevented a dog from being declared dangerous only because of the
dog's breed. In response, several Boston-area officials are now leading an
effort to repeal the state's breed-neutral policy. SB 969 would allow any
community in Massachusetts to enact breed-specific laws. The AKC and MassFed
both promote breed-neutral dangerous dog policies, and therefore both strongly
oppose SB 969.
Read more about these, and the many other dog-related measures under
consideration, by clicking here.
How To Protect Your Rights:
• Attend the Tuesday, June 4 hearing:
Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
11:00am-12:30 pm. Room 437 AND
1:00 pm-5:00 pm, Room A2
**If you would like to attend, please contact the Massachusetts Federation of
Dog Clubs (MassFed) at info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or (508)966-4564/(508) 612-9553.
Let them know that you will be attending the hearings, and, if you would like
to testify, which bill you would like to address. MassFed will help you sign
up to testify and is also happy to help coordinate carpooling if needed.
• Contact the members of the Joint Committee on Municipalities and
Regional Government and respectfully express your opinions on these bills:
Senator Sal N. DiDomenico, Senate Chair
Rm. 218
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1650
Email: Sal.DiDomenico@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, Senate Vice Chair
Rm. 312D
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1673
Email: Sonia.Chang-Diaz@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator William N. Brownsberger
Rm. 413C
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1280
Email: William.Brownsberger@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator James E. Timilty
Rm. 507
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1222
Email: James.Timilty@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Barry R. Finegold
Rm. 416B
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1612
Email: Barry.Finegold@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Richard J. Ross
Rm. 520
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-1555
Email: Richard.Ross@xxxxxxxxxxxx
House Members – Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government
Representative Sarah K. Peake, House Chair
Rm. 540
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2090
Email: Sarah.Peake@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Gailanne M. Cariddi, House Vice Chair
Rm. 155
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2450
Email: Gailanne.Cariddi@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Thomas M. Stanley
Rm. 167
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2230
Email: Thomas.Stanley@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Sean Garballey
Rm. 540
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2090
Email: Sean.Garballey@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Rhonda L. Nyman
Rm. 473F
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2210
Email: Rhonda.Nyman@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Wayne A. Matewsky
Rm. 540
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2090
Email: Wayne.Matewsky@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Kevin J. Kuros
Rm. 443
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2460
Email: Kevin.Kuros@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Cleon H. Turner
Rm. 540
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2090
Email: Cleon.Turner@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Timothy R. Madden
Rm. 167
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2810
Email: Timothy.Madden@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative David M. Rogers
Rm. 134
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2400
Email: Dave.Rogers@xxxxxxxxxxx
Representative Peter Durant
Rm. 33
Boston, MA 02133
Phone: 617-722-2060
Email: Peter.Durant@xxxxxxxxxxx
AKC Government Relations will continue to provide information on these bills.
For more information, contact AKC GR at (919) 816-3720 or doglaw@xxxxxxx. You
may also contact the Massachusetts Federation of Dog Clubs at
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
The American Kennel Club, 8051 Arco Corporate Dr., Raleigh, NC 27617 United
States
Stormy V. Hope
https://www.facebook.com/GSDCA.LegislationAwareness
https://www.facebook.com/CaRPOC.CaliforniaResponsiblePetOwnersCoalition
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