[ SHOWGSD-L ] Louisville Legislation
- From: walflwr2@xxxxxxx
- To: showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:08:38 -0500
Received from Diane O'Reagan and cross Posted with Permission
I have seen the NUMEROUS messages posted on this website regarding the proposed
Louisville Metro pet ordinance (FYI - it applies to ALL pets, not just dogs),
and thought I MUST respond. There is a lot of GARBAGE that is going around on
the message boards that is incorrect and just plain wrong. As an officer of
the Louisville Kennel Club and the Kentuckiana Cluster, plus someone who has
been fighting this ordinance since it came to light, as well as seeing club
members busting their tail ends (not their dogs, mind you!) to put on the
LARGEST show in the country, I thought the record needed to be set straight NOW!
First of all, the breed specific language that was part of the ordinance has
been DELETED - it NO LONGER EXISTS. (There is no reference to "Pit Bulls,"
"Rottweilers," or any other breed of dog). Yes, this was done by the Louisville
Kennel Club, and a number of other organizations in our local area, putting a
great amount of PRESSURE on the Mayor and the Louisvlle Metro Council. We
believe that the "heat" generated from us saturating the airwaves (radio & TV)
and the newspapers forced the Council to take out this language, which they did
SEVERAL WEEKS AGO.
Further, there is NO SUCH THING as a LAW that says an exhibitor must pay $5 per
day "fee" for entered dogs, or that children can't play with dogs, or that dogs
have to be in a muzzle, etc. There is a PROPOSAL that dogs that are "entered
in an event" must pay "$5 a day if they cannot provide proof of licensing in
their home state." There is NO LANGUAGE regarding children "touching/playing"
with dogs. There is NO LANGUAGE that a dog should be placed in a muzzle.
There is PROPOSED language that a dog that is "defined as dangerous" be
muzzled, BUT that is ONLY AFTER A HEARING IN A COURT OF LAW. Yes, there IS
language that bitches and their puppies not have any socialization, that intact
males be kept inside at all times, et al. Again, these are PROPOSALS - NOT
LAWS.
Again and again I must state that these are PROPOSALS put forth by the
Louisville Metro Council. For background information, the Metro Council did
this in response to two deaths attributed to "pit bull-like dogs" (there's no
evidence that they were even pit bulls). One death was the family dog that
killed a child the dog had grown up with, and the other involved a man walking
down the street and a PACK of "wild dogs" (we don't know if they were pit
bulls) attacked him.
This entire ordinance is a KNEE-JERK reaction to these attacks. That - and a
new director of Animal Control (who evidently has the backing of PETA-like
organizations) - have added to it. We are working towards getting the animal
control director and his progeny OUT OF LOUISVILLE (talk to the people in
Durham, North Carolina and Tallahassee, Florida if you want to hear what a jerk
this guy is!). Oh, and just a "laugh" (if there can be one) about PETA's
LATEST escapade - they insisted (via "celebrity"(!) Pamela Anderson) that
Colonel Harland Sanders' statue (of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame) be REMOVED
from the State Capitol Building because he "ABUSED CHICKENS!!" The Governor of
Kentucky said that Colonel Sanders' statue WOULD be moved - to a MORE PROMINENT
LOCATION in the State Capitol Building so ALL could see it and show their
support! (It was around this same time that our pet ordinance came out!)
Again, these are all PROPOSALS - absolutely NONE of this is law, and the
Louisville Kennel Club, the Kentuckiana Cluster, and the numerous other animal
organizations in Louisville DON'T EXPECT IT TO BECOME LAW.
The Mayor has REPEATEDLY said that he will VETO this ordinance, the County
Attorney's Office (who is responsible for reviewing all ordinances before they
become law) has made statements that the ordinance is UNCONSTITUTIONAL, a TASK
FORCE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED to review this measure, etc., etc.
Not only the Louisville Kennel Club, but NATIONAL organizations have become
part of the battle - the ADOA, the AKC, the AVMA. Also, several MAJOR national
corporations headquartered in Louisville have come out against these proposals
and will help us FIGHT it.
As for Louisville being a "dog unfriendly town" (as stated in an earlier post),
NOTHING could be further from the truth. The Louisville KC is not only a major
"player" in city events (the Cluster, puppy matches, training classes,
educational events, etc.), but there are NUMEROUS agility, obedience, training,
etc., facilities, a huge amount of pet supply stores ("Feeders Supply" is a
homegrown favorite), pet parks, and year-round free events that are centered
around dogs and their owners.
Please DO NOT "boycott" the dog shows because of this ordinance. By doing so,
you HURT the Louisville Kennel Club - and ALL the all-breed, obedience, agility
& rally organizations - that put on this show. In addition, over $3-4 MILLION
is generated by this weekend of events to the city's economy and the citizens
of this community.
Also, for the 2006 events, there is NO POSSIBILITY that we can "MOVE THE
CLUSTER" to another site - the entire weekend, judges, events, etc., have ALL
been approved by the American Kennel Club. We are NOT EVEN LOOKING at moving
it away from Louisville because this ordinance will NOT PASS (now or ever!).
PLEASE BELIEVE ME - the people of Louisville do NOT support this PROPOSED
ordinance. They are DISGUSTED and OUTRAGED. This is an ELECTION YEAR and
there are SEVERAL Louisville Metro Council members who are going to find
themselves out of work come November. If you wish to express YOUR opinion
(please do!), don't HESITATE to SWAMP the Louisville Metro Council members with
e-mails to the point that their "In Box" overflows. Go to:
www.louisvilleky.gov and click on "Council Homepage" or "Find your
Councilmember" down the right margin of the Home Page. (Just an FYI - but
Cheri Bryant Hamilton - District 5 - is the IDIOT who got this legislation
started. I'd recommend, however, that you send it to ALL the council members.)
In closing, I would state that by entering the shows that comprise the
Kentuckiana Cluster, you are TELLING the local government that Louisville is a
DOG FRIENDLY city. By staying home, writing letters, and "boycotting" the
shows, those FEW individuals who support "anti-pet legislation" will have WON!
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me
directly.
Dianne O'Regan, Secretary of Show Affairs, Louisville Kennel Club, Inc.
Member, Canine Legislation & Political Action Committee, Louisville Kennel
Club, Inc.
National/Regional Specialty Coordinator, Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows
Recording Secretary, Kentuckiana Cluster of Dog Shows
Recording Secretary, Combined Specialty Clubs of Louisville
doregan@xxxxxxxxxx
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