[ SHOWGSD-L ] URGENT! All Texans
- From: Mary Tripp <mtmsc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: show gsd <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Germanshepherds4Show@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:05:03 -0500
Hello all shepherd owners, This bill has already been passed out of
committee in the Texas House. We need everyone to contact those senators
listed below. We need as many people as we can get to attend the meeting
on Wednesday.
HELP!
Mary
TX-RPOA E-News
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance,
the reasonable voice regarding animal issues in Texas.
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization,
not "animal rights" and, yes, there is a difference.
Permission granted to crosspost.
Texas Action Alert!
OPPOSE SB 411 by Shapleigh, relating to dog attacks on persons; creating an
offense
SB 411 Public Hearing
Criminal Justice Committee
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
1:30 PM in Room E1.036
At the Capitol, Austin, Texas
If you own a dog in Texas, you should be alarmed at this bill! Own a large
dog and you should be doubly alarmed!
Contact rpoa@xxxxxxxxx if you can attend this hearing.
We've heard the Senate is on time with their hearings - unlike the House.
With 318 AKC dog clubs and countless dog owners in this state, we should
easily have 200-300 people in Austin Wednesday opposing SB 411. At the
House Hearing, we had TEN people with FIVE testifying. The other side had
100 people supporting the bill. Coordinate at the hearing with Jeff Shaver
and Zandra Alexander, who are representing Responsible Pet Owners Alliance.
If you can't attend, please fax letters and make phone calls to the
Criminal Justice Committee members listed below and your own
representatives. E-mails are helpful but are a last resort and not the most
effective.
This will be an emotional hearing as supporters of SB 411 (primarily
victims of dog attacks) will rally on the south steps of the Capitol for a
media event at 12 Noon and will testify at the hearing later.
We've been told by Rep. Gattis that this bill will be amended to duplicate
his HB 1355 but there's nothing in writing at this point. Regardless both
bills have the felony offense for the first incident. Talking Points on
the "Introduced" Version of SB 411 are below:
(1) Our primary concern is the felony offense on a first incident.
Owning a dog isn't like owning a gun or a car. Dogs are not inanimate
objects. They are animals.
(2) On rare occasions dogs get into a fight at a dog show and while
separating them, a person could receive "serious bodily injury." In fact,
this has happened recently.
(3) We're told by legislators that the bill is to "send a message." The
message is "don't own a large dog in Texas" because the liability is too
extreme. If you own a large dog, you had better not visit nor move here.
Definitely don't attend a dog show in Texas!
(4) SB 411 will be the death knell to all adoptions of "rescue" dogs
from animal shelters, animal controls and our Rescue Program in Texas. Who
will
risk the liability? It is difficult now to place large dogs.
(5) SB 411 makes it a felony offense for a person if a dog causes
"serious bodily injury or death" even if it is a first incident.
(6) SB 411 makes it a State Jail Felony for "serious bodily injury" and
a Third Degree Felony for "death," the same for a first time incident or
for dogs that have already been declared dangerous.
(7) Creates a $10,000 civil penalty for first offenders found guilty
which will be kept by the county or municipality. Currently the law
provides for such a fine only if the attack occurs after the dog has been
declared dangerous.
(8) Provides for a civil cause of action for actual damages for a
claimant which is less than what the person can sue for under current law.
Thanks to Zandra Alexander for her excellent analysis of SB 411. Zandra is
an attorney, www.TexasDogLawyer.com (713) 222-7600 and American Pit Bull
Terrier owner!
SB 411, Bill Text:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/pdf/SB00411I.pdf
Senate Criminal Justice Committee members
Address for all:
PO Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
To find your elected representatives and all their contact information,
go to: www.capitol.state.tx.us and click on:
"Who represents me?" in the right column.
COMMITTEE CLERK: Vanessa Valdez
(Call this number if you have an questions about the hearing, room
location, etc.)
PHONE: 512-463-0345
Bill Author:
Senator Eliot Shapleigh
PO Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
eliot.shapleigh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Committee Chair: Senator John Whitmire
Ph: (512) 463-0115
Fax: (512) 475-3737
john.whitmire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Vice-Chair: Senator Kel Seliger
Ph: (512) 463-0131
Fax: (512) 475-3733
kel.seliger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator John Carona
Ph: (512) 463-0116
Fax: (512) 463-3135
john.carona@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Bob Deuell
Ph: (512) 463-0102
Fax: (512) 463-7202
don.forse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Rodney Ellis
Ph: (512) 463-0113
Fax: (512) 463-0006
rodney.ellis@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Glenn Hegar
Ph: (512) 463-0118
Fax: (512) 475-3736
District18.hegar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Juan Hinojosa
Ph: (512) 463-0120
Fax: (512) 463-0229
leslie.nadelman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Fax: (210) 822-9038
Website: www. responsiblepetowners. org
$15 Annual dues (January - December)
To share information, subscribe or unsubscribe,
send an e-mail message to rpoa @ texas.net.
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.26/750 - Release Date: 4/6/2007
9:30 PM
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.26/750 - Release Date: 4/6/2007
--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG.
Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.26/752 - Release Date: 4/8/2007
============================================================================
POST is Copyrighted 2007. All material remains the property of the original
author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind
are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the
Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY
MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS
PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY
FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE
PROSECUTED.
For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx
VISIT OUR WEBSITE - www.showgsd.org
============================================================================
Other related posts:
- » [ SHOWGSD-L ] URGENT! All Texans
