Governor signs into law!

SB 674 & HB 997 require
shelters to keep in-take and disposition records of dogs

FAKC & NAIA support these bills!

Senate Bill 674 and House Bill 997, duplicates in the 2013 Florida legislature, would require that every animal shelter, humane society, and animal control agency compile and maintain statistics of in-take and disposition records. Copies of all such records are to be open to public inspection. Also, if a shelter's policy is to euthanize dogs based upon size or breed, the shelter must provide a written statement of such policy.

SB 674/HB 997 is a necessity to enable the State of Florida and its cities and counties to make informed decisions regarding the disposition of animals in these facilities, since presently there is little or no data being kept or available when requested. The bill will help state jurisdictions to gather the information needed to understand the current state of shelters and rescue animals as they craft ordinances and legislation in the future.  It also will help us know where these animals come from -- imported from out of state, surrendered, taken, etc. We now cannot find out the true numbers and disposition of these animals in order to make meaningful decisions in this state as to the funding, resources and   best practices in these facilities.   This bill is supported by the Florida Veterinary Medical Association, NAIA, and the Florida Association of Kennel Clubs.

SB 674 was introduced by Sen. Bill Montford (Democrat - Apalachicola), chairman of the agriculture committee. The bill has been referred to the agriculture and the community affairs committees. HB 997 was introduced by Reps. W. Travis Cummings (Republican - Orange Park) and Jimmy Patronis (Republican - Panama City) and has been referred to the Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee and others.

Another pair of bills, House Bill 839 and Senate Bill 872, the "Transparency in Animal Shelters Act", would require that each SPCA, humane society, pound, shelter, and dog control officer that euthanizes dogs or cats to compile monthly and annual summaries of in-take and disposition records, and to post them on the organization's website. SB 872 was introduced by Sen. Joseph Abruzzo (Democrat - Wellington) and has been referred to Agriculture, Community Affairs, and Rules committees. HB 839 was introduced by Reps. Dave Kerner (Democrat - Palm Springs) and Linda Stewart (Democrat - Orlando) and has been referred to the Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee and others.

Deltona re-thinks its mandatory neuter bill

Hernando BOCC passes anti-pet ordinance, 4-1

FAKC, NAIA, & AKC input tones
down most offensive provisions

The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners voted to pass a new animal control ordinance yesterday, November 13, by a vote of 4 to 1.

While the new county law contains provisions which are offensive to dog owners and hobby-breeders, the Florida Association of Kennel Clubs, the Hernando County Kennel Club, the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA), and the American Kennel Club were able to get the county to eliminate the most offensive provisions of the bill, including the proposed unconstitutional, warrantless inspections of dog owners' residences. The county also spelled-out in much more detail the duties of its animal services division in order to locate the owners of animals which the county impounds.

Download details about the ordinance here.

The process which Hernando County's dog owners went through, leading up to passage of this ordinance, is typical of how county and municipal governments treat such constituents. Initially, the county pretended that the dog owners should have no input in the drafting of the bill. The county treated the drafting of changes to its animal control law as a strictly internal process. Pasco County currently is ignoring its dog owners similarly.

The dog breeders in each county and city should be the first to know about a government's planned changes in its animal control ordinance. It is very important that leaders of local kennel clubs introduce themselves to their county commissioners and city councilmen, and show them that (a) these constituencies exist; (b) they consist of very  responsible persons who also are very knowledgeable about dogs and breeding; and (c) they deserve to be consulted before drafts of animal ordinances are prepared. 

Tell Congress to reject federal PUPS bill

PUPS - HR 835 and S 707 miss the mark!

Use NAIA's CapWiz to send your letters

The federal Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) legislation drafted by H$U$ and introduced in 2011 as Senate Bill 707 and House Bill 835. The purpose of PUPS is to close a loophole in the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) which allows breeders who sell more than 50 dogs a year and sell over the Internet, to do so without regulation and oversight by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Read the text of the bill here.

PUPS would require anyone who owns or co-owns dogs that produce 50 or more puppies offered for sale in a 12-month period to be regulated under existing USDA dog “dealer” regulations. These regulations are designed for high-volume commercial kennels that produce puppies for wholesale, and require a USDA commercial license, maintenance of specified commercial kennel engineering standards and regular inspections.

PUPS' definition of a “high volume retail breeder” would be anyone with “an ownership interest in or custody of one or more breeding female dogs.” It defines a “breeding female” as an intact female dog aged 4 months or older.

Dog breeding was first regulated under the AWA at a time when most large scale commercial breeders sold their dogs through middlemen to pet stores. The regulations are designed to protect the welfare of dogs, and to provide consumer protection to purchasers of pet store puppies who are unable to see and judge the conditions under which their puppy was produced. The growing number of large scale commercial breeders who sell their dogs over the Internet meet the historical criteria for regulation because, like the pet store purchasers, their customers are generally unable to see the environment in which their puppy was bred. Instead of buying their puppy at the seller's home or kennel, their puppy is generally shipped to them after an online sale is made.

USDA has the subject matter knowledge, the history and statutory authority to regulate this group of breeders, and can do so by amending the Act so that large scale breeders who use indirect means such as the Internet to sell and distribute their puppies will no longer be exempt.

The category of breeders regulated needs to be defined carefully so that it does not expand federal oversight to breeders who sell directly to the public from their homes, or breed and sell 50 dogs or fewer per year. Unfortunately, the PUPS bill does not stay within these parameters and it contains several other notable flaws. Hobbyists, casual breeders and some commercial breeders who sell directly to the public have never been considered appropriate targets for federal regulation. PUPS would cause many small scale hobbyists, sporting dog enthusiasts and working dog breeders to throw in the towel. It would also stretch the resources of USDA beyond its budgetary and operating capacity, reducing coverage in the areas with the greatest risk, and unnecessarily duplicating efforts by state and local agencies, as well as dog registries like the AKC that conduct significant inspection programs.

Write your Senators and Representatives and ask them to reject PUPS as currently drafted. Let them know you support its goals, but don't believe it will achieve its objectives and could cause more problems than it solves. Keep track of this H$U$-drafted anti-breeder bill on the AKC website.

From H$U$'s Wayne Pacelle's Playbook:

“We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”

All AKC puppies
should be registered

As part of the “front lines” of purebred dogs, AKC relies on its loyal breeders to communicate the benefits and importance of AKC registration to their puppy buyers. To ensure a strong future for you, your fellow breeders, and all purebred dogs, AKC needs all of its breeders to make a concerted effort to ensure that every puppy in each litter you have bred gets registered with the AKC. AKC has implemented a new initiative to help you accomplish this goal.

The AKC has begun sending all breeders who register a litter an email asking them to provide us with their new puppy buyers’ contact information. The email includes information on our new Online Litter Record Service. This service allows breeders to supply AKC with new puppy buyer contact information in an easy-to-use online format. If the breeder does not want to use the new online service, a link to a printable version of the litter record is also available.

The new puppy buyers will then receive an e-mail or letter from AKC detailing the benefits and importance of AKC registration. The new puppy buyers will only be contacted by AKC. Their names will not be sold or used for any other promotions or marketing when given through this initiative. As you have experienced, puppy buyers tend to be more concerned about caring for their new puppy at the time of purchase, and often forget about one of the most important steps of responsible dog ownership – AKC registration. Our goal is to reinforce their decision of purchasing an AKC puppy and to educate them on the many benefits that they can receive with registration.

AKC is dedicated to promoting responsible dog ownership and educating new puppy buyers about registration benefits and the important programs that every registration supports. Registration dollars help AKC fund important educational programs, support the research of health issues through donations, and continue to subsidize AKC events. Our registration numbers also help us to maintain legislative influence and ensure that like-minded organizations continue to support the AKC through alternative revenue programs and sponsorships.

With your support, and by working together, AKC will be able to take the necessary steps to ensure its long and healthy future as the nation’s preeminent purebred dog registry. For more information or to use the new Online Litter Record Service, please click here. Please note this service can be used for recent or past litters.

Our advocates at the
Florida legislature

Read here about our representatives before the Florida legislature, Mixon & Associates (M&A) and its principals, cavalier King Charles spaniel breeders M. Juhan Mixon, Pat C. Mixon, and their daughter, Corrine Mixon.