Connecticut Info: Legislative Committee to Consider Dog Bills on Friday, March 20

The Joint Environment Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly will consider five proposals on Friday, March 20, 2015, that deal with dogs. Connecticut residents are encouraged to contact the committee members and express their support or concerns with the proposals.

SYNOPSES OF BILLS

HB 5707

HB 5707 seeks to provide for the proper sheltering of dogs, by:

1. Limiting anyone from tethering a dog outdoors or placing dogs outdoors without readily available access to proper shelter unless it is for a period no longer than 15 minutes when a weather advisory or warning is issued by authorities, or when outdoor environmental conditions (including extreme heat, cold, wind, rain, snow, ice, sleet, or hail) pose an adverse risk to the health or safety of a dog based on its age, physical condition, or length of hair.
2. Prohibiting individuals from confining a dog in any cage or other structure that does not constitute a proper shelter. “Proper shelter” is defined in the bill as any structure that has four walls and a roof and is of sound construction such that the walls and roof will not sag or collapse on the confined dog and the floor of such structure will not sag or collapse beneath the weight of the dog. Further, the shelter must provide sufficient space so that the confined dog is able to stand up, turn around, and lie down with limbs outstretched; provide adequate protection from outdoor environmental conditions, including a windbreak in the structure’s doorway and dry bedding of a kind and quantity appropriate to the health and safety needs of the dog based on its age and physical condition and the length and thickness of dogs’ hair; provides a reasonably sanitary, obstruction-free and habitable environment such that snow, ice, rain water and water from other sources, excreta and any other waste or debris have not excessively accumulated inside, underneath, or within ten feet, on all sides, of the structure; provides dogs with a diurnal lighting cycle and water that is clean and not frozen; and contains flooring that does not consist of coated or uncoated wire and that does not permit the paws of the confined dog to pass through any opening in the flooring.
3. Clarifying that proper shelter does not include any shelter with an appearance that indicates inadequacy, including small or excessive size of each structure, lack of structural soundness, use of poor or inappropriate construction materials for such structure,; absence of insulation or dry bedding sufficient to protect confined dog from outdoor environmental conditions, evidence of crowding or unsanitary conditions within or outside such structure, or appearance or physical condition of the confined dog.

HB 5729

HB 5729 seeks to make revisions to the requirements concerning advertisements. Connecticut state law currently requires those who maintain commercial kennels and who advertise its services to include their state-issued license number in advertisements. HB 5729 expands that by requiring any person who advertises “kennel services” to include their license number in advertisements. Because state statute requires kennel licenses for owners/keepers of kennels that breed more than two litters of dogs annually, the language of HB 5729 will likely expand the advertisement requirement to those licensees.

HB 7011

HB 7011 concerns the authority of animal control officers to enter common elements of “common interest communities” in order the carry out their duties.

SB 352

SB 352 extends the term of the task force on the humane treatment of animals in municipal animal shelters.

SB 361

SB 361 increases the maximum penalties for persons convicted of malicious and intentional animal cruelty to match those imposed in Massachusetts.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Connecticut residents concerned with any of the bills scheduled for consideration on Friday are encouraged to contact the members of the Joint Environment Committee and express your concerns. Testimony may be emailed to envtestimony@cga.ct.gov, while individual committee members may be contacted as noted below.

• State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr., Co-Chair – Click here for a form to email Senator Kennedy.
• State Representative James Albis, Co-Chair – James.albis@cga.ct.gov
• State Senator Marilyn Moore, Vice Chair – Click here for a form to email Senator Moore.
• State Representative David Arconti, Vice Chair – David.Arconti@cga.ct.gov
• State Senator Clark J. Chapin, Ranking Member – Clark.Chapin@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative John T. Shaban, Ranking Member – John.shaban@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Terry Backer – Terry.Backer@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Gary Byron – Gary.Byron@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Devin R. Carney – Devin.Carney@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Jay M. Case – Jay.Case@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Mike Demicco – Mike.Demicco@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Patricia A. Dillon – Patricia.Dillon@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Doug Dubitsky – Doug.Dubitsky@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative John “Jack” F. Hennessy – Jack.Hennessy@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Ben McGorty – Ben.McGorty@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Robert W. Megna – Robert.Megna@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Philip J. Miller – Philip.Miller@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Craig A. Miner – Craig.Miner@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Gayle J. Mulligan – Gayle.Mulligan@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Mary M. Mushinsky – Mary.Mushinsky@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative John E. Piscopo – John.Piscopo@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Kevin Ryan – Kevin.Ryan@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Sean Scanlon – Sean.Scanlon@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Steven Stafstrom – Steven.Stafstrom@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative William Tong – William.Tong@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Mark Tweedie – Mark.Tweedie@housegop.ct.gov
• State Representative Diana S. Urban – Diana.Urban@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Roberta B. Willis – Roberta.Willis@cga.ct.gov
• State Representative Melissa H. Ziobron – Melissa.Ziobron@housegop.ct.gov

For more information, contact AKC Government Relations at (919) 816-3720 or at doglaw@akc.org; or the Connecticut Federation of Dog Clubs and Responsible Dog Owners, Inc. at mmdiamond@charter.net.

The Joint Environment Committee of the Connecticut General Assembly will consider five proposals on Friday, March 20, 2015, that deal with dogs. Connecticut residents are encouraged to contact the committee members and express their support or concerns with the proposals.