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The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department, in cooperation with the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs, has learned that House Bill 733 will likely be considered by the North Carolina House Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, April 22.  

Should the bill be considered, a vote is not expected.  However, all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are strongly encouraged to begin planning to attend Wednesday’s meeting of the Agriculture Committee.  Additionally, it is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina contact the members of the Agriculture Committee.  Let them know that you strongly oppose HB 733, and urge them to do the same.

The American Kennel Club strongly supports humane treatment of dogs, including an adequate and nutritious diet, clean water, clean living conditions, regular veterinary care, kind and responsive human companionship, and training in appropriate behavior. The AKC supports reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of breeders and owners who take their responsibilities seriously.

The AKC opposes provisions in this bill including:

  • Limiting commercial breeders from owning more than 20 female dogs over the age of four months at any time.
     
  • Restricting commercial breeders from breeding female dogs less than 18 months or more than 8 years of age.
     
  • Mandating potentially warrantless inspections by local animal control officers of commercial breeding operations, including records, premises (including private homes, if applicable), and any animals used for breeding.

 

POINTS TO CONSIDER:

Not only does HB 733 contain unreasonable ownership limits, impose breeding restrictions, and provide for warrantless inspections, but the measure is also unnecessary, expensive to implement, and part of a larger radical nationally-organized legislative agenda that doesn’t take into consideration the needs of North Carolina into account.

  • The North Carolina Animal Welfare Act, which has been law since the late 1970s, already ensures that animals are provided humane care and treatment by regulating transportation, sale, purchase, housing, care, handling, and treatment of animals kept in pet shops, kennels, public and private animal shelters, and auction markets.
     
  • HB 733’s Legislative Fiscal Note shows that should HB 733 become law, it will cost the state more than $2 million over a five-year span to implement, at a time when the state is incurring a record-breaking budget deficit, estimated at $3.4 billion. 
     
  • Bills similar to HB 733 have been introduced across the country since the start of 2009 – including in West Virginia, Texas, Oregon, Illinois, Maryland, Florida, Indiana, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Montana.  This is indicative of a radical national legislative agenda aimed at limiting the freedoms and liberties of Americans by attempting to restrict the number of animals they can own, not a measure designed to be a solution to any animal care issues that may exist in the Tarheel State. 

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

All concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina are strongly encouraged to plan to attend Wednesday’s meeting of the Agriculture Committee.  Additionally, it is imperative that all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in North Carolina contact the members of the Agriculture Committee (listed below).  Let them know that you strongly oppose HB 733, and urge them to do the same. 

North Carolina House Agriculture Committee
Meeting: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at Noon
Room 1327, Legislative Building, 16 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601

Rep. Dewey Hill (Chairman)               
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1309
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-5830                            
E-mail: dewey.hill@ncleg.net                 

Rep. Larry Bell (Vice Chair)
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 538
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5863
E-mail: Larry.Bell@ncleg.net

Rep. R. Van Braxton (Vice Chair)       
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 2219
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-715-3017                            
E-mail: Van.Braxton@ncleg.net               

Rep. William Brisson (Vice Chair)
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1325
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-5772
E-mail: William.Brisson@ncleg.net

Rep. Bill Faison (Vice Chair)               
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 611
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-715-3019                            
E-mail: Bill.Faison@ncleg.net                

Rep. David Lewis (Vice Chair)
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 533
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-715-3015
E-mail: David.Lewis@ncleg.net

Rep. Arthur Williams (Vice Chair)       
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 637
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5906                            
E-mail: Arthur.Williams@ncleg.net         

Rep. Cary Allred
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 503
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5905
E-mail: 919-733-5905

Rep. Lorene Coates                            
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 633
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5784                            
E-mail: Lorene.Coates@ncleg.net          

Rep. N. Leo Daughtry
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1013
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-5605
E-mail: Leo.Daughtry@ncleg.net

Rep. W. David Guice                          
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1015
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-715-4466                            
E-mail: David.Guice@ncleg.net              

Rep. Bryan Holloway
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 502
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5609
E-mail: Bryan.Holloway@ncleg.net

Rep. James Langdon, Jr.                    
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 610
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5849                            
E-mail: James.Langdon@ncleg.net         

Rep. Darrell McCormick
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1211
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-5654
E-mail: Darrell.McCormick@ncleg.net

Rep. Annie Mobley                             
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 638
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5780                            
E-mail: Annie.Mobley@ncleg.net

Rep. Edgar Starnes
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 602
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5931
E-mail: Edgar.Starnes@ncleg.net

Rep. Fred Steen II                              
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 514
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5881                            
E-mail: Fred.Steen@ncleg.net               

Rep. Cullie Tarleton
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 2221
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-7727
E-mail: Cullie.Tarleton@ncleg.net

Rep. Joe Tolson                                  
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 307B2
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-715-3024                            
E-mail: Joe.Tolson@ncleg.net                

Rep. Russell Tucker
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 416B
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-715-3021
E-mail: Russell.Tucker@ncleg.net

Rep. Alice Graham Underhill              
NC House of Representatives
16 W. Jones Street, Room 1206
Raleigh, NC 27601-1096
Phone: 919-733-5853                            
E-mail: Alice.Underhill@ncleg.net           

Rep. Edith Warren
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 416A
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-715-3023
E-mail: Edith.Warren@ncleg.net

Rep. Michael Wray
NC House of Representatives
300 N. Salisbury Street, Room 405
Raleigh, NC 27603-5925
Phone: 919-733-5662
E-mail: Michael.Wray@ncleg.net

 

For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org; or contact the North Carolina Federation of Dog Clubs at NCDogClubs@Bellsouth.net.

The American Kennel Club Government Relations Department, in cooperation with the North Carolina…