Purebred dog fanciers from all over California and beyond have been quick to respond in opposition to SB1548, legislation that would make it a misdemeanor to crop a dog's ears. AKC applauds your efforts, and we ask that you continue to politely contact Sen. Figueroa in this regard.
The Honorable Liz Figueroa (D-10) Fremont
State Capitol, Room 2057
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-6671
Fax (916) 327-2433
Senator.Figueroa@sen.ca.gov
Additional help is now needed if fanciers are to defeat this legislation. Having passed the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions, SB1548 is now with the Committee on Appropriations. Purebred dog owners are encouraged to contact the committee members below and ask them not to place the bill on the docket for consideration. E-mails and faxes should be clearly marked SB1548-OPPOSITION.
It is particularly important for constituents of the committee members to weigh in on this issue. To find out who your state assemblyman is, please visit:
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.
SB1548 currently has the support of the veterinary community because it contains many positive regulatory changes they would like to see enacted. AKC is therefore also urging fanciers to contact their veterinarians and ask for their help in removing the ear cropping provision from the bill. Local veterinarians should contact the bill sponsor directly, as well as the California Veterinarian Medical Association (CVMA), and strongly urge them to remove the ear cropping ban. Veterinarians should understand that once the government determines it can ban certain elective procedures, it may be just a short step away from removing veterinarians' and owners' rights to make informed decisions about animal care and treatment.
Other Points to Consider:
- When appropriate veterinary care is provided, ear cropping is a safe, acceptable practice.
- Responsible dog owners, in consultation with their veterinarian, should have the right to make decisions about proper care and treatment for their pets-not the government.
- The issue has not had the full and open debate it deserves and therefore should be taken out of the bill.
- SB1548 will create serious animal cruelty risks if owners who cannot obtain veterinary care for ear cropping procedures irresponsibly choose to seek less-qualified sources.
- Enforcement will be a nightmare for already understaffed, underfunded animal control departments.
Assembly Committee on Appropriations
Capitol Building #2114
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone:916/319-2081
MEMBERS: (D) 16 (R) 5
Asm. Judy Chu (916/319-2049, FAX: 916/319-2149, no e-mail) [Chair]
Asm. Sharon Runner (916/319-2036, FAX:916/319-2136,Email: sharon.runner@asm.ca.gov) [Vice Chair]
Asm. Patricia C. Bates (916/319-2073, FAX:916/319-2173, no e-mail)
Asm. Patty Berg (916/319-2001,FAX:916/319-2101,Email: assemblymember.berg@assembly.ca.gov))
Asm. Ronald Calderon (916/319-2058, FAX:916/319-2158, Email: assemblymember.ron.calderon@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Ellen M. Corbett (916/319-2018, X:916/319-2118, Email: assemblymember.corbett@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Lou Correa (916/319-2069, FAX:916/319-2169, Email: assemblymember.correa@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Lynn Daucher (916/319-2072, FAX:916/319-2172, Email: assemblymember.daucher@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Marco A. Firebaugh (916/319-2050, FAX:916/319-2150, Email: assemblymember.firebaugh@asm.ca.gov)
Asm. Jackie Goldberg (916/319-2045, FAX:916/319-2145, Email: assemblymember.goldberg@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Ray Haynes (916/319-2066, FAX:916/319-2166, Email: assemblymember.haynes@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Rick Keene (916/319-2003, FAX:916/319-2103, Email: assemblymember.keene@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Mark Leno (916/319-2013, FAX:916/319-2113, Email: assemblymember.leno@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Joe Nation (916/319-2006, FAX:916/319-2106, Email: joe.nation@asm.ca.gov)
Asm. Gloria Negrete McLeod (916/319-2061, FAX:916/319-2161, Email: assemblymember.mcleod@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Jenny Oropeza (916/319-2055, FAX:916/319-2155, Email: assemblymember.oropeza@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Fran Pavley (916/319-2041, FAX:916/319-2141, Email: assemblymember.pavley@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Mark Ridley-Thomas (916/319-2048, FAX:916/319-2148, Email: assemblymember.ridley-thomas@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Herb Wesson (916/319-2047, FAX:916/319-2147, Email: assemblymember.wesson@assembly.ca.gov)
Asm. Patricia Wiggins (916/319-2007, FAX:916/319-2107, Email: Patricia.wiggins@asm.ca.gov)
Asm. Leland Yee (916/319-2012, FAX:916/319-2112, Email: assemblymember.yee@assembly.ca.gov)
For more information, please read past Legislative Alerts about SB 1548 at the following link:
https://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=2151
Purebred dog fanciers from all over California and beyond have been quick to respond in opposition…