Please be advised that Minnesota HF 1046, the Dog and Cat Breeders Act, has been pulled from today's agenda for the House Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee. The bill was to be considered at 6:30PM today.
The Canine Legislation Department will continue to monitor legislative activities in Minnesota, and will advise as developments warrant.
UPDATE: ACT NOW! MN House Committee to Consider 'Dog and Cat Breeders Act'
[Tuesday, March 13, 2007]
Minnesota House Bill 1046, the companion to Senate Bill 121 and known as the Dog and Cat Breeders Act, has been assigned to the House Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice. The committee will consider the bill this Thursday, March 15.
Like SB 121, this bill seeks to establish breeder licensing and would require inspection of all “kennels.” The bill also seeks to establish standards of care that are unproven, many of which would be significant burdens on responsible breeders. If passed and signed into law, the changes imposed by this bill would have a profound negative impact on dog breeders in Minnesota. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact their representative, the committee chairman, and the committee members to express their opposition.
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. However, many of the changes proposed by HB 1046 are impractical, unenforceable, and costly. Most importantly, the quality of life for dogs in Minnesota will not improve because of the provisions of this bill. Instead, enactment of this law will create greater burdens for responsible breeders and many will be forced to stop breeding altogether.
For example, the proposed set of laws would require the following;
- Any breeder with six or more intact adult females will be forced to comply with the requirements of HB 1046. An adult dog is defined as one who is over 20 weeks of age. This threshold is both arbitrary and overreaching as it does not focus on the number of litters or puppies produced and sold.
- If a veterinarian is part of the inspection team and determines there is a substantial risk to the health and welfare of an animal, including, but not limited to, disease or pain, the veterinarian may immediately euthanize the animal.
- It will be almost impossible for smaller breeders and dog owners who maintain their dogs in their own residential premises to comply with the unreasonable building standards required by HB 1046.
- HB 1046 will require an annual inspection of any premises deemed to be a kennel. The inspection report will be made available to the public within 60 days of the inspection.
- Under HB 1046, the amount of space required of each dog is based on the dog’s weight. There is no scientific or accepted husbandry basis for these requirements.
- Animals may not be tethered or leashed as a means of confinement.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Attend the House Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice meeting and express your opposition to HB 1046. The committee will consider the bill this Thursday, March 15, 2007, at 6:30PM, in Room 500S of the State Office Building, 110 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Saint Paul, MN 55155.
- Contact your Representative to express your opposition. To find your Representative, click here.
- Contact the members of the Minnesota House Committee on Public Safety and Criminal Justice who will consider this bill.
Representative Joe Mullery, Chair
367 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
(651) 296-4262
rep.joe.mullery@house.mn
Representative Jeremy Kalin, Vice Chair
(651) 296-5377
rep.jeremy.kalin@house.mn
Representative Paul Kohls
(651) 296-4282
rep.paul.kohls@house.mn
Representative Karla Bigham
(651) 296-4342
rep.karla.bigham@house.mn
Representative Tony Cornish
(651) 296-4240
rep.tony.cornish@house.mn
Representative Chris DeLaForest
(651) 296-4231
rep.chris.delaforest@house.mn
Representative Tom Emmer
(651) 296-4336
rep.tom.emmer@house.mn
Representative Debra Hilstrom
(651) 296-3709
rep.debra.hilstrom@house.mn
Representative Mary Liz Holberg
(651) 296-6926
rep.maryliz.holberg@house.mn
Representative Sheldon Johnson
(651) 296-4201
rep.sheldon.johnson@house.mn
Representative Scott Kranz
(651) 296-4226
rep.scott.kranz@house.mn
Representative John Lesch
(651) 296-4224
rep.john.lesch@house.mn
Representative Leon Lillie
(651) 296-1188
rep.leon.lillie@house.mn
Representative Dave Olin
(651) 296-9635
rep.dave.olin@house.mn
Representative Michael Paymar
(651) 296-4199
rep.michael.paymar@house.mn
Representative Brita Sailer
(651) 296-4265
rep.brita.sailer@house.mn
Representative Steve Simon
(651) 296-9889
rep.steve.simon@house.mn
Representative Steve Smith
(651) 296-9188
rep.steve.smith@house.mn
Representative Torrey Westrom
(651) 296-4929
rep.torrey.westrom@house.mn
For more information, contact AKC’s Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail at doglaw@akc.org.
MN Dog and Cat Breeders Act Aims to Regulate Breeders
[Wednesday, January 24, 2007]
Minnesota Senate Bill 121, known as the Dog and Cat Breeders Bill, has been introduced by Senators Betzold and Koering. It seeks to establish breeder licensing, inspection of all “kennels”, and unproven care standards. If passed and signed into law, the changes imposed by this bill would have a profound impact on dog breeders in Minnesota. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact their senator and the committee chairman to express their opposition.
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. However, many of the changes proposed by SB 121 are impractical, unenforceable, and costly. Most importantly, it will not improve the quality of life for dogs in Minnesota. Instead, enactment of this law will create greater burdens for responsible breeders and many will be forced to stop breeding altogether.
For example, the proposed set of laws would require the following:
- Any breeder with six or more intact adult females will be forced to comply with the requirements of SB 121. An adult dog is defined as one who is over 20 weeks of age. This threshold is both arbitrary and overreaching as it does not focus on the number of litters or puppies produced and sold.
- If a veterinarian is part of the inspection team and determines there is a substantial risk to the health and welfare of an animal, including, but not limited to, disease or pain, the veterinarian may immediately euthanize the animal.
- It will be almost impossible for smaller breeders and dog owners who maintain their dogs in their own residential premises to comply with the unreasonable building standards required by SB 121.
- SB 121 will require an annual inspection of any premises deemed to be a kennel. The inspection report will be made available to the public within 60 days of the inspection.
- Under SB 121, the amount of space required of each dog is based on the dog's weight. There is no scientific or accepted husbandry basis for these requirements.
- Animals may not be tethered or leashed as a means of confinement.
You can read the bill in its entirety here.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Contact the members of the Minnesota Senate Committee on Agriculture and Veterans who will consider this bill.
Senator Jim Vickerman, Chair
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 226
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
(651) 296-5650
Senator Sharon L Erickson Ropes, Vice Chair
(651) 296-5649
sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn
Senator Steve Dille, Ranking Minority Member
(651) 296-4131
sen.steve.dille@senate.mn
Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary
(651) 296-4334
sen.satveer.chaudhary@senate.mn
Senator Joe Gimse
(651) 296-3826
sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn
Senator David W. Hann
(651) 296-1749
Senator Bill G. Ingebrigsten
(651) 297-8063
sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn
Senator Paul E. Koering
(651) 296-4875
sen.paul.koering@senate.mn
Senator Gary W. Kubly
(651) 296-5094
sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn
Senator Keith Langseth
(651) 296-3205
sen.keith.langseth@senate.mn
Senator Steve Murphy
(651) 296-4264
Senator Rod Skoe
(651) 296-4196
sen.rod.skoe@senate.mn
Senator Dan Skogen
(651) 296-5655
sen.dan.skogen@senate.mn
Senator Betsy L. Wergin
(651) 296-8075
sen.betsy.wergin@senate.mn
To find your Senator, click here.
For more information, contact AKC's Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail at doglaw@akc.org.
Please be advised that Minnesota HF 1046, the Dog and Cat Breeders Act, has been pulled from today’s…