Representative Trent VanHaaften today confirmed that House Bill 1607 will not move forward in its present form. This bill would have imposed requirements on breeders who either sold one dog for profit per year or breeders who sold six or more dogs per year. Rep. VanHaaften has indicated that he will welcome constructive input in addressing problem breeders in Indiana.
The Canine Legislation Department would like to thank all Indiana breeders and owners who voiced their opposition to HB 1607. We will continue to monitor the remainder of the Indiana legislative session for the introduction of similar legislation.
Indiana Bill Targets Breeders
[Thursday, February 01, 2007]
Indiana House Bill 1607 has been introduced by Representative Van Haaften. It seeks to establish regulation of pet dealers by the State Board of Animal Health (SBAH). If passed and signed into law, the changes imposed by this bill will have a profound impact on dog breeders in Indiana. It is imperative that breeders and concerned dog owners contact 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, we do not believe that the proposed changes will achieve these aims. Instead enactment of these regulations would burden responsible breeders. Many of the regulations are impractical, unenforceable, and costly, and will not improve the quality of life for dogs in Indiana.
For example, the proposed bill would:
- Require any breeder who sells any number of dogs for profit, or who sells six or more dogs in one year, to be considered a pet dealer and subject to these proposals. These thresholds are arbitrary as they are not based on the number of litters or puppies produced, and overreaching as they can apply to some breeders who produce and sell one large litter annually.
- Allow the SBAH to set fees to cover the cost of regulating pet dealers.
- Require breeders to provide a 14-day guarantee period, during which the breeder would be responsible for most veterinary medical costs.
- Require mandatory veterinary examinations of dog prior to sale.
- Require mandatory recordkeeping requirements to be kept an undetermined period of time.
- Require mandatory kennel signage requirements.
- Allow investigations of purported violators of this bill and enforcement of its provisions.
What You Can Do:
Contact the members of the Indiana House Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development who will consider this bill. (For those legislators listed without e-mail addresses, go here.)
Representative Phil Pflum, Chair
200 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Steve Stemler, Vice Chair
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Kreg Battles
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Robert J. Bischoff
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Nancy Dembowski
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Terry Goodin
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative F. Dale Grubb
1-800-382-9842 (from anywhere within Indiana)
Representative Eric A. Gutwein
1-800-382-9841 (from anywhere within Indiana)
h16@IN.gov
Representative William C. Friend
1-800-382-9841 (from anywhere within Indiana)
h23@IN.gov
Representative Thomas Knollman
1-800-382-9841 (from anywhere within Indiana)
h55@IN.gov
Representative Don Lehe
1-800-382-9841 (from anywhere within Indiana)
h15@IN.gov
Representative Marlin Stutzman
1-800-382-9841 (from anywhere within Indiana)
h52@IN.gov
For more information, contact AKC's Canine Legislation Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail at doglaw@akc.org.
Representative Trent VanHaaften today confirmed that House Bill 1607 will not move forward in its…