The American Kennel Club’s Government Relations team has just been made aware that the Broward County Commission will discuss amendments to the county’s existing breeder permit including requiring permit holders to submit to warrantless inspections of their private homes. The AKC strongly encourages dog owners and breeders to attend tomorrow’s hearing or to contact the commissioners and ask them not to proceed with the ordinance.
Broward County Commission Meeting
Date: Tuesday, April 12th
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Location: Room 422 of the Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
An additional public hearing on this issue is scheduled for April 26th and AKC will provide additional information about that hearing as it approaches.
Provisions of the ordinance:
- Will require anyone holding a breeder permit to allow a code inspector, including but not limited to “animal care specialists” to make an inspection of the premises where animals are sold, transferred, studded or bred, at a reasonable hour, after reasonable notice. The AKC opposes warrantless searches of private homes and this ordinance compounds the issue by failing to ensure that the inspectors have any animal husbandry knowledge or experience. It is unreasonable that law enforcement would need a warrant to search the home of someone suspected of a violent felony, but would not provide the same civil rights to dog breeders.
- Shortens the time period for a breeder who has been issued a citation to request a hearing from 30 days to 10 days.
- Prohibit the sale of dogs and cats from commercial establishments, defined as ”a business that is open to the public and that engages in any transaction or activity with the intended result of making a profit or monetary gain, but not including a hobby breeder.”
- Defines a hobby breeder as person who sells animals directly to the ultimate consumer from the premises on which the animal were bred or reared, in compliance with local zoning regulations.
Please contact the following Broward County Commissioners to respectfully express your concerns with this measure:
Commissioner Tim Ryan
Tryan@broward.org
954-357-7007
Commissioner Marty Kiar
Mkiar@broward.org
954-357-7001
Commissioner Mark Bogen
Mbogen@broward.org
954- 357-7002
Commissioner Stacy Ritter
Sritter@broward.org
954-357-7003
Commissioner Chip LaMarca
Clamarca@broward.org
954-357-7704
Commissioner Lois Wexler
Lwexler@broward.org
954-357-7005
Commissioner Beam Furr
Bfurr@broward.org
954-357-7006
Commissioner Barbara Sharief
Bsharief@broward.org
954-357-7008
Commissioner Dale Holness
Dholness@broward.org
954-357-7009
For additional information please contact the AKC Government Relations department at doglaw@akc.org or 919-816-3720.
Tomorrow, the Broward County Commission will discuss amendments to the countys existing breeder permit including requiring permit holders to submit to warrantless inspections of their private homes. The AKC strongly encourages dog owners and breeders to attend tomorrows hearing or to contact the commissioners and ask them not to proceed with the ordinance.