California legislators are once again attempting to regulate hobby breeders. Introduced by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, AB2513 establishes the “Humane Control of Dog and Cat Overpopulation Act of 2004.”
The bill will:
- Prohibit the sale of unaltered dogs and cats unless the seller has obtained a permit.
- Create two types of permits. The first will be for a “Class 1 Seller,” defined as anyone who sells three or more litters of unaltered dogs or cats, or 20 or more individual intact animals. The cost for this permit will be $1000. For a “Class 2 Seller,” defined as anyone who sells fewer than the above, the permit fee will be $250.
- Prohibit sellers from transferring animals until they are 8 weeks old. Sellers will further be required to display their permit number and to provide buyers with information about animals' health and immunization history.
Fines for violation could reach up to three times the amount of the permit fee.
AB2513 would also make it a crime, punishable by a $200 fine, to:
- Sell an intact animal on public property, a place of business that is not owned by the seller, or at a swap meet or public sales event.
- Sell an intact animal to anyone under 18 without written permission from a parent or guardian.
AB2513 was referred to the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions. A hearing has been set for Tuesday, May 4th. Fanciers may recall similar efforts to regulate hobby breeders in 2001 and 2002. Those measures (SB236 and SB1373 respectively) were defeated in light of overwhelming opposition by dog owners. Equally strong grassroots opposition is needed now!
AKC strongly disagrees with regulation of responsible hobby breeders. Instead, we support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of purebred dogs and do not restrict the rights of responsible breeders and owners.
AB 2513 will create a sea of bureaucracy and paperwork for local animal control department that are already understaffed and underfunded. The bill is overly intrusive, cost-prohibitive to enforce, and discourages personal responsibility. The burdens it will place on responsible breeders will lead to increased costs for new owners, thereby doing a disservice to California consumers. Discouraged hobbyists may give up their breeding programs altogether, forcing pet-buyers to seek a less caring, reputable source for purebred animals. AB 2513 must be defeated!
What You Can Do:
Contact Members of the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions. Urge them to oppose AB2513!
Assembly Committee on Business and Professions
Capitol Building #6025
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-3301
Lou Correa, Chair
Dem-69 (916) 319-2069 Assemblymember.Correa@assembly.ca.gov
Shirley Horton, Vice Chair
Rep-78 (916) 319-2078 Assemblymember.Shirley.Horton@assembly.ca.gov
Bill Maze
Rep-34 (916) 319-2034 Assemblymember.maze@assembly.ca.gov
Greg Aghazarian
Rep-26 (916) 319-2026 Assemblymember.aghazarian@assembly.ca.gov
Abel Maldonado
Rep-33 (916) 319-2033 Assemblymember.maldonado@assembly.ca.gov
Gloria Negrete McLeod
Dem-61 (916) 319-2061 Assemblymember.McLeod@assembly.ca.gov
Juan Vargas
Dem-79 (916) 319-2079 Assemblymember.Vargas@assembly.ca.gov
Mark Leno
Dem-13 (916) 319-2013 Assemblymember.leno@assembly.ca.gov
Paul Koretz
Dem-42 (916) 319-2042 Assemblymember.Koretz@assembly.ca.gov
Rudy Bermúdez
Dem-56 (916) 319-2056 Assemblymember.bermudez@assembly.ca.gov
Leland Yee
Dem-12 (916) 319-2012 Assemblymember.yee@assembly.ca.gov
Joe Nation
Dem-6 (916) 319-2006 Joe.Nation@asm.ca.gov
Ellen M. Corbett
Dem-18 (916) 319-2018 Assemblymember.Corbett@assembly.ca.gov
California legislators are once again attempting to regulate hobby breeders.
Introduced by…