Committee TODAY, February 19, 2020, at 2:00pm. Senate Bill 196 would bring animal enterprises and working animals under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Agriculture and Industries.
By placing the regulation of animal enterprise under state oversight, AKC believes this can better provide protections for the health and safety of dogs in the state, including dogs transported for purposes of sale or adoption, and thereby protect dogs in Alabama from exposure to diseases and parasites that may be spread by the unregulated importation and transportation of dogs in commerce.
Alabama animal owners are urged to take immediate action to call and email in support of Senate Bill 196.
Among other provisions, SB 196 would:
- Provide specific protections for the use of working animals in commerce, service, therapy, farming, law enforcement, search and rescue, agility, competitive sport, conformation, or ranching, including but not limited to entertainment, transportation, education, or exhibition.
- Establish authority and procedures for the investigation of animal cruelty and set out specific criteria for the impoundment of animals when cruelty is alleged, thereby disallowing confiscation of every animal on a property based on the condition of a single animal.
- Establish state-level regulation of animal enterprises by the Department of Agriculture, which would include oversight of persons and entities that regularly derive revenue from an animal-related business, charity, or organization, including but not limited to the production, storage, transportation, or retail or wholesale sales of animals, including any enterprise utilizing a working animal. SB 196 would also set aside the current patchwork of conflicting local laws pertaining to working animals and animal enterprise.
The mission of the Alabama Department of Agriculture includes “providing timely, fair and expert regulatory control” and “whose personnel will actively work to initiate and support economic development activities”. The AKC supports placing oversight of animal enterprise and working animals with a state agency that endeavors to support animal enterprise and whose personnel are knowledgeable about animal husbandry and care.
Because this bill is in committee today, animal owners who support SB 196 are urged to contact members of the Senate Agriculture Committee and politely ask committee members to vote YES on SB 196. Please first contact committee members who are not already co-sponsors of the bill.
Senator Tom Whatley, Chairman, tom.whatley@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0865, co-sponsor SB 196
Senator David Sessions, Vice Chair, d.r.sessions@att.net, (334) 261-0882, co-sponsor SB 196
Senator Billy Beasley, billy.beasley@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0868
Senator Chris Elliott, chris.elliot@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0897
Senator Garlan Gudger, garlan.gudger@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0855
Senator Andrew Jones, andrew.jones@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0857
Senator Steve Livingston, steve.livingston@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0858
Senator Timothy Melson, tim.melson@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0773
Senator Bobby Singleton, bsingle362@gmail.com, (334) 261-0335
Senator Larry Stutts, larry.stutts@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0862
Senator Randy Price, randyprice.sd13@gmail.com, (334) 261-0874, co-sponsor SB 196
Senator Clay Scofield, clay.scofield@alsenate.gov, (334) 261-0876, co-sponsor SB 196
Senator Jack Williams, jackwilliams55@icloud.com, (334) 261-0829, sponsor SB 196
For more information, please contact AKC Government Relations at doglaw@akc.org or 919-816-3720.