AKC continues to track radical animal rights activists in their push to force a ballot initiative on Oregon voters for next November’s general election.
Summary:
To recap, IP 3, or “The Abuse, Neglect, and Assault Exemption Modification and Improvement Act” would have a devasting impact on everyday life for Oregonians, including:
- Ban all hunting and fishing.
- Ban many dog-training practices.
- Classify humane dog breeding practices as sexual assault.
- Criminalize many veterinary procedures and training.
An update where the initiative process stands as of early September 2023:
- The activists have raised approximately $110,000 and currently have around $40,000 cash on hand.
- Approximately 30,000 signatures have been collected, but none of them have yet been verified by the state of Oregon.
- The rate of funding and signature collection appears to be slowing at the moment as only 651 signatures were collected for the month of August.
What you can do:
- If you are approached, do not sign the petition.
- Ask your friends and colleagues to not sign the petition. Also remind exhibitors at Oregon dog shows and events, students in training and CGC classes, owners who have purchased a dog from you, etc. to not sign the petition.
- If you notice a business distributing petitions and collecting signatures, respectfully express your concerns and ask them to not collect signatures for this ballot measure.
- Register to vote and encourage your fellow club members to do the same. Urge them to vote NO should IP 3 reach the ballot. Visit the Oregon Secretary of State’s website (sos.oregon.gov) to register or update your registration.
As always, AKC GR will provide updates as warranted on next steps in the coming weeks.
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor issues in Oregon impacting dog owners and will provide updates. For questions or more information, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.