The Oklahoma Senate has placed HB 1332 on its schedule for today, Wednesday, April 22, 2009. The AKC asks all responsible dog owners, breeders and fanciers to call their senators this morning and urge them to oppose this legislation. The AKC’s Oklahoma Federation notes that the following Senators remain undecided: Coffee, Lamb, Bingman, Laster, Aldridge, Ballenger, Barrington, Ivester, Marlat, Nichols, and Wyrick.
Please contact these Senators as well your own and respectfully urge that they oppose this burdensome and expensive legislation that punishes responsible dog breeders and does not meet Oklahoma’s needs.
Oklahoma Alert: HB 1332 Could Be Considered by the Senate this Week
[Tuesday, April 21, 2009]
The AKC has learned that Oklahoma HB 1332 may be heard by the Senate this week, as the Oklahoma legislative calendar prepares to wind down for the session.
The AKC is opposed to several measures within HB 1332, which as currently written, infringe on the rights of the many responsible dog owners and breeders in Oklahoma. These include:
- Allowing for warrantless inspections of private homes and properties without probable cause. The AKC urges clarification of this provision to allow searches/inspections to be executed solely by law enforcement or animal control personnel, and only of quality assurance licensees under the act. In all other instances, probable cause and a warrant issued by a neutral magistrate should be required.
- Limiting the number of dogs a person may sell in a year. Numerical limits are arbitrary, difficult to enforce, and do not address the problem of irresponsible ownership. Local responsible breeders should be viewed as assets to their communities. These breeders make serious commitments to their animals by raising healthy, well-cared-for dogs and by working to ensure that puppies are placed with responsible owners. Responsible breeders are in a unique position to support new pet owners and exemplify responsible dog ownership. They should not be unfairly punished through arbitrary limits on sales.
- An advisory committee governing kennel regulation that does not include breeder representation. A group that oversees kennel regulation should include a representative of the Oklahoma Animal Interest Alliance, which is the AKC’s recognized federation of responsible breeders, owners, fanciers, and enthusiasts in Oklahoma. We also believe this committee should include the interests of puppy buyers, represented by a consumer advocate.
In its current form, HB 1332, punishes responsible breeders and infringes on their constitutional rights. We urge the Oklahoma Legislature to reject House Bill 1332 as currently written and consider the AKC’s recommendations to ensure all parties are fully protected under the act.
What You Can Do:
- Call, email or fax your representative in the Oklahoma Senate and urge him or her to oppose HB 1332 as currently written. To find out who represents you in the Oklahoma State Senate select the address tab found at this link. http://www.capitolconnect.com/oklahoma/
For more information, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail doglaw@akc.org.
The Oklahoma Senate has placed HB 1332 on its schedule for today, Wednesday, April 22, 2009. The AKC…