On Thursday, April 18, the Vermont House voted favorably on an amended H. 626 relating to animal welfare protections. The American Kennel Club (AKC) first reported on this omnibus bill in February. The simplified bill lays the groundwork fundamental to achieving H. 626’s initial goals:
- Establishes a Division of Animal Welfare at the Department of Public Safety, which will be charged with developing, implementing, and administering a centralized program for investigating and enforcing animal welfare requirements in the state;
- Increases a 1994 dog license surcharge fee by $2 to fund a new Division Director position; and
- Provides a six-month delay in implementing the new law to allow for hiring the new Director.
Amended H. 626 is supported by both AKC and the Vermont Federation of Dog Clubs (VT Federation) because Vermont has no central coordination among state agencies enforcing animal welfare protections or current oversight for animal shelter and rescue organizations. Deep appreciation is extended to bill sponsor, Representative Waters Evans, and the House Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, for their thoughtful work and leadership on this issue.
VOICE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY: AKC strongly encourages those who reside in Vermont to act now!
- Search the contact information for your state senator by inserting your town here.
- Click on your senator’s name to get their email address.
- In the subject line insert “Support H. 626”. Identify the town where you live and why H. 626 is important to protect you and your pets.
- Ask them to vote amended H. 626 favorably.
For more information on these or other legislative issues in Vermont, contact AKC’s Government Relations Department at 919-816-3720 or doglaw@akc.org.