You may also view the alert on AKCs website, athttp://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=4080.



OKLAHOMA BREEDERS BILLS TO BE CONSIDERED ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24



[Monday, March 22, 2010]



Oklahoma Senate Bill 1340 and Senate Bill 1712, which seek to provide state oversight over certain dog breeders, will be considered by the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, March 24. We strongly urge all concerned responsible dog breeders and owners in Oklahoma to consider the provisions of the bills (described below), and to contact their elected officials with their concerns.

The American Kennel Clubs mission includes working to protect the rights of all dog owners and promoting responsible dog ownership. The AKC agrees that kennels with deplorable conditions must never be tolerated. However, we also support reasonable and enforceable laws that protect the welfare and health of dogs without restricting the rights of owners or breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.

Senate Bill 1340



Known as the Kennel Definitions Act, SB 1340 seeks to:



Define commercial breeder as a person, other than a hobby or show breeder engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale or for exchange in return for monetary consideration, and who harbors more than 25 intact females for the primary purpose of breeding animals for sale either through the internet or via brokers or directly to the public or directly to pet stores. Commercial breeders must be USDA certified and following the guidelines of the federal Animal Welfare Act, and shall meet or exceed all requirements of animal care and welfare specified in Sb 1340.


Define hobby breeder as a noncommercial breeder who harbors less than 25 intact females for the primary purpose of breeding animals for sale either through the internet or directly to the public. Hobby breeders are required to meet or exceed all requirements of animal care and welfare specified in SB 1340.


Define hobby show breeder as a noncommercial breeder who breeds animals with the primary purpose of exhibiting or show the animals at state or municipal or county or registry club-sanction events or shows, improving the breed, or selling the animals for the specific goals of exhibition or exhibiting, and having no more than 10 intact females. Hobby show breeders are required to meet or exceed all requirements of animal care and welfare specified in SB 1340.


Provide that while hobby or show breeders are exempt from inspection requirements, they must register annually, at no cost, with the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture for the purpose of establishing that they are hobby or show breeders.


Require commercial, hobby, and hobby show breeders to adhere to significant, costly building requirements for indoor housing facilities.


Impose vague consumer protection provisions for puppy buyers.


Designate violators as a puppy mill without doing anything for the tangible benefit of dogs kept in substandard facilities.




Senate Bill 1712



SB 1712 will create the Board of Commercial Pet Breeders to enforce and administer the provisions of the Act; and will adopt rules establishing license fees, procedures and requirements for license application and renewal, conditions under which licenses are revoked or denied, and qualifications for registered breeder inspectors. The Board will also be required to establish minimum standards for proper veterinary care, treatment, feeding and watering, shelter and confinement, grooming, exercise, socialization, transportation, disposition of dogs, and other standards it deems necessary to protect the public health and the health and welfare of animals. Additionally, the Board will maintain a public directory of licensed commercial pet breeders.

Should SB 1712 be enacted as currently written, those with 11 or more intact female dogs will be required to be licensed. Licensees will be subject to:

Pre-licensure inspection of facilities, the undetermined cost of which must be paid by the license applicant.
At least one inspection annually, during normal business hours but without advanced notice, of each facility kept by the licensee.
Inspections based on written complaints received by the Board.
License display requirements at the licensed facility.
License number disclosure requirements on advertisements, sales contracts, and transfer agreements.
Annual reporting requirements.
Record-keeping requirements for each dog maintained in a licensees facility.
Under the bill, the Board is required to adopt all rules by November 1, 2010, and licensees are required to come into compliance by January 1, 2011. Licensees who violate the act may have their license revoked, and be subject to a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and/or a year in jail. Those who interfere with an inspector would be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or two years in jail.

Both SB 1340 and SB 1712 will undoubtedly prove costly to enforce at a time when Oklahoma is expected to experience a $1.2 billion shortfall for the upcoming fiscal year budget that begins on July 1.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Concerned Oklahoma residents are also urged to contact the committee members listed below. Respectfully let them know your concerns with the bills.



Oklahoma House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee



Representative Daniel Sullivan, Chair

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 435
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7361

danielsullivan@okhouse.gov



Representative Randy McDaniel, Vice- Chair

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 302-B
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7409

randy.mcdaniel@okhouse.gov



Representative John Auffet

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 539-B
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7394

johnauffet@okhouse.gov



Representative George Faught

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 301-A
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7310

george.faught@okhouse.gov



Representative Guy Liebmann

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 331
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7357

guyliebmann@okhouse.gov



Representative Lewis H. Moore

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 329-A
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7400

lewis.moore@okhouse.gov



Representative Pat Ownbey

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 301
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7326

pat.ownbey@okhouse.gov



Representative Mike Shelton

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 508
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7367

mikeshelton@okhouse.gov



Representative John Carey

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 542
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7366

johncarey@okhouse.gov



Representative Charles Key

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 405
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7354

charles.key@okhouse.gov



Representative Skye McNiel

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 300-A
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7353

skye.mcniel@okhouse.gov



Representative Danny Morgan

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 548
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7368

dannymorgan@okhouse.gov



Representative Ron Peters

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 328
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7359

ronpeters@okhouse.gov



Representative Jabar Shumate

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Room 510
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 557-7406

jabarshumate@okhouse.gov



Oklahomas responsible dog breeders are also encouraged to attend Wednesdays meeting of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee.



Wednesday, March 24, 2010

10:30 AM

Room 412C

Oklahoma Capitol

2300 North Lincoln Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Click here for tips on Communicating Effectively With Legislators.

Click here for AKCs talking points on Responsible Breeding Practices.

For more information, contact the AKC Government Relations Department at (919) 816-3720, or e-mail eval(unescape('%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%64%6f%67%6c%61%77%40%61%6b%63%2e%6f%72%67%22%3e%64%6f%67%6c%61%77%40%61%6b%63%2e%6f%72%67%3c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b')); or contact the Oklahoma Animal Interest Alliance at oaiasec@gmail.com.