HOUSE BILL 2525 WAS COMPROMISED!!
Thanks to the Senate, Dogs will Continue to Suffer and Die
After clearing the House of Representatives with 181 affirmative votes and all unfriendly amendments soundly defeated, two committees:
the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee and the Senate Appropriations committee removed important provisions, confused constituents and allowed dogs to continue suffering.
Amendments added by Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs were FORTIFIED by Senate Appropriations
despite calls, emails and faxes from constituents asking the Senate to remove these harmful and breeder friendly amendments:
1) Created a "Waiver" that will give kennel operators an out from implementing new kennel and canine care requirements for 3 years.
Using the state's Bureau of Dog Law kennel inspection report forms as part of the criteria to grant a waiver, these forms are known to be filled with inaccurate, incomplete and erroneous information that should not be utilized to grant ANYTHING.
Originally, breeders would not qualify for a "Waiver" if they had a citation on their three year inspection report history but the Appropriations Committee allowed more breeders into the category that will qualify for a waiver by changing citation to CONVICTION.
Anyone breeder never found GUILTY of breaking the Dog Law will qualify for a "Waiver" and this will allow more breeders three years or more to make structural changes to improve the living conditions for the dogs.
2) Severely weakened enforcement regulations.
This is perhaps one of the worst parts of the new Dog Law. Why? Because Pennsylvania already has problems enforcing the law and the Senate Appropriations committee made sure this process is now MORE difficult.
A) Currently a dog warden may obtain a warrant to perform an inspection REGARDLESS of probable cause or proof of wrong doing if they are refused the ability to inspect.
One significant amendment allows breeders to refuse an inspection for up to 36 hours or more.
This will prevent all efforts to enforce the cleaning requirements. Breeders will be able to allow feces to pile up and should a warden show up, they may delay inspection by saying they aren't available for almost any reason. The kennel owner may then request the warden return in 36 hours, or longer, as the legislation allows breeders to arrange an agreed upon time for the warden to inspect.
Kennel owners will now have the opportunity to clean up immediately prior to an inspection and have no incentive to keep the kennel clean or follow state guidelines that require cleaning on a daily basis.
In other words, kennel owners will only have to clean their kennels twice a year - when they're inspected - and may now schedule inspections at their convenience.
36 hours also gives a kennel owner plenty of time to hide or dispose of sick and injured animals, too.
B) Another amendment will prevent kennel operators from having to reduce their breeding stock if their license is revoked.
The Senate should have called this amendment the "Ervin Zimmerman Loophole"
The current legislation allows the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement to issue an immediate cease and desist order if breeders break the law and revoke the kennel license; this forces kennel operators to reduce their breeding inventory to 25 or less dogs.
The new legislation will not require a kennel operator to reduce the dog inventory upon license revocation and will allow the kennel to continue operating until ALL legal remedies to prevent license revocation have been exhausted. This will allow some substandard kennels to continue operating for years should their license be revoked.
3) Created a "Canine Health Board" that will consist of seven veterinarians: three will be appointed by the Governor and the remaining four
will be selected by the House and Senate.
By incorporating this "Canine Health Board" the Senate excuses themselves from having to vote for a piece of legislation that contained specific laws designed to create a healthy environment for the breeder dogs and puppies.
Upon amendment by the Senate Appropriations Committee, TWO MORE SEATS: one for the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association (the same people who fought to keep wire flooring in tens of thousands of cages) and another for Penn Vet, another group that condones commercial breeding, to be added to the "Canine Health Board."
This Board is now heavily weighted AGAINST the dogs.
4) Extended the implementation date of the new laws from six months to ONE YEAR.
Did the Senate forget that House Bill 2525 is designed to help dogs - not breeders?
Advocates did a fantastic job in alerting Pennsylvania's general assembly that dogs in the puppy mills need help and that's what House Bill 2525 was designed to do.
Too bad the Senate intentionally ignored our requests and opinions and in the end took the side of the breeders.
What You Can Do:
1. Politely contact your elected state senator and tell them how disappointed you are that key members of the Senate leadership have placed the lives of dogs in continued jeopardy since unannounced inspections may now be avoided.
2. Explain why a waiver based on falsified inspection forms is ridiculous and that ALL breeders should have to comply with regulations that are geared toward ensuring the health and welfare of all breeder dogs and puppies in state licensed breeding kennels.
3. Tell them that the new Canine Health Board was a brilliant way to avoid responsibility and that you will be voting for a state senator who is not intimidated by the commercial breeders or those who place profit above the health and welfare of man's best friend.
The only way to ensure the safety of dogs trapped in PA commercial kennels is to VOTE OUT these politicians!
4. Pass this alert on to every animal advocate that you know in Pennsylvania and encourage them to get involved and make the call!
Don't know who your state senator is? Click HERE and enter your zip code
PENNSYLVANIA WILL NOT SHED ITS REPUTATION OF PUPPY MILL CAPITAL OF THE EAST FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS
and this could have been avoided had state senators voted with their conscience and not the agricultural community.
Advocates must continue to work together and remain vigilent to minimize suffering that will continue thanks to the Senate.
Join us in this worthwhile endeavor and please, pick up the phone today!
This was posted by http://www.nppmwatch.com/
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