Fwd: IMPORTANT UPDATES (SEE ATTACHED REPORT) AS OF 2/23/09! Great News in the Fight Against Dog Auctions and Puppy Mills!

February 26, 2009

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

I wanted to share with you some important updates on efforts taking place across our country to raise awareness of puppy mills, dog auctions, pet stores and the entities that support and keep them in business. Also, we invite you to read the attached investigative report of the January 17 auction provided by our good friends and supporters at Animals Angels!

1. COLORADO. Legislation introduced on January 21 in Colorado that would have limited the number of dogs breeders could keep and mandate veterinary certification exams for commercially bred dogs has been set aside indefinitely. The Colorado House Agriculture Committee voted on January 28 to table H.B. 1172, and no further hearings are scheduled at this time. The puppy mill bill, if passed in its proposed form, would:

Limit the number of adult, unaltered dogs a breeder can maintain

Mandate annual veterinary exams

Prohibit individuals convicted of animal cruelty of obtaining a breeder license

2. CONNECTICUT. Lawmakers this year will decide whether pet owners should get double their money back from stores that sell them puppies, kittens and other animals with chronic disease or disabilities. Groups such as the Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills, whose members include G. Kenneth Bernhard, a lawyer and former state representative from Westport, believe that wronged pet owners need more recourse. They want to be able to claim back twice the purchase price of defective animals. Bernhard said that coalition members reviewing records, traced many puppies for sale in Connecticut pet stores to so-called

puppy mills in Pennsylvania and points west. "Some had some horrific violations," Bernhard said, adding that owners have been stuck with huge veterinary bills.

For more information, we invite you to view the article, "Pet 'Lemon Law' unleashed at hearing" - > http://www.connpost.com/ci_11707072.

3. IDAHO. On February 17, it was announced that an animal cruelty bill that teamed the agricultural community and a local animal welfare group together is dead for the 2009 session because of infighting between two animal welfare groups.

For more information, we invite you to view the article, "Animal Cruelty bill fails to enter legislature" - > http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S61033.

4. ILLINOIS. On January 19, announcement of a Puppy Mill bill, sponsored by state Senators John Fritchey (D-Chicago) and Dan Kotowski (D-Mt. Prospect), was introduced into the Illinois state legislature. The Bill, called Chloe's Bill, was named after a young female dog that was rescued from a filthy, unlicensed puppy mill in Downstate Macon County. The legislation, if passed in its proposed form, would:

Create a Dog Breeder License Act, which would prevent breeders from having more than 20 unaltered dogs.

Prohibit people from obtaining a dog-breeding license if they have been convicted of a felony animal-cruelty crime, including dog fighting.

Require dog breeders to keep dogs in buildings without wire flooring and with sufficient heating, cooling and ventilation.

Require pet stores and breeders to provide potential pet buyers with the dog's full medical history, information of spaying and neutering and information about any prior medical care.

Establish penalties starting with fines and escalating to having animals seized and breeding operations shut down.

5. INDIANA. H.B. 1468 passed the Indiana House on February 18 with only 14 "No" votes out of 100 representatives! The proposed legislation will be given to a Senate Committee for discussion and (not surprisingly) is receiving strong opposition by stakeholders in the commercial breeding industry. If adopted, H.B. 1468 would:

1. Define a commercial breeder as someone who whelps more than 10 litters of puppies in a 12 month period.

2. Limit 30 breeding dogs per location. (A breeding dog is defined as an unaltered dog over one year of age.)

3. Require commercial breeders to register with the state, and then renew their registration every four years.

4. Require commercial breeders to maintain sanitary conditions.

5. Require commercial breeders to have a method in place in which to dispose of animal waste.

6. Require commercial breeders to protect animals from parasites and vermin.

7. Require breeding facilities to have either artificial or natural light available in areas where dogs are kept and ventilation.

8. Require commercial breeding dogs have access to an exercise area at least one hour per day.

9. Require commercial breeders to hire employees that have not been convicted of animal fighting or variations of Indiana Codes pertaining to animal abuse, neglect and torture.

10. Require commercial breeders to offer a "Guarantee" for each dog and puppy, which would include a 15 day guarantee against disease and a one year guarantee against genetic defects. The guarantee would require a veterinary certification; the opportunity for the dog to be returned or exchanged; and limits reimbursement for veterinary bills to the cost of the puppy.

11. Require breeding dogs be between the ages of 18 months and eight years and be checked by a vet annually. The bill limits the number of litters a breeding female can whelp to one every 12 months.

12. Prohibit cities and counties from passing laws less stringent than the state law.

For more details concerning this legislation, we invite you to read the article, "IN Lawmakers Crack Down on Animal Cruelty and Puppy Mills" - > http://tristatehomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cidW361. The proposed bill can be read here - > http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2009/HB/HB1468.2.html

6. MONTANA. A Ballantine woman's animal cruelty case caught the attention of Montana lawmakers and has prompted several bills aimed at regulating dog breeders and animal hoarders.

In December, authorities seized 189 living dogs and numerous dead dogs from Linda Kapsa's Shady Lane Kennels, triggering an animal cruelty case that prosecutors believe was the largest seizure of animals in the state. Animal rescue officials, on the scene during the seizure, described Kapsa as an animal hoarder and said her operation could be described as a puppy mill.

Sen. Mitch Tropila (D-Great Falls) introduced a bill that would add hoarding to the state's list of animal cruelty offenses, and Rep. Dave McAlpin, D-Missoula, is introducing a bill that would require commercial breeders - those with 20 or more adult dogs - to register with the state and submit to annual surprise inspections. Registration would come with a $415 biannual fee to cover the cost of inspections.

For more information, we invite you to view the article, "Proposed legislation would place stricter regulations on breeders" - > http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/16/news/local/18-proposed.txt.

7. NEBRASKA. On February 2, Nebraska Senator Ken Haar introduced LB 677, a bill that aims to strictly regulate commercial dog breeders in Nebraska by establishing ownership limits and dog breeding restrictions. If adopted, LB 677 would:

By April 1, 2010, restrict all those defined as "commercial breeders" under existing Nebraska law to owning no more than 75 dogs over the age of four months.

Limit the breeding of purebred dogs only to dogs between the ages of 18 months and eight years of age.

Mandate the implementation of kennel requirements, including but not limited to, climate conditions, enclosures, building materials, and construction.

8. OHIO. A new puppy mill bill is expected to be introduced in 2009 which would be similar to legislation currently being introduced in Indiana (see above).

Also, Ohio's constitution does allow for ballot initiatives and as many of you are aware, Ohio voters and taxpayers aren't bashful about putting initiatives on the ballot. Since the passage of Proposition 2 in California, there has been a lot of speculation as to what state might be next, Ohio has been one of the states mentioned. It is our hope that a ballot initiative to ban dog

auctions may be a very real possibility for 2009, and BanOhioDogAuctions..com has been successful in raising over $25,000 towards this campaign!

9. OKLAHOMA.. The Oklahoma Pet Quality Assurance and Protection Act, H.B. 1332, passed the House committee vote (11-2) yesterday and will be voted on in the full House in the very near future.

The proposed legislation would mandate USDA standards as a minimum for all facilities selling, trading or adopting out over 25 dogs, cats, kittens or puppies in a year. This means that if your dogs are housed in cages instead of your home, the cages must be at least six inches longer than the dog and must have six inches of headroom.

For more details concerning this legislation, we invite you to read the article, "OK House to Vote on Puppy Mill Bill" - > http://newsok.com/house-to-vote-on-puppy-mill-bill/article/3344976

10. PENNSYLVANIA. With a vote of 192 for and 0 against,