True Agendas

Long Time No Blog

2010-09-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

I've done virtually no tweeting or blogging other than posting to lists and commenting on animal rights inspired actions since, well, my last post here. It was quite a year, and I'm glad so many others were able to keep cyberspace informed about the animal rights industry.

Thanks to all the California Assemblymembers who voted NO or abstained from voting on CA SB 250 on the last day of August 2010. (see video of the last 30 min or so)

Senator Dave Cox is gone ~ we miss you, Dave... ~ please God, bring someone at least as good to take over his old District 1.

Bits and pieces...

November is coming. VOTE THEM ALL OUT. If they bought into or were paid by the AR community, California doesn't need 'em. Do your research, call friends, educate 'em and VOTE.

My favorite site for documentation on H$U$ and the AR industry.

Last year PeTA killed 97.3% of all animals in their shelter and found homes for EIGHT.

http://www.cfodconline.org/legislation.html

California Legislative Schedule: nada till Aug 17th

2009-08-03T01:16:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest info as of midnight tonight; call, fax and especially VISIT your district and Capitol legislators' offices during the next two weeks. Do you want these anti-animal bills to become law? No? Then step awaaaay from the computer and act NOW. :D

I'm not posting a bunch of links tonight; got everything from searching here. Nothing is currently scheduled until the Assembly and Senate gets back from their summer break.

AB233: in ASM Appropriations suspense file
ACR 74: in ASM Business and Professions ~ both may come back in 2010
SB250: in ASM Appropriations suspense file; can come out of suspense at any time
SB135: in ASM Appropriations, no hearing date set
AB1437: in SEN Health, no hearing date set
AB241, AB242 & AB243: all to be heard in SEN Appropriations on 8/17
AB1122: to the SEN floor for vote on or after 8/1
SB318: to the ASM floor for vote on or after 8/17

In case you've forgotten what these bills mean, here's a quick summary of the primary concerns:

AB1122 - virtually no more pet sales in the entire state... unless you're a shelter or animal control. The bill plays into the whole 'guardian' vs owner language plus a nod toward the anti-animal folks who say 'animals are not ours to enslave.' The Calif Dept of Finance Opposes this bill (per 7/22/09 analysis).

SB318 - allows personal property to be seized and then awarded, without first going through a trial, to private organizations for resale and profit. Perhaps the very organizations which caused the property to be seized.

AB243 - also allows property to be seized and then given, without first going through a trial, to private organizations for resale and profit. Again, perhaps the very organizations which caused the property to be seized.

AB241 - allows HSUS to determine how many dogs or cats anyone can own OR CARE FOR. Will destroy small businesses including boarding kennels and service dog kennels in California. It has virtually nothing to do with poor quality commercial dog breeders; the author has identified only 5 such kennels, but perhaps 1,000 other boarding/service/police/show dog kennels will become illegal.

AB242 - anti dogfighting bill. HSUS sponsored. Increases penalties and probable number of inmates in state's penal system, thus increasing state costs. The Calif Dept of Finance is neutral but notes monetary concerns on this bill.

SB250 - mandates every cat and dog in the state be sterilized unless owners buy an unaltered pet license IF local governments CHOOSE to make them available. The Calif Dept of Finance Opposes this bill (per 6/24/09 and 7/14/09 analyses).

SB135 - the Cow Tail Bill. HSUS tells dairies how to manage their business. Will cause dairy cow deaths since shortened tails would be considered 'animal abuse.' Off to the butchers they'll go...

AB1437 - HSUS tells egg ranchers outside California how to manage their business. Affects interstate commerce. Affects egg production & sales. Demands hen housing systems proven to increase chicken deaths and chicken illnesses - for out of state businesses.

AB233 - tax return rebates for buying a shelter animal.

ACR 74 - resolution with no legal impact. Endorses No Kill animal shelter methods, though promised changes dilute them to the point of non-usefulness.

I don't feel like it ... but I'll do it anyway

2009-07-11T02:47:00.000-07:00

Ever want to just throw in the towel and quit fighting the ARs? Yea, me too sometimes. Writing blog posts isn't all that fun, especially the dry boring *important* stuff I usually mention.

But it's necessary. Not always on a schedule, but when I can and when it's important. Thanks for your patience.

---------------

CA AB1122 ~to SEN Appropriations; no hearing date set.

AB1437 ~to SEN Health on Wed 7/15th ... though rumor says it may get held in Committee until next year. We'll see.

CA AB241, AB242, AB243 ~ all to be heard in SEN Public Safety on Tues 7/14.

CA SB250 ~ to ASM Appropriations on Wed 7/15.

CA SB318 ~ 3rd reading on Assembly Floor TODAY 7/11 ~ Item 101. Could be voted on any time starting today??

CA SB135 ~ back to ASM Appropriations; no hearing date set as of now.

There, see? Easy. Now comes the hard part: CALLING, WRITING and FAXING for each and every bill, one at a time, over and over *this weekend* because we're getting down to the wire. If they've had amendments in their current House, Bills will need to go back to the originating House for another floor vote. If they pass that ... they go to Governor Schwarzenegger's desk.

Cow Tails. NO Budget yet. Unbelievable.

... even the Senate website link is broken this morning. Boo...

SB250 and SB318 - both on to new committees

2009-07-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Hey, sorry about not reporting the votes sooner; the Cow Tail Saga had my attention yesterday.

SB250 passed out of ASM Business and Professions on a straight party line vote, and will be heard within 1 to 2 weeks by ASM Appropriations. Rumor has it the hearing date will be July 15, but that's yet to be confirmed. Fax, write and mail in your opposition today; PetPAC has information to help you get 'er done.

Remember: the California Department of Finance says SB250 will cost the state millions and millions and millions of dollars. It will be the cause of death for who knows how many thousands more shelter animals every year. It will immediately make lawbreakers out of millions of people who do not have a spare $200.-$500. to sterilize their pet cats and dogs.

C'mon now. If you were

out of work,
losing your home to foreclosure, and
barely able to put food on your table thanks to our 11%, 12% or even 18% unemployment rate,

would you care for your family, or would you let Animal Control take your pet because you're already at the end of your rope? This bill is flat-out CRUEL.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SB318 (dogfighting forfeitures) also passed out of ASM Public Safety, 7 to zip. I'm not sure but it may be heading to the Assembly Floor next. There are still some Constitutional issues; I'm also not completely assured that the right to a trial before property forfeiture is protected in this bill.

By the way, given that some 'humane' groups which conduct dogfighting raids have million dollar budgets - even a couple hundred million, like HSUS - why does SB318 incentivize such organizations to conduct those raids by giving them half of the seized property? It seems like a rather counterintuitive move.

Cow Tails and Hearing Cancellations

2009-07-02T05:35:00.000-07:00

Governor Schwarzenegger is a bit peeved at the attention both Houses are giving to bills concerning nonessentials like ... cow tails. He said so yesterday on Twitter and YouTube.

HSUS got upset over that.

Senator Florez got upset over that too.

Since California still does not have a budget, all Senate committee hearings have been canceled for today (see page 34 of the Senate Daily File). This includes CA AB241, AB242 and 243.

Yesterday the Assembly Agriculture Committee voted on Sen. Florez' SB135 - yes, the Cow Tail Bill. It passed 6 to 1 and now goes to ASM Appropriations.

Changes: SB250, SB318 heard TODAY ... AB241, 242, 243 heard Thursday July 2nd

2009-06-30T03:38:00.000-07:00

SB 250
- status: still to be heard TODAY 6/30 Tuesday
- new Assembly Business and Professions Committee Analysis

Read it. Strangely, there's no mention at all of the Department of Finance Analysis from last week. Hmm....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*** Change: AB241, AB242, AB243 - all to be heard on Thursday July 2nd in SEN Public Safety Hearing

AB241
- Senate Public Safety Committee Analysis
- status

AB242
- Senate Public Safety Committee Analysis
- status

AB243
- Senate Public Safety Committee Analysis
- status

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SB318
- Assembly Public Safety Committee Analysis
- status: still to be heard TODAY 6/30 Tuesday

Buffalo

2009-06-29T14:33:00.001-07:00

While pondering the implications of special interest groups like HSUS steamrolling over various legislatures, a word occurred to me: buffalo.

Think about it.

Buffalo used to roam the American plains by the millions - one herd in the mid-1800s was estimated to contain 12 million animals:

"Of all the quadrupeds that have lived upon the earth, no other species has ever numbered as many as the American bison. Even in South Central Africa, which has always had great herds of game, it is probable that all its quadrupeds taken together on an equal area would never have equaled the total number of buffalo on the plains of North America."

If one believes HSUS and other radical animal rights groups, modern dairy herds produce enough methane gas to change our planetary climate.

But consider: if this were true ... would not the dairy cow's cousin, which natives of the American Plains relied upon for so much, have caused great environmental turmoil and clouds of noxious gas? Would not the far greater numbers of Plains bovines have wrought horrific damage to air, land and water wherever they roamed?

Instead, almost impossibly massive buffalo herds provided the foundation for many Plains nations' survival. Their very existence enabled people to live and thrive, generation after generation.

If HSUS' statements were true ... how is it that people who lived through those times on the Plains remembered sweet air and climes, and an environment conducive to prosperity? A land well suited for producing both livestock and the grass it required to thrive? Suited for raising families and taking full, deep breaths on a summer's day?

HSUS and other radical animal rights groups actively seek to mislead our elected officials with half-truths and prevarication. They are trying to buffalo our leaders, to lead them down paths from which they - and we as a nation - cannot return.

Do not let them succeed. Think. Act. Do not let the buffalo - our agricultural system, our ability to interact freely with animals, our right to own pets and humanely, scientifically raise animals for humanity's benefit - disappear again.

California Bill Updates as of 12 am on 6/29/09

2009-06-29T00:07:00.001-07:00

Note: all bills in red will be heard this week.

5 will be heard Tuesday (in three different committees), and
1 will be heard Wednesday.

SB762 is on the Governor's desk pending a signature. Please call, email and fax Governor Schwarzenegger and ask him to sign this law which protects a licensed veterinarian's right to care for his patients. Licensed chiropractors, licensed acupuncturists, and other practitioners of the healing arts also are protected by this law.

Be aware: I read somewhere that Sen. Florez performed a gut-and-amend to get his failed antibiotics bill tucked into one or two other unrelated bills last week. I don't remember the bill numbers, but when I do I'll let you know.

~~~~~~

CA AB1122 (Lieu; Coauthors: Eng and Jones)
- Animal abuse: sale of live animals

Tuesday 07/07/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee
Last amended: 05/14/2009

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

Wednesday 07/01/2009 - ASM Agriculture Committee
Last amended: 06/25/2009

CA AB1437 (Huffman; Principal coauthors: Florez, Tom Berryhill)
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance ...

Wednesday 07/08/2009 - SEN Health Committee
Never amended - still as introduced 02/27/2009

CA SB250 (Florez)
- Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering

Tuesday 06/30/2009 - ASM Business and Professions Committee
Last amended: 05/28/2009
Note: CA Dept of Finance Bill Analysis released last week: OPPOSES SB250

CA AB 241 (Nava; Coauthors: DeSaulnier, Florez, Strickland))
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale

Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee
Last amended: 06/23/2009

CA AB242 (Nava; coauthor: Yamada) (Coauthors: Senators Cox, DeSaulnier, Florez, and Strickland)
- Dog fighting

Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee
Last amended: 06/01/2009

CA AB243 (Nava; coauthors: Ammiano, Lieu and Portantino) (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Florez)
- Animal abuse: penalties

Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee
Last amended: 06/22/2009

CA SB318 (Calderon)
- Dogfighting forfeitures

Tuesday 6/30/09 - ASM Public Safety Committee
Last amended: 05/28/2009

CA SB762 (Aanestad)
- Professions and vocations: healing arts

In Senate. To enrollment - i.e., pending the Governor's signature

** Please call/fax/email the Governor today and ask him to sign this legislation allowing licensed veterinarians to continue providing ear crops, declaws, dewclaw removal, tail docking etc if their city/county allows this by Jan 1st, 2010.

~~~~~~

** This is another important one for the future with many implications for today: **
CA ACR74 (Portantino)
- Animal shelters: No Kill movement policies

Referred to ASM Business and Professions Committee
No hearing date set as of now

SB250 - in ASM Biz & Prof Next Tuesday 6/30

2009-06-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_250_bill_20090622_status.html

NOTE: here's where it's going to get sticky:

AB241, AB242 and AB243 will also be heard next Tuesday in the Senate Public Safety Committee.

Every one of these bills - plus AB1122 & SB135, heard today in SEN Public Safety - are of major importance. How important is your ability - your right - to own the cat or dog you want to own? How important are the decades of love you've put into developing your bloodlines? How important is it that your line - your breed - remains alive and well far into the future?

If we do nothing, radical animal rights groups including HSUS, PeTA, Farm Sanctuary and others WIN. Who are we? Are our pets, our animals, our friends ... worthy of being saved? That's what it comes down to. Are they worth pushing yourself and sticking your neck out?

Contractors, Direct Sales ... and animal rights???

2009-06-22T04:32:00.001-07:00

The California legislature is once again thinking about taxing direct sales and contractors up front for each sale or contract rather than once a year as is the current procedure. I just got word about this a few days ago.

Direct sales businesses include Amway, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, PrePaid Legal, Party Lite, etc. Contractors typically make $200. or more per month to supplement their regular job income.

Contractors can include independent computer techs and consultants, in-home veterinarians and doctors, roofers, independent pest control companies, dog trainers, wedding planners... peole who can earn a lot or a little per job.

If you are concerned about this potential new tax, please contact the Governor and your Senate and Assembly representatives NOW. Thanks!

AB 1122 this Tuesday ~ ASM Nava's Bills all to be heard next Tuesday, including AB241

2009-06-22T03:51:00.000-07:00

Assembly Member Nava's three animal rights bills will all be heard next Tuesday in the Senate Public Safety Committee. That's AB241, AB242 and AB243.

On Tuesday this week AB1122 will be heard in the Senate Public Safety Committee, and SB135 will be heard in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

AB1437 will be heard next Wednesday in Senate Health Committee. SB318 will also be heard next Wednesday - this time in the Assembly Public Safety Committee.

CA SB250 is still pending its' first Assembly assignment. Thank you, Assembly Leadership.

--------------------

Updates as of 3:30 am on 6/22/09

CA AB1122 (Lieu; Coauthors: Eng and Jones)
- Animal abuse: sale of live animals

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - ASM Public Safety Committee

CA AB1437 (Huffman; Principal coauthors: Florez, Tom Berryhill)
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance ...

Hearing: Wednesday July 1st 09 - SEN Health Committee

CA AB 241 (Nava)
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale

Hearing: Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee (change)

CA AB242 (Nava; coauthor: Yamada) (Coauthors: Senators Cox, DeSaulnier, Florez, and Strickland)
- Dog fighting

Hearing: Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee (change)

CA AB243 (Nava; coauthors: Lieu and Portantino) (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Florez)
- Animal abuse: penalties

Hearing: Tuesday 06/30/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee (change)

CA SB318 (Calderon)
- Dogfighting forfeitures

Hearing in ASM Public Safety on Tues 6/30/09

Last but emphatically not least - still no committee assignment as of 3:30 this morning:
CA SB250 (Florez)
- Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering

In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

California Bill Updates as of 3:30 am on 6/19/09

2009-06-19T04:02:00.000-07:00

CA AB1122 (Lieu; Coauthors: Eng and Jones)
- Animal abuse: sale of live animals

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - ASM Public Safety Committee

CA AB1437 (Huffman; Principal coauthors: Florez, Tom Berryhill)
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance ...

Hearing: Wednesday July 1st 09 - SEN Health Committee

CA AB 241 (Nava)
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee

CA AB242 (Nava; coauthor: Yamada) (Coauthors: Senators Cox, DeSaulnier, Florez, and Strickland)
- Dog fighting

Referred to SEN Public Safety Committee; no hearing date set at this time

CA AB243 (Nava; coauthors: Lieu and Portantino) (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Florez)
- Animal abuse: penalties

Referred to SEN Public Safety Committee; no hearing date set at this time

CA SB318 (Calderon)
- Dogfighting forfeitures

Hearing in ASM Public Safety on Tues 6/30/09

Last but emphatically not least:
CA SB250 (Florez)
- Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering

In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

*** Let's keep it here ***
- Call/write/fax your ASM & all ASM leadership to OPPOSE
- this bill is the agent which makes all of the others far, far worse

Bills which will not be heard again this session, as far as I know (no guarantees):

CA SB416 - To Senate inactive file at Sen. Florez' request
CA AB233 - In Assembly Appropriations. Held under submission.

Racketeering, RICO and Humane USA?

2009-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

This statement opposing CA AB1437 was presented yesterday to the California Senate Food and Agriculture Committee; I've been asked to post it here. Bold and italics are mine. All I can say is BRAVO! Now the Senate knows - yet this committee STILL passed the bill along by a 4 to 1 vote. What can I say.

Ag folk were there asking for clear guidance on how to legally continue producing shelled eggs for California families. They don't want to be jailed for violating Proposition 2 requirements in 2015, nor do they want to give up egg farming because Prop 2 and AB1437 are incurably vague.

Agriculture got zip in response from the Committee. Sen. Florez, the Senate Food & Ag Committee Chair, did however discuss his vision for California's food providers later in the day.

Final vote yesterday:

Ayes: Florez, Maldonado, Hancock, Pavley
Noes: Hollingsworth

New Bill Analysis is here; only one group is listed as opposing. The bill has not been amended even once to date.

Testimony given to California Senate Agricultural Committee

June 16, 2009

What AB 1437 represents is legislation cloaked in the guise of animal welfare while in actuality it is a racketeering scheme and artifice to follow-up on the damage already being felt by consumers and farmers by Prop 2. Who will determine what is proper hen welfare? There is no governmental agency that lawfully inspects other than the USDA.

This bill would not only violate the Interstate Commerce Act, but would open the door for a slick form of old style mob "protectionism". Funny how the animal rights group that is sponsoring this bill, HSUS, has board members including the CEO invested in the For-Profit Company, Humane USA, that purports to do just this - certifying humane animal welfare for a price.

This bill does not address the international importation of eggs and the standards by which hens are kept in other countries like Mexico and China, nor does it address liquid eggs, sold by the bucket, or powdered eggs.

We ask why is the more expensive and best quality egg form, the shelled egg, under attack by our own legislature and this special interest group (HSUS)? The clear answer is there is more money to be made controlling its distribution - which also violates Title 18, the RICO section of the Fed Code, which specifically prohibits the regulation of eggs.

Diane Amble

We the People Pets

California Bill Updates as of 12 am on 6/17/09

2009-06-17T00:18:00.001-07:00

CA AB1122 (Lieu; Coauthors: Eng and Jones)
- Animal abuse: sale of live animals

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - ASM Public Safety Committee

CA AB1437 (Huffman; Pprincipal coauthor: Senator Florez; coauthor: Tom Berryhill)
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance with animal care standards

Pending Hearing in SEN Health Committee
Voted out of SEN Food and Agriculture Committee on Tuesday 6/16/09

CA AB 241 (Nava)
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale

Hearing: Tuesday 06/23/2009 - SEN Public Safety Committee

The following bill information may have changed by morning; this often happens around 4am, but I won't be up then to verify status. Bills in the Senate, pending assignment to first SEN Committee:

AB 242 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.
AB 243 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.

Bills in the Assembly, pending assignment to first ASM Committee:

SB 250 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 318 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

Bills which will not be heard again this session, as far as I know (no guarantees):

SB 416 - To Senate inactive file at Sen. Florez' request
AB 233 - In Assembly Appropriations. Held under submission.

California Bill Updates as of 2:30am on 6/12/09

2009-06-12T02:41:00.000-07:00

CA AB 241 (Nava)
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale.

Re-referred to SEN Committee on Public Safety
No hearing date set at this time

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

to two ASM Committees: Public Safety and Agriculture
No hearing dates set at this time

CA AB1122 (Lieu (Coauthors: Eng and Jones))
- Animal abuse: sale of live animals

Referred to SEN Committee on Public Safety
No hearing date set at this time

CA AB1437
(Huffman (Principal coauthor: Senator Florez) (Coauthor: Tom Berryhill))
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance with animal care standards

Referred to two SEN Committees: (1.) Food & Agriculture, and (2.) Health
Hearing: Tuesday 06/16/2009 - SEN Committee on Food and Agriculture

Bills in the Senate, pending assignment to first SEN Committee:

AB 242 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment
AB 243 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment

Bills in the Assembly, pending assignment to first ASM Committee:

SB 250 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 318 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

Bills which will not be heard again this session, as far as I know (no guarantees):

SB 416 - To Senate inactive file at Sen. Florez' request
AB 233 - In Assembly Appropriations. Held under submission.

California Bill Updates as of 1am on 6/11/09

2009-06-11T00:46:00.000-07:00

CA AB 241 (Nava) - Dogs and cats: breeding for sale.

Withdrawn from committee.
Re-referred to SEN Committee on Public Safety
Still also referred to SEN Business, Professions and Economic Development??

CA SB 135 (Florez; coauthors Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking

to two ASM Committees: Public Safety and Agriculture

Bills still holding steady in the Senate:

AB 1122 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.
AB 1437 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.
AB 242 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment
AB 243 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment
SB 416 - To Senate inactive file at Sen. Florez' request

Bills still holding steady in the Assembly:

SB 250 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 318 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
AB 233 - In Assembly Appropriations. Set, first hearing. Held under submission.

ACR 74 (Portantino) - Animal shelters: No Kill movement policies

still in the Assembly; done for this session??
this will be a good reference and starting point for next year's No Kill bills. Yes - I believe!
To Do: call or fax this Assembly Member's offices and thank him for supporting No Kill legislation in California:

Capitol Office: Tel: (916) 319-2044 Fax: (916) 319-2144
District Office: Tel: (626) 577-9944 Fax: (626) 577-2868

Happy Tuesday

2009-06-09T02:48:00.000-07:00

There's just one status change for radical animal rights bills in Sacramento today - at least this early in the morning:

SB 135 (Florez - Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Hancock)
- Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking
- Assigned to the Assembly Committees on Public Safety and Agriculture

All other bills are holding steady. Things may change later today, of course.

Why do I call this a radical AR bill? Tell me: why are HSUS, PeTA, Farm Sanctuary and other animal rights industry giants so adamant that this bill become law - when dairy cow tail docking is a practice already fading into history? Docking is a failed experiment which has not resulted in better cow health nor farmer profits from safer, more hygenic milk.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the first version of this bill referred to 'animals' being docked, not cows. Good thing the dog and cat show breeders caught that little problem, hm?

Pour It On!

2009-06-08T02:05:00.000-07:00

The following bills need to be assigned to their first committees after passing from the Assembly to the Senate:

AB 1122 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.
AB 1437 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment.
AB 242 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment
AB 243 - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. For assignment

These bills are being held at the Assembly Desk prior to assignment to their first committees:

SB 250 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 318 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
SB 135 - In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

AB 241 has been referred to its' first two Senate committees:

Business, Professions and Economic Development
Public Safety

These two are done for the year, as best I can tell, since neither passed out of their House of origin before last Friday:

AB 233 - In ASM Appropriations: Set, first hearing. Held under submission.

SB 416 (Florez) – Antibiotics. SEN INACTIVE FILE - SENATE BILLS

I tried...

2009-06-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Below is a comment I attempted to post in response to an online article regarding SB 250 for the L.A. Times. For some reason it wasn't accepted... and I did reword and try again. Oh well.

SB 250 is a clear taking of private property, supposedly (according to Sen. Florez yesterday in his Senate Floor testimony) in the interest of saving the state money.

Is it ever legal in California or the United States to take someone's private property with the stated intent of saving the government money at some nebulous future time?

The essence of SB 250 is this: get one valid animal code infraction - just ONE - and for the rest of your life you will never be able to own OR CARE FOR a cat or dog, puppy or kitten, that has not been castrated or undergone an ovariohysterectomy.

This bill screams OVERKILL.

Since when is it in the best interests of the PUBLIC, which our legislators are elected to serve, to mandate the destruction of property they already own ... with the stated purpose of saving the state money at some future hypothetical date?

Over 80% of dogs and over 90% of all owned cats in California are ALREADY spayed or neutered. SB 250 makes it ILLEGAL to own a dog in California that is not sterilized. What if you're visiting the state? Nope, no provisions for that.

SB 250 makes it ILLEGAL to own *or care for* an outdoor cat in California if it's not ALREADY sterilized. What if you're caring for a feral cat colony and haven't been able to trap all of them in a TRN (trap-neuter-release) program? What if someone dumps a couple of pregnant kitties - and the property owner complains to animal control, who discovers YOU feeding them?

Nope, no provisions for that either.

Alley Cat Allies is right - SB 250 is one nasty piece of work if you care about feral cats.

If you're a dog or cat breeder, anyone who has read the dozens of RECENT veterinary research articles showing spay/neuter carries great risk, or a regular dog owner who loves their animal as it naturally is ... SB 250 should be a greater wake up call than last year's spay-every-cat-and-dog-in-
California bill, AB 1634.

Do not let radical animal rights groups like HSUS and PeTA legislate away your pet's health. Do not let people who spew hate towards families who have one litter of puppies or kittens destroy your legal rights. Get involved - get your neighbors involved - get your school, church and synagogue friends involved. Stop the insanity.

http://saveourdogs.net/
http://petpac.net/
http://www.naiaonline.org/
http://www.alleycat.org

http://capwiz.com/alleycat/issues/alert/?alertid=13457581&PROCESS=Take+Action&external_id=10519.0

CA SB 250 - passed - on to Assembly

2009-06-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

The vote was 21 to 16.

It's not over yet. Now we educate the Assembly on HSUS' true agenda, on PeTA's true agenda, on the animal right movement's true agenda. Again.

The Senate was groaning under faxes and calls today and yesterday. Let's keep at 'em about the other incoming AR-backed legislation. This time let's let the Assembly experience the same joy.. starting today, hm?

If money's important ... why is the $130 MILLION or so generated by dog and cat shows every year being ignored?

If money's important ... why isn't No Kill the law of the state?

If shelter animals are important ... why pass legislation which financial analysis said will result in more animals being killed, and

If money's important ... why pass legislation which will result in more local costs being passed on to the state?

CA SB 250 - to Reconsideration Vote

2009-06-01T16:02:00.000-07:00

The bill is now up for reconsideration - a second vote - later this week. That could happen tomorrow or as late as Friday depending on when Senator Florez thinks he has the votes.

Below is the best email I've seen on what needs to be done right now.
Don't let up, and don't give up!

-- please cross post widely --

Today's second vote on SB 250 was 16 yes, 15 no. It needs 21 yes to pass.

The following democratic senators voted to abstain on SB 250 in the second round of voting:

Correa: (916) 651-4034
Moreno Ducheny: (916) 651-4040
Pavley: (916) 651-4023
Wolk: (916) 651-4005
Wright: (916) 651-4025
Yee: (916) 651-4008
Negrete-McLeod: (916) 651-4032
Simitian: (916) 651-4011

The above senators will be getting a LOT of pressure from Sen. Florez — SB 250 author and Senate Majority Leader — to change to a Yes.

If you haven't already called, Californians should call the offices above and politely say:

"Hello, my name is [your name]. I live in [your city's name] California. I'm calling to thank the Senator for abstaining on SB 250, mandatory spay/neuter for dogs and cats. I'm asking the senator to continue abstaining when it comes up for a reconsideration vote later this week."

This will make them understand that we are still watching, and that we are also appreciative of their position.

Understand the process in the California state legislature: Abstaining is JUST AS GOOD for our side as a No vote, but is politically easier for a senator to do on a bill that he/she opposes but is sponsored by a member of his/her own party.

Laura Sanborn
http://saveourdogs.net

This week in Sacramento...

2009-06-01T02:38:00.000-07:00

There are 14 animal or food bills being considered in the Senate and Assembly right now. So far this morning, just four are scheduled for a reading and vote this week.

On the Assembly Floor:

AB 242 (Nava - Coauthor: Yamada) (Coauthors: Senators Cox, DeSaulnier, Florez, and Strickland). Dog fighting. ASM SECOND READING: 06/01/2009 - ITEM #24
AB 243 ( Nava - Coauthors: Lieu and Portantino) (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Florez). Animal abuse: penalties. ASM THIRD READING: 06/01/2009 – ITEM #172

On the Senate Floor:

SB 250 (Florez) Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering. SEN THIRD READING: 06/01/2009 – ITEM #108
SB 318 (Calderon) Dogfighting forfeitures. SEN THIRD READING: 06/01/2009 – ITEM #67

The Senate cable TV channels are listed here. Watch Senate proceedings on the internet here.

You can listen and watch the Assembly floor proceedings here; click on 'Floor Session' at the top of the screen.

Don't forget HSUS...

2009-05-31T19:01:00.001-07:00

Remember to add a link to the H$U$ expose video in every one of your emails to friends, clubs, the Senators and Governor Schwarzenegger. Here are two of them:

http://www.vidoosh.tv/play.php?vid=4360

http://is.gd/H7wz

CA SB 250 - call, write, fax NOW

2009-05-31T18:15:00.000-07:00

Still think fighting SB 250 isn't worth the effort? Still think HSUS, Farm Sanctuary, the ASPCA, PeTA and other radical animal rights groups don't hate dog and cat breeders or exhibitors?

Please read the email posted below carefully, then forward it to every person you know. Send the portion below the dotted line to each California Senator and our Governor with your firm opposition statement.

SB 250 is indeed the linchpin for ALL the radical animal rights legislation being forced through at our Capitol this year.

Here are the emails for our current Senators; the Senate URL only posts links to their individual websites:

Senator.Aanestad@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Alquist@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Ashburn@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Benoit@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Calderon@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Cogdill@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Corbett@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Correa@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Cox@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Denham@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.DeSaulnier@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Ducheny@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Dutton@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Florez@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Hancock@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Harman@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Hollingsworth@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Huff@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Kehoe@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Leno@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Liu@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Lowenthal@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Maldonado@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.McLeod@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Oropeza@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Padilla@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Pavley@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Romero@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Runner@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Simitian@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Steinberg@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Strickland@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Walters@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Wiggins@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Wolk@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Wright@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Wyland@senate.ca.gov,
Senator.Yee@senate.ca.gov

-- permission to cross post is granted --

California SB 250, statewide mandatory spay/neuter for dogs and cats, passed in the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 28. It now heads to the full State Senate, where it will be voted on sometime during the week of June 1.

Californians defeated the similar bill AB 1634 last year in the full Senate in large part because there was a huge number of opposition faxes and calls against it -- tens of thousands of them. So far, the response against SB 250 has been only a small fraction of that. If many more Californians do not take action to stop it, SB 250 will pass.

Here's information on what you can do to stop SB 250
<http://saveourdogs.net/2009/05/29/sb-250-full-senate-votes-next-week/>

------------------------------------------------------------
Under SB 250, a citizen can be permanently denied the right to ever own an intact dog or cat if any ONE of the following things happens:

a meter reader, yard service worker, friend, neighbor, child, or anyone else leaves your door or gate open, your dog leaves your property, and is picked up as a stray
you are walking your dog on leash and are cited for having a leash that is too long as specified in municipal code
you are training your search-and-rescue dog, herding dog, obedience competition dog, hunting dog, agility dog, or any other dog off leash and are cited for it
you are cited for having an unlicensed dog
your dog is licensed but you are cited for not having a license tag on your dog's collar
you are cited for exceeding the maximum number of dogs or cats allowed in your home as specified by your city or county code (often limited to 2 to 4)
you are cited for your dog's barking
you fail to notice that your dog defecated on city property and are cited for it
you are cited for any other minor animal control violation

All of the above are violations of local ordinances and already have appropriate fines associated with them. Government-mandated forced sterilization of every dog and cat a person ever owns now and in the future is a grossly inappropriate penalty. It's the equivalent of permanently banning a person from ever registering a vehicle again because they are caught with a broken tail lamp.

There are NO exemptions in SB 250 for search-and-rescue dogs, police dogs, detection dogs, ranch or farm dogs, guide dogs, service dogs, or any other working dogs.

There are NO exemptions in SB 250 for dogs owned by responsible breeders.

Please take action NOW to stop SB 250.

Laura Sanborn
http://saveourdogs.net

CA SB 250 goes to the Senate Floor

2009-05-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

CA SB 250 passed out of Senate Appropriations, and I believe the vote was 7 to 5 - it's too early to verify online. This bill will next go to the full Senate Floor be voted on between now and close of business next Friday, or it can be held at the Senate President Pro-Tem's desk.

Think about that. It got out of Appropriations - in this economy.

Anyone out there still doubt that our state is being besieged by radical animal rights advocates?

HSUS was exposed. Let's shine more light on their agenda.

Inspiration

2009-05-26T14:18:00.000-07:00

This video was created by a teenager in support of his local Tea Party movement.

Feel inspired to go do something - anything - whatever you know you need to do?

Good.

HSUS spends Million$ on...

2009-05-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

How do you feel, knowing that HSUS is trying to pass about 200 animal rights laws in 2009...

which would tell farmers how to raise cattle, pigs and chickens (CA AB 1437)?
which tells breeders how many dogs and cats they can own (CA AB241)?
which would make it a crime to own or feed any natural, unsterilized dog or cat (see CA SB 250, to be voted on this Thursday in the California Senate Appropriations Committee)?
which criminalizes rescue railroads as abusive to animals? One way that rescuers move dogs and cats from one location to another is by meeting other groups and transferring custody in parking lots or parks. See CA AB 1122, which may be voted on by the full Assembly this week.

HSUS is not the friend of animals it claims to be - and I quote:

When asked if he envisioned a future without pets, “If I had my personal view, perhaps that might take hold. In fact, I don’t want to see another dog or cat born.” Wayne Pacelle quoted in Bloodties: Nature, Culture and the Hunt by Ted Kerasote, 1993, p. 266

HSUS, Michael Vick, Exposes and Politics

2009-05-26T11:27:00.003-07:00

Last week, HSUS' president Wayne Pacelle stunned the world by announcing the radical animal rights group would help ex-NFL player Michael Vick rebuild his image.

Remember, Vick was ejected from the NFL for felony dog fighting charges and for animal abuse: electrocuting, hanging and drowning non-performing pitbulls. HSUS will now help Vick educate inner city youth on the evils of dog fighting.

Uh huh.

Nathan J. Winograd, co-father with Richard Avanzino (Maddie's Fund) of the No Kill shelter animal movement, had this to say about HSUS' move and Mr. Pacelle.

So. As noted and linked in my previous blog,

HSUS collects over $100 million yearly from the public to help animals in need;
HSUS spends almost all of that $100 million pushing radical animal rights legislation;
HSUS disappeared from Louisiana with tens of millions after Hurricane Katrina;
SOMEONE caused the first televised report about HSUS' true agendas (pun intended) to be pulled from almost all online archives within days;
WSB-TV demanded transcripts of its' HSUS report be pulled from other websites, in further violation of the First Amendment;
and finally, HSUS now will work with Michael Vick to upgrade his image.

How does this make you, the reader, feel about HSUS?

HSUS exposed - and what happened next

2009-05-26T11:27:00.001-07:00

On May 14th, an award winning WSB-TV news reporter told the nation that the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spends almost all the money it gets from animal lovers ... on lobbying for animal rights laws.

How much is that? HSUS' 2007 financials (the most recent year available) show its' income was over $100 million, and total assets were over $200 million. This report marked the first time that millions of Americans learned how the HSUS spends its' tax-free dollars.

The story also mentioned that the Attorney General of Louisiana investigated HSUS after tens of millions in donations meant for Hurricane Katrina animal victims went missing. And that the AG ceased investigating when HSUS offered to build a new animal control facility.

The best timeline on what happened after the expose is here - read it and weep for freedom of speech.
The H$U$ TV report is available on at least one out-of-country site now. The most reliable place to get the video (today) is here - no guarantees on how long it will be available.
And here's what happened to the folks at PetPAC, a 65,000 member organization which lobbies to protect pet owners' rights.

Stay tuned; I'm sure there is more to come on this story.

Next week's agenda will be FULL

2009-05-22T03:02:00.000-07:00

Status of the animal bills being pushed by animal radicals in California:

AB 1122 - Animal abuse: sale of live animals - to the ASM second reading on 5/26
SB 135 - cattle tail docking - to the SEN third reading (and probable vote) on the floor, 5/26
AB 1437 -Shelled eggs: sale - to the ASM third reading (and probable vote) on the floor, 5/26

It's going to be busy next Tuesday, isn't it.

AB 233 - Income Tax: pet adoption costs - to the ASM second reading on 5/26
AB 241 -Dogs and cats: breeding for sale - In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
AB 242 -Dog fighting - hearing in ASM Appropriations on Thursday 5/28
AB 243 -Animal abuse: penalties - to the ASM second reading on 5/26
SB 250 -Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering - hearing in SEN Appropriations Thu 5/28
SB 318 -Dogfighting forfeitures - hearing in SEN Appropriations on Tuesday 5/26
SB 416 -Antibiotics - hearing in SEN Appropriations on Tuesday 5/26
AB 708 -Fish and wildlife: poaching -In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

It's going to be tough to speak out opposing both AB242 and SB 250 next Thursday. All hands on deck!

H$U$ Believed Over Experts

2009-05-22T02:43:00.000-07:00

CA AB 241 passed out of the Assembly yesterday on a 60:14 vote with 7 abstaining or absent. Sad, isn't it? So many legislators fooled by H$U$' machinations and half truths.

Well, on to the Senate and hopefully a better awareness of the true price tag attached to this Bill. ASM Nava said in the ASM Appropriations hearing that only 5 kennels will be affected ... wouldn't it be cheaper to just hire someone to inspect those 5 kennels on a regular basis? Especially when the bill analysis says puppy mill raids can cost $440,000. each? That would be $2.2 MILLION if those 5 kennels were all shut down.

Maybe the pols believe H$U$ will help California when those costs start adding up. Oh, wait. H$U$ spends 96% of its' funds on legislative efforts and campaigns - not animals who need help.

CA Bill Updates - Wednesday Evening

2009-05-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

You should be able to listen to the Assembly Floor broadcast tomorrow here. If not, go to the main Assembly URL and search through the listings; call an ASM office for more help if necessary.

Current status on pending animal bills in the California legislature:

CA SB 753 (Cedillo) Exotic animals: kangaroos ~ Hearing postponed by SEN Natural Resources & Water
CA AB 708 (Huffman) Fish and wildlife: poaching ~ Read second time. To ASM Consent Calendar
CA SB 609 (Hollingsworth) Importation of crocodile and alligator parts ~ in Assembly. Held at Senate Floor Desk.
Ca SB 536 (Hollingsworth) Commercial hunting clubs ~ pending further hearing in SEN Natural Resources & Water
CA SB 481 (Cox) Airports: wildlife ~ held at Senate Floor Desk.
CA SB 416 (Florez) Meat Products: antibiotics ~ re: school lunches; latest analysis http://tinyurl.com/pvvp7y ~ LOTS of opposition.
CA SB 318 (Calderon) Dogfighting forfeitures ~ to SEN Appropriations on May 26th
CA SB 250 (Florez) Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering ~ still in SEN Appropriations Suspense file
CA AB 243 (Nava) Animal abuse: penalties ~ passed thru ASM Appropriations today ~~ latest Analysis here
CA AB 241 (Nava) Dogs and cats: breeding for sale ~ to Assembly floor vote tomorrow
CA AB 242 (Nava) Dog fighting ~still in Suspense file
CA AB 233 (Smythe) ~ in ASM Suspense ~ latest analysis
CA AB 1437 (Huffman) egg bill ~ to Assembly floor vote tomorrow
CA AB 135 (Florez etc) Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking ~ 3rd hearing today in Assembly.
CA AB 1122 (Lieu) live animal sales ~ amended 5/14 ~ new Analysis (no opposition??)
CA ACR 74 (Portantino) Animal shelters: No Kill movement policies ~ printed May 19th.

Pondering Puppy Mills and H$U$

2009-05-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

I was going to post this series of short notes on Twitter, but think I'll put them here instead. First, though, two bills are currently scheduled for an Assembly Floor vote tomorrow:

AB 241 - Nava - Dogs and cats: breeding for sale
AB 1437 - Huffman
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance with animal care standards

Call and fax your Assembly Member tonight and ask them to vote NO on both of these bad bills.

The following thoughts are posted as I think about the implications of H$U$' actions last week. Wayne P's animal radicals tried to stop information from zooming along the Internet. Didn't work. Only made us angry - and for a lot of us, ready to take more action to stop the AR agenda. Here we go; open minds, please. Our previous thoughts and actions / inactions got us where we are today, all of us. If things are to change, the change must start within us.

No, that's not a political statement. Just the truth.

/rant_thoughts

H$U$ has enough attorneys to kill Twitter accounts, remove ground breaking news reports from Google, and delete videos from YouTube. We learned that this week.

H$U$ has enough money to bring and endorse almost 200 animal bills across these 50 states this year - including about ten (so far) in California.

H$U$ says laying hens are better off in groups of thousands, with attendant threats of cannibalism and disease, than in smaller cages where they're safer and happier (proven because they lay more eggs!).

H$U$ says a puppy mill has over 75, 50, 30, 20 or 11 breeding dogs. Yep, in Texas they're facing potential laws calling anyone with 11 intact bitches a commercial kennel - which H$U$ and PeTA say is a puppy mill. But... what is a puppy mill, anyway? Really? Are numbers the sole determining factor?

H$U$ told the California Assembly Appropriations Committee last week that VP Joe Biden bought his pup from a puppy mill. 'A horrible place with 5 citations!' No time was left in committee to tell the FULL story: that all charges were dismissed (see previous posts for details).

This was a USDA kennel licensed for over 250 dogs but handling just 91 dogs onsite. Imported from Europe and worth $5,000. to $10,000. each. There are two heated indoor swimming pools for the dogs on the property. Um.... I'm thinking this is not a puppy mill.

Another view on puppy mills - please just read, think & listen to this person's heart even if you disagree

If we let H$U$, PeTA and other ARs define who gets to breed dogs, cats, poultry, swine, horses, cattle, sheep... will we still live in America?

If we continue to let H$U$, PeTA and local ARs make animal control law, how long until ALL breeders and pet owners are scofflaws?

If we let H$U$ and other animal radicals dictate how critters are cared for ... how long before no one is 'good enough' to own a pet? Or a cow? Or a chicken?

/end rant_thoughts

No Kill Resolution in CA - ACR 74

2009-05-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

CA ACR 74 was just introduced yesterday. It is not a binding agreement and has no fiscal effect, but it's a great first step toward establishing the tenets of the No Kill Movement throughout California. I personally applaud the Assembly Member who presents it, ASM Anthony Portantino, and I'm going to call his office to say THANK YOU. How 'bout you?

Complete bill history is here.
Complete text is here.
Current status and all updates will be available here.

Read this bill all the way through; it establishes the credibility of the many
people and organizations that have been fighting MSN, 2007's AB1634
and the current crop of H$U$-PeTA-Farm Sanctuary etc inspired radical
animal rights bills.

From the Legislative Counsel's Digest at the top of the Resolution's text: ACR 74, as introduced, Portantino.
Animal shelters: No Kill movement policies.

This measure would urge local animal services agencies, local
animal shelters, agencies under contract to provide animal services,
societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and humane
societies to embrace the philosophy of the No Kill movement and 
implement its programs and services aimed at ending the mass
killing of sheltered animals.

Fiscal committee: no.

Texas - URGENT - Texas

2009-05-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

Middle of the night shenanigans in the Texas legislature. Read it and weep - then call, write, do something. Even if you live in California:

The “Other” Breeding Bill

Sen. Whitmire, the chairman of the above Criminal Justice Committee and sponsor of an identical breeding bill, took his campaign to place severe restrictions on kennels a step farther last week.

Whitmire essentially hijacked an unrelated House bill about licensing barbers (HB 2310, sponsored by Rep. Kuempel) and attached about two-thirds of his kennel bill to it as an amendment.

Then, Whitmire convinced the Senate leadership to suspend the rules, brought the bill up for a vote in the middle of the night, got it passed by the Senate and sent it back to the House for concurrence. The House already had passed the part about barbers.

Whitmire’s amendment restores the 11-dog definition of a commercial kennel, and does not include the amendment limiting the amount of compensation to a dissatisfied puppy buyer.

Notice, please, that a puppy mill in one bill is any kennel with 11 intact bitches. In another bill it's 50.

CA AB 241's numbers can be changed at the whim of a pol who listens to H$U$. Think about it.

Tomorrow and Wednesday

2009-05-17T18:31:00.000-07:00

Here we go - links to California Assembly and Senate Committee Members who need to hear from *you* before various hearings tomorrow and Wednesday (see previous post for dates):

CA AB 233 ~ ASM Revenue and Taxation

CA SB 318 ~ SEN Appropriations

CA AB 1122 & AB 243 ~ ASM Appropriations

Senator Cox needs to hear from you early Monday morning about CA SB 481, which is on the Senate Special Consent Calendar. This is the bill to allow California to hire bird abatement crews to decrease the chance of bird strikes (and get reimbursed by the airport, not the state).

CA ASM & SEN - Next Week's Hearings (as of 3pm today)

2009-05-15T15:05:00.000-07:00

Next week's hearing schedule:

Monday

AB 233 - ASM Revenue and Taxation
SB 318 - SEN Appropriations
SB 481 - SEN Special Consent Calendar

Wednesday

AB 1122 - ASM Appropriation
AB 243 - ASM Appropriations

CA Bill Updates

2009-05-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

Here we go - make those calls and fax those letters TODAY.

AB 1122 Lieu -(Coauthors: Eng and Jones)
- animal abuse: sale of live animals

amended today, 5/14/09 - removes reference to 'flea markets and renames the Bill.
next hearing: Wednesday May 20th in ASM Appropriations

AB 1437 Huffman (Principal coauthor: Senator Florez) (Coauthor: Tom Berryhill)
- Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance with animal care standards

to Assembly Second Reading - filed on Monday May 18th, item # 53

AB 233 Smyth (Coauthors: Adams, Bill Berryhill, Duvall, Garrick, Jeffries, Nestande, Silva, and Solorio) (Coauthors: Senators Maldonado and Strickland)
- Personal income tax: deductions: pet adoption costs

to ASM Revenue and Taxation - hearing on Monday, May 18th

AB 241 Nava
- Dogs and cats: breeding for sale

to Assembly Second Reading - filed on Monday May 18th, item #25

AB 243 Nava (Coauthors: Lieu and Portantino) (Coauthors: Senators DeSaulnier and Florez)
- Animal abuse: penalties

to ASM Appropriations - hearing on Wednesday May 20th

SB 318 Calderon
- Dogfighting forfeitures

to SEN Appropriations - hearing on Monday May 18th

SB 481 Cox (Principal coauthor: Senator Steinberg)
- Airports: wildlife

on SEN Special Consent Calendar - NO. 05 - file date: Monday 5/18th - item #98

AB 708 Huffman (Coauthor: Senator Strickland)
- Fish and wildlife: poaching

to ASM Second Reading - filed on Monday May 18th, item #86

Hear, View and Comment On Line about CA Bills

2009-05-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can listen to CA Assembly testimony as it happens? Yep!

You can both listen here and watch CA Senate testimony as it happens.

Note: I had a link here which went to the CA Assembly and purported to allow one to comment directly on bills to the Author. Apparently, however, it only works IF the bill author is a current Assembly Member and there are no other authors supporting the Bill. Why? Dunno. I'm disappointed in our State programmers.

If you still want to try to comment online, go to this link. If it works for you, it's an easy way to comment directly to the author of Assembly-sponsored California State Bill. All you do is enter the parameters you know: Bill Number or author. Then click Search, and at the bottom of the next page click COMMENT.

CA ASM Appropriations Committee Fails Californians

2009-05-14T08:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday two important animal bills got past the CA ASM Appropriations Committee:

AB 241 (Dogs and cats: breeding for sale), and
AB 1437 (Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance with animal care standards).

In each case, yesterday's final misleading or incomplete testimony by the H$U$ probably sent these atrocious bills off to the Assembly Floor.

AB 241 - H$U$ had the last word in testimony and stated that the breeder of VP Joe Biden's new puppy, Champ, received five animal control citations after he took his pup home. The FULL truth is:

After Biden got his pup, the kennel got SEVERAL visits from Animal Control due to 'anonymous complaints' and was cited, among other things, for a piece of kibble on the ground and five loose dog hairs.
Both Biden and the kennel owner have been subjected to numerous death threats and other crazy nastiness from animal radicals
ASM Appropriations did NOT get to hear the final Court decision on these citations:
"... Brown’s case was heard by District Justice James DeAngelo in South Coventry on March 31. She was found “not guilty” for each citation, the judge’s office confirmed Wednesday...."

Funny, isn't it. I know a number of people who faxed and called about what happened to this breeder to each of these Assembly members over the past few weeks...

AB 1437 - H$U$ again had the last word and said they supported the bill because they wanted egg laying hens to be healthier. This statement was made AFTER testimony citing UC Davis economic and Swedish laying hen health studies showing more hens die and more hens get sick on commercial free range egg farms.

Testimony was also given about California's WIC program recipients (Women Infants and Children). They won't be allowed eggs at all under AB 1437 unless current guidelines are changed. School breakfasts and lunches will also increase in cost ... but the Bill itself says this won't cost the State. Nope. Only the future health of our children and overburdened school budgets.

No date has been set for the full Assembly votes on either Bill. Great appreciation goes to the following Assembly Members who had the common sense to either not vote or vote against these Bills:

AB 241 - Voting NO: Assembly Members Nielsen, Duvall and Miller

AB 1437 - Voting NO: Assembly Members Nielsen, Charles Calderon and Harkey; Not voting, abstaining or absent: Assembly Members Duvall, Miller, Audra and Strickland

CA SB 250 - Suspended!

2009-05-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

Woo! I'll post details later but here are the bare bones results:

0 (zero) supporters spoke up
5 (five) opponents spoke up

Finances said there would be costs
Opponents said there would be costs
Sen. Runner confirmed with opponents that nowhere in the US has mandatory spay/neuter ever decreased shelter costs - it always gets worse.
Sen. Runner also confirmed with Finance that the state will get unfunded mandate costs, more cats & dogs will be abandoned, so those mandate costs will increase.

Then Sen. Runner asked Finance: so, local government can ask the State to pay for the increased costs?
Finance: yes

SB 250 will be thoroughly vetted by the Committee and voted up or down late in the month.

Methinks it's dead, Jim.

Upcoming Dates in Sacramento

2009-05-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

Mon 5/11
- CA SB 250 (Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering)
--- in SEN APPROPRIATIONS

Wed 5/13
- CA AB 241 (Dogs and cats: breeding for sale)
- CA AB 708 (Fish and wildlife: poaching)
--- both in ASM APPROPRIATIONS

Mon 5/18
- CA SB 135 (Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking)
- CA SB 318 (Dogfighting forfeitures)
- CA SB 416 (Antibiotics)
--- all in SEN APPROPRIATIONS

Current status
(as of this early Sunday afternoon for the other 6 bills currently being pushed by animal rights / animal radicals):

CA AB 1122 (Animal abuse: sale of live animals: flea markets)
~ ASM Appropriations
~ Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.
??? may be heard this week - Wednesday 5/13???

CA AB 1224 (Vehicles: hit and run violations: animals)
~ ASM TRANSPORTATION
~ Set first hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted.

CA AB 1437 (Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption..)
~ re-referred to ASM Appropriations.

CA AB 242 (Dog fighting)
~ Referred to ASM Appropriations suspense file.

CA AB 243 (Animal abuse: penalties)
~ Hearing postponed by ASM Appropriations committee.

May 6th - Calif Animal Bills

2009-05-06T16:22:00.000-07:00

Not counting the seal and marine bills (which I haven't looked that closely), there are EIGHTEEN animal bills currently being studied in our CA Senate and Assembly. Most are unnecessary intrusions into our lives:

AB 1122 (Lieu ~ Animal abuse: sale of live animals: flea markets)

AB 1224 (Eng ~ Vehicles: hit and run violations: animals)

SB 135 (Florez ~ Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking)

AB 1437 (Huffman, Florez, Berryhill ~ Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption: compliance)

AB 233 (Smyth etc ~ Personal income tax: deductions: pet adoption costs)

AB 241 (Nava ~ Dogs and cats: breeding for sale)

AB 242 (Nava etc ~ Dog fighting)

AB 243 (Nava etc ~ Animal abuse: penalties)

SB 250 (Florez ~ Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering)

SB 254 (Wiggins ~ Horses: sale, purchase, or transfer)

SB 318 (Calderon ~ Dogfighting forfeitures)

SB 416 (Florez ~ Antibiotics) ~ antibiotics in school lunches

SB 481 (Cox, Steinberg ~ Airports: wildlife)

SB 536 (Hollingsworth ~ Commercial hunting clubs)

SB 609 (Hollingsworth ~ Importation of crocodile and alligator parts)

AB 708 (Huffman, Strickland ~ Fish and wildlife: poaching)

SB 708 (Hollingsworth: Milk: pricing)

SB 753 (Cedillo: Exotic animals: kangaroos)

Today's AB 1122 was not voted on after all, and the author (ASM Lieu) will be meeting with opponents this week and next to fix it up. Hopefully he'll see that even though he does have good intentions - helping animals - animal radical groups including H$U$ and PeTA want to *use him* to further their own agendas (damning every pet breeder in the state for good measure).

Testing ... testing ...

2009-04-28T03:23:00.001-07:00

Can I post again?

Man, yesterday was crazy. I spent three HOURS calling legislators about all the animal rights-sponsored Bills being heard in Sacramento this week. This blog was locked because somehow someone - or some bot - decided it was a spam site. Or told Blogger it was. But it's open now, and all is right with the world.

Busy CA Legisl Week Ahead

2009-04-27T04:02:00.000-07:00

Search for most current info on each of these here (yes, it works for both CA Senate and Assembly Bills): http://tinyurl.com/da3whx

Bills heard today ~ Monday 4/27:

CA AB 1224 - in ASM Transportation (Vehicles: hit and run violations: animals)

Bills heard Tuesday 4/28:

CA AB 241 - in ASM Business and Professions (Dogs and cats: breeding for sale)
CA AB 708 - in ASM Water, Parks and Wildlife (Fish and wildlife: poaching)
CA SB 318 - in SEN Public Safety (Dogfighting forfeitures)
CA SB 135 - in SEN Public Safety (Animal abuse: cattle: tail docking)
CA SB 481 - in SEN Natural Resources and Water (Airports: wildlife)
CA SB 536 - in SEN Natural Resources and Water (Commercial hunting clubs)
CA SB 609 - in SEN Natural Resources and Water (Importation of crocodile and alligator parts)

Bills heard Wednesday 4/29:

CA AB 1437 - in ASM Agriculture (Shelled eggs: sale for human consumption...)
CA AB 243 - in ASM Appropriations (Animal abuse: penalties)

Bill to be heard next Monday May 4th:

CA SB 250 - in SEN Appropriations (Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering)

Tweet! Hearings!

2009-04-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

Yep, I'm on Twitter. If you want my links to current CA bills and their status, that's the place to go right now. I try to keep cool there and post opinions here... but it doesn't always work.

Next week California Assembly Committee hearings and votes on AB 241 and AB 243 will be on Tuesday and Wednesday - please BE THERE if you can. You know who you are. Monday May 4th is the next hearing for SB 250.

Find current status on these bills here (things change quick at the Capitol):

CA AB 250 - Dogs and cats: spaying and neutering - to be heard in SEN Appropriations on Monday May 4
CA AB 1122 - Lieu - Animal abuse: sale of live animals: flea markets - referred to ASM Appropriations
CA AB 241 - Nava - Dogs and cats: breeding for sale - to be heard in ASM Business and Professions on Tuesday April 28
CA AB 242 - Nava - Dog fighting - referred to ASM Appropriations
CA AB 243 - Nava - Animal abuse: penalties - to be heard in ASM Appropriations on Wednesday April 29

News I picked up here and there:

This last bit of info is animal related for several reasons, including SB 481 (Airports: wildlife) sponsored by Sen. Cox - find its' current status and other details here.

AB 1122 - no more cat or dog shows?!??!?!

2009-04-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

I re-read the amended AB1122; it's still bad law:

Since California law classifies all cat and dog shows as 'flea markets,' this Bill essentially eliminates all dog and cat shows in the state. Good thing that AKC decided to move the Eukanuba out of state, eh? Well, not for our economy. Long Beach and our state just lost about $65 mil over 3 years.

The Long Beach Chamber called AB1634 'job killer legislation;'
wonder what it thinks about AB 1122.

This Bill grants animal control officers the same power as police officers to issue criminal citations. This could be a big problem with ACOs who believe all pet breeders are eeevil, and all cat and dog show exhibitors are abusive.

AB 1122 allows said ACO (not a police officer) to file criminal charges against someone who walks across the street to give a stray kitten to a neighbor - hello rescues, are you listening?

No more carnival and school fairs giving away goldfish - it will be a crime if this Bill becomes a Law.

Since when should legislators make laws telling Californians where and when they have the right to sell their animals? Next they'll be introducing laws legislating who is allowed to buy 'em.

2009 - 180 Animal Rights Bills pushed by H$U$ and friends

2009-04-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

Truth: there are 180 animal rights bills are being pushed by H$U$ this year. So far. Silly Season is upon us. And I had so hoped the ARs would give up after the CA AB1634 debacle of past years... no, not really. sigh Insanity isn't cured over night.

I'll be updating this blog with new info on CA and federal animal rights industry activities as I find time. You can find info on nationwide bills right here, thanks to the Cat Fanciers Association.

Starting it off, here are just a few nasty bills currently making the rounds:

Several good sites for getting latest and greatest info, sample letters and fax/phone/email info:
PetPAC, SaveOurDogs, CFoDC, CarPOC, and the pet-law list on Yahoo!Groups.

Federal:

HR 669 no more pet gerbils, hamsters, ferrets, parrots, parakeets, salt water fish tanks, corn snakes and other small pets. Action needed by Thursday, 4/23!

California:

AB 1122 - no more dog or cat shows, no more goldfish won at school fairs, no more 4H animal events, no more talking about stud services or potential puppy sales when sitting in restaurants.. broad interpretation and vague on details. BAD.

AB 250 - One Strike Bill for dogs and cats (MSN after one citation that never needs to be proven).

AB 241 - Dog and Cat Statewide Ownership Limits (MSN for all cats & dogs when you have more than 50 animals kept for breeding or sale as pets. Have one too many? AC can take it! For resale and profit.

AB 242 - Dog Fighting: increased spectator penalties. Um, what if 2 dogs start fighting at a park and people see them? Big holes in this one. Dunno if it can be fixed. H$U$ sponsored, which raises Big Red Flags in my mind!

AB 243 - convicted animal abusers can't have animals. Big holes in this one too. Needs work. H$U$ sponsored. Again, hmmm...

AB 1437 - Shelled Eggs must ONLY come from free range chickens! Thanks to Prop 2 and H$U$' five lawsuits to keep UCDavis and others from speaking out, we now have this Bill. Not only can't we produce our CA eggs under the scientifically best conditions to produce quality, healthy food ... but AB 1437 says Californians cannot import eggs from out of state except those laid by free-range chix. The latest study conducted over a decade's time shows free range eggs results in increased hen mortality and more salmonella. Oh, goody.

test

2008-10-03T13:04:00.001-07:00

This is a test of the blogging system.

If this had been a real blog, links and other exciting stuff would have been evident.

heh

Blogged with the Flock Browser

We DID It!

2008-09-04T13:07:00.000-07:00

AB 1634 was soundly DEFEATED in the California Senate last month. YES!!!! The vote was 5 aye, 27 NO with 7 abstaining and 1 not present. I could hug every last one of those NAY voters (and those that abstained, too). Thank you Senators!

My apologies for not updating this site in so very long. That's on the to-do list now. heh Frankly it's been all I could do this past year and a half just to keep up with my various email lists, calling legislators and the Governator, and faxing, writing, emailing and visiting our Senators' Capitol offices.

We won this battle - but the war against the animals rights industry's agenda is far from over.

April Fools! Um, sadly no...

2007-04-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm going back over my links and it sure looks like I need to revise a *bunch* of stuff. But, I swear I tested it and it worked last week!! :( Sorry.... sigh. I'm still learning this blogging thing.

Things are starting to heat up in the fight against CA AB 1634 -- here are a few links for more information. The latest news - posted today of all days!! - is that the Act is now amended to really, truly demand spay/neuter for EVERY cat and dog. Virtually no exemptions, not even if you're bringing an animal into the state for a visit!

Want to learn about actual shelter statistics? SaveOurDogs.Net is a great site for that. Go here for great links and info... and the latest updates on the Pet Genocide Act

Here's the California Federation of Dog Clubs' site - many more good links and info

The NAIA Trust is an animal welfare/lobbyist website that often gets the latest news out first via its' newsletters and alerts

The place to find out what your local California pet owners are battling in the legal arena is here, on the YahooGroup! CAPet-Law

And for national news, check out the Pet-Law group. These folks are amazing! Their related website with tons more info is here.

April Deadlines

2007-03-27T00:08:00.000-07:00

The ill-named California Healthy Pet Act (AB 1634) will be heard on April 10th, the first day after the Assembly Members' spring recess. Go here for the full text. Write and make your calls now! The Assembly member roster is here, and info on the office of the Chief Clerk is here.

Be sure to attend the April 17th Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Meeting, starting at 2:30pm (click on Item 42, then read the PDF files in the right column). Right now it looks like the only topic for discussion is the Animal Overpopulation Ordinance. Get there real early and sign up to speak. The Board is expecting a HUGE turnout, and based on what I've heard the folks who want to "spay/neuter everything to save lives" crowd will be pulling out all the stops. If you want to tell Sacramento County what you think about the proposed cat and dog genocide ordinance (oops - did I say that?), call - write - attend!!!

Info on contacting all the Supervisors is here. The April meeting will be held at 700 H Street, Ste 1450 in Sacramento.

MSN Fails Again.. and again... and again...

2007-03-26T22:19:00.000-07:00

Want to know what *really* happens when mandatory spay/neuter ordinances are enacted? Check out an in-depth article from an animal rights/welfare organization posted this May. Their conclusion from studying the results of 8 MSN ordinances and 11 cities/counties with subsidized spay/neuter clinics:

"... funds devoted to breed permitting programs and compliance enforcement may be better used for subsidized spay/neuter clinics. Laws that target every dog and cat owner and attempt to limit most if not all breeding seem to result in decreased compliance and expensive permitting programs that are difficult to administer. These laws do not, in any event, appear to achieve the critical goals of reducing shelter intake and euthanasia rates."

More interesting thoughts:

"... According to the Journal of Veterinary Medical Association, the characteristics of most dogs who are left in shelters include lack of veterinary care, obtained at little or no cost, lives mostly outside, needs more care and attention than expected, comes from a family who are divorcing, moving, or has changed financial circumstances; is noisy, destructive, or soils the house.... Clearly, many of the reasons animals end up in shelters have nothing to do with breeding, but rather irresponsible pet owners who opt not to care for their animals. Only education and aggressive fostering and adoption programs will help resolve these situations."

Yep.

Do note, however, that the author recites the oft-repeated AR mantra that two dogs will produce 67,000 puppies and two cats birth 420,000 kittens within 6 generations. Um.... no. According to a study by the Cat Fanciers Association, using real-life cat stats:

"Realistically, over 12 years one unspayed female with all her unspayed female offspring can reasonably be expected to be responsible for over 3200 kittens if there is no human intervention."

I'm guessing the canine situation would be similar.

True Numbers

2007-03-26T01:22:00.000-07:00

Last week Sacramento City Animal Control finally provided some figures resulting from a HSUS audit:

Year 2000 - Intake: 20,482

Year 2006 - Intake: 9,841

That's a 10,641 *Reduction* or -52% over the past six years.

Now according to this audit, the number of euthanized dogs was 1,898 for 2006. In 2002, it was 4,133. That's a -54% reduction in dogs killed by AC over the past four years.

Does anyone else out there think it sounds like whatever programs are in place are already working?

Posts from the War

2007-03-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Freedom never is free, is it? We must be constantly vigilant against the steady, measured tramp of the enemy upon our most basic rights. Sometimes freedom is secured by reading between the lines... other times, by magnifying the words.

Read yesterday's Sacramento Bee article by Jim Sanders on Assembly Bill 1634, then check out the online comments . One major blunder in the Bill's construction was caught by a sharp-eyed reader:

(sec 122336.2). For a permit to be issued, "all" of the following have to exist: 1. Registration with AKC, etc; 2. Trained and qualified as a Guide or Service Dog.; 3. Trained and used as a Law Enforcement Dog by a Law Enforcement Agency; and 4. Vet's cert that the dog is too old/ill/etc to be altered.

Hmm.... I wonder how many AKC registered Chihuahua Service Dogs who occasionally work as federal drug detectors, and are either old or sick will receive breeding permits under this Bill?

Supporting Education

2007-03-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting idea while on one of my favorite Yahooo! Lists tonight - CAPetLaw. Actually there's a bunch of good thoughts posted there, some better than others. Check it out.

Another good Yahoo! group to visit for an overview of the national situation is PetLaw - a couple thousand souls strong and growing all the time. Posts are moderated for both Lists, but the ARs do get their say now and then to remind us why we're in the fight of our pet-owning lives. Oh, what they said about the Iditarod -!

Here are a few sites with something to say about Mr.Levine's AB1634:
www.NoPitbullBans.com
Fanc-E-Mews from the Cat Fanciers' Association
Pet-Law.com

Sac City, Sac County - and California

2007-02-28T09:19:00.000-08:00

I attended the Sacramento City Council meeting yesterday afternoon - what, you say? The City Council meeting? What happened to the County Board of Supervisors meeting?

Good question. I found out about a week ago that the BOS meeting was postphoned until April 17 (see Item 42), and that a County mediation meeting will take place tonight instead from 6-9pm. At the same time, I found out that Sacramento City and County Animal Control - and HSUS and a whole slew of other AR groups - put an animal overpopulation proposal on the City docket for vote yesterday afternoon!

Wow - talk about subterfuge... and even better, when I went to verify the Sac City Council Meeting agenda this morning, I found yesterday's agenda no longer online. Voting will now take place in about three weeks, I believe - but if I heard right, the public will not be able to comment again in session before the vote. Another interesting point: while the County meetings last year filled the chambers to overflowing, not even half of the City seats were taken. Again, I wonder if the public is aware of the proposals about to change their pet ownership rights.

The best (*cough*) news of all: AR legislators are now proposing mandatory spay and neutering for the entire state of California. I'm not the only one who's unhappy with this.

I wonder how much a kitten or puppy will cost in the Golden State ten years from now if these proposals are allowed to pass...

Making a Difference in Sacramento

2007-02-19T00:58:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will be revisiting the county shelter-proposed "Animal Overpopulation Ordinance" on February 27, 2007, at 2:30 p.m. (See Item #40 of the Action Summary for January 16, 2007)

Read the ordinance - tell all your neighbors - write, call, fax and email your opinion to the Clerk of the Board. Take the day off work and GO TO THE MEETING. Sign up to give a 3 minute talk on why government should not interfere with your property rights or right to privacy. Nothing says "we'll remember you next time we vote" like participating in the political process.

One strange thing I noticed: almost no one whose skin possessed a lot of melanin showed up at last year's public Board meetings for this proposal. Could it be that no one notified a substantial portion of the pet-owning community about this ordinance?

PeTA Wins... and Loses

2007-02-18T23:05:00.000-08:00

The PeTA Two were convicted of dumping trash illegally (dozens of dogs and cats which were euthanized as soon as the van carrying them pulled away from their former owners). According to the laws of the state, justice was served. All felony charges were dropped.

As a result of publicity generated by the case, one decades-long PeTA supporter wrote to an Animal Rightists' Google Group that he had removed PeTA as a beneficiary of his nearly $3 million life insurance policy. A PeTA representative responded that the organization was surprised at this since it's 'public knowledge' that animals it acquires are usually killed by the organization.

If it wasn't before, it is now....

Here's another blog I just found on canine politics. Check it out.

New Beginnings

2007-01-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

Did everyone have a great Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa celebration this past December? Great! Let's spring into the 2007 activities then.

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors will be meeting this February to discuss - you guessed it - pet ownership issues. PeTA, HSUS and the local veterinary animal rightist group AVAR will undoubtedly be there. Across the nation the reasonable, common sense ownership rights of dog and cat owners especially are being vehemently attacked by these and other groups. 2007 is already headed that direction as well.

Want more information on the Great Pet Ownership Deception of our day? Here are just a few links:
http://www.consumerfreedom.com/
http://www.activistcash.com/
http://www.animalrights.net/articles/2001/000229.html
http://www.saova.org

Supply and Demand

2006-11-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

Picture a youngster asking for a puppy in the HSUS-dominated world of 2040:

==========
"Mom, when are we going to get a puppy?"

"When we've saved enough money, sweetheart."

"When will that be?"

"When we can afford to visit Aunt Mindy."

"But she lives so far away!"

"I know, sweetheart. But she lives in the only state left where people can still raise dogs."

"Why can't we get a puppy at the Shelter?"

"We can do that, honey. It depends on what kind of puppies they've got, and that depends on how many dogs they took away from their guardians."

"Jerry got a puppy last month. Why can't we have a puppy now?"

"Jerry's parents took out a second mortgage on their house, honey. It costs a lot of money to adopt a dog."

"Mom, why are dogs so expensive anyway?"

"Well, dear, the Human Society of the United States helped everybody to realize how terrible it was to bring too many puppies and kittens into the world. Then they helped everyone to realize how awful it was to own dogs that were big. After that, they helped people to realize that it wasn't right to keep pets at all unless they were treated exactly the same as humans. That meant they had to be adopted, and adoptions cost a lot of money. "

"How much money, Mom?"

"Good question, dear. It costs a lot of money to pass the adoption inspections, and we'd have to hire someone to stay home with the puppy when I'm working - just like Mary stays with you. Dog nannies are very expensive. Puppies usually only go to homes where one parent works and one stays home. It's the same as adopting a human child."

"But Mom - dogs aren't humans, are they?"

"No dear. But they have the same right to a full-time caregiver just like you."

"Why, Mom? I mean, I know a puppy is just as important as any kid, but - do they really need a nanny?"

"Yes, dear, that's the law. But don't worry, sweetheart, HSUS has a big list of puppy nannies that we can choose from. We just have to save up the $10,000. adoption fee, set up a trust for the $2,000. yearly veterinary costs and save up the money for your puppy's life and health insurance needs. But it'll only cost about $100. a month for his HSUS dog food. That's about it for a puggle."

=========
HSUS adoption inspections. Guardianship. Mandatory spay/neuter. One state licensing dog breeders. No purebreds. Mandatory pet life and health insurance. And NO litters because all pets are altered before leaving the breeding station.

The next step, of course, is to outlaw pet ownership....

Random Steps Toward Recovery

2006-11-11T23:58:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here wondering how something as simple as a bum knee can keep my creative juices at bay. For some reason I've had no interest in updating this blog for the past week. Pain, yes - but it's not really that bad. Perhaps it's because I was focusing on the elections and getting angry at the extent of HSUS's pre-vote campaigning over the past couple of years. No links here tonight - I'm too unfocused to go searching for them right now, but they'll get added in later.

If I visited Sac City and the Bradshaw facilities tomorow, how many adoptable animals would I find? And... where would they have come from? Heard from one friend that a large, 75# male was transferred to one of our shelters from a Stockton location this past week. Another report states Los Angeles County shelters are possibly expecting an influx of dogs from out of state - and Mexico - before the end of the year. If true, what does this say about the California pet 'overpopulation' HSUS is so fond of trumpeting? Are we recovering from that issue?

When, by the way, is Sacramento County Animal Control going to turn in that report on shelter intake and outgoes that it promised to give the Board of Supervisors in the early 1990's - and again earlier this year?

Freedom is NOT free. This weekend we honor those men and women who sacrificed their ordinary lives to fight in America's battles. Bless them every one - and the families they left behind. Thanks to them, we have the freedom to create blogs like this, and to own the pets we wish to own.

In Beijing province in China as of this week it's illegal to own more than one dog. It's also illegal to produce more than one child. Are we heading that direction? Is that what our veterans have and are fighting for? Tell me - is it really constitutional to limit the number of pets one can own, if each one's needs are provided for?

What would happen if..... ?

2006-11-02T21:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a proposed ordinance passed? Would it do what its' creators wished? And... exactly what is the creators' agenda? What do they actually intend? Have they thought potential consequences through completely?

In Sacramento County, California, a recently proposed pet control ordinance could have fined anyone who fed several stray cats and their resultant kittens $1,500. for the first litter (assuming kittens were advertised 'free to good homes' on Craigslist, on the lunch room bulletin board or on posters at the mall). Subsequent litters would be fined even more - and if unpaid, the fines could be liened on homes or other personal property.

As written and if enforced, the ordinance would have heavily fined the time-honored giving of goldfish as awards at school fairs.

If passed, owners of intact dogs and cats (except recognized caretakers for feral cat colonies) would have paid increased license fees of $150. per year.

Every county veterinarian would have been required by law to report the intact or altered status of all pets receiving rabies vaccinations.

I listened and watched (8/15/06 video link is here) as presumably fair-minded, intelligent people spoke fervently to County Supervisors about the benefits of their proposed changes to existing pet laws. Seldom did anyone talk of better support for already-existing leash laws. Little mention was made of education for children and adults as to better pet ownership and responsibility.

The stated goal was to decrease the county animal shelter population. Yet... how could the obvious result of heavy fines burdening good citizens be overlooked or disregarded? How could they not see that when Veterinarians are required to snitch - yes, snitch - on owners who vaccinate their pets, the logical and inevitable result will be fewer pets inoculated against rabies?

Kudos to Sacramento's County Supervisors who sent this proposal back for an overhaul. They will be meeting to vote again on pet control ordinances this January. Stay tuned...

Your Vote Counts

2006-10-29T23:57:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, HSUS has an agenda that does not include the best interests of the American pet owner. It's not very happy with American farmers, hunters or fishermen and women either. And yes, HSUS-endorsed PACs (political action committees) are going full-out right now to back their preferred candidates.

Humane USA (directed by an HSUS employee), for example, has contributed $75,000. to support federal candidates so far - with Sen. Robert Byrd and Sen. Rick Santorum receiving the largest portions of those monies. It has also spent quite a bit opposing certain candidates, including Rep. Pombo and Rep. Doolittle in California.

Sad but true: certain American Kennel Club officers and board members have also contributed significantly to the campaign war chest of Sen. Santorum - sponsor of the PAWS bill which is both anti-hunting and anti-breeding.

You can find recommendations for each state's candidates here from the Sportsman's and Animal Owners' Voting Alliance. Interesting reading, IMO.

It's so easy to think our one vote doesn't really count in the grand scheme of things. Yet we know that, in reality, races and games are often won by slight differences, minor moves, one vote at the right time and place.

Be sure to vote this upcoming election - and be sure to think long and hard about who gets that precious vote. The candidates we elect now will be determining our future for many years to come - which in turn affects the world our kids and grandkids will live in.

Where do they really stand?

2006-10-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a topical question: how well do the actions of these employees reflect the ideology of their employer?

Next month two PETA employees will go on trial for killing over 30 animals and dumping most of them in a dumpster behind a store. The animals had been collected from veterinarians and animal shelters under the premise they would be 'rehomed' by PETA.

Earlier this week, two more PETA employees were caught doing wrong. This time pending charges are for grand larceny (theft of a hunting dog) and petit larceny (for removing and dumping its' radio tracking collar on the street). Ironically, the Animal Control officer who stopped the PETA-owned vehicle and recovered the dog was also its' owner.

A couple months ago I read a commentary which stated PETA killed more than 90% of the animals taken in by its' only shelter in 2005. Another, non-PETA shelter several miles away adopted out over 70% of its' inmates in the same time period.

From PETA.com I found this statement:

"We at PETA very much love the animal companions who share our homes, but we believe that it would have been in the animals' best interests if the institution of "pet keeping"—i.e., breeding animals to be kept and regarded as "pets"—never existed....This selfish desire to possess animals and receive love from them causes immeasurable suffering"

So, what do you think? What is PETA's true agenda? What is the true agenda of HSUS, a deep pockets organization which doesn't operate a single animal shelter? What is the true agenda of the animal rights movement? How do animal rightists hope to influence American politics and pet ownership? How have they influenced our society to date?

Do you think that a group which believes it would be best if "... the institution of "pet keeping ... never existed" can be trusted to guide the development of local, state and national animal control ordinances?

Trust - Belief - Hope

2006-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Whom do you trust? What do you believe? Why? How can you determine where someone - or some organization - actually stands on an issue? Where their heart is? These are challenges I hope to explore in this blog, especially as they relate to changing legal rights and responsibilities of pet ownership in America.

It is also my wish to provide hope for the future - examples of towns, cities and states that 'get it right.' Where the right to pet ownership is encouraged and not put on trial by groups with ... agendas.

Let's consider the world which the animal rights movement really wants to create for us and our children's children's children. My theory is that, ultimately, it is not what they're telling our local city councils and state governments.

Learn. Do. Teach. Mentor. That's my agenda. What's yours?

True Agendas

Long Time No Blog

California Legislative Schedule: nada till Aug 17th

I don't feel like it ... but I'll do it anyway

SB250 and SB318 - both on to new committees

Cow Tails and Hearing Cancellations

** Changes: SB250, SB318 heard TODAY ... AB241, 242, 243 heard Thursday July 2nd **

Buffalo

California Bill Updates as of 12 am on 6/29/09

SB250 - in ASM Biz & Prof Next Tuesday 6/30

Contractors, Direct Sales ... and animal rights???

AB 1122 this Tuesday ~ ASM Nava's Bills all to be heard next Tuesday, including AB241

Assembly Member Nava's three animal rights bills will all be heard next Tuesday in the Senate Public Safety Committee. That's AB241, AB242 and AB243.

Updates as of 3:30 am on 6/22/09

California Bill Updates as of 3:30 am on 6/19/09

Racketeering, RICO and Humane USA?

California Bill Updates as of 12 am on 6/17/09

California Bill Updates as of 2:30am on 6/12/09

California Bill Updates as of 1am on 6/11/09

Happy Tuesday

Pour It On!

I tried...

CA SB 250 - passed - on to Assembly

CA SB 250 - to Reconsideration Vote

This week in Sacramento...

Don't forget HSUS...

CA SB 250 - call, write, fax NOW

CA SB 250 goes to the Senate Floor

Inspiration

HSUS spends Million$ on...

HSUS, Michael Vick, Exposes and Politics

HSUS exposed - and what happened next

Next week's agenda will be FULL

H$U$ Believed Over Experts

CA Bill Updates - Wednesday Evening

Pondering Puppy Mills and H$U$

No Kill Resolution in CA - ACR 74

Texas - URGENT - Texas

Tomorrow and Wednesday

CA ASM & SEN - Next Week's Hearings (as of 3pm today)

Next week's hearing schedule:

CA Bill Updates

Hear, View and Comment On Line about CA Bills

CA ASM Appropriations Committee Fails Californians

CA SB 250 - Suspended!

Upcoming Dates in Sacramento

May 6th - Calif Animal Bills

Testing ... testing ...

Busy CA Legisl Week Ahead

Tweet! Hearings!

AB 1122 - no more cat or dog shows?!??!?!

2009 - 180 Animal Rights Bills pushed by H$U$ and friends

test

We DID It!

April Fools! Um, sadly no...

April Deadlines

MSN Fails Again.. and again... and again...

True Numbers

Posts from the War

Supporting Education

Sac City, Sac County - and California

Making a Difference in Sacramento

PeTA Wins... and Loses

New Beginnings

Supply and Demand

Random Steps Toward Recovery

What would happen if..... ?

Your Vote Counts

Where do they really stand?

Trust - Belief - Hope

Changes: SB250, SB318 heard TODAY ... AB241, 242, 243 heard Thursday July 2nd