Dana Johnson Legislative Director
Becca Riggs Deputy Legislative Director
Michelle Kramer Deputy Legislative Director for Website Development
Ban the Deed not the Breed Magnets and Donations. Support our cause and speak your mind or donate.
More...
Paws4Laws is a nationwide project to help you communicate with your local legislators about anti-canine legislation
Breed Specific Legislation is Like Racial Profiling
BSL punishes dogs for being a certain breed rather than their deeds. It is designed to place restrictions on owning specific breeds of dogs. The most common kind of breed specific legislation completely bans all dogs of a certain breed. This means that all dogs of the banned breed must be removed from the area or euthanized. More...
Many documents
on the site are published as PDF's. You will need Adobe Reader to be able to view them. If you need to download the software, visit Adobe.
Site best viewed in Internet Explorer v5+
Florida - Palm Beach County
http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3403
Palm Beach County, FL Considers Mandatory Spay/Neuter and Hobby Breeder
Licensing
[Thursday, January 10, 2008]
On January 15th, Palm Beach County Commissioners are scheduled to hold a
first hearing on a proposed ordinance which will make drastic changes to
the animal control ordinance, dramatically impacting responsible owners
and breeders. Although the County Commission directed staff to begin
drafting this ordinance back in April of 2007, an amended draft was
posted to their website only on January 8th. Furthermore this is only a
draft and may still be amended prior to the January 15th meeting.
Concerned dog owners are asked to immediately call the county
commissioners and request that consideration of the ordinance be
postponed until the February 5th meeting to allow for sufficient public
review. Please click here for the County Commissioners contact
information.
The ordinance will impose mandatory
spay/neuter of any dog over the age
of 6 months unless the owner qualifies for and purchases a $75 intact
animal license, or declares in writing that the dog will not be used for
breeding. The ordinance will further require hobby breeders, defined as
any individual that produces up to 2 litters or 19 dogs per calendar
year, to buy a permit and to submit to home inspections. Neither the
proposed ordinance nor the existing fee schedule list what the fee for
this permit will be.
Key points of the legislation:
* Qualifications for the intact animal license include:
o Registered purebred and the owner certifies in writing that
the animal is being used, trained or considered for use in a show,
sporting competition or competitive event.
o A veterinarian certifies that the dog is medically unfit to
be sterilized or:
o Dog is a current law enforcement animal or service/guide
dog or;
o The owner declares in writing that the animal is not to be
used for breeding unless an appropriate permit is obtained from the
department.
* Requires hobby breeders to purchase a permit that:
o Limits hobby breeders to 2 litters, or fewer than 19 dogs
bred or sold in a calendar year (would count any animals retained for
your own use).
o Requires that animal control be allowed to inspect the
breeders’ premises, without establishing standards or requiring specific
training in animal husbandry for the inspectors.
o Mandates that each animal must be licensed individually as
well ($75 for intact license and $15 for sterilized animals).
o Provides that icenses may be revoked for breeding an animal
with a known genetic fault, although there is no clarification on what
qualifies as a genetic fault.
* Mandatory microchip for any animal adopted or released from a
shelter, even on a first offense.
Breeder licensing fees place an undue burden on responsible breeders and
owners and fail to address irresponsible individuals who neither comply
with existing law nor will comply with new regulations. Such fees
therefore punish responsible breeders who give the care and attention
that puppies need in order to grow into healthy, well-adjusted
companions and neighbors. Responsible local breeders also provide a
support system to new owners; assisting them with housebreaking,
training questions, behavior issues and basic new puppy care inquiries.
Mandatory spay/neuter is an ineffective solution to animal control
problems because it fails to address the heart of the
issue—irresponsible ownership. Mandatory spay/neuter laws are extremely
difficult to enforce and can be evaded by irresponsible animal owners by
not licensing their pets. More regulations increase the workload of
already financially strained animal control offices, making it even more
difficult for them to perform their duties.
The AKC believes the answer to population issues is strict enforcement
of leash and nuisance laws, rather than passage of new burdensome
regulation. The key to resolving this issue is to implement and expand
the wide range of programs available to educate the public about
responsible breeding and animal ownership practices.
What You Can Do:
* Please call the commissioners at the numbers listed below and
request that they postpone consideration of the ordinance until February
5th.
* Attend the Commission Meeting January 15th 10:30 am
301 N. Olive Avenue, 6th Floor
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
* Please contact the Mayor and City Council members and ask them to
oppose this ordinance.
Mailing address for all County Commissioners
301 N. Olive Avenue
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Commissioner Karen Marcus, District 1
(561) 355-2201
877-930-2201
(Toll Free outside the West Palm Beach calling area)
Fax: 561-355-6094
KMARCUS@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Jeff Koons, District 2
(561) 355-2202
877-930-2202
(Toll Free outside the West Palm Beach calling area)
jkoons@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Robert J. Kanjian, District 3
(561) 355-2203
877-930-2203
(Toll Free outside the West Palm Beach calling area)
BKANJIAN@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Mary McCarty, District 4
(561) 355-2204
(561) 276-1220
(South County)
MMCCARTY@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Burt Aaronson, District 5
(561) 355-2205
877-930-2205
(Toll Free outside the West Palm Beach calling area)
BAARONSO@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Jess R. Santamaria, District 6
(561) 355-6300
877-930-2206
(Toll Free outside the West Palm Beach calling area)
jsantama@co.palm-beach.fl.us
Commissioner Addie Greene, District 7
(561) 355-2207
(561) 276-1350
(South County)
Agreene@co.palm-beach.fl.us
For further information please contact:
AKC Canine Legislation Department
doglaw@akc.org
919-816-3720
Florida Association of Kennel Clubs
Dmakinney@aol.com