LA Mandatory S/N Lawsuit Update - 3-21-08

 

Virginia HB538

Key Points

HB 538 was heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee this (Monday) AM.
Because of the controversy, the vote on the bill was put off for a
week.

Lawmakers hate it when a bill starts to smell controversial.
'Controversial' means that no matter how they vote they will lose some
votes back home. They don't like that, and start to think about ways
to ditch the whole thing.

When this happens what you do is make EVEN MORE contacts. Pour it on,
politely and factually. Either we win, or the ARs fight back and we
get that nasty CONTROVERSY and we win anyway.

Because the big issue is "How am I gonna deal with the folks back
home?" contacts from constituents of the Senators on the Committee are
the most important. HSUS is pouring a lot of money into this fight,
with four rent-a-lobbyists, a couple of their own, and a whole bunch
of Virginia ARs, helping them. We're probably fighting close to a
dozen suit-and-tie ARs on this one, plus the VVAW rabble and other
bottom feeders from the AR food chain.

BUT VOTERS BEAT ARS, IF those voters tell their Senators what they
want.

Eleven key points:

1. HB 538 will put all larger commercial dog breeders in Virginia out
of business. (Cap of 50 dogs 'for breeding purposes.')

2. Commercial puppies (about 20% of our total supply) will be replaced
by new importing (VA law doesn't apply to out of state), and new
smaller in-state breeders.

3. Because expensive regulations will apply over 29 bitches, the only
truly legal breeding will be by small 'extra money' home operations.
The other small breeders who start will be 'puppy moonshiners,' doing
it in hiding: 100-200 bitches is small enough to hide and portable
over a weekend.

4. Enforcing VA laws against the moonshiners is going to be far more
difficult and expensive than managing the few dozen much larger,
established and well-known locally commercial breeders we have now.

5. Virginia isn't going to give the localities a nickel to do the
extra enforcement -- this is an unfunded mandate, pure and simple.
That means it's going to be paid for out of your local taxes.

6. What if the breeders who are put out of business decide to sue?

7. The moonshiners and importers (some of them pickup truck gypsies
selling at flea markets) will cause us more 'puppy lemon' problems.
How will THOSE laws be enforced, when the sellers are 'here at noon,
gone by four' or hiding back in the woods?

8. Lower average dog quality -- illegal breeders will be selling them
at four weeks, you bet -- will mean more dogs winding up in shelters.
Your taxes at work AGAIN.

9. The moonshiners and gypsies won't be collecting sales tax or paying
income tax, either. So more of the bite will fall on YOU.

10. Basically, HB 538 should be called the "Virginia illegal dog
breeding industry creation act."

11. And when the mess caused by HB 538 starts to really stink -- say
about two years after the new law goes into effect -- the HSUS
solution will be "We need a NEW, TOUGHER law to regulate all those
small breeders!" Guess what'll happen to us hobby breeders then?

To read the bill itself, go to:

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+sum+HB538

and click the lowest blue line under 'Fill text:' That will be the
latest version that's on-line; we don't have the minor changes from
this morning, yet.

IF YOU ARE A BREEDER WHO WILL BE HURT BY THIS BILL, YOU SHOULD TRY TO
GET TO RICHMOND BY FRIDAY TO TALK TO YOUR SENATOR. Call, tell his
office that you are a constituent (magic word -- it gets you the red
carpet!) and would like to make an appointment.

But ALL PET LOVERS should oppose HB 538. If you're just a pet owner,
don't you want to have your choice of puppies bred legally, out in the
open? Don't you hate things that mean higher taxes but don't do any
good? Cats aren't in there, but don't you think they will be when the
bill is 'fixed' in a couple of years?

We should all try to visit our Senators if possible -- visits are way
the most effective. Phone calls are second most powerful; if you are
a constituent ask to speak to the Senator himself. Letters are third
in line. Emails are also helpful.
 

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR VA SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE

Chairwoman
Patricia S. Ticer
district30@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7530
Fax: (804) 698-7651

John Watkins
district10@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7510
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Mary Margaret Whipple,
district31@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7531
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.
district24@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7524
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Wm. Roscoe Reynolds,
district20@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7520
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Frank M. Ruff, Jr.
district15@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7515
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Phillip P. Puckett
district38@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7538
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Harry B. Blevins
district14@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7514
Fax: (804) 698-7651

R. Creigh Deeds
district25@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7525
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Mark D. Obenshain
district26@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7526
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Ryan T. McDougle
district04@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7504
Fax: (804) 698-7943

A. Donald McEachin
district09@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7509
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Chap Petersen
district34@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7534
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Ralph S. Northam
district06@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7506
Fax: (804) 698-7651

Richard H. Stuart
district28@sov.state.va.us
Phone: (804) 698-7528
Fax: (804) 698-7651