AZAWAKH: Iférouane Idiiyat-es-Sahel

Iférouane Idiiyat-es-Sahel enjoys life, not realizing how precarious her rights are, to continue to be herself. Read about the oppressive legislation below.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

California: NO To AB 241 AB 241 Targets California Breeders Hearing scheduled on April 14th! April 9, 2009 California Assembly Member Nava has introduced AB 241, an increasingly familiar piece of legislation that would impose a cap of 50 on the number of intact dogs and cats that can be owned in California. It closely resembles anti-breeder legislation being pushed by HSUS in numerous other states so far this year where the centerpiece is typically an arbitrary number limit. AB 241 is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday, April 14th in the Assembly Public Safety Committee at 9:00 a.m. in State Capitol Room 126. Please plan on attending this hearing in Sacramento, if possible, to express your opposition and ensure that the voices of responsible pet owners and breeders are heard!

We would also strongly encourage you to email your Assembly Member using the talking points at NAIA, urging them to oppose this unfair and costly bill should it come to a floor vote.

SPECIAL NOTE: If you happen to be represented by a member who sits on the Public Safety Committee, please CLICK HERE to link to a special alert that will allow you to email them as a constituent and make extra impact. The committee members are: Chair Jose Solorio, District 69 Vice Chair Curt Hagman, District 60 Warren Furutani, District 55 Danny Gilmore, District 30 Jerry Hill, District 19 Fiona Ma, District 12 Nancy Skinner, District 14 Click here to find out who your representative is. Here's a quick breakdown of AB 241: * Prohibits anyone who sells dogs or cats to the public or at wholesale from owning, possessing, controlling or otherwise having charge or custody of more than a combined total of 50 intact dogs and cats. Creates a new crime of misdemeanor. * Allows peace officers, humane officers or animal control officer upon receiving a complaint or on their own motion to investigate a number cap violation. They may inspect the books and premises in which dogs or cats are bred or maintained during daytime operating hours. * Requires owners to sterilize, sell, transfer or relinquish animals above the cap and empowers officers to seize animals of those in violation. * Exempts animal shelters, pet stores, veterinary facilities, and research institutions. Click here to read the full text of AB 241. NAIA opposes number limits because they are arbitrary, unenforceable, vulnerable to court challenges and have never been successful in addressing irresponsible breeding or negligent rescue operations. Furthermore, it is the stated intent of HSUS to initially set number limits high to achieve passage, and then go back in subsequent years and pass legislation to gradually ratchet them down. Your action now can prevent animal rights activists from setting this dangerous precedent in California.