Here is a link to this week's amended version of AB 1634: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bil ... n_v88.html .
The American Sporting Dog Alliance (http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org) is urging all Californians to act quickly to inform your senator that you remain opposed to this new legislation, and that the latest amendments have not changed your views. This bill has been assigned a floor manager, which usually means it will be quickly moved for a vote.
The urgency is underscored by consistent (but unconfirmed) reports that the American Kennel Club (AKC)has withdrawn its opposition to AB 1634, following the latest amendments by Rep. Lloyd Levine, the bill's author. Whether these reports are true or false may not be as important as the fact that the senators are being told they are true and believe that to be the case. We have had correspondence from two different senators stating this belief. If the senators believe that AKC does not oppose AB 1634, it is far more likely that the ones on the fence will vote in favor of it.
Please contact AKC President Dennis Sprung (dbs@akc.org), and government relations specialists Noreen Baxter (neb@akc.org)and Walter Bebout (wrb@akc.org) to urge AKC to renew its opposition to this legislation, and ask them to personally contact each California senator to let them know about it.
Here are the highlights of the new version of AB 1634:
The amended legislation creates civil penalties, such as its last version did. But they are different. For the first offense, the civil penalty is $50; for the second offense, the civil penalty is $100 and microchipping is mandatory; and for the third offense, spay/neuter is mandatory.
Any animal control officer, humane officer, police officer,
peace officer, or any agency authorized to enforce the Penal Code may
write citations with the above civil penalties stated.
The civil penalty would apply to anyone who owns a dog or cat that is not licensed, or anyone who owns an intact animal that is found to be roaming, or anyone who owns a dog or cat that is taken to an animal shelter or pound.
One significant new exemption is provided: "Any dog owner who is not a resident of California shall be exempted from this section if the owner provides proof, as determined by the local jurisdiction or its authorized local animal control agency, that the dog is temporarily in California for training, showing, or any other lawful reason."
The American Sporting Dog Alliance categorically opposes this legislation in its current form. It mandates a penalty of pet sterilization for alleged offenses that have nothing to do with whether or not an animal is intact. Thus, it makes anyone who owns an intact animal into a second class citizen.
PLEASE PASS THIS REPORT ALONG TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN, AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
Thank you. John Yates, asda@csonline.net , http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org .