Dear Editor:
Regarding licensing: This question has been asked of Sen. Parson with no response: "What is the difference between a shelter and a pound?" and "Why is a pound exempted from the new license fee?"
Sen. Parson also said rescues would not be affected by SB113. Current licensing regulations group rescues with shelters. Rescues operate as non-profits and depend on donations to clean up messes caused by excess inventory from puppy mill busts. You can confirm with Matt Rold at the Department of Agriculture who he contacts when they are headed for a "puppy mill bust." Who will he call on for help if rescues are unable to operate because they can't cover their costs or take in enough donations from concerned citizens to cover the vet care and rehab of those puppy mill releases? Rescues must be exempted from the licensing fees just as pounds are being exempted.
Line 31: Regarding veterinary care. The annual exam by a veterinarian was removed and replaced with "two personal visual inspections annually" meaning the dogs will never receive a physical exam by a veterinarian.
Line 82: The temperature minimum and maximum requirements were removed and replaced with "protection from the extremes of weather conditions," which is no improvement over current regs and reverts back to the same vague language now within the ACFA. Even cities and counties around the country are establishing solid temperature guidelines for dogs that are chained or tethered outdoors. Why would that not be good for dogs confined to cages?
Line 91: Removing the housing requirements and reverting back to current ACFA regulations does absolutely nothing to improve the living conditions of the dogs.
SB113 is nothing more than a complete repeal of Prop. B under the guise of a "fix." The only thing it adds is the licensing factor to produce income for what Sen. Parson said would be, and I quote, "seven new officers (for the Department of Agriculture) to clean up the industry" but nowhere within SB113 is there any mention of seven new officers.
Before voting on SB113, take time to read the current ACFA regulations. They are far too vague (intentionally?) regarding the humane care and treatment of dogs. Under current regs cited as "... good enough, they only need to be enforced," the Department of Agriculture has no ability to take appropriate or immediate action.
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