CFA Info

CFA Legislative ALERT

WISCONSIN FANCIERS

• The Pet Facilities Bill - Wisconsin AB 365 - Update, February 14, 2004.
• Update - November 1, 2003

Assembly Bill 536 was not on the agenda for the October 30, 2003 Joint Senate and House Agriculture Committee meeting and is not scheduled for further action. However, this bill will carry over to 2004 and/or there may be another bill introduced. Fanciers in Wisconsin should continue to make their Senate and House representatives aware of our reasons to oppose this legislation and be prepared to take action against the bill next year.

October 24, 2003.

TO: Wisconsin cat fanciers, rescuers and others with friends/relatives in the state. TAKE ACTION.

AB 536: The Pet Facilities Bill will impact conscientious breeders of pedigreed cats/purebred dogs and others who sell or adopt directly to the public 25 or more mammals per year (called "Pet Dealers"). The bill also will regulate "Pet Breeders", those who sell for resale and are already licensed by the US Department of Agriculture through the Animal Welfare Act. The bill includes rescuers as well as pet stores, boarding/training kennels and animal shelters and has just been amended to include "Pet Dealers" who sell reptiles, amphibians or birds.

PENALTIES for operating without a license can mean fines up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment up to 9 months. Violation of the promulgated rules can mean up to $1000 for a first offense, and each animal constitutes a separate violation.

COSTLY for Wisconsin taxpayers, this Bill will not accomplish what is important to all of us - humane treatment of ALL animals. Properly trained Humane Officers in local jurisdictions can achieve this through strict and just enforcement of Wisconsin State cruelty laws State money should be spent where it will help animals most and not burden taxpayers to pay for repeat and unnecessary inspections. AB 536 will have no impact on the "hoarding" of animals nor animal abuse occurring in a variety of non breeding or sheltering environments.

CONSCIENTIOUS HOBBY BREEDERS PROVIDING HOME-RAISED CATS/DOGS WILL BE DISCOURAGED IN WISCONSIN - ONLY COMMERCIAL FOR-PROFIT BREEDERS WILL BE LEFT. AB 536 is not in the best interests of Wisconsin pet lovers.

ACTION: The Joint House and Senate Agriculture Committee will meet October 30th to vote on this Bill, which could be further amended and/or next considered by the Senate. Let your Assemblyman and Senator know that you oppose AB 536. Write to Governor Jim Doyle and the Committee members. Ask friends and relatives to do the same.

BACKGROUND:

The Pet Facilities Law was passed as part of the State Budget Bill (2001-2002). As a result of budget concerns and strong opposition, Former Governor McCallum vetoed the funding and penalty provisions rendering the law unenforceable. Finally the current Governor James Doyle this year REPEALED the remainder of the facility inspection and licensing provisions in his 2003-2004 State Budget Bill. THERE IS NO FACILITY LICENSE LAW NOW in Wisconsin. There is a state animal cruelty law and dog tax/licensing.

Animal activists, led by the "Puppy Mill Project" and others, again urged reintroduction of the Pet Facilities License and Inspection sections and there is currently a long list of legislative co-sponsors. ALL breeders - commercial or hobbyists - have been portrayed as "puppy mills" needing inspections and regulation. Proponents claim that response to public complaints will trigger inspections and ensure compliance. Inspectors will not be trained humane officers.

WHY CFA RECOMMENDS OPPOSITION:

**AB 536 is too broad - Hobby Breeders with conscientious breeding programs would be subjected to initial inspections of their homes, unknown fees, inappropriate commercial standards, burdensome record keeping and probable harassment associated with further inspections resulting from such a "complaint driven" law.

**The threshold number of 25 would subject non-commercial breeders, who raise pedigreed cats as part of a planned breeding program and sell directly to the public, to inspections of their homes and bedrooms. These people are not profit making businesses with separate commercial "facilities". The USDA, supported by the courts, has rejected this concept on the federal level and so should Wisconsin.

**Hobby breeders are the best source of fine pedigreed/purebred kittens and puppies and should be encouraged, not deterred.

**AB 536 is modeled after Colorado where many hobby breeders have discontinued their work to preserve their breeds. Colorado started with a threshold of 24 and now requires licensing for anyone breeding more than two litters/year. Only eight cat breeders are currently licensed in the entire state.

**Cost estimates to enforce AB 536 and projected income are not realistic or supported by any reliable data. In Colorado inspections cost $200 each. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has no way of knowing how many inspectors will be required nor how many potential licensees actually exist.

**Duplicating the USDA required inspection of commercial breeders who sell for resale will unnecessarily burden the state and be redundant as well as costly.

**The recently passed Wisconsin law that provides for properly certified humane officers in local jurisdictions will allow counties to better deal with inhumane conditions and enforce the existing animal cruelty provisions in state law.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Joint House and Senate Agriculture Committee will decide whether to approve AB 536 by October 30, after which it may move to the Senate for consideration. Fanciers should fax or mail letters (e-mail is not recommended) to their own Representatives and Senators, with copies to members of the Agriculture Committees and to Governor Jim Doyle. Find your legislators and their contact information by going to http://222.legis.state.wi.us/ and clicking on "Who are my legislators?"

Governor Jim Doyle
Office of the Governor, 115 East State Capitol, Madison, WI 53702
Telephone: (608) 266-1212; FAX (608)267-8983

WISCONSIN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Committee on Agriculture

• Alvin Ott, Chairperson - Room 318 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-5831 or (888) 534-0003, Fax - (608) 282-3603

• Mary Williams, Vice Chairperson - Room 18 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-7506 (no fax listed)

• John Ainsworth, Room 309 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-3097, Fax - (608) 282-3606

• Jerry Petrowski - Room 4 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-1182 or (888) 534-0086 (no fax listed)

• Steve Kestell - Room 17 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-8530; Fax - (608) 282-3627

• Scott Suder - Room 21 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 267-0280 or 888) 534-0069 (no fax listed)

• J. A. Hines - Room 10 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-7746; Fax - (608) 282-3642

• Gabe Loeffelholz - Room 317 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-1170 or (888) 872-0049 (no fax listed)

• Debi Towns - Room 302 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-9650 (no fax listed)

• Barbara Gronemus - Room 114 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-7015 or (888) 534-0091; Fax - (608) 282-3691

• Joe Plouff - Room 306 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-7683 or (888) 529-0029; Fax - (608) 282-3629

• Larry C. Balow - Room 126 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-9172 or (888) 534-0068; Fax - (608) 282-3668

• Amy Sue Vruwink- Room 412 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-8366 or (888) 534-0070; Fax - (608) 282-3670

• Tom Hebl - Room 304 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8952, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-7678; Fax - (608) 282-3646

• John Steinbrink - Room 307 West, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 266-0455; Fax - (608) 282-3665

• Louis J. Molepske, Jr. - Room 122 North, State Capitol, P.O. Box 8953, Madison 53708
  Telephone - (608) 267-9649 or (888) 534-0071; Fax - (608) 282-3671

WISCONSIN SENATE - Committee on Agriculture, Financial Institutions & Insurance

• Dale W. Schultz, Chairperson, Room 18 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882,
  Telephone - (608) 266-0703 or (800) 978-8008; Fax - (608) 267-0375

• Ronald W. Brown, Room 104 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882
  Telephone - (608) 266-8546 or (877) 763-6636; Fax - (608) 267-2871

• Neal J. Kedzie, Room 313 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882
  Telephone - (608) 266-2635; Fax - (608) 282-3551

• Julie M. Lassa, Room 3 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882
  Telephone - (608) 266-3123 (no fax listed)

• David Hansen, Room 319 South, State Capitol, P.O. Box 7882, Madison 53707-7882
  Telephone - (608) 266-5670 or (866) 221-9395; Fax - (608) 267-6791

Anna Sadler, CFA Legislative Information Liaison can help with additional information or points to make in your letters. Cobeana@aol.com

There is not much time!!! Write today and contact Wisconsin friends/family.

Joan Miller
CFA Legislative Coordinator

To correspond with the CFA Legislative Committee, please send email to legislation@cfa.org