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Legislative Alerts Know the issues Protect your rights as a responsible owner |
You should not examine legislation in the light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, but in the light of the wrongs it would do and the harm it would cause if improperly administered. Lyndon Johnson, 36th President of the U.S.
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" - Benjamin Franklin |
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April 12, 2008. The Dallas Chapter 7 Animal Ordinance Revision is on a fast track with the mayor saying he will get this passed within 30 days (from April 2)! The Dallas ordinance will mean the extinction of mixed breed dogs and cats in Dallas. Animal Services Director Willie McDaniel publicly stated that no Breeder Permits will be issued in residentially zoned areas, virtually making this a ban on all breeding! Read Proposed Ordinance The solution to animal problems is strict enforcement of existing leash laws, animal cruelty and animal nuisance laws; education in proper pet care and bite prevention; voluntary free and low cost pet spay/neuter programs; and aggressive off-site pet adoptions for impounded animals at Animal Services. SEND ONE EMAIL TO ALL CITY OFFICIALS. Click the bar below and cut and paste a talking point into the email. PLEASE DO NOT SEND REPEATED, MULTIPLE EMAILS! THANK YOU 
TALKING POINTS: • We oppose all Chapter 7 Animal Ordinance Revisions as written and as may be amended in the future. This ordinance is fundamentally flawed and cannot be fixed with amendments. • This ordinance clearly demonstrates the national “animal rights” legislative agenda to end all use, breeding and ownership of animals, and was not written to address Dallas animal problems. Their extreme agenda is an assault on the human/animal bond. • This legislation will not reduce strays and will double or triple the annual budget for Dallas Animal Services. • Followed to the ultimate conclusion, this ordinance means mixed breeds will become extinct. People will be forced to buy only registered dogs and cats that the Animal Services director decides can exist in Dallas. This ordinance does not address animals imported from out of state for resale nor the auction of animals. • Animals are legally personal property although there are those who are trying to change this law in our court system. The spay/neuter provision in this ordinance for 4 month old dogs and cats is comparable to ovariohysterectomies for 3 year old girls and castration for 3 year old boys. There will be a lack of hormones for mental and physical development. • The ordinance places the brunt of enforcement for Breeder Permits on Dallas dog and cat fancy clubs who will have to furnish their club membership lists to Animal Services. “Mandatory Spay/Neuter of all dogs and cats over 4 months of age unless each animal has a $500 annual Breeder Permit has qualifications that the dog must be registered with a national registry (approved by the director) and whose owner must be a member of a purebred dog or cat club (also approved by the director). The club must have a code of ethics which restricts breeding dogs and cats with genetic defects and life threatening health problems for approval by the director.” The clubs will not do this. • Since the director must approve of any national registry and club when applying for a Breeder Permit, this opens the door for breed specific decisions which would be in violation of state law prohibiting same. • There are many assistance, hunting and other working dog breeds that can’t be spayed or neutered because it ruins their basic working capabilities. This is supported in a study by Canine Companions for Independence. Most working breeds can’t be evaluated for capabilities until they are close to 2 years old. • This type legislation has failed where passed 15 years ago: San Mateo County, CA; King County, WA; Montgomery County, MD. It hasn’t been successful anywhere in spite of what you have been told. • Pet limits mean fewer homes for dogs and cats. The existing Dallas ordinance with no pet limits should be preserved as a reasonable approach which allows any number of animals to be kept unless they are abused, neglected or become a nuisance. • Robert (Skip) Trimble, chairman of the Dallas Animal Shelter Commission, received the “2001 Activist Award” from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) September 8, 2001. PETA has a “No Birth Campaign” to end all breeding of pets and considers pet ownership to be slavery. • “Animal Rights” activists say they have pets and are their “guardians” (not owners) but where will future pets come from if there is no breeding allowed? • It’s unenforceable without controversial and costly door-to-door enforcement to check for sex organs on dogs and cats and will ultimately mean more animals will be relinquished to local shelters and Animal Services. • This type legislation is discriminatory to low income pet owners and will result in these pet owners giving up their pets to be killed at Animal Services. • This anti-pet legislation is vehemently opposed by dog and cat fanciers who would feel their annual shows are not welcome in your city and would have a major economic impact should they leave. National and international exhibitors spend millions of dollars at area businesses each year. • Pet owners will go underground and won’t purchase pet licenses, breeder permits, nor get Rabies Vaccinations and eventually this will create a public health threat. • “Permits” make animal owners a target and mean permission is granted to enter premises at any time without a search warrant. Breeders, rescuers and those who foster animals in their homes are already regulated by animal nuisance, animal cruelty and leash laws and resent this unwarranted intrusion by city employees. • Is the city of Dallas ready to face the liability of ill effects from spay/neuter, such as death of a beloved pet from anesthesia and significant behavioral and health risks, such as osteosarcoma (bone cancer), cardiac hemangiosarcoma, obesity, hypothyroidism, progressive geriatric cognitive impairment, prostate cancer, urinary tract cancers, orthopedic disorders, urinary incontinence in female dogs, and other issues? This should be a decision made by the pet owner with their veterinarian – not city government. • Tethering & Pen Confinement: A Cornell University study entitled “A Comparison of Tethering and Pen Confinement of Dogs” to determine whether tethering was detrimental to the dog’s welfare compared general activity and specific behaviors and concluded there was no improvement in welfare in pens. There was no difference in aggression or play. Requiring a 150’ pen for a Chihuahua or other small dogs is ridiculous. |