STRICT OHIO BREEDER BILL TO BE HEARD ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

STRICT OHIO BREEDER BILL TO BE HEARD ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

[Monday, September 28, 2009]

A substitute version of Ohio House Bill 124 will be heard by the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, September 30.

The AKC is concerned with many provisions within the substitute version of House Bill 124, including, but not limited to:

Broad definition of "Regulated Dog Intermediary". Anyone who sells, exchanges, donates, or gives away at least nine dogs a year or sells or gives one dog to a pet store is subject to a $500 annual license fee.. This definition also does not exclude breeders, and it is unclear if those who acquire a dog breeding kennel license must also obtain a regulated dog intermediary license.

Arbitrary, unenforceable kennel requirements and standards of care. The detailed requirements outlined in this bill are nearly impossible to enforce and do not account for the varying needs of different dog breeds or the enormous costs to responsible breeders.


Little breeder representation within Kennel Control Authority Board. Besides one member "in good standing of a national breed parent club of the American Kennel Club", breeders have no representation on the board that will=2 0set the standards of care, oversee licensing, and conduct inspections.

Extensive cost to Ohio taxpayers. The bill creates a new board to oversee implementation and inspections, which the Ohio Legislative Service Commission reports will cost the state hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to maintain.

For a copy of the substitute version of the bill, please click here.

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) believes dog owners bear a special responsibility to provide proper care and humane treatment to their canine companions at all times and abhors all forms of animal cruelty. We also beli eve, however, that any bill seeking to protect the health and welfare of dogs should be reasonable, enforceable, and not infringe on the rights of breeders who take their responsibilities seriously.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Attend the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee meeting to express your opposition to House Bill 124 as introduced. Although no vote is scheduled to be taken at this time, testimony will be taken. The hearing details are as follows:
Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Ohio Statehouse
Room 018
77 S. High Street
Columbus,20Ohio 43215
*Cash is required for parking


Contact the members of the committee and politely express your opposition to House Bill 124 as substituted.
Please click here to view a sample letter to personalize and send.
Please click here to view a sample phone script.

The committee contact information is as follows:

Representative John Domenick (Chairman)
Phone: (614 ) 466-3735
Email: district95@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Allan Sayre (Vice Chair)
Phone: (614) 466-8035
Email: district96@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Jeff Wagner (Ranking Minority Member)
Phone: (614) 466-1374
Email: district81@ohr.state .oh.us

Representative Richard Adams
Phone: (614) 466-8114
Email: district79@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Linda Bolon
Phone: (614) 466-8022
Email: district01@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Troy Balderson
Phone: (614) 644-6014
Email: district94@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Terry Boose
Phone: (614) 466- 9628
Email: district58@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Timothy Derickson
Phone:

Ohio Dog Auction

The next Ohio Dog Auction is scheduled for Wed., October 7 (will include 389 dogs consigned from 12 PA kennels), 2 PM at Farmerstown Sale Barn in Farmerstown, OH.



Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

1. Wed., October 7, 2009 Buckeye Dog Auction. Below is a summary of the *389 companions (89 males, 300 females; all dogs under four years of age) expected to be placed on the auction block beginning next Wednesday at approximately 2:00 PM:

BREED
MALES FEMALES
Affen Pincher 0 0 0
Bichon Frise 49 4 45
Boston Terrier 3 2 1
Cairn Terrier 9 1 8
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 3 3 0
Chihuahua 14 5 9
Cocapoo 1 0 1
Cocker Spaniel 9 1 8
Collie 0 0 0
Coton De Tulear 0 0 0
English Bulldog 0 0 0
Fox Terrier 0 0 0
French Bulldog 1 1 0
Golden Retriever 0 0 0
Havanese 22 2 20
Havanese Mix 1 0 1
Japanese Chin 0 0 0
Lhasa Apso 10 4 6
Maltese 36 9 27
Mini Dachshund 27 3 24
Mini Pincher 2 2 0
Mini Schnauzer 11 0 11
Mixed Breeds 0 0 0
Papillon 0 0 0
Parti Poodle 5 1 4
Pekingese 3 0 3
Pomeranian 4 2 2
Poodle (Toy and Mini) 36 9 27
Poodle (Standard) 1 1 0
Pug 6 3 3
Schnauzer 0 0 0
Shetland Sheepdog 3 0 3
Shibu Unu 0 0 0
Shih Tzu 53 10 43
Silky Terrier 3 3 0
Toy Fox Terrier 0 0 0
Parti Yorkshire Terrier 2 2 0
Biewer Yorkshire Terrier 1 0 1
West Highland White Terrier 15 4 11
Yorkshire Terrier 59 17 42
TOTAL 389 89 300


*South Central PA breeders with consigned dogs at this sale:

Ammon Martin

Aquilla Blank

Dan Esh

Daniel Stoltzfus

Ella Mae Zimmerman

James Zimmerman

John Fisher

Loren Nolt

Nathan Myer

Sam Stoltzfus

Steve Stoltzfus

Wayne Sensenig



Click here to view their USDA licenses

Click here to view their USDA Animal Welfare Inspection Reports


You may be interested to know that a 2009 report issued by the USDA has confirmed Ohio ranks seventh among the top 10 states with the largest number of USDA Class A licensed 'commercial' breeders:

1. MO - 1,370
2. OK - 498
3. IA - 322
4. AR - 308 (was 5th in 2008)
5. KS - 291 (was 4th in 2008)
6. PA - 202
7. OH - 161 (a 500% increase in the number of Class A licensed "commercial" breeders just five years ago!)
8. NE - 142
9. SD - 102 (was 10th in 2008)
10. TX - 91 (was 9th in 2008)




2. BanOhioDogAuctions.com. BanOhioDogAuctions does not promote or encourage individuals or groups to purchase dogs from auctions or directly from puppy mill breeders. For a great many (and a growing number) of us, initiating efforts to ban the auctions is one way to take away the demand, and we strongly believe introducing legislation similar to that of PA's statute 459-603 will impact the mills. In our opinion, as long as you have a buyer, there is always a need for the seller.