UPDATE! February 13, 2010 Ohio Dog Auction

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

1. Sat., February 13, 2010 Ohio Dog Auction. Below is a summary of the 353 companions (170 males, 183 females, 4 possible adds; includes breeders from MN and NY) expected to be placed on the auction block beginning this Saturday at approximately 10:00 AM:

BREED
MALES FEMALES POSSIBLE ADDS
Basenji 4 2 2
Beagle 6 1 5
Bichon Frise 24 11 13
Boston Terrier 7 5 2
Boxer 7 5 2
Brussels Griffon 10 3 7 ?3
Cairn Terrier 3 0 3
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 3 2 1
Chihuahua 10 4 6
Cocker Spaniel 1 0 1
Dachshund 6 1 5
English Bulldog 4 2 2
French Bulldog 1 0 1
Havanese 18 15 3
Italian Greyhound 9 3 6
Jack Russell Terrier 2 0 2
Japanese Chin 2 1 1
Kerry Blue Terrier 1 0 1
Lhasa Apso 1 0 1
Maltese 8 4 4
Mini Pincher 1 1 0
Mini Schnauzer 2 1 1
Mixed Breeds 70 39 31
Papillon 3 1 2
Pekingese 1 0 1
Pomeranian 25 7 18
Poodle (no classification) 6 4 2
Pug 13 6 7
Schnauzer 24 10 14
Shibu Unu 2 2 0
Shih Tzu 30 17 13
Silky Terrier 1 0 1
Toy Fox Terrier 1 1 0
Weimaraner 5 1 4
Yorkshire Terrier 42 21 21 ?1
TOTAL 353 170 183 ?4


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 (ranked 5th in 2008)

5. KS - 291 (ranked 4th in 2008)

6. PA - 202
7. OH - 161 (a 400% increase in the number of Class A licensed "commercial" breeders just six years ago!)

8. NE - 142

9. SD - 102 (ranked 10th in 2008)

10. TX - 91 (ranked 9th in 2008)


*To view copies of USDA Animal Welfare Inspection Reports, click here.
**To view a summary of state puppy mill laws, click here.


2. Ohio Dog Auctions Act. Ohio has no laws preventing dog auctions. Many concerned citizens firmly believe the auctions serve not reputable breeders but large commercial facilities where dogs are bred to produce as many puppies as possible in conditions ranging from unsanitary to inhumane.

The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions is spearheading a new, citizen-backed ballot initiative - The Ohio Dog Auctions Act. The measure (similar in language to Pennsylvania's Statute 459-603) will establish a statute to the Ohio Dog Law making it illegal for anyone to auction or raffle a dog in Ohio. It also would prohibit bringing dogs into the state for sale or trade that were acquired by auction or raffle elsewhere.


As of January 1, a total of 7,202 signatures have been collected of the minimum 120,700 signatures required. 228 volunteer Petition Circulators helped raise awareness of the Ohio Dog Auctions Act by helping to collect signatures from 64 counties. Voters across the state are communicating with their fellow citizens and starting to gather a goal of a minimum of 120,700 signatures by December 1, 2010 to to put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2011.

Volunteer petitioners are needed to make this initiative a reality in Ohio -we have until December 1, 2010! We need everyone's participation to make this vital effort a success!
New Campaign Kits! A new campaign kit to help gather signatures contains a media release, an informational sheet on the top questions (with answers) everyone needs to know on Ohio dog auctions and an informational sheet on best strategies in helping to raise awareness and gather signatures from registered voters. To download these and other informational materials, including a copy of the Initiative Petition (Ohio Dog Auctions Act), please click here.
Town Hall Meetings! For dates, times and locations of upcoming Town Hall Meetings (as they become confirmed), please click here.
Signature Gathering! With over 121,000 signatures needed for the Initiative Petition to be placed on the 2011 ballot, much help is needed from additional volunteers! For dates, times and locations of upcoming Signature Gatherings (as they become confirmed), please click here.
3. Ohio Voters Against Puppy Mills and Dog Auctions. If you haven't done so already, we invite you to join the over 1,700 voices who have become members of our FaceBook group, "Ohio Voters Against Puppy Mills and Dog Auctions." Membership is FREE, and our portal serves as a great vehicle in which to receive timely updates on issues and campaigns addressing Ohio dog auctions, puppy mills and the entities that support and keep them in business.

For more information on how you can become a member, click here.

4. Campaign Gear. If you are interested in purchasing any of our low cost 'Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions' gear to help raise awareness of the Ohio dog auctions (t-shirts, car magnets, lawn signs, etc.), please visit the 'Contact Us' page of our website, www.BanOhioDogAuctions.com.

Thanks everyone for your continued dedication to serving as a strong voice for the dogs!

Mary O'Connor-Shaver
Cell: 614-271-8248
Columbus Top Dogs