HSUS UPDATE

Hello all.

Please go to this site to see what HSUS has planned. They appear very organized ( a lesson for us to learn). We must get active and organized if we are going to be the " go to" organization regarding dog legislation and welfare. https://community.hsus.org/humane/events/lobbyday_ColumbusOH_February12/details.tcl

Bobbi Brady

ATTENTION: OFODC QUARTERLY MEETING JAN.18,2009

The OFODC Quarterly Mtg. will take place on Sunday, January 18th at 1:00 p.m. for Board Members and 1:30 p.m. for the General Membership in Columbus OH at the Ramada Conference Center off of Sinclair Rd/I-71.

Please RSVP to Sharon as soon as possible. Thank You.

More specific details to follow as we approach the meeting date.

Sharon Unrau
OFODC Recording Secretary

UPDATE ON HB 446!!!!!!!!

HB446 died a "death of natural causes" in its Senate committe last evening.

At the eleventh hour, the National Rifle Association made calls and their presence known causing the senators on the committee to back away from support.

As mentioned earlier, Meredith Johnson Snyder and myself went to the hearings on Tuesday. Meredith gave testimony.

In all the opposition prevailed!

Bobbi Brady

Urgent Update From Bobbi Brady!!!

Meredith Johnson-Snyder and I attended the hearing. Please send the attachment of Meredith's opponent testimony.

1. There was no change in the proponent testimony.

2. The animal warden representative stated some issues were resolved in the amendments but they still oppose micro-chipping and believe tags are the best means of ID.

3. A breeder and former pet store manager (Amy Rausch) was against vets only giving rabies shots and against the increase in kennel and individual licenses.

4. Meredith Johnson-Snyder gave testimony representing OFODC. PLEASE READ THE ATTACHED FILE.

5. Veterinarian from OSU supported micro-chipping but that it shouldn't replace tags as a means of identification.

A possible vote could have taken place at 4PM but the hearing was cancelled.

The hearing resumes at 9:30AM tomorrow in the Grant Hearing Room 110. There could be a vote.

You are encouraged to attend! Bobbi Brady

TESTIMONY REPRESENTING OFODC REGARDING BILL 446

From: Meredith Johnson-Snyder and Roberta Brady 12/16/08

The Ohio Federation of Dog Clubs

Re: Bill 446

To: Committee Members

Dear Senators:

We appreciate several of the amendments introduced, but we still have a couple of concerns not addressed in the amendments to the bill which we hope will be considered.

First: Raising the kennel fee and the fee for individual dogs is rather double dipping. Please consider reducing the kennel licensing fee and requiring only nominal fee per individual dog than is called for in this bill. The media has claimed that Ohio has 11,000 kennels; this is not true. The truth is that Ohio sells 11,000 kennel licenses purchased by owners of multiple dogs; owners who are not breeders and who do not have kennels.

For breeders to pay for a higher priced dog kennel license and then pay the regular individual license fee is punitive to dog breeders. As the Ohio Revised Code reads now, the purchaser of a kennel license only has to pay one or two dollars for individual licenses over the five dogs the kennel license presently includes. Since show and hobby breeders often keep puppies past the three month licensing grace period, the higher individual licensing fees will be a real burden. Also, unlike the big volume substandard breeders, show and hobby breeders usually keep retired dogs until they die of old age adding to the numbers to be licensed with the higher individual fee schedule. Substandard kennels simply destroy dogs that are no longer useful, while we either find wonderful homes for them or keep them ourselves driving our numbers up. Should we be penalized with higher for caring for our elderly dogs instead of crassly destroying them when no longer useful?

With the present anti breeding atmosphere in this country created and pushed by PETA, HSUS, and other animal rights groups, reputable purebred dog breeders are finding that they are considered “bad guys” for breeding at all. With all the legislation being proposed, initiated or at least backed by animal rights groups in our country, the small show or hobby breeder does not have the resources or the organization to fight back. PETA’s bottom line is the elimination of animal ownership. The raising of kennel fees and individual licensing fees places an additional burden on breeders trying to breed fine representatives of their breeds. If show and hobby breeders give up, all that will be left are the substandard breeders who raise dogs only for a profit.

Second: Please create a sliding scale for fees for licensing for dogs owned by those on social security, disability, or welfare. Often those in poverty or borderline poverty, especially the elderly already make trade offs when deciding whether to spend their meager funds on heat, food, or medicine. Often a dog is the only companion and comfort for those in need, especially the elderly. For families with children who are barely making it in this economy, giving up the family dog/dogs because of higher licenses seems cruel. To ask those in financial distress to pay licenses that are more than they can afford for the one or two pets that give them comfort and companionship making a big difference in their lives, is creating a hardship. Please consider a sliding scale for licensing fees for those in financial need.

TUESDAY!! Senate State and Local Government and Veterans' Affairs Committee notice 12/16/08

State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs Committee

Notice of Meeting

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

10:00 a.m.

South Hearing Room

AGENDA

H.B. 446(***)** Animal control-revise statutes 6^th Hearing

(Webster) Pro/Opp/IP Testimony

Possible Amendments

Possible Vote

*pending introduction and referral

**possible vote

***amendments or possible sub bill

Note: Written testimony (30 copies) for the committee members is requested. Please provide the chairman’s office with copies (30) of any amendments by Monday, December 15 at 9:30 a.m.

TODAY'S SENATE HEARING!!!

Looks like the agenda for todays Senate hearing on HB446 has been revised. The bill is 10th on the agenda which begins at 2:30PM. No vote is scheduled but there may be possible amendments.

We would like to urge everyone to write to their legislator to oppose the passage of this bill. It does not benefit the welfare of dogs.

Thanks
Bobbi