Recently in Pet Legal Issues Category

Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration is offering a certificate in Animals, Community and the Law.

Taught by Lawyers In Defense of Animals board members, the certificate will require the completion of three online courses and a practicum, and can be completed within one year.

Courses, which will cover topics ranging from limit laws and hoarding to cruelty and disaster planning, may be taken on a non-credit basis or for credit, with each course being three graduate credits.

To review course descriptions or to enroll, visit www.ncpp.us/certcourses.php and click on the "Animals, Community and the Law Certificate" option.

Additional information is available by contacting Isabelle Strauss at anrtesq@aol.com or (732) 255-4696; or Dean Kirchoff at jkirchho@newark.rutgers.edu, (973) 353-1351.

The first course starts January 20, so enroll early.

House Bill 2525 passed the House of Representatives today, and now needs to get through the Senate.

To help it along, please contact the following members and urge them to pass House Bill 2525, 2532 and 499:

From Associated Press:

A bill designed to dramatically improve conditions for dogs kept in Pennsylvania's larger commercial kennels passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday and was sent to the Senate.

The House voted 181-17 in favor of new regulations that would increase the size of cages, require annual veterinary checkups and crack down on what critics describe as inhumane puppy mills.

From The Associated Press:

First they came for your cell phone. Now, the dog.

The California state Senate on Wednesday passed a bill that would make it illegal for drivers to keep pets on their laps.

Visalia, Calif., Assembly Member Bill Maze has taken plenty of grief from his fellow Republicans for pushing the bill, including conservative radio star Rush Limbaugh. But Maze did not back off, calling it a safety issue.

"If you have an animal that gets in your face or gets tangled up in your steering wheel while you're driving, you can't properly control (the car)," he told the Sacramento Bee earlier this year.

AB 2233 passed the Senate on a 21-17 vote, with only one Republican vote, Sen. Tom Harmon, R-Huntington Beach. The Assembly has already passed the bill but must agree to minor changes before the legislation heads to Gov. Schwarzenegger's desk. The governor has not taken a position.

The bill is the latest attempt by lawmakers to eliminate driving distractions. Legislation that took effect this summer bans the use of hand-held cell phones while driving.

Maze's bill would start July 1 and prohibit drivers from "holding a live animal in his or her arm or arms, or upon his or her lap." Fines would start at $35. Animals are the ninth-ranked cause of driver distraction, according to the bill's analysis.

The "P" in the REPAIR Act now before the Senate stands for "Protection" (HR 767, or the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act ), yet this bill does the opposite of protecting. It authorizes the killing of free-roaming cats and dogs, wild horses, and any other animals unfairly deemed "invasive."

HR 767, or the Refuge Ecology Protection, Assistance, and Immediate Response Act. Killing programs, using federal money and under few federal restrictions, would exterminate virtually any feral cat found in the wild. In the past, these programs have used painful poisons, body-gripping traps, snares and other cruel procedures to kill animals.

Congress should instead support more-humane programs, such as Trap-Neuter-Return, that avoid taking animal life. It doesn't have to -- and shouldn't -- allow indiscriminate killing of innocent domestic cats and other animals.

Sign the petition to tell your Senator to say "No" to cruel mass killing of feral animals.

From Humane Society of the United States:

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will hold a congressional hearing this Thursday, July 31, on two brand-new animal protection bills: one to stop the slaughter of horses for human consumption, and one to track animal-cruelty crimes. Your help is needed to gett these new bills started with a bang and build as much congressional support as possible, starting right now.

Please take action and urge your representative to track animal cruelty crimes and protect horses!

Similar to the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 311), the new Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act of 2008 (H.R. 6598) will prohibit the sale and transport of horses to be slaughtered for human consumption, including horses exported over long distances to Mexico and Canada. Since this new bill was introduced by Judiciary Committee Chairman Conyers and specifically addresses the extreme cruelty inherent in horse slaughter, it has the potential to move quickly through the process if we can build up enough congressional support. H.R. 503, the anti-slaughter bill we've advocated for in the past, seems stalled, and H.R. 6598 has a better chance of being enacted. Please help us build support for our horses.

The Animal Cruelty Statistics Act of 2008 (H.R. 6597), also introduced by Chairman Conyers with Rep. Elton Gallegly, will require the Department of Justice to make the collection of data on all animal cruelty crimes a priority. Tracking animal abuse, which often is associated with family violence and other crimes, will boost efforts to interrupt the violence cycle. With this information, law enforcement and others can intervene earlier and more effectively to protect animals, children, and families.

TAKE ACTION

It is essential to gather as many co-sponsors as possible for these two bills. Please make a brief, polite phone call to your U.S. Representative, Todd Platts, at (202) 225-5836 before Thursday to ask Rep. Platts to co-sponsor the Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act and the Animal Cruelty Statistics Act.

When you call, you will speak to a staff member who can pass your message along to your legislator. Please be polite and professional, and leave your name and address so it is clear that you are a constituent.

An example of what you might say:

"Hello, my name is [your name] and I live in [your town]. As a constituent, I'm calling to urge Representative Platts to co-sponsor two important new bills: H.R. 6598, the Conyers-Burton Prevention of Equine Cruelty Act, to prevent horses from being cruelly slaughtered for human consumption; and H.R. 6597, the Animal Cruelty Statistics Act, to require the Department of Justice to collect data on animal abuse crimes."

After making your call, send a follow-up e-mail to urge your Representative to protect horses.

Then, send a follow-up e-mail to urge your Representative to require tracking animal-cruelty crimes.

A staggering number of cats are killed in shelters each year, and the majority of these killings are off the record.

Only a few states require animal shelters to keep records and publicly report the number of cats they kill each year.

You have a right to know what is happening to the animals in your shelters, and how your tax dollars and donations are being spent.

Sign the pledge for change shelter practice and policy.

From The Associated Press:

Ferrets, like most other less conventional pets, may be subject to a range of laws regulating the ownership of exotic animals. Although it's legal to keep ferrets in most places, there are a few exceptions, such as New York City and California.

But David Gaines, director of the legislative and legal affairs committee for the American Ferret Association, says in recent years most places have made the pets legal.

"Minneapolis and Dallas have recently legalized them," he says. "I'm not aware of any major municipalities that have gone in the other direction."

Ferrets, members of the weasel family, have been domesticated for thousands of years. In the past, advocates had to convince legislators that ferrets shouldn't be regulated as wild animals, but "now it's more or less acknowledged," he says.

But animals are subject to a patchwork of laws at more local levels that which may not always be consistent with one another. For example, ferrets are legal in Salt Lake County, but that's overridden by a law that prohibits them in Salt Lake City. So you need to check carefully before acquiring a ferret, or before moving if you have one.

And don't assume that ferrets are legal in your area just because you see ferret food for sale in your local pet store. Gaines notes, "The ferret aisles in pet stores are getting bigger and bigger -- even in California."

From Best Friends Network:

The very important commercial dog breeder reform bills, HB 2525 and HB 2532, are very, very close to coming to a vote. Through much hard work and many phone calls, animal lovers have gotten so close to helping make life better for the thousands of dogs in Pennsylvania's puppy mills, and those dogs need you more than ever, TODAY.

NOW is the time to act to voice your opinion to your state representative. If you've never called your representative before, consider making this your first call. If you've already called, call again, today. It takes only a minute, and makes an immense difference.

Both bills have made it through the required committees, and are scheduled to come to a vote by the House TOMORROW, July 1.

Within the next 24 hours, the House has the power to make vast improvements to the lives of thousands of dogs in your state's commercial kennels. Help them make the humane choice.

What You Can Do

Your representative needs to hear from you now. Contact your representative and let him or her know that you are a constituent, and that you want them to support HB 2525 and HB2532.

Click here for contact information, or more info on the dog law bills.

From Dogs Deserve Better:

On Friday (Feb. 22), Tammy Grimes was sentenced to 300 hours community service for a "people organization." She was also ordered to pay for the cost of the trial. (Note: this is not court costs, but trial costs, two different things. Trial cost covers the jurors lunches, the sheriff's wages, and the bus driver's salary.) This was justified by the judge because she said that Grimes chose to go to trial over ARD, therefore she should have to pay for it. Isn't it every person's right to go to trial? Does that right come with a price tag? Interestingly enough, according to Grimes' attorneys, this is RARELY done. The costs were around $1,700.

She was also ordered within 10 days to take everything Doogie-related off of any site she "has control or influence over." We will be appealing most, if not all, of the sentencing ASAP.

From the ASPCA:

Pennsylvania has long been known for allowing live pigeon shoots, events in which dazed pigeons are launched from boxes to be shot by contestants for prizes. Last year, one sportsmen’s club took this cruel concept even further—they tied tame turkeys by their feet to bales of hay and allowed people to shoot them with arrows from only a few yards away.

These events do not constitute hunting, and amount to no more than the mindless slaughter of restrained or trap-released animals for entertainment. Please help us put a stop to them in your home state by encouraging your representatives to vote in favor of Senate Bill 1150 and House Bill 2130, legislation that will ban the killing of animals launched from box traps or tied in place.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Click here to visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to email a letter to your state representative and senator that asks for their support for SB 1150 and HB 2130.

Calling your legislators about these bills will send quite a powerful message. If you are not sure who represents you, click here to find contact info.

From Best Friends Network:

As you may already know, Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, is going to trial Dec. 12, 13 and 14 in Blair County, PA. She is being charged with theft, receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and criminal trespass.

Her crime? She took a dog that had been chained up and had been listless for three days off his chain, and got him medical attention.

The dog, dubbed “Doogie,” has become the poster child for the neglect/abuse that dogs living their lives on chains endure. The dog’s owners, Steve and Lori Arnold, seemed to have been oblivious to the fact their dog had not risen to his feet in days.

Before Tammy arrived at the scene, she advised the Arnolds' neighbor that had called her to call the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society to get the dog some help. When the Humane Society did not respond, Tammy went to check him out. She determined he needed immediate medical attention and took him to the veterinarian’s office.

Tammy had been completely cooperative with the authorities up until they asked her to return Doogie to the Arnolds, rather than charging them with cruelty and neglect.

To read more about the story, go to: network.bestfriends.org/pennsylvania/news/21100.html

We need to show support for Tammy now; this case represents every dog that is left to suffer!

Please come to Tammy’s trial and show support! We need everyone to show up. There will be demonstrators outside the courthouse, and we also need supporters inside the trial.

Time, date place:
8 a.m. Wednesday, December 12
Blair County Courthouse
423 Allegheny Street
Hollidaysburg, PA 16648-2022

The trial could take an hour or three days -- but we need as many people as possible show up on the first day. Do it for Doogie!

Please pass the word along. Thank you for helping to show Pennsylvania that pet neglect and abuse will not be tolerated.

On Monday, Nov. 19, a jury was selected in the case of Tammy Grimes of Dogs Deserve Better. The trial has been set for Dec. 12 to 14.

The judge issued a gag order on Grimes and everyone involved in the case. It is unlikely that Grimes' evidence -- including a video of the dog's suffering and the veterinarian's report -- will be deemed admissible.

Grimes was arrested for theft when she rescued a dying dog Sept. 11, 2006.

Dogs Deserve Better has signed a private criminal complaint against the Arnolds.

These dog owners allegedly left their dog, Jake, (renamed Doogie) lying on the ground, without being able to stand, for days before Grimes stepped in on September 11, 2006, and took Doogie to the vet and refused to return him. Grimes was subsequently arrested for theft of the dog from the Arnolds' property.

Read more about Doogie

From Dogs Deserve Better:

Altoona, PA -- Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Grimes will be back in court October 29th at 9 a.m. for a motion hearing to defend against the Blair County DA's attempt to bar her most-compelling evidence -- video, photos, and vet testimony of the dog's condition --from the courtroom.

Grimes was arrested September 11, 2006, after taking a chained dog, who was unable to stand for three days, for veterinary care; then protecting him from returning to the abusive situation.

In Ohio, a 10-week-old husky mix puppy was thrown against a wall during a domestic dispute. The case is going to court Friday, Aug. 10. A petition is being circulated, asking that the couple be found guilty and receive the harshest sentence for animal cruelty.

Click here to sign the petition.

From Humane Society of the United States:

Today, we have a great opportunity to protect pets in Congress. The Farm Bill comes up every five years or so, and a vote on an important animal welfare amendment is expected as soon as this afternoon when the Farm Bill is debated on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Please take action right away.

The Israel-Doyle Amendment to the Farm Bill would prohibit the use in research of dogs and cats obtained from random-source dealers, who may steal pets or fraudulently obtain them through “free to good home” ads. It would also ban the use of live animals in sales demos of medical devices.

TAKE ACTION
Please make a brief, polite phone call right away to your U.S. Representative, Todd Platts, at (202) 225-5836 to urge support for the Israel-Doyle Amendment to protect pets.

Making a call is easy. A staff member will take your message and pass it to your legislator. You can say:

"Hello, this is [your name]. I am a constituent from [your town, your state]. I’m calling about the upcoming debate on the Farm Bill. I want to urge Representative Platts to vote FOR the Israel-Doyle Amendment to protect pets from ending up in medical research. This issue is important to me. Thank you for your consideration."

After you make your phone call, send a follow-up e-mail to your Representative to reiterate your support for the Israel-Doyle Amendment to the Farm Bill.

Finally, please be sure to tell your friends and family about this opportunity and how they can help, too.

From American Humane:

Rep. Mario M. Scavello (R-176th District), has introduced legislation that would place restrictions on the practice of leaving dogs tied up outdoors for long periods of time.

Despite the fact that tethering dogs outside for excessive durations is inhumane, unnecessary and a public safety threat, it remains an overlooked social issue which is rarely even investigated in Pennsylvania. When tethered outdoors for long periods of time, dogs suffer from severe stress and isolation. Tethering takes an emotional and physical toll on these animals, as many of them are forced to sleep, sit, eat and relieve themselves all within a confined area and often without access to proper food and shelter. Each year throughout Pennsylvania, innocent children who approach these mistreated dogs are attacked and killed.

House Bill 1065 will change this by limiting the amount of time dogs can be tethered in a 24-hour period, and requiring other modest yet critical improvements such as allowing a tethered dog to have access to shade, food, shelter and water. The bill would provide exemptions for licensed dog training activities, livestock herding, agriculture cultivation and camping or recreational area requirements.

HB 1065 is a huge step toward protecting children and dogs throughout Pennsylvania.

American Humane strongly supports Rep. Scavello’s bill. Please help us by sending a letter to your state representative.

The ongoing pet food recall has shown us there is not enough oversight of the pet food industry.

Click here to urge your U.S. Representative to support the DeLauro/Durbin Pet and Human Food Safety Act.

From Humane Society of the United States:

Today (May 3), President Bush signed the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act into law. This is the culmination of an almost six-year campaign by The Humane Society of the United States and our allies to enact meaningful federal penalties for animal fighting.

The law takes effect immediately. It provides felony penalties for interstate commerce, import and export related to animal- fighting activities, including commerce in cockfighting weapons. It will make it much harder for criminals who engage in dogfighting and cockfighting to continue their operations. Each violation of the federal law may bring up to three years in jail and up to a $250,000 fine for perpetrators.

We are fortunate to have had steadfast Congressional leadership on this issue. But this campaign would not have been a success without your tireless efforts. Thank you again to each of you who sent e-mails, made phone calls, wrote letters and visited your federal legislators on Capitol Hill and in their home districts.

Recently, Menu Foods Income Fund, a major manufacturer of dog and cat food sold under Wal-Mart, Safeway, Kroger and other store brands, recalled 60 million containers of wet pet food after reports of kidney failure and deaths.

According to CBS News, after finding out the dog and cat food manufactured at their plant may be contaminated, Menu Foods decided to test their product by feeding it to 40 to 50 dogs and cats -- seven died.

"Not only are people's companion animals dying because of Menu Foods, but innocent laboratory dogs and cats are dying as well. This whole situation is such a shame. Menu Foods should immediately stop animal testing at their laboratories and consider an ethical and compassionate response to the problem at hand -- the numerous dogs and cats that have already died because of this yet undisclosed contamination deserve no less! " said Chris DeRose, LCA president and founder.

UPDATE! There is a class-action lawsuit being filed on behalf of all California pet owners harmed by the pet food.

For more information and to see the list of the dog and cat food in question, visit http://www.menufoods.com/recall/index.html. Check back often -- the list grows daily.

Humane Action for Animals has been attempting to educate the community on elephant abuse within the circus and get local venues to stop allowing circuses with animals to perform in our area. Because of all the recent outcry from the public regarding the abuse and living conditions for elephants in both circuses and zoos, the USDA is now accepting public comments regarding elephant care. Contact the USDA to let them know you support efforts to improve conditions for captive elephants.

PETA's website contains information on contacting the USDA at www.peta.org/actioncenter/ActionAlerts-item.asp?id=2050&c=weekly_enews. They are urging people to address the use of the bullhook (demanding it be banned as an acceptable training tool) and asking that exhibitors provide a more social, natural-like environment for captive elephants. Comments need to be submitted to the USDA by Nov. 9 via the Federal Rulemaking portal.

On Sep. 29, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved S. 3880, the Senate version of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA).

If the AETA becomes law, causing any business classified as an "animal enterprise" (e.g., factory farms, fur farms, vivisection labs, rodeos, zoos and circuses) to suffer a profit loss, it could be defined as a "terrorist" act punishable by a long prison sentence -- even if the company's financial decline is caused by peaceful protests, boycotts, media campaigns or leafleting.

Animal advocates are asking you to contact your Representatives and urge them to OPPOSE the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (HR 4239).

For information on AETA, Representative contact information, and a sample phone/email script, go to www.lcanimal.org/cmpgn/cmpgn_aeta.htm.

There is also an online petition you can sign at http://www.petitiononline.com/Stop4239/.

Prior to its summer recess Aug. 4, the U.S. Senate passed S.B. 2548. The House of Representatives passed its version of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act in May. Since the versions differ slightly, the bills will need to go to a conference committee where the differences will be reconciled. The final legislation will then be sent to President Bush for his signature into law or veto.

The PETS Act would amend a federal law called the Stafford Act to require the director of FEMA, in approving standards for state and local disaster preparedness plans, to ensure the plans take into account the needs of individuals with household pets and service animals. The bill would also allow the director of FEMA to make financial contributions to state and local authorities for animal emergency preparedness purposes, including establishing shelters to accommodate people with pets and service animals.

Animal Welfare Information Center's Animal Legislation and Policies

Rutgers University School of Law Animal Rights Law Project

Animal Protection Legislation Links

Megalaw's Animal Rights and Pet Law

ASPCA's Advocacy Center

ASPCA's Advocacy Center: Know your state cruelty laws

ASPCA's Legal Information

Find your legislator (PA)

Net Vet Veterinary Government & Law Resources

Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network

Society for Animal Protective Legislation

Through Their Eyes -- The National Animal Abuse Registry