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The Monthly National Legislation Reporthttp://mnlreport.typepad.com/Page 264 of 3307/5/2010OTHER COUNTRIES OF INTERESTAUSTRALIAJoondalup - (2/20/09) - Tough new cat laws are being enacted later this year in Joondalup, requiring sterilizing, registration and fines imposed for straying. The city council votedlast night to charge cat owners $10 a year for registration, which requires cats wear registration tags at all times. In order to be registered, cats will also have to be sterilized, andalthough there are exceptions for cat breeders, owners are allowed no more than three cats. The law, which City councillors passed by seven votes to five, comes into effect on October 1and affects all cats over three months old. It also requires cat owners to ensure their pets do not enter “prohibited areas”, including some city parks and private property. The maximumpenalty for the owner of a cat found in a prohibited area is $1000. Cat owners can also be fined $500 if their cat is found on private property and the owner makes a successfulcomplaint to the city. City officers will be able to issue on-the-spot infringement notices for up to 10 per cent of the maximum fines.CANADABC - (2/19/09) - It will be at least a month before tenants of a West End apartment block find out whether they will be allowed to stay put with their cats. On Friday, seven tenantstook their case to the B.C. Tenancy branch. The group, all cat owners, say they had a verbal agreement with the previous owner of their apartment building that they would be allowedto keep cats in their residences. On Dec. 2, Hollyburn Properties, an apartment rental company, ordered the seven tenants at the Emerald Terrace on Nelson Street to get rid of theircats. When they didn't comply, they were served with eviction notices. Resident Andrew Simmons said they were told they will have an additional week to respond in writing toHollyburn Properties' argument.Fredericton - (2/19/09) - Keith Ashfield says he's committed to seeing animal cruelty laws modernized.The Fredericton MP said he recently took his case for change to federalJustice Minister Rob Nicholson. "I have talked to him," Ashfield, the minister of state for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, said Thursday. "I am working at it to see what wecan do." Ashfield said he has also set up related meetings with others in the Conservative caucus and has discussed the issue with New Brunswick Senator Noel Kinsella to see what canbe done at that level. "It's in the early stages and I am being very frank and open in my discussion. It is certainly something that I am not going to let go," said the minister. Animals inCanada are considered the property of the owner and that person may dispose of them accordingly, providing it doesn't cause unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. The animal crueltybill has been on the books since the late 1800s. Animal activists want Section 446 of the Criminal Code of Canada amended to take animal cruelty provisions out of the property crimessection of the code. "I don't want to see any more of the kind of thing that we have seen here in Minto," Ashfield said. "That is almost unimaginable." A private member's bill designedto deal with the property issue has been introduced in the House of Commons by Mark Holland, an Ontario Liberal MP for Ajax-Pickering, but it has yet to make it to the floor ofParliament. Ashfield said he has examined the bill and feels there needs to be a better balance. He said the rights of hunters, fishermen and farmers have to be taken into consideration.Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)February 17, 2009Feburary 2009Please take the time to read listed bills in full. Because of the length of bills, we provide only a basic summary AND links for all bills to enable you quick access. Take advantageof them. We also provide you with links to those organizations that have quick access to full committee email addresses and talking points - take advantage of them.FEDERALHR 669 - (1/26/09) - The bill is designed to prevent the introduction and establishment in the United States of nonnative wildlife species that may harm theeconomy, the environment, human health or native wildlife. H.R. 669 would require the federal government to assess the risk of nonnative wildlife speciesproposed for importation and, with public input, decide if the importation of these animals should be allowed or prohibited. The Humane Society of the UnitedStates and Humane Society International welcomed the introduction yesterday of the Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act (H.R. 669) in the U.S. Houseof Representatives by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam)ALABAMAHB206 - The bill would require owners who knows or should know that his or her dog is dangerous, owners required to post warning sign on property, penaltiesMobile - (1/27/09) - Brown’s greatest concern, as was presented to the Mobile City Council, is had the dog’s timing been different, her 3-month-old and 3-year-old grandchildrencould have been the subjects of the mauling. Mobile City Council is taking Brown’s concerns seriously, and breed specific legislation (BSL) regarding pit bulls may soon be inthe works. Council President Reggie Copeland explained he has already taken interest in this topic. Presently, city attorney Jim Rossler is reviewing Brown’s complaints and examining other
The Monthly National Legislation Reporthttp://mnlreport.typepad.com/Page 265 of 3307/5/2010cities’ approaches regarding BSL. Undoubtedly he will discover that Orange Beach has a vicious animal ordinance in place, although, as Copeland firmly explained, Mobile is targeting pitbulls exclusively. Irondale, Ala. has similar regulations, although, Irondale’s legislation is specific to pit bulls. This legislation, which has the potential to be adopted in Mobile, includesregistering pit bulls or any mix that includes pit bull. Those who were both residents and pit bull owners in Irondale before this legislation was drafted in 1997 enjoy a grandfather clause thatasked them to register their dog and abide by specific regulations. Those who moved to Irondale after the legislation was passed aren’t allowed to own pit bulls at all. Copeland guaranteesany legislation that may come as a result of the investigations currently underway and the rest of the process will be a very public process involving the Public Safety Committee, pit bullowners and all concerned citizens.For those who may not be able to present their cases personally, Brown set up an e-mail, pitbulltruth@yahoo.com, to serve as an open forum on pit bullrelated issues.ARKANSASHB1046 - Representative Roy Ragland, Chair of the Agriculture, Forestry, and EconomicDevelopment committee of the Arkansas State House of Representatives has introduced a bill to protect the rights of animal owners and prohibit any state, city, county, or privateorganization from requiring animal owners to register in any animal identification system. The bill has been referred to the committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and EconomicDevelopment. The purpose of the Freedom to Farm Act is to encourage and protect animal ownership, animals, home food production, direct farm-to-consumer sales, hobby production,off-farm commercial sales, animal exhibition, and businesses that serve animal owners.SB77 - AN ACT CONCERNING AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO DOGS, CATS, AND HORSES AND RELATED OFFENSES AND CONCERNING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICES - DELIVERED TO GOVERNORJudsonia - proposed ordinance regulates the keeping of vicious animals within the city limits, sets the procedures for deeming an animal vicious, bans certain breeds of dogs, andprescribes the penalties for violations. Banned breeds of dogs include the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, any dog whose sireor dame is a banned breed, any dog whose owner defines the dog as being a banned breed, and dog with substantial conformation of a banned breed, and any dog that is recognized as a“pit bull.”Little Rock - (2/1/09) - Due to inclement weather, the Little Rock Animal Services Advisory Board has postponed the January 28 public hearing regarding proposed changes to Cityordinances pertaining to domestic cats. The hearing will now be on February 4, from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. It will be at the Adult Leisure Center, 6401 West 12th Street. The AnimalServices Advisory Board is examining proposed ordinance changes which would include both mandatory sterilization and micro-chipping of all free-roaming cats. This is the second of twohearings. The first public hearing was on January 14.As was the case with the Potentially Dangerous Breed Ordinance public hearings, these will be limited-forum hearings with comment time reserved only for Little Rock citizens. For moreinformation on the proposed changes, the public is encouraged to call Little Rock Animal Services at 501-376-3067. Copies of the proposed changes are available for review at the AnimalVillage; copies are also available via email.Little Rock - (2/16/09) - Gov. Mike Beebe has signed into law a bill that changes how often dogs and cats need to be vaccinated for rabies. The bill, signed Monday, gives the ArkansasDepartment of Health the authority to decide how often the vaccinations should occur. Before, pet owners were required to vaccinate their cats and dogs annually. Rep. Pam Adcock, D-Little Rock who sponsored the legislation, says newer vaccines are effective for three years. The bill was part of the health department's legislative package for this session.CALIFORNIAAB241 - An act to add Section 597.8 to the Penal Code, relating to animals. Bill would make it a misdemeanor for an individual or business that buys or sells dogs or cats to have morethan a combined total of 50 dogs and cats with intact sexual organs, as specified. The bill would authorize certain officers to investigate a violation of that provision, as provided, and tolawfully take possession of an animal kept in violation of that provision, as specified. Because this bill would create a new crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program.AB242 - An act to amend Section 597.5 of the Penal Code, relating to crimes. Bill would increase the penalties for these crimes by providing instead that the crime of dog fighting is afelony punishable by imprisonment in a state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years and a specified fine, and the crime of being a spectator at a dog fight is a felony punishable by imprisonment inthe state prison for 16 months, or 2 or 3 yearsAB243 - An act relating to animal abuse. Bill would provide that upon the conviction of a person charged with animal abuse, as specified, the court shall be required to enter an orderenjoining the person from owning, possessing, maintaining, having custody of, residing with, or caring for any animal for specified periods of time.SB135 - An act to amend Section 597n of the Penal Code, relating to animal abuse. Bill would likewise prohibit the docking of cattle.Lancaster - (1/27/09) Despite fierce criticism, Lancaster city officials have unanimously adopted an ordinance that would impose stiff penalties for owners of “potentially dangerous” and“vicious” dogs. The law targets dogs such as pit bulls and Rottweilers -- breeds that law enforcement officials say are favored by gang members, who often use them to terrorize people. Theordinance would also require the spaying and neutering of all varieties of pit bulls and Rottweilers, including mutts that have "predominant physical characteristics" of those breeds. Themeasure will go into effect in 30 days.Riverside - (1/27/09) - County supervisors on Tuesday tweaked a controversial spay-neuter ordinance passed earlier this month, voting to exempt recognized dog and cat breeders from therequirements.Supervisors also increased to three the number of complaints before the county Department of Animal Services can revoke or deny a license for an "intact" dog ---- one that is not spayed orneutered. As originally worded, the ordinance required two such complaints. The ordinance goes into effect March 1, but for 90 days officers only will give warnings.San Clemente - City Council to set limits on pets and livestockUkiah - (2/5/09) - During its regular meeting Wednesday evening, the Ukiah City Council decided to split the difference on the hotly-debated pet ordinance wording change by orderingCity Attorney David Rapport to draft a revised ordinance that would state the council's intent and replace "owner" with "guardian/owner." Council member Mari Rodin said she wanted toknow Rapport's opinion on the idea of the switch being the opening shot in a war on pet-owner rights. "One of the arguments against this proposal is that this would open the floodgates toincreasing animal rights - that this is just one step closer to changing our relationship with animals." Rapport said he didn't see how this particular case would fit into that scheme. Thomassaid he would prefer an addition of the term guardian' and not the deletion of owner.' "I think that that would preserve some measure of continuity," he said. Mayor Phil Baldwin said thecouncil had the ability to modify the wording if it turned out to be a misstep. Rodin introduced a motion to direct staff to draft a new ordinance that changed the wording from "owner" to"owner/guardian" and add a section outlining the intent of the change. The motion passed by a 3-2 vote, with Councilmembers Mary Anne Landis and Doug Crane dissenting.COLORADOSB1127 - UPDATE - Defeated in CommitteeCONNECTICUTStratford - (1/27/09) - It took more than a decade for animal-rights activists to convince the Town Council to approve a site for a new animal shelter to replace the 50-year-old, crampedfacility on Frog Pond Lane. Now, only two weeks after it approved the new shelter site the council approved a request Monday by activists and Animal Control Officer Rachel Solveira to
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