Page 1 of 330 The Monthly National Legislation Report 7/5/2010 ...

The Monthly National Legislation Reporthttp://mnlreport.typepad.com/Page 31 of 3307/5/2010have 100 per cent prevented this, all the information we’re getting from the vet is that it is vicious.” Since breaking out several weeks ago, the fungal disease has infected everything fromguinea pigs to shelter staff and its walls. On Monday, the OSPCA heeded the advice of its veterinarians and ordered a blanket euthanization of all animals.ENGLANDAllerdale – (5/24/10) - Allerdale council used terror laws to nick dog foulers. Allerdale council has admitted to spying on dog owners to see if their pets foul pavements and arewearing a collar, in some cases using hidden cameras. The authority was today named and shamed by the organisation Big Brother Watch, which says Allerdale has been misusingsurveillance legislation aimed at tackling serious crime and terrorism. The group used the Freedom of Information Act to ask 372 local authorities Regulation of Investigatory Power Act (Ripa)and found it was be used, on average, 11 times a day. Allerdale has admitted using the Act a dozen times in 2007 and 2008, mostly to spy on dog owners. The council said the purpose ofone of the investigations was: “To obtain evidence to see if [a] person is walking their dog, cleaning up after it but then depositing poop bag in trees, grass, or on road.” Other surveillancewas carried out to see if a dog was wearing a collar and tag with “possible photographing” being allowed in that instance. Big Brother Watch campaigns against intrusions of privacy. It sayscouncils such as Allerdale are abusing extensive powers, which allow them to bug homes and vehicles, follow people and use informers. Alex Deane, the group’s director, said: “Now that theabsurd and excessive use of Ripa surveillance has been revealed, these powers have to be taken away from councils.London – (5/14/10) - Special courts to speed up destruction orders for dangerous dogs could be set up in London. Deputy Mayor Kit Malthouse is lobbying ministers over courtsthat would force dogs to be destroyed within 72 hours of being seized. The move comes after two schoolgirls were savaged by a “weapon dog” during a PE session in a south London park.Metropolitan Police Authority chairman Mr Malthouse said: “We need to speed up the disposal of these unfortunate animals, it not only costs a fortune to keep them but it is not fair on theanimals. If we do release them they do not come out as nicer animals.” He said specialist courts could process destruction orders for animals within 72 hours. The call for special courtscomes after one leading police authority member urged police to destroy dangerous dogs rather than pay the £10 million cost of keeping them in kennels. Toby Harris, a former chairman ofthe MPA, demanded to know why dangerous dogs are being kept alive instead of destroyed immediately. The Labour peer suggested that CO19 officers could shoot some animals ifnecessary, as they do when out-of-control dogs pose an immediate danger. He said: “Why do we kennel these animals in the first place? Why don't we just put them down?IRELAND(5/24/10) - New legislation to tackle dog attacks. The NI Agriculture Minister is introducing new legislation to tackle dog attacks. The new law includes compulsory micro chippingand will make it an offence to allow a dog to attack and injure another person's dog. Michelle Gildernew said the legislation is aimed at promoting responsible ownership. Following the Bill'sintroduction in the assembly, the minister said that "it is one of my key priorities". "The current legislation is now more than 25 years old and while it has brought many improvements in dogcontrol here, we continue to have problems with dog attacks, straying and unwanted dogs. "I am determined to strengthen and improve the existing arrangements to tackle these issues andpromote responsible ownership." Ms Gildernew said: "The Bill will introduce compulsory microchipping, and will allow district council dog wardens to impose controls on dogs where therehas been breach of dog control laws." The Dogs (Amendment) Bill will update the Dogs (NI) Order 1983.NEW ZEALAND(5/28/10) - Cross party support for new animal laws. Political parties from across the spectrum are backing legislation to increase penalties for cruelty to animals.The legislation alsocreates a new category of reckless ill treatment to animals.The bill passed its second reading in parliament last night.Labour's Brendan Burns says at present it can take years and a lot ofmoney to bring cases against people. He says the bill is an important message to the community and provides better enforcement and support for animals.Green MP Sue Kedgley is pleasedwith the support for the bill, but is still not happy about the lack of anger from MPs about sow crates and battery hens.The Greens say the keeping of hens and pigs in cages should beincluded in new animal welfare legislation.While the Greens support the bill, Kedgley says it doesn't go far enough. She says it's absurd it doesn't apply to the thousands of pigs and threemillion hens locked in cages where they can't even turn around.The bill was introduced after a number of high profile cases of animal mistreatment which resulted in low penalties.ROMANIABucharest – (5/4/10) - Romanians protest to save the street dogs. Romanian animal rights activists protest the local authorities of Bucharest on April 30. Around 300 people gathered inthe demonstration against the decision of Bucharest's Prefecture to kill stray dogs in the city.SOUTH AMERICASouth Africa - Cape Town – (5/13/10) – New dog by laws for Cape. Is the City of Cape Town promoting teenage pregnancy among dogs? That was one of the questions posed by aconcerned councillor during a heated debate over the city's new animal by-law, with some councillors saying it would be impossible to enforce. Keeping a vicious dog, not removing yourdog's excrement, keeping more than two dogs, allowing your dog to bark for more than six minutes in an hour and not sterilising your pooch could land owners with a fine of up to R20 000 ortwo years' imprisonment. On the section that states that no person shall keep an unsterilised dog over the age of six months, one councillor quipped that this would be like promoting"teenage pregnancy", and that a dog needed to have at least one litter in its lifetime. ID councillor Aubrey Robinson said he had alerted the department to gangsters walking around withdangerous dogs. "How are you going to address that problem of gangsters walking with vicious dogs. In my own area, a lady was mauled by a boerboel. And, with this thing of keeping a dogfrom barking for more than six minutes, we must careful. I can't stop my dog from barking. It's in the animal's nature," said Robinson. Robinson said it was ludicrous that people would faceimprisonment for dog poo. "You will have people chasing me with pangas for messing with their dogs. It's really going to be a big problem when I'm sitting in a meeting in Lavender Hill.THE END.....Comments (0)May 13, 2010Monolithic Growth of Lobbying Activities of H$U$ - UPDATE S/N the H$U$THE MONOLITHIC GROWTH OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES OF THE HSUSBACKGROUND SUMMARY AND 26 QUESTIONS1. “In his own words,” as set out in the BIO of Mr. Pacelle, which is posted on the HSUS Website, Mr. Pacelle stated and claimed that:• He became the President and CEO of the HSUS on June 1, 2004, “after serving nearly 10 years as the organization’s chief lobbyist and spokesperson.”• The HSUS has “11 million members and constituents, annual revenue of $130 million.”• He “played a central role in more than 25 successful statewide ballot measure campaigns.”• He “led successful campaigns to defeat ballot measures” in California, Oregon, Arizona and Oklahoma.• “He and HSUS have worked for the passage of more than 500 new state laws just since 2001, and he has helped to pass more than 25 federal statutes.”• He “is the founder of Humane USA.” (A Political Action Committee established after Mr. Pacelle became President of the HSUS. Note also that Mr. Markarian, who is the Executive VicePresident and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the HSUS, serves as the Chairman of this PAC.)• He is “the founder of the Humane Society Legislative Fund, a 501 (c) (4) social welfare organization that lobbies for animal welfare legislation and works to elect humane-mindedcandidates to public offices.” (NOTE: Mr. Pacelle not only was the founder, but he serves as the Vice President of this organization.)