Anti-Breeder Bill Introduced in Alabama
http://joeforamerica.com/2016/12/hsus-behind-alabama-anti-breeder-bill
According to a recent news article http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/12/bill_restricting_alabama_puppy.html
Alabama state Sen. Priscilla Dunn, D-Bessemer, will be introducing legislation to increase regulations on dog breeders in early 2017. The legislation has been drafted by an Alabama animal rights group called the Alabama Puppy Mill Project. It would duplicate inspections and licensing already carried out by the USDA for dog breeders and require the state to set up a separate regulatory commission. And it won’t be cheap. Estimated costs for the program to the state have not been provided yet. Similar programs in Texas and Tennessee have cost over $500,000 and $300,000 annually, respectively. The Tennessee program was dropped after several years because of its high costs which were not being recouped by breeder fees. The Texas program is not even close to breaking even.
The anticipated bill would create the Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission with paid commissioners. According to the proposed bill, the commission would establish the fees needed to administer and enforce the program. Along with administrative functions, the commission would have authority to have criminal background checks performed on breeders and contract with third parties to act as inspectors. Third party inspectors are often problematic since they may be people or groups that embrace an animal rights ideology which means they are biased against dog breeders. Any breeder with 11 or more adult intact female dogs or who sells 20 or more animals in a calendar year would fall under the terms of the bill. The State Treasury would also have an Alabama Dog and Cat Breeders Commission Fund. Along with compensating the commissioners and paying their expenses, the funds in this account could be used for promoting the program and for paying for bounties on dog breeders. This has been done in Texas with $1000 “Breeder Bounties.” Animal rights vigilantes have harassed breeders and reported people to the state licensing commission – many times without reason – to try to collect these bounties. The commission may also solicit and accept gifts which raises more ethical issues. Why do commissioners on a dog and cat breeder commission need to solicit and accept gifts?”
http://media.wix.com/ugd/470c58_d446e1a1e16d442891387c66a4b09d66.pdf
