Urgent! Action Alert regarding HB 2238, regulating licensed dog and cat breeders!
HB 2238 is “pending” in the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee and could pass to a floor vote at any time. It must be “withdrawn or blocked in committee!”
Please “copy and paste” this message below in emails to all committee members listed below. Call if possible — especially bill sponsors and your personal house and senate representatives.
******** “Copy” and send!
Texans love our animals. You are being lied to! HB 2238 is a national “Animal Rights Legislative Agenda” being promoted in every state by vegan organizations. to end all use, breeding, sales, and ownership of animals for any reason, including pet ownership. They are the “Green New Deal” and focus on incremental steps to accomplish their radical agenda by criminalizing all aspects of animal ownership! Dog and cat breeders were the first targets of this “Cancel Culture!”
LIE #1: “HB 2238 is needed to address animal cruelty in Texas.” Texas already has the strictest Animal Cruelty Law in the U.S. which covers every cruel act possible! Penal Code. Title 9. § 42.092. Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals makes cruelty to animals” a criminal offense punishable up to a state jail felony. Passed in 2007.
LIE #2: “AKC Show and hobby breeders are exempt from licensing.” Senator Corona attempted to get that amendment for AKC Conformation Dogs, but it wasn’t accepted by Senator Whitmire. Listed breeder exemptions do not mean they are automatic. All exemptions must applied for and “prove” that status — which must then be approved by TDLR. Per our last Open Records Request, no exemptions had ever been granted.
LIE #3: “This bill will bring Texas in line with U.S.D.A.” This makes no sense at all because the Texas Licensed Dog and Cat Breeder Law was based on U.S.D.A regulations when written, which cannot be met in a home environment. Some commercial breeders are dual licensed and subject to double requirements and inspections.
“HB 1451 lies told when originally passed:
- Regulated “commercial” breeders, but Rep. Senfronia Thompson removed the ‘commercial’ word following the first committee meeting.
- House Rep. Thompson predicted 1,000 licensed breeders with HB 1451, the original House bill. Senator Whitmire lowered that prediction to 600 licensed breeders when the Senate voted.. Truth is TDLR only averages 150 licensed breeders!
Texas Sunset Commission has attempted to eliminate the Licensed Dog and Cat Breeder Program for several years and claim the following: “This law does not protect overall public interest and could be safely eliminated. Revenues do not cover administration as required by statute. The Sunset Commission reports the program had a 38% Cost Overrun. Enforcement cases took 307 days to resolve in fiscal year 2019, more than double the average across all TDLR programs. Unenforceable requirements undermine TDLR efforts.”
Texas loves our animals! No breeding = no pets. Some of us want to own a purebred dog or cat because of its predictable behavior. Very few purebreds are relinquished to shelters.
Please email and call the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee Members below and oppose HB 2238.
State Representative Brad Buckley
