Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 9:58 PM



***** Please Crosspost widely*************



ACTION ALERT:

 Important question: do you want CA SB 250 to become law in our state? If not, two things must happen by this Thursday:

1.    Hundreds if not thousands of people – breeders, pet owners, hunters, retirees, organizations huge and small - must contact every member of the California Senate Appropriations Committee to OPPOSE SB 250 before close of business tomorrow, Wednesday May 27th

… and …

2.    Hundreds of people must show up at the Capitol Thursday by 9am – planning to stay all day if necessary – and attend the Senate Appropriations Hearing where SB 250 will be voted on sometime before close of business.

The best chance we have of stopping this bill is while it is still in the Senate.  It needs to be killed here and now! This will not happen unless everyone steps up and does their part by faxing and calling each committee member with their opposition.  

Please, please make your opposition known.  You can find out more about SB 250 here:

http://tinyurl.com/ctjhxw

Here is a wonderful patriotic video created by an Alabama teenager that will be sure to inspire you to take action to protect our pets and rights!   Video at link:  An.wmv 

 



 



*****Be sure to include this statement in all opposition letters so you opposition will count:



 

Dear Senators and Assembly Members:

 

I continue to STRONGLY OPPOSE SB 250 as amended May 5th, 2009.  I will continue to oppose it in all future forms.  SB250 is a flawed piece of legislation which cannot be fixed by ANY amendments.  I therefore ask to be included in the numerical individual OPPOSITION count for any Bill Analysis.  I additionally ask that my OPPOSITION not be withdrawn except by my own written consent.

 



  



Talking Points:



(Remember: this is the Senate Appropriations Committee.  State finances are the primary concern in this vote.)



 



·        SB 250 is nowhere near as important as schools, health programs, firefighting and police enforcement – why is it even being considered by the Senate, when Californians voted overwhelmingly last week for the State to CUT SPENDING?  It certainly is not going to sav!

e money.



o       See the most recent SB 250 Bill Analysis:



http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_250_cfa_20090511_112111_sen_comm.html



 



o       See also!

the last Financlal Bill analysis for the very similar (less draconian

) bill, 2007’s CA AB 1634:



http://www.dof.ca.gov/Legislative_Analyses/LIS_PDF/07/AB-1634-20080725094150AM-AB01634.pdf



 



·        SB 250 will be very difficult and expensive to enforce.  The unforeseen consequences are huge. One animal-related code violation, and local Animal Control agencies have the right to revoke and deny your license to own an intact animal in California for the rest of your life.&nb!

sp; People will take minor violations all the way to the CA Supreme Court to avoid that.



 



·        SB 250 offers NO EXEMPTIONS except medical where a veterinarian determines that the surgery will pose the risk of possible death for your pet. This makes SB 250 a more dangerous bill than AB 1634, which did offer some exemptions.



 



·        SB 250 violates pet owner property rights granted to Californians by both the federal and state constitutions.



 



·        SB 250 will eliminate working dogs such as those used for law enforcement and search and rescue. These dogs are routinely kept intact as “natural” dogs are better able to perform these demanding tasks.  They are often relinquished by their first homes because of too high energy lev!

els their families cannot handle … if all dogs are sterilized early in life, where will law enforcement dogs come from?



 



Note: there are no exemptions for law enforcement, search and rescue, or service dogs in SB 250.



 

·        SB 250 is an unreasonable law because it potentially defines ALL pet owners as “irresponsible” and subject to fines and having their pet sterilized as mandated by the state.

 

Picture this: Old dog goes for a walk.  Old dog leaves a number of piles. You clean up all you see.  Old dog leaves one more that you miss... and either AC or an AR sees you walk away from it.   Oh, horrors!!! You are now an IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNER.

 

Any of the following offenses will also deem you to be an “irresponsible” dog owner and subject to fines and mandated sterilization for all your pets:

 

·        Have a dog get out of their yard.

·        Fail to have an up to date rabies vaccination.

·        Fail to have a dog licensed.

·        Have a leash law violation.

·        Have a violation at your fully licensed, inspected kennel if you have one.

·        Have a tethering violation.

·        Keep a dog in “unsanitary or unhealthy conditions” – whatever that means.

·        Operate a business that involves dogs without a license or state tax ID number.

·        Leave a dog unattended in a car in violation of Section 597.7



 



SB 250 will serve to virtually eliminate dog and cats shows as well as canine performance events in California.  Millions of dollars in revenue are generated by these events locally. Their loss shall create a negative fiscal impact to local economies while reducing generated tax revenue.



 



The AKC Eukanuba National Championship show is moving from Long Beach to Florida when its’ current contract runs out.  That’s a loss to Long Beach’s local economy of over $65 MILLION for the 3 year contract. That’s just one show. What will happen if hundreds of cat and dog shows disappear?



 

Senate Appropriations Committee Members

Senator Christine Keho, Chair, D-39

State Capitol, Room 5050

Phone: (916) 651-4039

Fax: (916) 327-2188

Senator David Cox, Vice-Chair, R-1

State Capitol, Room 2068

Phone: (916) 651-4001

Fax: (916) 324-2680

Senator Ellen Corbett, D-10

State Capitol, Room 5108

Phone916) 651-4010

Fax: (916) 327-2433

Senator Jeff Denham, R-12

State Capitol, Room 3076

Phone: (916) 651-4012

Fax: (916) 445-0773

Senator Mark DeSaulnier, D-7

State Capitol, Room 2054

Phone: (916) 651-4007

Fax: (916) 445-2527

Senator Loni Hancock, D-9

State Capitol, Room 3092

Phone: (916) 651-4009

Fax: (916) 327-1997

Senator Mark Leno, D-3

State Capitol, Room 4061

Phone: (916) 651-4003

Fax: 916 445-4722

Senator Jenny Oropeza, D-28

State Capitol, Room 5114

Phone: (916) 651-4028

Fax: (916) 323-6056

Senator George Runner, R-17

State Capitol, Room 4090

Phone: (916) 651-4017

Fax: (916) 445-4662

Senator Mimi Walters, R-33

State Capitol, Room 3082

Phone: (916) 651-4033

Fax: (916) 445-9754

Senator Lois Wolk, D-5

State Capitol, Room 4032

Phone: (916) 651-4005

Fax: (916) 323-2304

Senator Mark Wyland, R-38

State Capitol, Room 4048

Phone: (916) 651-4038

Fax: (916) 446-7382

Senator Leland Yee, D-8

State Capitol, Room 4074

Phone: (916) 651-4008

Fax: (916) 377-2186
dude, hurry, click

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