Defeat SB1139 PAWS

(Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005) today!

Download "PAWS Cartoons To Distribute" PDF file here

Folks, please download this pdf and print it for massive distribution. Of course, don't let it overshadow your own materials, which are created in your own unique and persuasive voice. However, visuals are a powerful attention-grabber. You are free to use these cartoons for all they are worth.

You can use all of it, or when you print, set the printer prompt to print out whichever page you feel is appropriate to your arguments. And then make as many copies as you like.

So flood the dog shows, pet stores, your letters, e-mails, etc...with these pages and with your own materials. This is a fight for PET FREEDOM. We must not lose!

Spread the word: "Paws MUST be defeated!"

Good luck! Nick

Dear Dog Fancier,

Most of us normally don’t want any part of political activism, even when it concerns things most dear to us. Personally, I’d rather be showing my Mastiffs and painting dogs than ranting about anti-dog legislation.

However, this one has me really concerned.

A dangerous piece of legislation is working its way through the U.S. Congress right now. It is shrewdly named PAWS (Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005). PAWS SB1139 is "Pandora's Box" to be sure!

The biggest reason PAWS (Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005) needs to be defeated is because it opens the door for an aggressive bureaucracy to begin infringing upon the dog fancier world like never before.

The precedent paves the way for the Federal Government to work his way into your home and breeding program.

The scary thing is that the American Kennel Club (AKC)is actually supporting this, despite the opposition within the AKC itself and by many other dog fancier groups such as the United Kennel Club.

What's more, Dr. J. Holt, Legislative Liaison continues to justify this legislation to a divided AKC Board of Directors. Regardless, the AKC has already made up its mind and continues to hold firm.

Defeating the Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005 (PAWS) SB1139 is crucial. After that the American Kennel Club is going to have to undergo some serious reform. I recommmend that all Dog Clubs join the effort to defeat PAWS SB1139. Please muster up the courage to reform the AKC.

Despite my frustration, I love the AKC, which is why I am sticking my neck out to help it to do the right thing here. I am sure that the AKC feels otherwise, but I am fighting FOR the AKC, not against it...

The worst part of this is that they are not only unwittingly selling out dog fanciers; cat fanciers are subject to regulation too! The Cat Fanciers Association is actively opposing this. It's hard to believe that certain folks within the organization we have grown up with, love, and support, would collude with Uncle Sam and give other pet communities such a raw deal.

Senate Bill 1139 (Santorum, R-PA) and (Durbin, D-IL)is based upon using a numbers game to determine who is and who is not a “puppy mill”, subject to regulation by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Another bill in the House of Representatives is HR2669 (Gerlach, R-PA) and (Farr, D-CA). So the bureaucrats are certainly stacking the deck against us.

The reason they are doing this is because the courts have already ruled that the current definition of a breeder by AWA (Animal Welfare Act) already protects most dog fanciers and breeders respectively.

However, the courts allowed the possibility of Congress to open the door for more regulation. PAWS does just that by exploiting number criteria to justify regulation of most, if not all aspects of dog breeding. And once the door is open, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will ultimately gain carte blanche authority to continue redefining dog breeding.

There are some animal rights groups whom are extremists, bent on destroying pet-ownership for their own gains. Then there are the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”.

For example, The Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS), Senator Santorum, Rep. Durbin, and the Department of Agriculture, has shrewdly convinced the AKC that dog-fanciers have only two options:

1. Be a part of the process, or...

2. Be left out entirely.

Washington has obviously been wooing and courting top AKC officials utilizing the "carrot and the stick".

The AKC has naively taking the bait, falling into the trap. In essence, the AKC is “playing with fire”, predicting that “sleeping with the enemy” will somehow produce a positive result.

Expecting the Department of Agriculture to extend its goodwill to the dog community is fool-hardy. In fact, I believe that this will systematically destroy the dog-fancy world as we know it over the next 5-10 years, if not sooner. Whether it is direct or indirect is irrelevent. PAWS SB1139 will be the catalyst for a systematic destruction of dog rights.

This might seem puzzling to the averaged person. In a time when dog-ownership is at an all-time popularity, how could the pet world ever be destroyed?

It's a valid question. I'll answer it by saying this: when you are required to have permission, are you really free?

Some semi-pro-dog legislators have suggested licensing as a way to help responsible dog owners. However, there are a many communities whereby licensing is written into law, but the city and/or county simply won't issue it. Period!

So that wonderful compromise you believed would help, doesn't. It ends up biting you in the you-know-what.

I understand that many won't like this, but I recommend not compromising in the first place. That is what the American Kennel Club is attempting to do...

Please understand that the AKC does not speak for everyone at all times, including its own membership. Despite being an AKC supporter, I don’t want to see this collusion ultimately backfire on the dog fancier world.

A little ridicule now is better than a systematic destruction of the AKC and dog fanciers.

This is “Pandora’s Box”! Even if you are breeding below the current puppy numbers, in the future Uncle Sam will continue to take, take, and take.

This type of access into your home, your business, and your hobby will also lead to enormous licensing fees. In addition, none of us should have to face the real possibility of having a government regulator searching high and low through our homes, telling you what you will do…or else!

What’s more, if SB1139 passes, the AKC will be opening their registry database to the Department of Agriculture. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that this alliance will come back to haunt them.

In addition to a lot of embarrassment, it will also lead to regulators combing over your records too. In the future, guess who they’ll be asking questions of?

Oddly enough, this legislation does absolutely nothing to promote health testing and crucial efforts to improve upon dog genetics.

It is simply based on breeding numbers, nothing more. And numbers affect you.

Folks, a sense of urgency is desperately needed here. The reason is that dissent within the AKC is growing rapidly…as it should. The AKC knows it’s in trouble with its constituency, which explains why they are actively defending their actions.

Thankfully, several members of the AKC Board of Directors, voted against supporting the Pet Animal Welfare Act of 2005. Here is a letter to the dog community from Carmen Battaglia . He is one of the Four Board Members who rightly voted in opposition.

Senator Santorum must be aware of this. That being the case, if he has nothing else brewing in the hopper, there is a real possibility that he could place this dangerous bill on the fast track. The result would be a disaster.

One final note, some mistakenly believe that this is a good idea and will put the puppy-mills out-of-business. Rather, some puppy-mills will simply go further underground. Others will comply with regulations, and even partner with the Feds. However, they will still not health test nor endeavor to produce even higher quality dogs.

Again, this bill has nothing to do with producing a quality puppy. It’s not even about protecting puppies. This is a power-grab by Uncle Sam and powerful animal rights lobbyists.

Sadly, the AKC is continuing to defend a “threshold” for “creating a public interest”. I had hoped that it would not be too late for the AKC to find a way to save face.

Despite my anger and frustration with the AKC, I would prefer to remain an active member who is proud of my dog community. Regrettably, it is probably too late to work with the AKC now.

Whether the AKC decides to do the right thing or not is irrelevant at this point. Dog fanciers all over the U.S. need to continue their rally and defend themselves with or without the AKC. In other words, we need our own carrot and stick!

Therefore, SB1139 and HR2669 must be fought directly with accurate information, phone calls, and letters to your legislators and the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Being that dog owners are under attack all over local communities at this time, AND BY BOTH PARTIES, it is crucial that we fight any more infringements by the Federal Government and animal rights extremists. We desperately need to find new legislators that will help the dog community fight for its rights.

I respectfully ask you to please send this to everyone you know that is a dog fancier. It is crucial to call and/or write your congressmen quickly before it is too late. If you’re a member of a dog club, please notify them of this ASAP. They too need to be aware of what’s coming down. Urge them to pass resolutions and send them to Capitol Hill and to the American Kennel Club.

5 minutes of your time now will save you a lot of money and heartache in the future.

You don’t need to write a long novel to your legislator; just tell them “No on SB 1139”.

Now is the time for vigilance and courage, not appeasement.

Best of luck!

Nick Van Duren, English Mastiff Fancier and Dog Artist

Here are a few helpful links which will help you understand this dangerous political effort

http://www.vote-smart.org/

U.S. Senate Committe on Agriculture

Mailing address:

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry

Room SR-328A

Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC. 20510-6000

Phone: (202) 224-2035

Fax: (202) 224-1725

(Senate Agriculture Committee: Tell them “No Way!”)

(Great information about why PAWS needs to be defeated, written by the National Animal Interest Alliance)

(Sportman’s and Animal Owner’s Voting Alliance)

Pet-Law.com

The United Kennel Club (UKC)

Don't take my word for it: Read the AKC's own defense.