NC ALERT: COMMERCIAL BREEDER BILL HEARING 6/16/09

SB 460 Commercial Dog Breeders is listed on the Finance Committee Calendar for Tuesday, 6/16.  We need EVERYONE to contact Finance Committee members and bill sponsor, Senator Don Davis, and say NO!! to SB 460.

HSUS worked with Sen. Davis to introduce this legislation after dogs were seized from a breeder in Wayne County .  For his assistance with the raid, Wayne County animal control director, Justin Scally, was rewarded by HSUS with a job within their organization. Scally will relocate to Gaithersburg MD

to oversee a newly created HSUS task force.

HSUS would have our legislators believe that ALL breeders in North Carolina need state supervision and that substandard breeding kennels are rampant throughout our state. This is NOT TRUE.  SB460 is not based on facts or need; it is based on emotion and is part of a nationwide campaign by HSUS to pass restrictive legislation on dog breeders.  To date HSUS bills have been introduced in 32 states; 18 have died, 9 are still pending, and only 5 passed.   This legislative campaign is about CONTROL, not about animal welfare. HSUS has a well documented history of opposing all purposeful breeding of dogs.

 ** TALKING POINTS **

* Bill supporters claim that small hobby breeders and hunters will not be affected.  This is not true.  Supporters claim the only reason to have 15 females is for mass producing puppies, i.e. continually breeding each female. Also not true. The bill supporters are activists, NOT dog breeders and have no firsthand knowledge of building and maintaining a breeding program or maintaining a strong hunting pack. 

* The bill is so vague it could require anyone who breeds one litter to be licensed.

* Bill supporters will use photos showing the worst possible conditions in an attempt to create a wave of emotion strong enough to carry the bill forward.  High emotion makes for bad laws and SB 460 is no exception.  SB 460 will punish countless responsible breeders unnecessarily.

* Laws to insure animal welfare and to prevent animal-cruelty are already in place to protect all animals whether it is one dog or one hundred. We DO NOT NEED more laws.

* The potential exists for warrantless searches of a citizen's home and kennel while inspecting dogs to determine if a license is required.

* A Fiscal Note on SB 460 has been provided by the Fiscal Research Division with input from NC DACS. The Department’s Animal Welfare Section estimates costs to implement a regulatory program are almost a half million dollars going forward with virtually no income.  With a state budget shortfall of four billion dollars and government programs being cut, it is the height of irresponsibility to burden NCDA with this initiative.

ACTION IS NEEDED NOW!  CALL AND EMAIL SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND OPPOSE SB 460:

Senator David Hoyle (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-5734

E-mail: David.Hoyle@ncleg.net

Senator Daniel Clodfelter (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 715-8331
E-mail: Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net

Senator Clark Jenkins (Co-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 715-3040
E-mail: Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net

Senator Larry Shaw (Vice-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-9349
E-mail: Larry.Shaw@ncleg.net

Senator Fletcher Hartsell, Jr. (Vice-Chairman)
Phone: (919) 733-7223
E-mail: Fletcher.Hartsell@ncleg.net

Senator Charles Albertson
Phone: (919) 733-5705
E-mail: Charlie.Albertson@ncleg.net

Senator Austin Allran
Phone: (919) 733-5876
E-mail: Austin.Allran@ncleg.net

Senator Tom Apodaca
Phone: (919) 733-5745
E-mail: Tom.Apodaca@ncleg.net

Senator Bob Atwater
Phone: (919) 715-3036
E-mail: Bob.Atwater@ncleg.net

Senator Philip Berger
Phone: (919) 733-5708
E-mail: Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Senator Charlie Dannelly
Phone: (919) 733-5955
E-mail: Charlie.Dannelly@ncleg.net

Senator Eleanor Kinnaird
Phone: (919) 733-5804
E-mail: Ellie.Kinnaird@ncleg.net

Senator Floyd McKissick, Jr.
Phone: (919) 733-4599
E-mail: Floyd.McKissick@ncleg.net

Senator Joe Sam Queen
Phone: (919) 733-3460
E-mail: joesam.queen@ncleg.net

Senator David Rouzer
Phone: (919)733-5748
E-mail: David.Rouzer@ncleg.net

Senator R.C. Soles, Jr.
Phone: (919) 733-5963
E-mail: RC.Soles@ncleg.net

Senator Harris Blake
Phone: (919) 733-4809
E-mail: Harris.Blake@ncleg.net

Senator Julia Boseman
Phone: (919) 715-2525
E-mail: Julia.Boseman@ncleg.net

Senator Andrew Brock
Phone: (919) 715-0690
E-mail: Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net

Senator Harry Brown
Phone: (919) 715-3034
E-mail: Harry.Brown@ncleg.net

Senator Don East
Phone: (919) 733-5743
E-mail: Don.East@ncleg.net

Senator Tony Foriest
Phone: (919) 301-1446
E-mail: Tony.Foriest@ncleg.net

Senator Linda Garrou
Phone: (919) 733-5620
E-mail: Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net

Senator Eddie Goodall
Phone: (919) 733-7659
E-mail: Eddie.Goodall@ncleg.net

Senator Steve Goss
Phone: (919) 733-5742
E-mail: Steve.Goss@ncleg.net

Senator Neal Hunt
Phone: (919) 733-5850
E-mail: Neal.Hunt@ncleg.net

Senator Martin Nesbitt, Jr.
Phone: (919) 715-3001
E-mail: Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net

Senator Jean Preston
Phone: (919) 733-5706
E-mail: Jean.Preston@ncleg.net

Senator William Purcell
Phone: (919) 733-5953
E-mail: William.Purcell@ncleg.net

Senator Tony Rand
Phone: (919) 733-9892
E-mail: Tony.Rand@ncleg.net

Senator Bob Rucho
Phone: (919) 733-5655
E-mail: Bob.Rucho@ncleg.net

Senator Josh Stein
Phone: (919)715-6400
E-mail: Josh.Stein@ncleg.net

Senator Richard Stevens
Phone: (919) 733-5653
E-mail: Richard.Stevens@ncleg.net

Senator A.B. Swindell
Phone: (919) 715-3030
E-mail: AB.Swindell@ncleg.net

Senator Jerry Tillman
Phone: (919) 733-5870
E-mail: Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net

Senator David Weinstein
Phone: (919) 733-5651
E-mail: David.Weinstein@ncleg.net

THE NORTH CAROLINA HORSE COUNCIL

WE NEED YOUR HELP AGAIN!

H 780. BUILDING CODE/EXEMPT EQUESTRIAN ARENAS. Filed 3/25/09. TO CLARIFY THE NORTH CAROLINA BUILDING CODE EXEMPTION FOR FARM BUILDINGS TO INCLUDE EQUINE ARENAS USED FOR LESSONS OFFERED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC BUT NOT FOR SPECTATOR EVENTS.

GS 143-138(b) exempts farm buildings from the building rules of the North Carolina State Building Code. This bill adds a definition of farm building as “any building that is not open to the general public and is used primarily for a bona fide farm purpose.” It further adds a provision that a “bona fide farm purpose” includes “equine training offered to members of the general public” but not including equine spectator events.

H 780. BUILDING CODE/ EXEMPT EQUESTRIAN ARENAS. Filed 3/25/09. House committee substitute makes the following changes to 1st edition.

Amends GS 143-138(b) to provide a more illustrative definition of the term farm building as it applies in the provisions of the North Carolina Building Code (Code), defining farm building as including any structure used or associated with equine activities, including, but not limited to the care, management, boarding, or training of horses, and the instruction and training of riders (the 1st edition defined farm building as any building not open to the general public and used primarily for a bona fide farm purpose). Also provides examples of structures that are associated with equine activities and qualify as a farm building, which are not to be construed as limiting the types of structures, activities, or uses that may be considered in this subsection as exempted from building rules. Clarifies that a farm building that might be otherwise exempt from building rules is not exempt if it is used for a spectator event and more than 10 members of the public are present at the farm building for the event. Specifies that the act applies to all farm buildings, including those where construction began or was completed prior to the effective date of this act. Makes a conforming change to the title and makes organizational changes.

Thanks to your help, this legislative initiative was passed by the House Agricultural Committee and is now being considered by the House State Government/State Personnel Committee.  We are encouraged by this progress but need to make sure that members of this committee hear from us and understand our level of support.  Please call the committee members below and tell them that you support this bill. Let them know that this is the right thing to do for our equine industry and interests as we try to utilize our farm and farm buildings to meet the need of a declining economy, build potential agritourism and other innovative ways to increase income.  The bill is practical, fair and much needed. 

Time is of the essence as we rapidly approach the May 14th crossover deadline which means we need to get the bill out of the Committee and passed by the House before May 14th!

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT/STATE PERSONNEL

2009-2010

MEMBER                                ASSISTANT                   PHONE             OFFICE         SEAT

WILKINS, Winkie, Chair          Nancy Brantley               715-0850         1301                71

HARRELL, Ty, V-Chair            Lara Swanson                 733-5602         2121                108

JACKSON, Darren, V-Chair      Cassie Lester                    733-5974         301N               92

MOBLEY, Annie, V-Chair        Janice Mobley-Bennett     733-5780         638                  68

BURR, Justin                         Dina Long                        733-5908         1315                100

JUSTUS, Carolyn                     Jo Hinton                       733-5956         1023                27

KILLIAN, Richard                    Jan Copeland                  733-5886         1010                88

MACKEY, Nick                       John Montgomery           733-5606          403                  94

RANDLEMAN, Shirley             Ellen Picket                      733-5935         1025                115

SAGER, Efton                         Shirley Winstead             733-5755         508                  118

SUTTON, Ron                         Jo Bobbitt                        715-0875         1321                72

WILEY, Laura                         Edna Pearce                    733-5877         513                  76

WOMBLE, Larry                      Dorothy McLean             733-5777         534                  56

YONGUE, Douglas                    Katie Stanley                   733-5821         1303                1                                                                                                                                                                                 

Staff:

Karen Cochrane-Brown                                                      733-2578         545

Theresa Matula                                                                 733-2578         545

Shirley Iorio                                                                     733-2578         545

To view the email in its original format, Click Here.

North Carolina Horse Council