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HB 2470 Update, March 27

Update: Work Group sessions of March 10 and March 17

Proposed Oregon Law Could Put Training Kennels Out Of Business and Force Closure Of Responsible Breeders

A public hearing on Oregon House Bill 2470 was held by the House Consumer Protection Committee on February 23, 2009.  The bill would severely restrict professional trainers, handlers, and boarding kennels, and could put an end to small high-quality breeding kennels in Oregon.

HB 2470 contains heavy handed regulations that threaten to undermine the ability to responsibly breed dogs in our state.  Not surprisingly, it closely resembles HSUS anti-breeder legislation that has shown up in several other states, including Washington. 

HB 2470 is sponsored by Representatives Paul Holvey and Sara Gelser, and Senators Peter Courtney and Vicki Walker.  Note that chief sponsor Paul Holvey is also Chairman of the Consumer Protection Committee hearing the bill.  Chair Holvey and Vice Chairs Jim Weidner and Chuck Riley have repeatedly failed to respond to calls and written correspondence that oppose the bill.

The HSUS and PETA are in bed with our elected representatives.  HSUS propaganda calls HB 2470 "The Puppy Mill Bill".  Don't be fooled, HB 2470 is an anti-breeder bill so recklessly written that it affects every dog owner in Oregon, and threatens to put professional trainers and handlers out of business in Oregon.

Proponents of HB 2470 and the public should be assured that the opposition to this bill is not coming from the "puppy mill industry", as the HSUS would lead the public to believe.  The puppy mills are silent on this issue - they won't expose themselves to the scrutiny of anyone who would object to them - and certainly not the legislative system.

The opposition comes from the purebred dog sporting community.  That is; the serious enthusiasts, small conscientious hobby breeders, and the full-time professional handlers, trainers, and expert breeders who's livelihood is at stake under the potential of HB 2470.
 
Those of us who fight 2470, fully support the goal of ending dog neglect and abuse.  We, together with the American Kennel Club, represent by far the largest source of support for animal health research and veterinary science in the world.  We agree with the HSUS that the closure of puppy mills would be a significant milestone, and we would be happy to work side by side with the HSUS and any other organization to bring about well crafted legislation for the protection of dogs. 
 
Opponents believe that in its current form HB 2470 is reckless.  
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It fails to isolate and target irresponsible dog breeders as the result of its failure to define the health standards, living conditions, and breeding practices that differentiate responsible breeders from those that are irresponsible. 
Failure to acknowledge that difference would result in all breeders - including those who practice the highest standards of care and responsibility, being characterized as irresponsible and thus adversely affected. 
 
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It attempts to reduce mass breeding by imposing a cap on the number of sexually intact dogs any person may have in their care.  Its limit on that basis implies that all sexually intact dogs are actively producing puppies.  It further implies that the people in charge of those dogs are incapable of preventing unintended breeding. 
The collateral effect on professional trainers and sporting event handlers who typically train and travel with large numbers of client owned intact dogs, would be that those professionals could not sustain their businesses as a result of lost revenue.  The bill would effectively limit the number of clients a professional trainer or handler could serve at any given time.
 
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It attempts to improve living conditions by defining a minimum containment space in which dogs can be kept.  However, it fails to recognize that the space requirements for a primary living space are far different than that which is possible for travel and for temporary kenneling. 
The consequences of the bill's failure to make exceptions for temporary kenneling, would be that dog transportation in Oregon would be prohibited by all existing standards.  Every dog owner would be affected.  Commercial air carrier standards would be in violation.  Trucks and trailers specifically engineered for dogs, including vehicles currently operated by Oregon animal control agencies would be in violation.  Transportation of family pets in personal vehicles would be a violation.
 
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It imposes unreasonable consumer protection measures that put every dog breeder at great risk of litigation.  Breeders would be required to provide dog buyers with a two-year guarantee against all congenital and hereditary defects.  Many such defects are not present or are not detectable until long after a puppy would be sold, and some can be caused by a buyer's negligence or improper care of a puppy during its first years of life.  The buyer is further provided legal remedies that can total three and one-half times the price of a puppy, plus the costs of the breeder's legal defense. 
The effect would be that every breeder, regardless of his diligence to best practices and the highest level of care, would be sued at some time for a failure to produce genetic perfection or to disclose defects that were not detectable or present at the time a dog was sold.
 
The active opposition to HB 2470 is composed of conscientious hobbyists, professional breeders of quality purebred dogs, professional trainers and handlers, the American Kennel Club, the NAIA, and others.  We have asked Oregon legislators to allow us to assist them in developing a bill that will succeed against the puppy mill industry, but that will protect legitimate small businesses and responsible hobbyists. 

Help us defeat HB 2470.  Write a letter or email to your district representative.  If your representative is not a member of the Consumer Protection Committee, then write to the committee members as well.  Following the committee member list below, you'll find links to downloads for HB 2470 text, a detailed analysis of the adverse impacts of the bill, and a link to the NAIA site where you will find some excellent guidance for writing to our legislators. 

Please take the time to help us fight HB 2470.

House Consumer Protection Committee members:

bulletRepresentative Brent Barton, district 51
503-986-1451  900 Court Street NE, H-386, Salem, OR  97301
rep.brentbarton@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Jean Cowan, district 10
503-986-1410  900 Court Street NE, H-376, Salem, OR  97301
rep.jeancowan@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Vic Gilliam, district 18
503-986-1418  900 Court Street NE, H-389, Salem, OR  97301
rep.vicgilliam@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Paul Holvey, district 8, Committee Chair
503-986-1408  900 Court Street NE, H-275, Salem, OR  97301
rep.paulholvey@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Wayne Kreiger, district 1
503-986-1401  900 Court Street NE, H-381, Salem, OR  97301
rep.waynekreiger@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Greg Matthews, district 50
503-986-1450  900 Court Street NE, H-379, Salem, OR  97301
rep.gregmatthews@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Chuck Riley, district 29, Committee Vice Chair
503-986-1429  900 Court Street NE, H-274, Salem, OR  97301
rep.chuckriley@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Carolyn Tomei, district 41
503-986-1441  900 Court Street NE, H-279, Salem, OR  97301
rep.carolyntomei@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Jim Weidner, district 24, Committee Vice Chair
503-986-1424  900 Court Street NE, H-387, Salem, OR  97301
rep.jimweidner@state.or.us
bulletRepresentative Matt Wingard, district 26
503-986-1426  900 Court Street NE, H-474, Salem, OR  97301
rep.mattwingard@state.or.us
 

Download Independent Analysis OF HB 2470 Impact On Oregon

Link To NAIA Overview Of HB 2470, and NAIA Suggestions For Correspondence

 

 

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