HHPs, JS,
Legislation, News
Spotlight Award
Master Show Schedule: Bruce Lundeen has prepared a master show schedule for the Midwest Region. If clubs are looking for a show date, this would be your opportunity to browse the schedule to look for an available show date. If the listing for a club is incorrect, please notify Bruce as soon as possible.
LEGISLATIVE ALERT!!!! ACTION NEEDED NOW!
The "Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005" (PAWS) will negatively impact breeders of pedigreed cats with small/moderate sized catteries and breeding programs. Read the current Legislative Alert!
LEGISLATIVE ALERT!!!! ACTION NEEDED NOW! - MINNESOTA
MINNESOTA
State Bill SF 121 - The "Dog and Cat Breeders Act would license, inspect and regulate everyone who possesses 6 or more “adult, intact breeding females” (dogs and/or cats) and includes standards of care. OPPOSE.
CURRENT STATUS: This bill has been introduced but a hearing is not yet scheduled. Contact information for the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Veterans and suggested points are in the CFA ALERT. CFA urges emails to Committee Members NOW.
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ALERT - Minnesota SF 121
March 15, 2007
ALERT - MN H 1046 Hearing
Minnesota Cat Fanciers;
The "Dog and Cat Breeders Act" MN H 1046 (Companion bill to S 121) will be heard this Thursday in the House Public Safety & Civil Justice Committee on Thursday (3/15) at 12:30 p.m. (Room 10). Please attend the hearing. Address the Committee members if possible. Call or email Committee Members offices to let them know you oppose this bill.
Contact information is below.
This bill would require licensing, inspection and regulation of everyone who possesses 6 or more “adult, intact breeding females” (dogs and/or cats). Kittens/puppies 20 weeks of age are considered adults. There are detailed and stringent standards of care as well as transportation and husbandry requirements.
Inspections of breeders' homes would be required at least annually without notice. If a veterinarian-inspector determines substantial risk to an animal’s health or welfare, the animal may be euthanized for reasons not limited to disease or pain.
Opposition points to make in your own words:
** Minnesota will lose its best source of home-raised pedigreed kittens and purebred puppies. Supporters claim the bill exempts “hobby breeders”. H 1046 will eliminate many fine home based breeders from the state because of onerous and unrealistic requirements.
**Possession of “six or more adult breeding female animals” means a combination of dogs and cats i.e. persons with 3 intact female dogs and 3 intact female cats would be regulated. A cattery with 6 intact female cats represents a small breeding program concerned with genetic diversity.
**This Bill’s definition of “possess” is unrealistic - “to own, have an ownership interest in, care for, have custody of, or have control over”. For example, the 6 intact female threshold would include kittens over 20 weeks being evaluated for show/breeding potential, co-owned cats who may even live outside of the state, female cats temporarily in the home for stud service or on lease. And, this would include any intact female dogs living in a cat breeder's household.
Enforcement would be expensive and difficult as the numbers of cats/dogs in a typical breeder’s household will fluctuate. It is impossible to tell if a female cat is intact or a spayed pet.
** Unnoticed inspection is intrusive of home privacy. Kittens are raised in people’s bedrooms not usually open to government inspection. Home breeders are usually working and not at home “during normal business hours”. Yearly inspection is unnecessary and would be expensive for the State. A single complaint would trigger an investigation of a breeder’s home, cats and records. A correction order could mean a penalty up to $10,000.
** Standards of Care were derived with no input from hobby breeders. These standards are overly detailed, impractical or undesirable for breeders who raise cats/dogs in their homes. For example - air transport would be impossible since conditions in transit cannot be controlled. If an 8 week old kitten cannot be transported at all how does one receive veterinary care? Cats cannot be “housed” in outdoor confined areas ever – even in good weather.
Kittens can not be “housed” with adult altered family pet dogs or cats, which is desirable for socialization. A female could not be bred on the next cycle following a litter even when advised by a veterinarian.
Tell Committee members that husbandry matters should not be decided by government. Each situation is different and should be determined by a breeder with veterinary advice. Conscientious hobby breeding usually means 6 or more intact females for proper genetic diversity.
Good breeders will not be able to comply with this bad law. H 1046 will only advance an agenda to stop cat and dog breeding in Minnesota.
Joan Miller
CFA Legislative Coordinator
OPPOSE the “Dog and Cat Breeders Act” – MN SF 121
Introduced by Senators Don Betzold, Paul Koering and Katie Sieben.
CONTACT friends, your veterinarian - anyone you know in the State of Minnesota
who loves pedigreed cats/purebred dogs. Let them know their help is needed to preserve
people’s ability to choose home-raised pets.
CALL or EMAIL members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Veterans.
A hearing has not yet been scheduled but they need to know NOW there is strong opposition to SF 121.
READ the entire Bill – http://www.cfamidwest.org/minnesota.html or http://www.cfa.org/exhibitors/alert-MN-SF121.html
Click on “bill search”; Find your Senator.
BACKGROUND –
Minnesota already has adequate laws requiring licensing of “kennels” that take dogs/cats from shelters or abandoned and stray animals (rescue facilities). The State has standards for commercial breeders or dealers that sell dogs/cats to institutions or other dealers. The Consumer Protection statute (1992) applies to pet dealers, breeders who sell to the public or brokers who purchase animals for resale. SF 121 is an unnecessary animal rights agenda to make conscientious breeding programs for cats or dogs impossible in Minnesota.
HIGHLIGHTS –
**The” Dog and Cat Breeders Act” would license, inspect and regulate everyone who possesses 6 or more “adult, intact breeding females” (dogs or cats). Kittens/puppies 20 weeks of age are considered adults.
** Included are detailed and stringent standards of care as well as transportation and husbandry requirements.
**Inspections are required at least annually without notice.
** A veterinarian-inspector who determines substantial risk to an animal’s health or welfare may euthanize the animal for reasons not limited to disease or pain.
OPPOSITION –
There are many flaws in this bill. Let the Senators know of a few primary problems. Suggested points to make in your own words.
** Minnesota will lose its best source of home-raised pedigreed kittens and purebred puppies. Supporters claim the bill exempts “hobby breeders”. SF 121 will eliminate many fine home based breeders from the state because of onerous and unrealistic requirements.
**Possession of “six or more adult breeding female animals” means a combination of dogs and cats i.e. persons with 3 intact female dogs and 3 intact female cats would be regulated. A cattery with 6 intact female cats represents a small breeding program concerned with genetic diversity. Enforcement would be expensive and difficult as the numbers of cats/dogs in a typical breeder’s household will fluctuate.
**This Bill’s definition of “possess” is unrealistic - “to own, have an ownership interest in, care for, have custody of, or have control over”. For example, the 6 intact female threshold would include kittens over 20 weeks being evaluated for show/breeding potential, co-owned cats who may even live outside of the state, female cats temporarily in the home for stud service or on lease. And, this would include any intact female dogs living in a cat breeder's household.
** Unnoticed inspection is intrusive of home privacy. Kittens are raised in people’s bedrooms in homes not open “during normal business hours”. Yearly inspection is unnecessary and expensive for the State. A single complaint would trigger an investigation of a breeder’s home, cats and records. A correction order could mean a penalty up to $10,000.
** Standards of Care were derived with no input from hobby breeders. These standards are overly detailed, impractical or undesirable for breeders who raise cats/dogs in their homes. For example - air transport would be impossible since conditions in transit cannot be controlled. If an 8 week old kitten cannot be transported at all how does one receive veterinary care? Cats cannot be “housed” in outdoor confined areas ever – even in good weather. Kittens can not be “housed” with adult altered family pet dogs or cats. A female could not be bred on the next cycle following a litter even when advised by a veterinarian. Husbandry matters should not be decided by government.
Tell Committee members that conscientious hobby breeding usually does means 6 or more intact females and good breeders will not be able to comply with this bad law. SF 121 will only advance an agenda to stop cat and dog breeding in Minnesota.
Joan Miller
CFA Legislative Coordinator
JMillerArt@aol.com
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CONTACT INFORMATION
Senate Committee on Agriculture and Veterans
Senator Jim Vickerman, Chair
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Room 226
St. Paul, MN 55155-1606
(651) 296-5650
Senator Sharon L Erickson Ropes, Vice Chair
(651) 296-5649
sen.sharon.erickson.ropes@senate.mn
Senator Steve Dille, Ranking Minority Member
(651) 296-4131
sen.steve.dille@senate.mn
Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary
(651) 296-4334
sen.satveer.chaudhary@senate.mn
Senator Joe Gimse
(651) 296-3826
sen.joe.gimse@senate.mn
Senator David W. Hann
(651) 296-1749
Email with online form
Senator Bill G. Ingebrigsten
(651) 297-8063
sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn
Senator Paul E. Koering (Co-author)
(651) 296-4875
sen.paul.koering@senate.mn
Senator Gary W. Kubly
(651) 296-5094
sen.gary.kubly@senate.mn
Senator Keith Langseth
(651) 296-3205
sen.keith.langseth@senate.mn
Senator Steve Murphy
(651) 296-4264
Email with online form
Senator Rod Skoe
(651) 296-4196
sen.rod.skoe@senate.mn
Senator Dan Skogen
(651) 296-5655
sen.dan.skogen@senate.mn
Senator Betsy L. Wergin
(651) 296-8075
sen.betsy.wergin@senate.mn
Author
Senator Don Betzold
(651) 296-2556
sen.don.betzold@senate.mn
Co-authors
Senator Paul Koering – see above
Senator Katie Sieben
(651) 297-8060
Sen.katie.sieben@senate.mn
Purrfect Midwest Cooking Cookbook is on sale now. 244 pages packed full of delicious recipes!!!! Only $12 at Midwest Region Shows or $16 through PayPal (includes shipping). Buy now at MIDWEST REGION COOKBOOK.
Does your club want to host a show? move its show date?: The show scheduling guidelines are under revision.
Household Pets: Household pets are scored with awards given for the top ten household pets. See who is winning on the HOUSEHOLD PETS page.
Animal Hoarding: See what you can do if someone you know is an animal hoarder. UNDERSTANDING ANIMAL HOARDING AND ITS IMPACT.
Cat Agility: If you would like to have a Cat Agility contest at one of your Midwest Region shows, contact Andrea Dorn at adorn@iastate.edu
Attention - Show Managers/Coordinators: Do you need raffle or door prizes for your show? Petmate will provide sponsoring shows a generous prize package for shows.
Read the details about partnering with Petmate. 
Submit an order to partner with Petmate for your show.
Discount at Red Roof Inns: CFA has a REDI CARD at Red Roof Inns, so exhibitors who don't have REDI CARD can take advantage of the 10 percent discount. Read about the CFA REDI CARD.
Junior Showmanship:
The Midwest Region needs to be doing more Junior Showmanship Rings. If your club would be interested and has any questions, please contact Chuck Gradowski at: gradowskich@cs.com
Chuck had done several rings and knows the ins and outs of putting the ring together. The Awards come from CFA and Friskies sponsors the ring so it is not a hardship for the club. Also working closely with Junior Showmanship in the Midwest Region is Cynthia Burnett. She can be reached at cyburcoon@yahoo.com.
Junior Showmanship is open to youth from 8 - 15. They need to show a pedigree cat, but it doesn't have to be show quality. It's for sportsmanship, not competition. The youth learn handling, breed history, and gain experience, speaking ability, and confidence by being in front of a group. If it's not being done in your area, contact CFA or one of the coordinators. Most shows are offering this now to youth. If it is happening at one of the shows you are attending, take the time to watch and encourage the future of CFA.
New Emergency Procedures: See the EMERGENCY PROCEDURES' outline.
CFA-midwest list on Yahoo: Midwest Exhibitors, you are invited to join the cfa-midwest list for the latest news - about the shows - and other important information.
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