For those dog owners in Ohio, please carefully read the proposed bill HB 223.
It has some good things but many items that will not be good for responsible dog owners.
Needs lots of work before it should even be considered for a vote!
Please read and contact your local representatives to protect your rights and the safety of your animals.
http:www.legislature.state.oh.us/bills.cfm?ID=127_HB_223:

What are some of the items that you do not think will be good for responsible dog owners?

I just glanced at the Ohio Bill and one thing I have a problem with is the dogs always having to wear collars with tags. My dogs are all microchipped and/or tatooed. They are all in an enclosed kennel and outdoor yard.
If they have their collars on they could get caught on something. They play and could get hung up on a collar.
I would be happy to show proof of a license and rabies shots but feel that on my own property, they should not have to wear collars if I feel it would present a danger to their safety. The fact that if some official comes to my home and can sieze my dogs if they are not wearing a collar is crazy!!!!!!!
I will go back and read the whole bill but boy am I glad that I do not live in Ohio if this is the way they are thinking!

I also agree. My dogs are either in the house or in
the fenced yard. I don't keep collars on them either
for that same reason....I have microchipped all of them......to think that they could be seized and
not returned because of no collars, but behind my
fence is idiocy.......
I live in MD...and am watching to see what kind
of laws we may get here.......

OUCH....this is getting to be too close to home.....
even for us multiple pet owners........'


JMHO

Jane Harford
RRK Labs

I read it and it stated all have to be collared EXCEPT when kenneled and fenced. Did I read it wrong? I am worried about the "you must place retired dogs" I can't part with my 2 old girls! Also 9 "breeding" dogs...I have 11 and it goes up and up in price from there in fees...holy cow...don't they realize what they are doing? I only have 6 girls, 3 males and 2 retired...who would I choose, how would I choose? I raised them ALL from pups. This bill needs some major overhauling...that senator just isn't looking at the whole picture. I am working on my letter tonight he has got to know how this will affect us.

Did anyone see the surety bond requirements? WOW if you own 16 or more dogs, $5,000.00, 25 to 50 dogs, $10,000 and 50 plus dogs, $50,000...payable to the "cause" of course, I have never owned that many dogs (not to say I wouldn't if I had the time)but the people that do are going to be culling a lot of their dogs...it's like a death sentence in itself. You won't be able to place a puppy until 90 days old...that's not fair to the pup or mother or us...a puppy should be placed in their new home much sooner than that...why shouldn't it get to go into it's new home and be the center of attention? 8 to 12 weeks is the best bonding time. I've never "fought" anything like this but I guess now is the time...HEY PIPER...your quick wit is needed now. I'm sure you're good at wording this kind of stuff...HELP??

Please all-read this bill and act now!
This is not good for responsible dog owners or their dogs.
The folks who are trying to stop "puppy mills" are backing this bill but they are misguided.
The "puppy mills" will find ways around it and the breeders are the ones who will suffer.
As written, this is not a good bill.
If we do not let our elected officials know how we feel we will have to live with it!
Please call your representatives. I have been told that phone calls have an impact. If not, please at least write or email your opposition to this bill.

Folks,

This is definitely a bill that ALL breeders in Ohio need to be aware of and respond to immediately. I downloaded all 19 pages of the internet version today so that I could read it through carefully and highlight significant passages.

While I can't go into ALL the things that scared the daylights out of me, I would like to hear from anyone who knows if either of the two sponsors and/or any of the several co-sponsors have HSUS or PETA links. Too many of the parts in this bill sounded like parts of the (currently out of commission) PAWS bill. I can't help but think that when the animal rightists ran into roadblocks at the federal level, they decided to start in on the individual states.

I'll gladly write educational letters and/or opposition letters to anyone in a position to make a difference at the state level in getting this bill DEFEATED!!!!!

If someone would help me word letters...like I said I'm not good at it and am already nervous. Phone calls would really help..but as soon as I would start talking about having to place my old girls I'd fall to pieces...it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. They are sacked out at my feet now snoring their big butts off. Would someone help me with the wording?? I know it's a lot to ask and very time consuming.

I also need to wade through the bill and highlight the bad parts. While I am not a breeder (yet), I care greatly about the future of all purebred dogs and dog owners and will also be struggling with wording, and possibly phone calls to people with some pull in this area.

I am from California and we are fighting AB1634 requiring mandatory spay/neuter. There was a link given previously to a great place to write letters to your Assemblymen. It is directed to the correct person based on your Zip Code. I have written my letters and received letters from my Assemblymen offering their support in Opposition to the Bill.
Try this-
http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/issues/alert/?alertid=9816031

Thank you so much Lori...made it so easy!!

Good Morning and you are so welcome! Pass it on to everyone you know. It is so simple!

Any Ohio residents should contact their state legislators and send a fax or letter or a quick phone call and politely explain why you are opposed. There is a senate bill too SB 173.

Check out this one too!!!!!!!

Hey, Lori,

Great suggestion re: NAIA site. I ran into a problem, though, when AFTER I had written my "letter" and pressed SEND, I was told that my zip code crossed legislative districts and to enter my FULL address or my 9-digit zip. I DID enter my full address AND I don't have a 9-digit zip; I was unable to get anything sent! Any suggestions?

TIA.

Barb - depending in what district you are in, here are your lawmakers. If you are a registered voter - look on your card for your district. If not - Email them all.

MEMBER PARTY DISTRICT
Buehrer Republican Senate District 01
Gardner Republican Senate District 02
Hite Republican House District 76
Latta Republican House District 06
Wachtmann Republican House District 75

Also when using the Naiatrust capwiz site - you can choose print and your letter will come up all nice and neat and you can copy and paste it into Word, spell check etc. and mail it or paste it into a separate email or fax if the site doesn't work for you.

Whew, Thanks Gina for answering! I probably would not have been able to answer the question.

Red Birch, I hope it works now!
Good Luck!

Have a good one!

We can oppose these bills every time they come up for consideration but unless there is one drafted by us we are going to have to continually worry and fret over these issues. I had mentioned to another poster (in private) that a lot of the concerns are stemming from un-healthy puppies/dogs going into the public. I suggested pre-purchase exams, and better genetic health guarantees. Face it, how many puppy millers are going to meet a buyer AT the vets office of the buyers choice (within reasonable proximity, of course), be face to face with a vet and the client and bring an unhealthy puppy. The puppy should THEN be tatooed, so a switch couldn't be done. The reason I say tatoo is that I read somewhere that a tatooed animal can NOT be used for research. Also, and I know some of you are going to take offense and that is not my intetion, but a 2 year guarantee is not long enough to guarantee against genetic defects...OFA won't evaluate until a dog is 2, so on the dogs 2 year and 1 day old birthday the guarantee is void and the client is out. Also most ask that the puppy be returned before replacement, the client is attached and can't part with it, I say let them keep it, they assume all financial reponsibility if they do and let them decide WHEN they would like a replacement as most families don't want more than 1 or 2 dogs at a time, that would certainly give people an incentive to choose healthier breeding stock.
The pet stores need education and should have to take an extensive training course to be able to sell puppies as well as their staff. I was at the pet store last month and watched a girl feed turtles, snakes and lizzards and went right over a picked up a pupy for someone to hold, she didn't wash her hands OR have the people wash their hands, when I brought it to her attention she said she didn't know. That wasn't HER fault that was the store owners fault. The public has no idea that you can't drag an 8 week old puppy all over the place unless WE tell them. I had a person call me for a puppy, they just lost theirs to Parvo and was looking for another one to replace it, the vet never told them that their grounds and home was contaminated and not to even consider getting another young puppy. They were upset with their vet as they had just spent over a grand trying to save it and would have put another puppy in jeopardy. I asked them if they called to let the other breeder know that their puppy contracted Parvo and they had not, now how is that breeder to know? I think it all boils down to education, education, education.
Not all dogs are house dogs but should be housed appropriatley, they sell plastic dog houses in the stores, that in my opinion, are just not warm enough for some climates, heck plastic barrrels are warmer, that's where the focus should be. Set a min. standard for a dog and make people abide by it. I don't like concrete but I don't like mud more, there has to be a nice middle ground...give a few choices for flooring material and require the use of it, give choices for dog houses and require the use of them, period. If the dog isn't kept in that manner, then seize it but they have to be able to BETTER care for it than what they just pulled it out of. It should not matter if you own 1 dog or 50 dogs IF you can take care of them or afford someone to help you take care of them.

I would love to hear other's input on this, I mentioned several options in my letter to the senate board but I know I'm not as good at this as some of you would be.

Thanks for reading, sorry it was so long.

Note that if puppy passes the pre-purchase exam the seller pays for it, if it fails, the breeder does. A pre-purchase exam is common practice in horses and cattle. The client could also have the option of waiving the exam then it automatically becomes a "buyer beware" situation. Also that if client desides to keep a defective puppy, it must be spayed or neutered.

There is an Ohio pet-law list now. Not very high traffic either. One thing someone told me about this bill is that you (the breeder) must be fingerprinted(????) That's crazy.

The problem with the Ohio bill and the PA proposed regs and bills is that they all define a breeder based on numbers. Which is stupid because some folks can afford to keep more dogs than others. There isn't really a surefire way to specify what breeders are exempt and which aren't.

Yes, and that just slays me. I am background checked yearly anyway as I am a Home Health Nurses Aid for Hospice but to have to have it done to own dogs??? You don't have to have a licence to have children but to raise dogs? I think a lot of the problem today is that society wants to control society. Some neighborhoods have laws that don't permit you to have your garage door open longer than 20 min. or a clothes line for your sheets, or more than 2 children, insane. I have 3 of my father's dogs (he passed away) and there is no way I'd let those hound dogs in this house, they'd pee from one end of it to the other but most city people feel that every dog is suppose to be a house dog and they just aren't. I have them in 3 seperate kennels, big kennels, the neighbor thought I was cruel to have them out there. They have a shed to go into and when it gets really cold I shut them in there and let them out a couple of times a day...she thought that was cruel. I'm not heating the outside. I can't win with her. I had them out to run the yard yesterday and she plants flowers along the fence, well, they went over and peed all over them, she was out there screaming to the top of her lungs, but I'm not suppose to have them contained. I paid for the fence by the way and have lived here 3 years longer than she. I went last night and bought tarps to drape over the fence when the dogs are playing so they can't pee on them again, she'll complain about that too, I'm sure, I try to be a good neighbor but some are immpossible. My dogs don't bark, don't roam and I keep the kennels and yard clean...if I had put up a stockade fence she wouldn't even know I had them.
I guess my point is, we have got to propose a draft that will work for everyone. One that will improve animal's living conditions and the mistreatment of animals, protect the public and *educate* them, I still stand firm on pet stores requiring training programs for themselves as well as their employees and to provide choices in housing, footing, fencing, ect., but this going way over the top is just crazy. There is so much more that needs to be focused on and alloted for like our schools, roads, medical and education our elderly...I work in that field and sometimes I just have to shake my head at what goes on with them. They work all their lives and struggle to pay for a little extra like cable not to mention their prescriptions. If we don't propose something with a little more common sense we are going to have to deal with this kind of comunistic behavior from now on.
Thanks Gina for replying, you have been the only one that has. I put my thoughts out there but I would really like some other peoples input, I may sound like I'm going over the top to some but if not brought to my attention how do I know others feelings?
Where do I find the Ohio pet-law list? I'll Google it and see if I can find it. Thanks again.
One more point...if that law passes it's going to greatly increase the cost of a puppy, why would breeders be any different than the government and not pass the added costs on to the consumers?? I know I will.
The key here is ***COMMON SENSE***.

There have been suggestions in this thread that people should come up with ideas for a bill that will guard the rights of responsible breeders.
In the course of that action, hopefully,the laws can be made stronger against puppy mills, dog auctions and non reputable(sp?)pet stores.
***A question has been asked by a SUPPORTER of Ohio HB 223. She has asked "if you were in charge of leading this effort" (supporting HB223) "what changes would you recommend to the proposed bill?"
Her name is Mary O'Connor-Shaver and her e-mail is
mshaver_0462@columbustopdogs.com
She has made her e-mail address public and has asked for suggestions.
I would ask that as many of you as possible please politely send her your thoughts, concerns and comments. If we do not point out what is wrong with the bill and it becomes law, we are part of the problem. Please do not say someone else will do it. We all have to voice our concerns.
By the way, those who know her say Mary is a very good person who truly loves animals, but her support of this bill as written is misguided.