WISCONSIN HERPETOLOGICAL SOCIETY

On Tuesday evening, Oct 24, 2006, the first committee meeting to amend Wisconsin animal laws was held at the Dane County (WI) Humane Society (DCHS). It was attended by about 20 people. Seven of them were assorted DCHS staff. Another was Joe Good, a Madison attorney that represents DCHS. Five others were UW law students majoring in animal law. One lobbyist and four interested pet owners were also present, in addition to State Humane Officer Yvonne Bellay. Joe Good began the meeting with a discussion on how the conflicts and inconsistencies in the current laws interfere with enforcement, and that the purpose of this committee is to review the laws and make changes that facilitate enforcement and criminal prosecutions, and to set time limits for impoundment cases to be resolved.

Second speaker was Ms. Bellay. She started her discussion with a history and review of the Pet Facility Licensing (PFL) bills that have, so far, failed in the state legislature in previous sessions. She stated that the committee needs to spearhead an initiative to get PFL passed into law, and that the primary job of the committee is to approach key sympathetic legislators with the proposal that PFL must be the foundation of substantial changes in the statutes. According to her, enacting PFL and making changes in the other laws so that they coordinate with each other, will solve all of the animal abuse and cruelty problems of the state. A DCHS moderator suggested that we break up into four discussion groups and brainstorm how to change the laws. After an hour of brainstorming, the groups made the following suggestions: Determine what changes need to be made in the laws and devise an advocacy plan that includes grass-roots involvement. Set time limits on impound cases. Change laws and close loopholes to protect animal welfare. A DCHS ACO stated that while animals are legally defined as property, they are a higher form of property that deserves an enforced higher level of care. Identify and contact municipalities and agencys that can provide funding for this initiative. Maintain public awareness of animal abuse and cruelty and the need to address it. Changing the laws will require lobbying efforts. Generate community support with letters to the editor and other publicity, petitions, and connect with other like-minded groups, both in and out of state.

Joe Good said we have to be cynical about government process and to not necessarily be nice in interactions with politicians. He said we need to create coalitions with nonprofit groups and hire political action professionals to get the word out and develop a lobbying and PR campaign. He placed an emphasis on developing a fund-raising plan to pay for this. He then proposed that the group break up into subcommittees to work on these suggestions. The subcommittees are; 1. lobbying and fundraising
2. PR and public awareness-get popular and charismatic local celebrities, such as entertainers, athletes, TV news anchors, etc, that are held in public esteem to be involved in this by publicizing the need for these changes and to generate support and funds.
3. Supportive/General (assist groups 1 and 2.)

The meeting adjourned at 8 pm. My impressions of the group is that except for myself, everyone else there was hard core AR. Joe Good said that the long range goal of the group is to get PFL and the other changes to the laws passed during the next legislative session (2007-2008). This is a polished and skilled group with an action plan. We are going to be dead in the water if we ignore them. Does the Wisconsin pet hobbyist community really want 20 animal rights extremists determining its future? The formation of this Legislative Committee to Amend the Wisconsin Animal Statutes was announced in advance in the local media and is open to public participation. Anyone can contact DCHS and ask to be on the committee and to obtain meeting dates. Committee activities and progress, and public hearings on this legislation will be placed in the Wisconsin Herpetological Society Public Events Page, or elsewhere on the site:

http://www.madison.com/communities/whs

ALWAYS CONTACT DCHS TO CONFIRM MEETING DATES PRIOR TO ATTENDING. They have demonstrated a pattern of changing meeting dates on a whim, so anything published or on line could be out-of-date. DCHS contact is Pam McCloud-Smith at 608-838-0413, ext 111, or email

director@giveshelter.org

The next meeting is scheduled for Monday January 8, 2007, at 6 pm. Please attend and defend your interests !

This is the PFL bill from the 2001 legislative session. It includes all species, not just dogs and cats:

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2001/data/AB-278.pdf

Two subsequent versions of this were introduced in subsequent legislative sessions. They were not substantially different than AB 278, and they also failed to pass, but came very close.

A draft with a bill number will be introduced into the legislature in early 2007, but it is unlikely to be substantially different than AB 278. The previous PFL bills defined as a pet dealer, anyone who sells more than 25 animals per year, of any species that is kept as a pet, including, but not limited to, dogs, cats, small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, and required that they be licensed by the WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Licensure (~$200/yr) would be contingent on annual inspections of your home or facility to insure that the animals are humanely treated and maintained according to the standards set by the agency. A place of business that is open to the public is not required. Legislators at a public hearing (4/17/01) on this bill specifically stated that while this bill is primarily targeted at pet stores and puppy mills, it is also directed at small-time pet hobbyists that raise birds, reptiles and other small pets for personal enjoyment in their homes, and who may sell them to local pet stores or other hobbyists. Violators would be subject to criminal and civil penalties. Do any of you not feel this is an unreasonable invasion of your privacy? The dishonesty of the Pro-PFL movement is evident in their publicity. They talk ONLY about dogs and cats, as if they were the only species covered, when in actuality, the entire animal kingdom would be regulated by PFL, but they never mention this. According to them, this legislation is needed to stop pet-dealing commercial animal enterprises open to the public such as pet stores, and puppy and kitten mills that result in animal neglect, abuse, and filling shelters to overflowing with unwanted cats and dogs. They deliberately conceal the fact that private hobbyists raising a few small animals in the privacy of their own homes, which are not open to the public, will be just as affected and regulated. Where are the bird mills, reptile, amphibian mills, etc? Are shelters overflowing with unwanted birds and reptiles? Hardly, but one can sometimes find a few, but they are mostly inexpensive imports purchased on impulse from pet stores. If USDA and DATCP did their jobs of enforcing their own health certification and import permit requirements, most of these animals would never be admitted into the country or imported into Wisconsin.
Continued in Part II