Dangerous legislation on RI gov's desk--

[magicgenie]

Please visit the AKC web site for information on a new law in RI that will severely interfere with your rights to use crates, cages, pens, even fence in your yard. If passed this law will make it impossible to hold conformation shows in that state. THIS IS NOT JUST OF INTEREST TO EXHIBITORS AND BREEDERS. Anyone who owns a pet will be victimized by this law. PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE. YOUR GOVERNMENT IS CHIPPING AWAY AT YOUR RIGHTS AT A TERRIFYING RATE. Contact the governor's office in RI and politely express your concern about this law. Monitor the AKC web site for extreme legislation being promoted nationwide, largely courtesy of PETA and HSUS who have no respect for human-animal bonding.http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=4677

[107barney]

I read the bill in its entirety. It is aimed at stopping people from tethering their dog outdoors or keeping the dog staked to a tree for days on end. The preamble of the law states:

This act would provide guidelines and penalties for any person that keeps a dog outside tethered, penned, caged, fenced or otherwise confined without adequate shelter from the elements and would add definitions of “proper food,” “proper water” and “proper veterinary care” to the chapter on cruelty to animals."

The bill states it is unlawful to --

"Keep any dog tethered for more than ten (10) hours during a twenty-four (24) hour period or keep any dog confined in a pen, cage or other outdoor housing structure for more than fourteen (14) hours during any twenty-four (24) hour period."

If one isn't keeping their dog tethered outside for more than 10 hours during a 24 hour period (and the definition of tether does not include walks on a leash) or if one isn't keeping their dog outside in a pen, cage or other structure for more than 14 hours in a 24 hour period then they are not violating the law.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I looked it over just briefly & basically it looks like a good intentioned law, though how it would be administered is the key, I guess. I'm sure a person is not going to get a fine or whatever for a temporary situation where the dog stays crated 14 hrs or longer if they are taken to the hospital in a coma or something. It is probably going to be used for those people that buy dog, enjoy them a while & then stick them in a crate or outside tethered or in the fenced yard forever & the dog lives like a lab rat or basic farm animal. The way many people treat dogs this day & time, stronger laws of some kinds have to be made.

[gracielove]

There have been other laws in other states that try to clamp down on animal abuse and puppy mills that many professional breeders and exhibitors have tried to stop because they fear it will also effect their business.
It is sad because I think the government, in most cases, is try to react to the abuse of animals but the way the bills are written seems to threaten the exhibitor as well. This has resulted in watered down bills that accomplish nothing in the way of stopping the abuse of animals by those that are out to exploit.
It would be good if the AKC could get involved at the political level and have input before the legislation goes for a vote so that the bills are written in a way that exhibitors can accept and that will also stop the abuse of animals. It will take some lobbying and deeper involvement by the AKC to accomplish this so that all animals are protected by legislation.

[yorkietalkjilly]

How would it affect breeders', exhibitioners' business unless they keep their dogs routinely caged 14 hours a day or whatever?

[107barney]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

How would it affect breeders', exhibitioners' business unless they keep their dogs routinely caged 14 hours a day or whatever?

and if they did it OUTSIDE. The law addressed the confinement of dogs OUTSIDE.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by 107barney

and if they did it OUTSIDE. The law addressed the confinement of dogs OUTSIDE.

More than 14 hours per day? Even Yorkies?

[107barney]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

More than 14 hours per day? Even Yorkies?

Exactly, it would take a lot to violate the law.

[gracielove]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

More than 14 hours per day? Even Yorkies?

It appears that the AKC is concerned about the bill effectinig "responsible" owners who routinely crate their animals or even keep them in a fenced yard. They say the language of the bill is too vague. This is the same issue that comes up whenever there is a bill restricting such things and as I said the bill is either shot down or watered down, accomplishing nothing.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by gracielove

It appears that the AKC is concerned about the bill effectinig "responsible" owners who routinely crate their animals or even keep them in a fenced yard. They say the language of the bill is too vague. This is the same issue that comes up whenever there is a bill restricting such things and as I said the bill is either shot down or watered down, accomplishing nothing.

The AKC is self serving - the law does not address average responsible pet owners who keep their dogs inside. If you keep a dog outside for 14 of 24 hours, you should not own a dog!! Just my opinion....

[yorkietalkjilly]

I hardly think the state is going to be going after everyday people with this law!!! But anybody that keeps a dog routinely confined longer than 14 hours combined without human contact or interaction probably shouldn't have an animal. I think the oversight agency of this law will be looking for chronic offenders.

[gemy]

WEll okay, there are outside shows I attend in the summer months of course. Dogs are required to be crated whle on show grounds; that adds up to at least 8 -9 hours. And yes they are routinely walked, watered, and fed, but then they need to go back in their crate.

When we camp, the dogs by necessity do need to be crated when we sleep; so very easily over a show weekend an exhibitor will be in excess of the 14 hrs. And even if you stay in a motel, often times there is a necessity to crate more than one dog.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by 107barney

The AKC is self serving - the law does not address average responsible pet owners who keep their dogs inside. If you keep a dog outside for 14 of 24 hours, you should not own a dog!! Just my opinion....

I think in the city you are correct, but what about the working dogs? The farm dogs, the sled dogs, et al. These dogs are built to survive very well outside, and of course their owners as far as I know provide shelter, water, human interaction etal. Police Dogs are usually crated when travelling in car on the shift with their handler.

Actually in the case of working sled dogs, you really do need to keep them outside in order for their coat to have the proper density to protect them as they do sledding. I knew some folks who bred and trained Alaskan Malamutes in particular for the Idiorod.(sp)

Then there is the Tibetan Mastiff who would be very unhappy inside. They were bred to guard the farms/property of their owners.

Most Toy Breeds should never be kept outside at all. And even some working breeds, due to their predominant need for constant human interaction. My breed is one of those. While built and bred to survive Siberian winters on patrol with security guards; they were and are meant to live inside with owners/handlers once their duty is done.

[107barney]

This is about confining dogs outside for long periods. It's about tethering or confining a dog to a pen crate or other outdoor housing.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I've noticed that most laws that start to bring about social or government change & try to act to stop terrible problems do start out rather broad & the prosecution of those laws is left to the discretion of the agency with immediate oversight. Then, as problems are identified, they are amended & addressed, one by one though legislation, until the law is ponderous & almost unfathomable by all but the most determined. I don't think this law is going to go against good pet owners/breeders/showers unless real abuse or neglect is suspected as most agencies are usually too underfunded & too busy to fine or prosecute any law toward the responsible truly responsible dog-owning citizen.