Victory in Oklahoma!! HB 1332 Dies in Committee!!!
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It really is a Good Morning!
Its true, HB 1332 died in committee. The Senate side of the committee refused to pass the bill and send it to the floor. Thank you to everyone who worked to contact their elected officials and made their voice heard.
Several national organizations spent a great deal of time helping Oklahoma dog breeders/owners to oppose this bill. This was a huge task with numerous bills introduced across the nation. A special thanks to NAIA and the AKC.
NAIA sent out alerts to keep people informed and provided concerned people with a convenient method to contact elected officials. They also helped with analysis of the bill so that we could get accurate information out quickly which is so important when things are changing rapidly. Not only were they active every step of the way but Patti Strand and her staff basically worked on an on call basis (sometimes many calls per day) so that we were able to get this information within minutes when changes to the bill appeared.
The AKC was also available and almost daily contact was made. The Government Relations Department sent alerts to dog owners as well as information directly to legislators and refuted the mistruth that they supported this bill. They also provided statistical information so that we could demonstrate the economic impact of dog events this bill would have to communities across Oklahoma. With the help of these groups we were able to focus on the facts as panic became the norm in Oklahoma.
The positive part of this fight was seeing how many organizations in Oklahoma came together to stand against this bill. OKPP and Quadstate Breeders Association kept the information flowing and hobby breeders, dog sport enthusiasts, veterinarians, dog clubs, responsible breeders of every size and even many consumers recognized the devastating effect this bill and took action.
Certainly, this bill could come back however weve got a great start on a true statewide collaboration. A collaboration that promotes responsible animal breeding and ownership and in the future this will become the most important part of working together to ensure animal owners have healthy well adjusted pets. Its not the piece of paper but the actions that breeders take to make sure this happens. One organization alone cannot make a difference to ensure that laws that are unreasonable are not passed. It takes all of us working together to make sure that the rights of animal breeders/owners are protected.
Thank you all for working together!
Shelly Kuhn
OAIA
OAIA is a volunteer based private non-profit organization that works to provide public education and resources to help Oklahomans understand the truth about living with animals and the importance of the animal-human bond. Our membership consists of experts in a variety of animal related areas. Included are; veterinarians, horse owners, cat enthusiasts, bird enthusiasts, dog breeders, dog trainers, animal behavioral specialists, dog sport enthusiasts, pet owners, people who work directly with shelters, people that provide private rescue services and those that work through purebred dog clubs. Members have a direct interest in working to solve community problems relating to pets and their owners.
Public Information that is forwarded, presented or used in any public forum produced by OAIA should be identified as originating from the Oklahoma Animal Interest Alliance. Anyone wishing more information or to verify the accuracy of information produced or promoted by OAIA may contact oaiasec@gmail.com.
Oklahoma Animal Interest Alliance
email: oaiasec@gmail.com
Posted on May 20, 2009, 8:50 AM from IP address 12.74.217.161