PAWS - AKC Spin or Education?
The
following excerpts are from published statements by PAWS
proponents. AKC and HSUS have done a great job of getting their
message out. There isn’t an active show breeder, handler or
judge who has not been exposed to the pro-paws position.
Conversely, due to pressure from the “Yes-sirs” and
impossibility of straddling a hot-wired fence, the “Ag-iners”
have difficulty getting accurate information. Therefore,
depending on where you stand at the moment, you will either
resent or forgive us for not including pro-PAWS information
here.
In no order of date or importance….. links are live and open in
a window so you won’t lose your place. Plan to spend some time
and explore freely, including links below.
AKC Board News and Chairman’s Reports contain an
interesting void of information on PAWS until June 2005, several
months after it failed to fly for Delegates and the fancy. In
June Chairman Menaker said
“both conditions must be met (7 litters, sell 25 or more dogs)
before a breeder comes before the USDA; thus, if you produce
less than seven litters, your are not subject to regulation,
even if you sell many more than 25 dogs. Similarly, if you sell
fewer than 25 dogs, you can have in excess of six litters and
not be covered.”
That statement, attributed directly to PA Senator Santorum, is
quoted repeatedly in other articles, on the AKC website is
increasingly cited by the average Yes-sir as assurance that most
of us will not be USDA regulated. One can not blame or find
fault with the CEO or other AKC spokespersons who quote what the
Senator said. But it should be noted that politicians have long
been credited with twisting facts, misrepresenting their
positions depending on whom they are addressing and in general,
are said to be the world’s greatest orators and prevaricators.
Can we hold the Senator to what he said? Can you hold a greased
pig with one hand? As one AKC spokesperson says, the amendment
is the
“broad form of the law” but it is the
“regulations that will determine its final form.”
This is true so it could get worse in committee!
On the other side of the aisle, the Ag-iners cite attorney/DPCA
Board, Jeff Helsdon's 55 page Legal Opinion.
Mr. Helsdon is a highly respected member of the fancy, and a
principal in a large nationally-known law practice. Among his
fields of expertise are commercial, corporate, and business law.
He clearly and legally refutes all such claims that would have
us believe we can have our cake and eat it too.
Back to the Chairman’s Report, Mr. Menaker also states
“the bill will only apply to less than four percent of our
customers who register litters, the majority of whom are already
subject to USDA regulations.” Is that
statement based on previously published records? If so, when
were such figures generated? If true, “we” are less than 4% of
AKC’s business, which gives the show breeder no clout whatsoever
in AKC’s business model.
Forgive this editor for nit-picking words but that’s what I do.
Like fleeting expressions or body language that good
psychologists note, the way sentences are framed can be more
revealing than what they actually say. For example, in the same
Report, Mr. Menaker states (emphasis added).
“It (PAWS) is an example of the proactive spirit that the
AKC has embraced in recent years and which I am intent on
pursuing as I believe our actions in matters such as these
are fundamental to the future health of our organization
and to our dogs.” Well said.
Dr. Jim Holt, AKC’s Federal Legislative Liaison, has said a lot
about PAWS. Some notable observations he has made have to do
with refuting the victory in the U.S. Court Of Appeals which
refused to hear the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) appeal
seeking overturn of the lower court ruling against their case.
He has said that the court’s decision does not protect show or
hobby breeders, to wit
“nothing could be further from the truth. The USDA could decide
to start regulating every person who sells dogs tomorrow…”
In fact, many experts feel certain that USDA would prefer not to
regulate us at all. It has already made that choice and defended
it in court. As one pundit put it “USDA has enough trouble
finding the mad cows.” USDA has its budgetary hands full and
would just as soon we all go away and let it do the job it is
mandated to do!
Dr. Holt also explains “Since legislation trumps regulation,
PAWS actually protects hobby and show breeders” from
reinterpretation of the previous case. That is however,
diametrically opposed to assurances this reporter was given by
an AKC spokesperson who explained that we should not worry about
the wording of the amendment because it is just a “broad law”
and the “regulations will be written later and that they would
define what it does and does not mean. That is true, laws do not
“take effect” without implementing regulations.
In summary, do not relax your guard and do not cease writing and
FAXing your local and state representatives.
Legislators are back in session early, consumed with haggling
over how best to help Katrina Victims and handle the aftermath
of recriminations and blame-shifting. This is Friday, Day Four
of the horror and as we predicted last week, it is worse and
will continue to get worse. Martial Law should have been a
“shoot to kill” on Day Two.
Let us not be equally as complacent. The future of our nation is
uncertain at this moment but we can’t really do anything about
that. We can do something about our Rights as given by the
Creator and guaranteed under the Constitution but if we sit
waiting for someone else to help us; if we don’t bother to grab
a loaf of bread and a jug of water when we have hours to
prepare, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Those poor
people couldn’t stop the water and we can’t stop the spin, but
if we are strong, we can stop PAWS or control what is to follow.
It is all about knowing and understanding the big picture, not
about being near-sighted. We have been thanked for taking the
risk of exposing more than one side of an issue and our writers
and contributors are gratified. But if YOU fail to do your part,
to learn and examine issues from all sides, we have all failed.
https://www.thedogplace.org/PAWS/AKC-Spin-or-Education.asp
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PAWS INFORMATION