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Dog Federation of Wisconsin, Inc.
Promoting and Protecting Responsible Dog Ownership
The PAWS Flyer Tells It All
The
future of purebred dogs is in your hands. You can oppose or
support S1139/HR2669, the "Pet Animal Welfare Statute of 2005''
(PAWS), but your decision will help determine whether you, your
children, and your grandchildren will continue to enjoy the
pleasures of living with top-quality purebred dogs and
participating fully in the breeding and the sport of purebred
dogs.
You should be opposed to PAWS, because:
PAWS doesn’t just "close a loophole" in the Animal Welfare
Act, as supporters claim. PAWS is against individuals
selling cats, dogs, and other animals directly to the pet-owning
public. PAWS is a major step towards ending the breeding of pure
bred dogs and pedigreed cats in a home setting. This is a
dramatic change in the fundamental concept of the Animal Welfare
Act, which was to license and regulate dealers who sell to
research laboratories and the pet trade (pet stores and
brokers).
PAWS federalizes the breeding of home -raised animals—the
optimum source of well socialized pets. If fanciers and hobby
breeders are forced to discontinue or reduce their breeding
programs, the public demand for well-socialized pets will not be
met. Fewer enthusiasts will result in the loss of genetic
diversity, and most of the less common breeds will become
extinct.
PAWS does not benefit the welfare of dogs in large substandard
commercial kennels. In fact, adding thousands of cat and dog
hobbyists to the existing assignment of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture will greatly overburden the Department, making it
harder to properly enforce the Animal Welfare Act at all.
PAWS does not address the health and welfare of imports, as
supporters claim. The bill contains no meaningful import
provisions.
PAWS is a move straight from the animal rights agenda, which
states: “We strongly discourage any further breeding of
companion animals, including pedigreed or purebred dogs and
cats.”
PAWS will affect far more breeders than supporters claim. The
25/6 rule not only destroys rescue efforts, but also ensures
future battles to prevent numbers from being lowered AFTER it is
realized that PAWS does not have the intended effects. This has
been plainly stated by HSUS, "While the HSUS believes the best
place to find an animal companion is your local animal shelter,
PAWS is a crucial first step to establish a safety net for the
thousands of animals bred yearly for the pet trade..."
We urge you to reject the PAWS bill.
To do this, your concerns should be voiced during the delegates'
meeting. We respectfully request that each of you, one by one,
go up to the microphone DURING THE REGULAR MEETING, identify
yourself and your club, and state, ''The ______ club wishes to
go on record as opposed to the AKC Board's support of the PAWS
legislation.''
Then sit down. The secretary will record your announcement in
the meeting minutes. With that effort, you will have done a
great deal to ensure the future of the sport of purebred dogs,
and for that we are grateful.
Kelly Wichman
President, Dog Federation of Wisconsin, Inc
https://www.thedogplace.org/PAWS/DFW-Flyer.asp
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