The below message is from RPOA, who fights Breed-Specific Legislation
in Texas. Please write to the Committee members, even if your State
Senator is not on the committee. If YOUR State Senator is, this gives
you extra impact so to find out please click here-
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/Home.aspx
The Lone Star State Pit Bull Club website has additional info on BSL.
http://www.lsspbc.com/PROTECT.html
========================================================

TX-RPOA E-News
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance,
the reasonable voice regarding animal issues in Texas.
Responsible Pet Owners Alliance is an animal welfare organization,
not "animal rights" and, yes, there is a difference.
Permission granted to crosspost.

February 25, 2007
Senate Bill 349 by Ellis has been assigned to the Criminal Justice
Committee; "Relating to the regulation of dangerous pets by certain
populous
counties; providing a criminal penalty." The lists of dangerous dogs
compiled in other cities usually include American Staffordshire
Terriers,
American Pit Bull Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, (or anything
with
the appearance of the above!), and sometimes include: Bull Terriers,
Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Dobermans, Malamutes, Chows, Akitas and
many
other large dog breeds and mixes.

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance OPPOSES this bill.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/pdf/SB00349I.pdf
Please contact all of the committee members (below) to express your
opposition. Faxes, phone calls and emails are needed. No hearings are
scheduled at this time. Please ask your national breed club to help
Texas
dog owners.

When emailing committee members regarding your position on the bill,
put
"Oppose Senate Bill 349 regulating dangerous pets" in the Subject Line.
If
they don't read your entire message, at least they will get your
position on
the bill before deleting it.

Talking points:

1) While this bill addresses "pets," the actual focus will be on dogs
because Senator Ellis tried to open the door for Breed Specific
Legislation
two years ago and failed.

2) Opens the door for Breed Specific Legislation because it allows the
county commissioners to "prohibit" dogs they pre-determine are
dangerous
without regard to an individual animal's behavior.

3) This is the way to ban certain breeds by allowing the commissioners
to
impose a fee on ownership. The law does not limit the fee, so it could
become too expensive to own certain dogs.

4) Allows for evaluating, confining, and inspecting where the dog is
kept
based on breed rather than the behavior of an individual dog which is
an
unwanted intrusion.

5) Is designed so that the lawmakers can make it unappealing to own
whatever breeds they decide to target regardless of an individual dog's
behavior.

6) Criminalizes failure to comply with any order by the commissioners
court, but since there is no order yet taken, it is impossible to know
what
the law may impose.

Senate Criminal Justice Committee members
Address for all:
PO Box 12068
Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711

COMMITTEE CLERK: Mahala Price
PHONE: 512-463-0345
ROOM: SHB 470

Chair: Senator John Whitmire
Ph: (512) 463-0115
Fax: (512) 475-3737
john.whitmire@...

Vice-Chair: Senator Kel Seliger
Ph: (512) 463-0131
Fax: (512) 475-3733
kel.seliger@...

Senator John Carona
Ph: (512) 463-0116
Fax: (512) 463-3135
john.carona@...

Senator Bob Deuell
Ph: (512) 463-0102
Fax: (512) 463-7202
don.forse@...

Senator Rodney Ellis
Ph: (512) 463-0113
Fax: (512) 463-0006
rodney.ellis@...

Senator Glenn Hegar
Ph: (512) 463-0118
Fax: (512) 475-3736
District18.hegar@...

Senator Juan Hinojosa
Ph: (512) 463-0120
Fax: (512) 463-0229
leslie.nadelman@...

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
900 NE Loop 410 #311-D
San Antonio, TX 78209
Phone: (210) 822-6763
Fax: (210) 822-9038
Website: www. responsiblepetowners. org
$15 Annual dues (January - December)
To share information, subscribe or unsubscribe,
send an e-mail message to rpoa @ texas.net.