Finance Committee Proposal 386
& its Implications

PLEASE NOTE: This proposal would ONLY regulate WHOLESALERS. That means that ALL direct sellers would be exempt including the infamous puppy mills that sell directly to the public.

Both the Wisconsin Puppy Mill Project AND the media have been trying to expose the conditions at these direct seller "puppy farms" for many years. These conditions were first reported by Milwaukee's WTMJ-4 news anchor Mike Jacobs in a November 23, 1999 broadcast titled, "Inside a Puppy Farm."

Motion:

Move to delete the Governor's recommendation to repeal the DATCP's pet facility regulation responsibilities. Rather, eliminate the requirements that DATCP inspect pet shelters, kennels and pet dealers. Instead, allow DATCP to inspect pet breeders in instances where the Department has reason to suspect human or animals health violations exist, or when alerted to a potential health hazard or violation by a source outside the Department.

Further, define pet breeders as one who sells at least 50 dogs or cats for resale as pets in a year, except a breeder does not include a pet dealer (which is defined as a person who sells or offers for sale at retail, exchanges or offers for adoption at least 25 mammals, other than cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, deer, llamas and related species, including game species, as pets in a year.

Note: This motion would require DATCP to administer its pet facility regulation responsibilities only for pet breeders, but would make inspections discretionary (current law requires at least a biennial inspection). This motion would maintain DATCP's current authority to set fees in administrative rule for the licensing of just pet dealers (with estimated revenues of $133,900 each biennium). No additional staff would be provided, therefore DATCP would be required to hire LTE staff or reallocate existing staff to register and to perform any inspection it chose to conduct.

Senator Lazich
Representative Stone

       Under the Finance Committee's "compromise" recommendation Motion 386:

• NO licensing requirements for less than 50 dogs sold per year...which eliminates almost all back yard breeders and smaller puppy mills who contribute 85% of the "pet problem." (Such as the "owners" of the mama and pups pictured at the top of this page.)

• NO staff to handle abuse complaints and no inspectors to check them out. Only the most egregious case of neglect and abuse could be procecuted...but those would be handled under State Stat 951 "Cruelty To Animals" as is the status quo, which we know is totally inadequate because there are

• NO standards established for animal care. Establishing such specific criteria was the original purpose of the PFL.

• NO fines for violators at ANY level of sale. That means you can do "wrong" and NOTHING will happen to you.

• NO inspections...NONE...not even for the 50 or more per year sellers.

• NO funds to run a licensing and inspection program.

       We wish we could say that the Finance Committees action to remove Governor Doyle's repeal proposal was a "win"...but it is NOT. We have to let Governor Doyle, our legislators, and the sponsors of this Motion that what they are proposing is worse than no PFL at all. Keep reading for contact info and what to say.

       This has been a long and difficult struggle, trying to work with legislators who have not yet understood why this law is so important. PLEASE keep up the communication with legislators.

• Contact Governor Jim Doyle and your legislators via phone, letter or e-mail and ask them to REJECT Jt Finance Comm Motion 386 and rather reinstate the Pet Facilities Law to its original form including its self funding budget neutral measures. Find them at http://www.legis.state.wi.us/waml/. Tell them:

  "I do not approve of the Joint Finance Committee's Motion 386 on the Pet Facilities Law. The motion does not begin to accomplish the original goals of this worthy law. I ask that you reject Motion 386. Instead, I ask that the Pet Facilities Law be reinstated in its original form including its budget neutral, self funding measures. I do not object to paying slightly more for pet licenses to help this worthy law move forward."

• Write and e-mail to the sponsors of Motion 386 and let them know their Motion does not accomplish the goals of the Pet Facilities Law and may actually hurt our efforts/ Tell them:

  "Motion 386 only serves to 'double cover' larger scale breeders and does nothing to eliminate the suffering of animals in pet mills in Wisconsin. I ask that you withdraw the motion and rather support the Pet Facilities Law in its original form."

  Representative Jeff Stone (R) rep.stone@legis.state.wi.us Room 320 East, State Capitol Madison, WI 53702 (608) 266-8590	Senator Mary Lazich (R) sen.lazich@legis.state.wi.us Room 127 South, State Capitol Madison, WI 53702 (608) 266-5400

       PLEASE...this is URGENT! Thank you for continuing your efforts.