North Carolina Action Alert

SB 695 Restraining of dogs introduced by Senator Linda Garrou (D, Forsyth) and Don Vaughn (D, Guilford) is scheduled to be heard in Judiciary I on Tuesday, May 12 room 1027 LB. Judiciary Committee meets from 9 – 11 AM.

BILL SYNOPSIS

SB 695 Restricts tethering to 3 hours in a 24-hour period. Mandates all tethers to be minimum 15-feet. Only exempts dogs while actively hunting or herding if the act of tethering is absolutely necessary. Allows counties, cities to reduce time of permissable tethering.

** TALKING POINTS **

* The goal of the anti-tethering lobby is to spread enough misinformation about tethering until all people automatically believe that tethering in any form is animal cruelty.

* The more restrictions the animal rights lobbying groups, such as the Coalition to Unchain Dogs, PETA, and HSUS, can devise to upset animal management practices the more difficult it becomes for professionals, hobbyists, hunters, and dog owners in general to continue their pursuits.

* SB 695 would discriminate among North Carolina citizens on socio-economic grounds. Those not in a position to put up chain link or other fencing, or relocate will be deprived of their pets.

* Tethering is a primary means of control and training of hunting dogs; the State should not regulate methods of containment which are better left to the discretion of responsible dog owners and hunters.

* Tethering can be the safest method of controlling a hard to contain animal. There are dogs that can escape from anything. They can chew through fencing and even chain link, break out windows, open doors, climb or dig under fences, and destroy wire and plastic shipping crates in seconds. These dogs can only be contained securely (and humanely) with a well thought out tether system.

* Setting time limits for tethering is unenforceable without stakeout and surveillance of owner’s property. Time limits will be used by spiteful neighbors to antagonize dog owners.

* Setting time limits discriminates against people who work and prefer to leave the dog outside and denies their animal access to the outdoors for the work day.

Additional talking points and contact information are available on the SAOVA website

http://www.saova.org/northcarolina.html

ACTION IS NEEDED NOW! CONTACT SENATE JUDICIARY I AND OPPOSE SB 695:

Sen. Martin Nesbitt, Jr. (Chair)

Phone: (919) 715-3001

Martin.Nesbitt@ncleg.net

Sen. R.C. Soles, Jr. (Vice Chair)

Phone: (919) 733-5963

RC.Soles@ncleg.net

Sen. Peter Brunstetter (Vice Chair)

Phone: (919) 733-7850

Peter.Brunstetter@ncleg.net

Sen. Daniel Clodfelter (Vice Chair)

Phone: (919( 715-8331

Daniel.Clodfelter@ncleg.net

Sen. Josh Stein (Vice Chair)

Phone: (919) 715-6400

Josh.Stein@ncleg.net

Sen. Charlie Albertson

Phone: (919) 713-5705

Charlie.Albertson@ncleg.net

Sen. Philip Berger

Phone: (919) 733-5708

Phil.Berger@ncleg.net

Sen. Andrew Brock

Phone: (919) 715-0690

Andrew.Brock@ncleg.net

Sen. Harry Brown

Phone: (919) 715-3034

Harry.Brown@ncleg.net

Sen. Debbie Clary

Phone: (919) 715-3038

Debbie.Clary@ncleg.net

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

Phone: (919) 733-5804

Ellie.Kinnaird@ncleg.net

Sen. Malcolm Graham

Phone: (919) 733-5650

Malcolm.Graham@ncleg.net

Sen. David Hoyle

Phone: (919) 733-5734

David.Hoyle@ncleg.net

Sen. Clark Jenkins

Phone: (919) 715-3040

Clark.Jenkins@ncleg.net

Sen. Floyd McKissick, Jr.

Phone: (919) 733-4599

Floyd.McKissick@ncleg.net

Sen. Tony Rand

Phone: (919) 733-9892

Tony.Rand@ncleg.net

Sen. David Rouzer

Phone: (919)733-5748

David.Rouzer@ncleg.net

Sen. Richard Stevens

Phone: (919) 733-5653

Richard.Stevens@ncleg.net

Sen. Jerry Tillman

Phone: (919) 733-5870

Jerry.Tillman@ncleg.net

SPONSORS:

Sen. Linda Garrou

Phone: (919) 733-5620

Linda.Garrou@ncleg.net

Sen. Don Vaughan

Phone: (919)733-5856

Don.Vaughan@ncleg.net

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE WIDELY.

Susan Wolf

Sportsmen’s and Animal Owners’ Voting Alliance – http://saova.org

Issue lobbying and working to identify and elect supportive legislators