VOTE NO TO SB460

Many thanks to all those who requested to be added to the SB460 Opposition List.

We now need your help with the final push to defeat SB460. Please contact ALL
members of the House Finance Committee before next Thursday and ask them to vote against SB460. Every committee member needs to hear from you. SB460 is NOT needed in our state and will only provide a foot in the door for HSUS and their activist friends to regulate kennels out of existence. HSUS has a long history of opposing purposeful dog breeding and has made it clear that SB460 is just a first step in their plan.

TALKING POINTS

* Bill supporters claim that small hobby breeders will not be affected. This is NOT true. Supporters claim the only reason to have 15 females is for mass producing puppies, i.e. continually breeding each female. Also NOT true. The bill supporters are activists, not dog breeders and have no firsthand knowledge of building or maintaining a breeding program.

* SB460 is unacceptable in ANY amended form. The bill is not based on any true or overwhelming need, but rather a skewed perception that abuse is rampant and dog breeders are not capable of managing a kennel or maintaining multiple dogs in good health without state intervention.

* Bill supporters claim that North Carolina is becoming known as a puppy mill state. This propaganda is not based in reality and exists only in the minds of HSUS leaders and their followers. The same sound bites are distributed by HSUS in every state with a pending breeder bill.

* SB460 is an unfunded mandate to local authorities at a time when budgets are being cut reducing funds for public schools, libraries, veterans, and health and human services programs.

* SB460 should not be given any consideration by legislators at this time of financial crisis in our state. According to Governor Perdue, the likely loss of about $500 million in federal stimulus funds could bring North Carolina's budget
shortfall to $1.2 billion dollars and cause thousands of jobs to be eliminated.

It is fiscally irresponsible for the House Finance Committee to even consider a vote on an unnecessary bill that would not only penalize responsible dog owners but place further financial burden on cash-strapped county governments.

ACTION NEEDED
Call and email ALL members of the House Finance Committee. Go to the SAOVA
website where you can email all 30 members with just one click.

A list of phone numbers for Committee members can also be downloaded.