Posted: November 24, 2009, 5 a.m. EST
Two bills were recently introduced that aim to ensure that all dogs and cats used by research facilities are obtained legally.
House Bill 3907 and Senate Bill 1834 would amend the Animal Welfare Act through the “Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2009.” Similar legislation was introduced in 2007, but no action was taken.
The Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council recently sent out an alert urging people to read the bills and to contact the committee members with any inquiries.
The legislation, as outlined by PIJAC, states that a research facility, or any person selling, donating or offering a dog or cat to a research facility, may obtain a dog or cat for research or educational purposes from the following:
• A dealer licensed under section 3 that has bred and raised the dog or cat.
• A publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that is registered with the Secretary of Agriculture and is in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and has obtained the dog or cat from its legal owner, not another pound or shelter.
• A person who is donating the dog or cat and that bred and raised the dog or cat or owned the dog or cat for not less than one year immediately preceding the donation.
• A research facility licensed by the Secretary of Agriculture.
A $1,000 fine would be imposed on anyone found in violation of the proposed legislation.
HB 3907 currently sits in the House Committee on Agriculture and SB 1834 is in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Committee hearings have not been scheduled for either bill.
To read the bills, visit http://www.pijac.org/_documents/us_s_1834.pdf