Ask Your Congressman to OPPOSE 2013 PUPS Legislation!

Contact information, sample phone messages, and sample letters you can personalize are provided below. For questions or more information, contact AKC Government Relations at [email protected] or (919) 816-3720.

Sample Phone Message #1:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. Thank you for your time.

Sample Phone Message #2:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. As a responsible dog owner, I believe this type of regulation is unnecessary and expensive. Thank you for your time.

Sample Phone Message #3:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. I suggest that resources should be used to enforce existing animal cruelty laws instead of creating new and expensive levels of bureaucracy. Thank you for your time.

Sample Phone Message #4:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. I believe this type of legislation infringes on the rights of responsible dog owners, breeders, hunters, and sportsmen. Thank you for your time.

Sample Phone Message #5:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. It is not in the best interest of dogs to pass legislation that could require responsible breeders to move their dogs out of home settings. Thank you for your time.

Sample Phone Message #6:

Hello, my name is ______and I live in ______. I am calling to ask (Senator or Representative) ______to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. I very strongly object that these bills would define an immature 4-month old puppy as a “breeding female dog.” Thank you for your time. Sample Letter #1 (please personalize before sending): date

The Honorable ______address address

RE: Oppose S.395/H.R.847 – the “PUPS” bill

Dear (Senator or Representative) ______:

As your constituent and a responsible dog owner, I respectfully ask that you oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. As currently written, this bill would hurt sportsmen and small hobby breeders who own just a few dogs and occasionally breed a litter in their homes.

These bills would vastly expand the number of dog owners who must be regulated and inspected by USDA/APHIS. As currently written, it could make small hobby breeders subject to the kennel engineering requirements for laboratories and for commercial kennels that produce and ship large quantities of puppies. These facility requirements and regulations are not compatible with the home-based settings that many of us use for hand-raising and socializing an occasional litter of puppies.

I also very strongly object to these bills because they would define an immature 4-month old female puppy as a “breeding female dog.”

It is not in the best interest of my dogs—or of any dogs that are lovingly and carefully raised—to pass legislation that could require responsible breeders to move their dogs out of home settings. It is also not a good use of shrinking government funds to expand oversight of commercial breeders into the homes of hobby breeders.

Sincerely,

Your Name Address Sample Letter #2 (please personalize before sending): date

The Honorable ______address address

RE: Oppose S.395/H.R.847 – the “PUPS” bill

Dear (Senator or Representative) ______:

I am a responsible dog owner and I am writing to ask you to oppose S.395/H.R.847, the “PUPS” bill. I believe that all dogs deserve humane and loving conditions; however, these bills are burdensome to responsible owners, breeders, and taxpayers. Moreover, it does nothing to improve the well-being of dogs.

Personalize here – tell about yourself as a dog owner, breeder and fancier. How many years have you been involved with dogs? What breeds have you owned or shown? Do you compete with your dogs? If you are a member of a dog club, what do you do in the community? If you are a breeder: detail the steps you take when preparing to breed/whelp a litter – applicable health testing, evaluation of breeding stock, training, etc. How do you work with puppy purchasers to ensure they will be responsible owners? Do you encourage CGC or obedience training? How would the “PUPS” bill affect your ability to continue to breed? Would you have to build new facilities? Would these expenses cause you to shut down entirely?

Instead of passing unnecessary, costly, and ineffective bills, our representatives should work with all stakeholders on appropriate future legislation that will encourage responsible dog ownership and improve enforcement of current laws.

I respectfully ask that you support responsible owners, breeders, and taxpayers by opposing S.395/H.R.847.

Sincerely,

Your Name Address