State Legislative Update January 2020

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

State Legislative Update January 2020 State Legislative Update January 2020 This State Legislative Update includes select summaries of bills and regulations tracked by the AVMA Division of State Advocacy in January 2020. For more information on bills and regulations, please see our full listing or contact AVMA. Numerous states consider bills to prohibit procedures Several states are considering prohibitions on declawing, devocalization, ear cropping and tail docking. Arizona’s HB 2537, Maryland’s HB 445, and West Virginia’s HB 2119 would prohibit declawing. New Hampshire’s HB 1683 would prohibit declawing, along with ear cropping, tail docking, declaw removal and devocalization. New Jersey’s A 1087 and S 920 and Rhode Island’s HB 7342 would prohibit declawing while NJ A 1211 would end ear cropping and tail docking. Hawaii’s HB 2163 and Washington’s HB 2317 and SB 6300 would prohibit ear cropping, tail docking, and devocalization. New York, a state which already prohibits declawing, is considering a bill that would prohibit devocalization (S 6904). Hearings have been held on bills that would prohibit declawing in Florida (SB 48) and New Hampshire (HB 1683). Measures would allow unlicensed persons to perform services West Virginia (SB 218) and Tennessee (HB 1945 and SB 1914) have bills that would permit consumers to hire unlicensed people, including those who practice veterinary medicine. The bills would require providers to disclose that they are not licensed. In Tennessee, a written agreement between the parties would be required prior to any work starting. Non-economic damages and expanded economic damages New Jersey is considering one bill dealing with non-economic damages and another with expanded economic damages. S 722 would establish a civil action for damages-- including compensation for emotional distress suffered by the owner--that may be brought by any person who has a right of ownership in an animal that is injured or killed as a result of an unlawful and intentional, or a negligent act of another. The bill does not authorize any award of noneconomic damages in an action for professional negligence against a licensed veterinarian and the compensation for emotional distress would be capped at $5,000. A second New Jersey bill under consideration, A 1698, would allow the owner of a domestic companion animal that the owner believes has been subjected to veterinary malpractice, resulting in the death of or injury to the animal, to bring a civil action for expanded economic damages against the veterinarian allegedly committing the veterinary malpractice. Equine dentistry bill progresses in Indiana Indiana’s SB 226 would exempt individuals who perform teeth floating on horses from licensing or special permit requirements if the individual has a valid certification from the International Association of Equine Dentistry or an equivalent certification approved by the board of veterinary medicine. The individual would have to act under the direct 1910 Sunderland Place, NW | Washington, DC 20036-1642 | p: 800.321.1473 | www.avma.org 2 | P a g e State Legislative Update – January 2020 supervision of a licensed veterinarian when administering a sedative drug to a horse before performing teeth floating. A hearing has already been held and the bill has progressed to the House. Animal abuse reporting The Hawaii and Kentucky legislatures are considering bills requiring veterinarians to report findings of animal abuse and provide immunity from liability arising from the report (HI SB 2985, HI HB 2528, HI HB 2453, HI HB 2130, KY SB 21). Opioid-related actions being considered Vermont’s H 613 would require veterinarians, as well as pharmacists and other health care professionals, to add a warning label or sticker to the prescription container when dispensing an opioid medication that identifies the medication as an opioid and warns of the risk of addiction and overdose. Related to prescription drug monitoring programs, Alaska’s HB 184 would exempt veterinarians from the requirements of the controlled substance prescription database. Iowa’s SF 2120 SSB 3051 and HB 532 would allow veterinarians to register for and access information from the state’s prescription monitoring program, while a bill Oregon (HB 4129) would require veterinarians to register with the state’s prescription monitoring program. Title change for veterinary technicians Oklahoma’s SB 1787 and SB 1788 would change the title of veterinary technician to registered veterinary nurse. $73 million for CVM teaching hospital in the works Indiana’s HB 1007 would provide $73 million for construction of the College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital at the Purdue University in West Lafayette. The new hospital, which will be constructed just east of Lynn Hall on Purdue’s campus, will consist of small and large animal facilities, including a new equine hospital and farm animal hospital. A news release outlines the project. **************************************************** Animal Abuse Citation/ State Summary of Proposed Bill or Regulation Status Link Would require veterinarians to report findings of animal abuse and provide immunity from liability arising from the report. SB 2985 1. Provide immunity from civil liability in the absence of gross negligence to veterinarians providing emergency care to an HB 2528 animal and rendering emergency treatment when there is no Introduced Hawaii VCPR. 1/23/20 HB 2453 2. Require veterinarians to report to law enforcement events of animal injury, death, or abuse where there is reasonable HB 2130 cause to believe that it relates to dog fighting or animal abuse and gives veterinarians immunity for civil liability for making the reports. 3 | P a g e State Legislative Update – January 2020 Provides that a licensed veterinarian is immune from Introduced Iowa SF 2029 administrative, civil, or criminal liability in animal abuse 1/16/20 investigations. Would require that a veterinarian report abuse, allow immunity Introduced Kentucky SB 21 for a good faith report, and allow veterinarians to release 1/7/20 information in order to report abuse. Would allow any person to voluntarily and anonymously deliver a domestic companion animal to a shelter, pound, veterinary hospital, or police station in the State, and leave the animal with an employee, veterinarian, or police officer at the facility, and the Introduced New Jersey A 150 person would not be liable for the care or disposition of the 1/14/20 animal. No employee, veterinarian, or police officer at the shelter, pound, veterinary hospital, or police station would be allowed to refuse to accept any domestic companion animal. Would establish the New Jersey Animal Abuser Registry and procedures for notification of members of the public, including Introduced New Jersey S 119 veterinarian’s offices, for offenders who are at moderate to high 1/14/20 risk of re-offense. Animal Care Facilities / Animal Shelters Citation/ State Summary of Proposed Bill or Regulation Status Link Would require a veterinarian overseeing the care of a domestic companion animal at a veterinary facility that does not provide supervision after normal business hours by a person physically Introduced New Jersey A 319 on the premises to obtain a consent form signed by the owner or 1/14/20 the person bringing the animal to the veterinary facility for care or treatment. Would: 1. Establish requirements for veterinary holding facilities; 2. Require facilities to have a trained and certified director to ensure compliance; and 3. Require special training for directors and certified inspectors of regulated animal holding facilities. Facilities are to: 1. Be licensed as pounds by the municipality in which the facility is located; 2. Report information on the animals in each facility; Introduced New Jersey S 636 3. Establish operating requirements and procedures for 1/14/20 euthanizing animals. “Veterinary holding facility” is defined as a facility owned or operated by a veterinarian, veterinary hospital, clinic, veterinary boarding facility, or similar facility that houses stray, surrendered, or otherwise impounded animals as a boarding agent or holding facility for entities such as an animal control provider, municipal humane law enforcement officer, or local law enforcement. Would require kennels and veterinary facilities to: 1. Provide for the direct supervision of any indoor or outdoor common play area whenever two or more dogs are present in that area at the same time; Introduced New Jersey A 661 2. Keep a record of each time a dog is released from or 1/14/20 returned to its cage or enclosure; 3. Develop and implement a training program for all employees of the kennel or veterinary facility who handle or provide 4 | P a g e State Legislative Update – January 2020 care for dogs or who supervise staff handling or providing such care; and 4. File a written certification with authorities that the kennel or veterinary facility is in compliance with the requirements. Would improve shelter care for dogs by requiring prompt care A 1284 and treatment to relieve any pain and suffering, including Introduced New York necessary immediate veterinary care and treatment and parasite 1/8/20 S 1893 control, and appropriate vaccinations. Would: 1. Require any public or private animal shelter or releasing agency to report on an annual basis the euthanasia rate for animals at such shelter or agency to the State Veterinarian; 2. Require the State Veterinarian to notify the Board of Introduced Virginia SB 304 Pharmacy of any such shelter that has a euthanasia rate 1/5/20 greater than 50%; and 3. Prohibit the Board of Pharmacy from registering any such shelter to purchase, possess, or administer certain euthanasia drugs. Animal Disease Citation/ State Summary of Proposed Bill or Regulation Status Link Would prohibit any rabies testing from being performed on a dead domestic companion animal until the health official Introduced New Jersey A 1219 requiring, or the veterinarian performing, the rabies testing, have 1/14/20 notified the owner in writing and the owner providing, in writing, the consent required.
Recommended publications
  • The Canadian Veterinary Journal La Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne Biosecurity Practices in Western Canadian Cow-Calf Herds and Their Association with Animal Health
    July/Juillet 2021 July/Juillet The Canadian Veterinary Journal Vol. 62, No. 07 Vol. La Revue vétérinaire canadienne July/Juillet 2021 Volume 62, No. 07 The Canadian Veterinary Journal Canadian Veterinary The Biosecurity practices in western Canadian cow-calf herds and their association with animal health Computed tomographic characteristics of cavitary pulmonary adenocarcinoma in 3 dogs and 2 cats Bordetella bronchiseptica-reactive antibodies in Canadian polar bears La Revue vétérinaire canadienneLa Revue vétérinaire Evaluation of platelet-rich plasma applied in the coronary band of healthy equine hooves Diagnosis and outcome of nasal polyposis in 23 dogs treated medically or by endoscopic debridement Sabulous cystitis in the horse: 13 cases (2013–2020) Presumed acquired dynamic pectus excavatum in a cat Computed tomographic diagnosis of necroulcerative reticulorumenitis with portal venous gas in a lamb 2020 CVMA ANNUAL REPORT RAPPORT ANNUEL 2020 DE L’ACMV FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY Your Future is Bright and Full of Opportunity At VetStrategy, we live our passion every day. It’s a place where uniqueness is embraced, personal development is encouraged, and a supportive team is behind you. Whether you are a veterinary clinic owner looking to be part of something bigger or an animal health professional seeking a new career challenge, VetStrategy wants to hear from you. LET’S START THE CONVERSATION Looking to grow your existing Looking for career opportunities? vet practice? Contact us at: Contact us at: [email protected] [email protected] FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY Protecting Veterinarians Since 2005 A specialized insurance program for the Canadian veterinary industry. Professional Liability | Commercial Insurance | Employee Benefits Join now and receive preferred member pricing on Commercial Insurance and Employee Benefits! Available exclusively to members of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.
    [Show full text]
  • Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association Council
    G^r? NOVA SCOTIAVETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION Registrar's Office 15 Cobequid Road, Lower Sackvllle, NS B4C 2M9 Phone: (902) 865-1876 Fax: (902) 865-2001 E-mail: [email protected] September 24, 2018 Dear Chair, and committee members, My name is Dr Melissa Burgoyne. I am a small animal veterinarian and clinic owner in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. I am currently serving my 6th year as a member of the NSVMA Council and currently, I am the past president on the Nova Scotia Veterinary Medical Association Council. I am writing today to express our support of Bill 27 and what it represents to support and advocate for those that cannot do so for themselves. As veterinarians, we all went into veterinary medicine because we want to.help animals, prevent and alleviate suffering. We want to reassure the public that veterinarians are humane professionals who are committed to doing what is best for animals, rather than being motivated by financial reasons. We have Dr. Martell-Moran's paper (see attached) related to declawing, which shows that there are significant and negative effects on behavior, as well as chronic pain. His conclusions indicate that feline declaw which is the removal of the distal phalanx, not just the nail, is associated with a significant increase in the odds of adverse behaviors such as biting, aggression, inappropriate elimination and back pain. The CVMA, AAFP, AVMA and Cat Healthy all oppose this procedure. The Cat Fancier's Association decried it 6 years ago. Asfor the other medically unnecessary cosmetic surgeries, I offer the following based on the Mills article.
    [Show full text]
  • Tail Docking in Dogs: Historical Precedence and Modern Views by Jill Kessler Copyright 2012
    Tail Docking in Dogs: Historical Precedence and Modern Views By Jill Kessler Copyright 2012 As everyone gathered in the kitchen to prepare for an extended family dinner, Mother took a large ham and cut off a big piece of the end and put it in another smaller pan to cook. As she prepared the two baking dishes, one of the grandchildren asked, “Grandma, why do you cut off part of the ham?” “Well, thatʼs the way I learned how to do it from my Mom, your great grandmother.” One of the Aunts says, “I thought it was because Dad liked to have his own separate piece.” An Uncle says “I thought it was because it made the meat more tender.” A different Aunt chimes in, “Mom said it was just the way it was always done.” Curious, they decide to ask Great Grandmother the reason why the end of the ham was separated. ************************************* History and Veterinary Standing Tail docking (amputation of the tail) has been done on dogs for hundreds of years. A variety of justifications have been offered, usually in accordance to the historical tasks of the breed. For instance, in hunting dogs, conventional wisdom said it was to prevent injury in the field from nettles, burrs or sticks; in herding or bull-baiting dogs it was thought to help avoid injury from large livestock. In truth, there are two primary historical reasons for docking. For our mastiff-based working dogs that accompanied the ancient Romans, it was believed that tail docking and tongue clipping would ward off rabies.i Obviously, this was before modern bacteriology and vaccines, when rabies was still a feared, lethal zoonotic disease that raced through cities and countrysides, infecting all mammals encountered in its path.
    [Show full text]
  • Reel-To-Real: Intimate Audio Epistolarity During the Vietnam War Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requireme
    Reel-to-Real: Intimate Audio Epistolarity During the Vietnam War Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Matthew Alan Campbell, B.A. Graduate Program in Music The Ohio State University 2019 Dissertation Committee Ryan T. Skinner, Advisor Danielle Fosler-Lussier Barry Shank 1 Copyrighted by Matthew Alan Campbell 2019 2 Abstract For members of the United States Armed Forces, communicating with one’s loved ones has taken many forms, employing every available medium from the telegraph to Twitter. My project examines one particular mode of exchange—“audio letters”—during one of the US military’s most trying and traumatic periods, the Vietnam War. By making possible the transmission of the embodied voice, experiential soundscapes, and personalized popular culture to zones generally restricted to purely written or typed correspondence, these recordings enabled forms of romantic, platonic, and familial intimacy beyond that of the written word. More specifically, I will examine the impact of war and its sustained separations on the creative and improvisational use of prosthetic culture, technologies that allow human beings to extend and manipulate aspects of their person beyond their own bodies. Reel-to-reel was part of a constellation of amateur recording technologies, including Super 8mm film, Polaroid photography, and the Kodak slide carousel, which, for the first time, allowed average Americans the ability to capture, reify, and share their life experiences in multiple modalities, resulting in the construction of a set of media-inflected subjectivities (at home) and intimate intersubjectivities developed across spatiotemporal divides.
    [Show full text]
  • Devocalization Fact Sheet
    Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association Devocalization Fact Sheet Views of humane treatment of animals in both the veterinary profession and our society as a whole are evolving. Many practicing clinicians are refusing to perform non‐therapeutic surgeries such as devocalization, declawing, ear cropping and tail docking of dogs and cats because these procedures provide no medical benefit to the animals and are done purely for the convenience or cosmetic preferences of the caregiver. At this point, devocalization procedures are not widely included in veterinary medical school curricula. What is partial devocalization? What is total devocalization? The veterinary medical term for the devocalization procedure is ventriculocordectomy. When the surgery is performed for the non‐therapeutic purpose of pet owner convenience, the goal is to muffle or eliminate dog barking or cat meowing. Ventriculocordectomy refers to the surgical removal of the vocal cords. They are composed of ligament and muscle, covered with mucosal tissue. Partial devocalization refers to removal of only a portion of the vocal cords. Total devocalization refers to removal of a major portion of the vocal cords. How are these procedures performed? Vocal cord removal is not a minor surgery by any means. It is an invasive procedure with the inherent risks of anesthesia, infection, blood loss and other serious complications. Furthermore, it does not appear to have a high efficacy rate since many patients have the procedure performed more than once, either to try to obtain more definitive vocal results or to correct unintentional consequences of their previous surgeries. Often only the volume and/or pitch of animals’ voices are changed by these procedures.
    [Show full text]
  • Devocalization Procedures on Dogs and Cats
    Contact: Maria Cilenti - Director of Legislative Affairs - [email protected] - (212) 382-6655 REPORT ON LEGISLATION BY THE ANIMAL LAW COMMITTEE A.1204 M. of A. Zebrowski S.2271 Sen. Grisanti AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to restricting the performance of surgical devocalization procedures on dogs and cats. THIS LEGISLATION IS APPROVED WITH RECOMMENDATIONS 1. SUMMARY OF THE PROPOSED LAW A.1204/S.2271 (“the bill”) adds a new section 365-a to the Agriculture & Markets Law that would impose new restrictions on ventriculocordectomy (commonly referred to as “devocalization surgery”), a surgical procedure that reduces or eliminates a dog’s or a cat’s ability to produce vocal sounds. It would also establish record keeping requirements in connection with devocalization surgery. Specifically, the bill provides that devocalization surgery may be performed only by a licensed veterinarian and only when medically necessary to relieve the dog or cat from pain or harm. Where this surgery is performed, a veterinarian must include information about the procedure in the animal's treatment record.1 The veterinarian is also required to annually report to the Commissioner of Education the number of such surgeries he or she performed. Violation of the law by any person who performs the devocalization surgery or knowingly caused the surgery to be performed is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for up to 90 days and/or a fine of up to $500. A veterinarian’s license may be suspended or revoked upon the finding of a violation. 1 NY Education Law § 6714 provides that veterinary treatment records shall be provided to the owner of an animal upon written request and that such records may also be reported or disclosed to law enforcement “[w]hen a veterinarian reasonably and in good faith suspects that a companion animal’s injury, illness or condition is the result of animal cruelty or a violation of any state or federal law pertaining to the care, treatment, abuse or neglect of a companion animal.”.
    [Show full text]
  • The Canadian Veterinary Journal La Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne The
    July/Juillet 2016 July/Juillet The Canadian Veterinary Journal Vol. 57, No. 07 57, Vol. La Revue vétérinaire canadienne July/Juillet 2016 Volume 57, No. 07 The cost of a case of subclinical ketosis in Canadian dairy herds Economic value of ionophores and propylene glycol to prevent disease and treat ketosis in Canada Comparison of intraoperative and postoperative pain during canine ovariohysterectomy and ovariectomy Evolution of in vitro antimicrobial resistance in an equine hospital over 3 decades Presumed masitinib-induced nephrotic syndrome and azotemia in a dog Hypoadrenocorticism mimicking protein- losing enteropathy in 4 dogs Total laryngectomy for management of chronic aspiration pneumonia in a myopathic dog Citrobacter freundii induced endocarditis in a yearling colt Equine motor neuron disease in 2 horses from Saskatchewan Diagnostic performance of an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect bovine leukemia virus antibodies in bulk-tank milk samples Congenital nutritional myodegeneration in a neonatal foal 2015 CVMA ANNUAL REPORT RAPPORT ANNUEL 2015 DE L’ACMV FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY Dual Validation. For your peace of mind. Purina Testing APR Nestlé S.A. owned by Société des Produits Purina trademarks are Standard Testing 2x RSS NEW! When you’re evaluating a diet, science matters. It matters to us, too. That’s why our NEW UR Urinary ® Ox/St™ Canine Formula, along with our entire urinary therapeutic diet portfolio, is backed by a comprehensive dual-validation process, measuring both the concentration and activity of the minerals that produce sterile struvite and calcium oxalate crystals. It’s the nutrition your clients need, backed by science and expertise you can trust.
    [Show full text]
  • Animal Crimes Bill
    PROHIBIT THE DEVOCALIZATION OF CATS AND DOGS UNLESS MEDICALLY NECESSARY A.1679 Member of Assembly Zebrowski S.4647 Senator Avella AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to restricting the performance of surgical devocalization procedures on dogs and cats This bill prohibits devocalization of dogs and cats except when the procedure is medically necessary to treat or relieve an illness, disease or injury or to correct a congenital abnormality, suffered by the animal where the illness, disease, injury or congenital abnormality causes the animal physical pain or harm. BACKGROUND Sometimes dogs and cats must undergo vocal cord surgery to treat disease, such as cancer, or to correct a birth defect. But when performed for the sole purpose of suppressing the animal’s voice, it is widely considered an act of cruelty. It is banned throughout the UK, in Massachusetts, and by local ordinance in Warwick, Rhode Island. Devocalization subjects animals to many risks and potential complications, some life threatening. Animals receive no benefit. Devocalization is ordered strictly for convenience or profit of cat or dog breeding businesses, or a hobby involving breeding dogs or cats. SUMMARY OF PROPOSED BILL This bill prohibits devocalization of dogs and cats except when the procedure is medically necessary. “Medically necessary” refers solely to physical conditions. These provisions cannot be construed to allow for any “behavioral” conditions. Performing devocalization of a dog or cat, or causing devocalization to be performed in violation of the provisions of this law, shall be punishable by imprisonment for one year or a fine of up to five thousand dollars or both.
    [Show full text]
  • LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE a REVIEW Minimalism Can Be Magnificent
    DECEMBER 2015 | No 21 THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION NETWORK OF BC PERIODONTAL DISEASE IN A NUTSHELL ELP — TWO VIEWS VETAVISION 2015 & THE FISTULATED COW REVISIONS TO THE PCA ACT FELINE LOWER URINARY TRACT DISEASE A REVIEW minimalism can be magniFicent. H! The ULTRA™ line of 0.5 mL vaccines* offers pet EA owners exactly what they want for their pet – safe, Dogs are impressed. effective protection with minimal injection volume. h y A more comfortable vaccine experience… now that’s a beautiful thing. BRONCHI-SHIELD® ORAL is making a happy vaccine experience the Contact your Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. sales new normal. representative to learn more about ULTRA™ Duramune® BRONCHI-SHIELD® ORAL is the first to and ULTRA™ Fel-O-Vax®. redefine Bordetella vaccination without needle sticks, sneeze-backs, or initial boosters!1 Give dogs and their owners an enjoyable vaccine experience—only with BRONCHI-SHIELD ® ORAL. * The ULTRA vaccine line includes ULTRA DURAMUNE and ULTRA FEL-O-VAX. ULTRA DURAMUNE and ULTRA FEL-O-VAX are registered trademarks of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. BRONCHI-SHIELD is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. © 2015 Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. Reference: 1. Data on file, BRONCHI-SHIELD ORAL package insert, Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. © 2015 Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. from the editor i have a question his issue, by chance and not by design, includes a lot of infor- elcome to this new occasional column. If you have questions about interesting or sen- mation about wildlife in BC, maybe because human interactions sitive veterinary issues, send them to the CVMA-SBCV Chapter.
    [Show full text]
  • State Legislative Update January 2020
    State Legislative Update January 2020 This State Legislative Update includes select summaries of bills and regulations tracked by the AVMA Division of State Advocacy in January 2020. For more information on bills and regulations, please see our full listing or contact AVMA. Numerous states consider bills to prohibit procedures Several states are considering prohibitions on declawing, devocalization, ear cropping and tail docking. Arizona’s HB 2537, Maryland’s HB 445, and West Virginia’s HB 2119 would prohibit declawing. New Hampshire’s HB 1683 would prohibit declawing, along with ear cropping, tail docking, declaw removal and devocalization. New Jersey’s A 1087 and S 920 and Rhode Island’s HB 7342 would prohibit declawing while NJ A 1211 would end ear cropping and tail docking. Hawaii’s HB 2163 and Washington’s HB 2317 and SB 6300 would prohibit ear cropping, tail docking, and devocalization. New York, a state which already prohibits declawing, is considering a bill that would prohibit devocalization (S 6904). Hearings have been held on bills that would prohibit declawing in Florida (SB 48) and New Hampshire (HB 1683). Measures would allow unlicensed persons to perform services West Virginia (SB 218) and Tennessee (HB 1945 and SB 1914) have bills that would permit consumers to hire unlicensed people, including those who practice veterinary medicine. The bills would require providers to disclose that they are not licensed. In Tennessee, a written agreement between the parties would be required prior to any work starting. Non-economic damages and expanded economic damages New Jersey is considering one bill dealing with non-economic damages and another with expanded economic damages.
    [Show full text]
  • Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Tail Docking) Bill
    NSW Hansard Articles : LA : 06/04/2004 : #4 Page 1 of 3 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Tail Docking) Bill. Second Reading Mr GRAHAM WEST (Campbelltown—Parliamentary Secretary) [10.02 a.m.], on behalf of Mr David Campbell: I move: That this bill be now read a second time. The Australian Veterinary Association, the RSPCA and other animal welfare groups have, over a number of years, been lobbying strongly to ban the cosmetic tail docking of dogs. In their view, such a procedure is unnecessary and inhumane. There are two methods of tail docking. The banding procedure places a rubber ligature over the tail. This is usually an orthodontic band placed over the tail when the puppy is two to four days old. This effectively cuts off the blood supply to the tail, which comes off after a few days. The other procedure involves severance of the tail, usually with surgical scissors. Following a number of representations from animal welfare groups, veterinary bodies and other concerned individuals, the Primary Industries Ministerial Council agreed in October 2003 to introduce a nationally co-ordinated ban on cosmetic tail docking by April of this year. It is vital that the States and Territories work towards a national approach to key issues, and this decision will bring New South Wales legislation into line with that of every other Australian government. This national ban was proposed at the first Primary Industries Ministerial Council meeting that occurred after the current Minister took up his position. The Minister specifically asked that any action be held over until he had had the opportunity to fully consider the consequences and to canvass the viewpoints of all New South Wales stakeholders.
    [Show full text]
  • Organized Animal Protection and the Language of Rights in America, 1865-1900
    *DO NOT CITE OR DISTRIBUTE WITHOUT PERMISSION* “The Inalienable Rights of the Beasts”1: Organized Animal Protection and the Language of Rights in America, 1865-1900 Susan J. Pearson Assistant Professor, Department of History Northwestern University Telephone: 847-471-3744 1881 Sheridan Road Email: [email protected] Evanston, IL 60208 ABSTRACT Contemporary animal rights activists and legal scholars routinely charge that state animal protection statutes were enacted, not to serve the interests of animals, but rather to serve the interests of human beings in preventing immoral behavior. In this telling, laws preventing cruelty to animals are neither based on, nor do they establish, anything like rights for animals. Their raison d’etre, rather, is social control of human actions, and their function is to efficiently regulate the use of property in animals. The (critical) contemporary interpretation of the intent and function of animal cruelty laws is based on the accretion of actions – on court cases and current enforcement norms. This approach confuses the application and function of anticruelty laws with their intent and obscures the connections between the historical animal welfare movement and contemporary animal rights activism. By returning to the context in which most state anticruelty statutes were enacted – in the nineteenth century – and by considering the discourse of those activists who promoted the original legislation, my research reveals a more complicated story. Far from being concerned only with controlling the behavior of deviants, the nineteenth-century animal welfare activists who agitated for such laws situated them within a “lay discourse” of rights, borrowed from the successful abolitionist movement, that connected animal sentience, proved through portrayals of their suffering, to animal rights.
    [Show full text]