ALERT! HB 3180 - TAKE ACTION TO STOP PUPPY MILLS

March 20, 2009

In This Issue TAKE ACTION TO STOP PUPPY MILLS

TAKE ACTION TO STOP PUPPY MILLS

Dear THLN Member:

HB 3180, a bill that will require licensing and regulation of large-scale commercial dog and cat breeding operations, is now pending in the Texas Legislature. This bill was written specifically to address the animal cruelty that is inherent in the puppy mill industry and will require that minimum standards of care, treatment and housing be met by puppy mill operators.

Important Note: Hobby breeders who keep no more than 10 intact female dogs are exempt from licensing and regulation.

What can you do to help?

Spread the word! To increase the number of people contacting their legislators, please forward this alert to friends and family who love animals. Ask them to go to www.THLN.org, watch the puppy mill video

(http://www.thln.org/index.cfm?pageID=6CF734D9-3048-7B4D-7BDB4516FBF2E3D5 & theme=Puppy%20Mills) and sign up to receive Action Alerts (http://www.thln.org/index.cfm?view=email_signup).

A bill summary is also posted on the site (http://www.thln.org/index.cfm?pageID=1F811F1E-3048-7B4D-7BC4A6640D0FA47E).

Each Action Alert will give you the progress of the bill and the names of legislators to contact to make your voice heard for the animals now suffering in puppy mills. As soon as HB 3180 is scheduled for a committee hearing, you will receive an alert.

This bill must be passed in a committee hearing before it can go to the House of Representatives for a vote. Please don't assume that this will be easy. Puppy mills operate in backwoods areas and in the shadows of our communities, but their owners have a strong lobby force at work to kill this legislation. They are driving paranoia among the hobby breeders who have not read this bill and are not aware that they are exempt from licensing and regulation, as long as they have no more than 10 intact female dogs.

Tell us your story.

Did you buy a puppy you believe may have come from a puppy mill?Are you concerned about a potential puppy mill in your area?

Are you a shelter or rescue staff person who has assisted in puppy mill related work?

Do you have a question or comment about puppy mills?

Please share your story or question with THLN by clicking here: http://www.thln.org/index.cfm?pageID=DEC63255-3048-7B4D-7B322901ED9C0F23 Please note that we are unable to accept attachments (including photos) at this time.

If you love dogs and cats, this is one of the most important bills you can help pass to protect them from cruelty. More than 700,000 dogs and cats were destroyed in Texas animal control facilities last year, simply because there were no homes for them. Puppy mills are not only cruel and barbaric operations that are producing sickly puppies with genetic defects, they are mass contributors to the pet overpopulation problem.

Thank you for taking action. Please help us spread the word.

P.S. We apologize for the glitch in our new e-mail program last week, resulting in many of you receiving multiple e-mails of the same action alert. We believe that the problem has now been corrected. Thank you for your patience.

TEXAS HUMANE LEGISLATION NETWORKPromoting the humane treatment of animals throughlegislation, education and advocacy.Visit us at www.thln.org.

P.O. Box 685283 Austin, TX 78768-5283action_alerts www.thln.org888-548-6263

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