California SB 1277, Louisiana HB 201 and Rhode Island H 7768 propose creation of a first-of-its kind registry for persons convicted of animal abuse, to be made available to the public. The California program would be funded through a tax on pet food.

County Joins Crime Stoppers to Reduce Animal Cruelty

January 26, 2010

The County of San Diego Department of Animal Services (DAS) is now working with San Diego County Crime Stoppers to help stop animal cruelty. DAS has established a reward fund to help pay tipsters who report acts of animal cruelty. A portion of the reward money is being provided by San Diego Animal Advocates.

Currently, DAS spends hundreds of hours each month investigating animal cruelty and neglect cases in San Diego County.

“We hope that this unique partnership will help reduce animal cruelty cases in our County,” said Lieutenant Daniel DeSousa of the Department of Animal Services. “We encourage everyone in our community to be our eyes and ears in the fight against animal cruelty.”

As part of the Crime Stoppers partnership, DAS will post decals on animal control vehicles to promote the program.

“Citizens will have the phone number readily available if they witness any acts of animal cruelty,” DeSousa said. “It also puts offenders on notice that people are watching.”

The program is simple. A tipster can call in anonymously to report an animal related crime. If an arrest is made and a reward has been authorized, the tipster is given directions on how to collect his or her reward.

Over the past 26 years, San Diego County Crime Stoppers has paid out more than a half million dollars to people whose tips closed more than 4,000 cases and led to the arrests of more than 2,800 people.

Anyone with information about animal cruelty can contact Crime Stoppers’ anonymous tip line at (888) 580-8477. Anonymous web and text messages can be sent via SDCrimeStoppers.com. 

Crime Stoppers is offering rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest in felony animal cruelty cases. 

http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/Portal/News/2011/Jan/012611dascrimestoppers.html

How Much for that Doggy in the Window?
Authored by: Kate McDuffee, DVM

Let’s face it. We’ve all been victims. You walk past the pet shop on the way to the shoe store. Or you’re looking for bargains at the local flea market. You’re not looking for a puppy.  You don’t really even want a puppy. But there’s just something about those cute brown eyes, or that pitiful facial expression, that you can’t resist.  So, after dropping a few hundred (or thousand) dollars, with assurances that this is a “bargain” for a purebred dog, you bring home the new family member. Sometimes it works out. But, tragically, sometimes it doesn’t.

Have you ever wondered where all of those puppies come from? Sadly, many of them are products of “puppy mills,” also known as puppy farms or commercial breeders. Even the term “private breeder” may refer to a puppy mill. Basically, a puppy mill is any establishment that produces dogs on a large scale for profit. There is little, or more often, no, regard as to the quality of the puppies. Quantity is what counts. Puppy mills exist, in one form or another, in nearly every state, but Missouri and Pennsylvania seem to have the highest number. The puppies are shipped around the country to brokers, pet stores, flea markets and sometimes even auctions, much like livestock, then delivered to unsuspecting consumers who think that they are getting a high quality puppy just because it is “purebred."

So, what’s the big deal? Does it really matter where your puppy comes from? You bet it does! In the old “nature vs. nurture” argument, puppy mills consistently fall short. The sire and dam of a puppy mill puppy are unlikely to have been screened for genetic defects. Reputable breeders of purebred dogs try very hard to breed dogs that are genetically sound. This means OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) certification for breeds prone to hip dysplasia, a crippling form of arthritis in many large-breed dogs, and CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation), for breeds prone to heritable blindness. Reputable breeders also strive to improve the breed by choosing only those animals that meet the acceptable breed standards. And remember that breeders of good quality dogs won’t have to resort to third parties to sell their dogs. In fact, many have prospective owners lined up before their dog is even bred.

As important as genetics are, the environment is critical to the social development of the young puppy. Studies have shown that puppies learn most of their social skills before they are 10 or 12 weeks old. Puppies born and raised in a large-scale operation are not given the interaction and training that is so vital for them to grow up to be sociable, confident, and well-adjusted adults.  Good breeders will expose their puppies to a variety of situations and people. These pups are much less likely to be nervous or timid around strangers or unfamiliar surroundings.

Another point to keep in mind is that puppies raised in commercial operations and sold in pet stores and flea markets are more likely to be harboring infectious diseases, which may be expensive to treat. All veterinarians have stories about pet store puppies with kennel cough, pneumonia, coccidian (an intestinal parasite), parvovirus, and the like. In most states, the only recourse a pet buyer has is getting a replacement puppy. This usually means the sick puppy will be put to sleep. Some states have puppy “lemon” laws, but even those limit the amount the pet stores have to pay to reimburse vet bills.

So, how do you assure yourself that you are getting a good quality puppy?  If you are committed to getting a purebred dog, do some research on the breeds you are considering. The American Kennel Club (www.akc.org) has summaries and descriptions of all of the AKC recognized breeds. Then look for a breeder. Your best bet will be to attend some dog shows where your breed will be exhibited. Ask questions. Most breeders love to talk about their dogs, so getting information shouldn’t be a problem!

 Some important questions to ask:

• Can I see the parents? The father may not be onsite, but you should be able to take a look at the mother. Is she healthy? Does she have the temperament you are looking for?
• Are the parents OFA and/or CERF registered? Be wary of anyone who tells you that the puppies are OFA’d. The OFA does not register dogs until 2 years old.
• Is the puppy’s health guaranteed? Be sure the breeder will allow return of the puppy if a vet determines it is not healthy. The sooner this is done the better, before you get too attached.
• Can I see the pedigrees of the parents?

But how about considering a truly unique breed? Like a Heinz 57, or Canardly (can hardly tell) dog? If you’re intent on a purebred dog, most breeds have “rescue” groups, and are always looking for good homes for fostering and adopting. And don’t forget that Humane Societies often have purebred dogs available.

Some thoughts from "Dr.Dog".........................(printed with permission)

Outside Dogs
by Dennis Fetko, Ph.D.

Unless you're medically intolerant of the dog (and therefore can't take care of him in
a medical emergency, so you shouldn't have the dog anyway),making a dog stay
outside is a costly waste.
If he's for protection, what do you think I want to steal - your lawn?
When you leave, do you put your valuables and your kids out in your yard? Just what is the dog protecting out there?
Most dogs kept outside cause far more nuisance complaints from barking and escaping than any deterrent to intrusion.
Such complaints cause teasing, antagonism, release and poisoning. With your dog a helpless victim, it's no laughing matter.
If I'm a crook and your dog is out, your fence protects ME, not your possessions or your dog. If I just open the gate, 9 out of 10 dogs will run off! I can safely shoot, stab, spear, poison, snare, strangle them, or dart through the fence and you just lost your dog AND everything I steal!

If he's tied up and I keep out of reach, he's useless. He'll bark, but outside dogs bark so much, they're usually ignored.
But let a dog hit the other side of a door or window I'm breaking into, and I'm GONE! I can't hurt the dog until he can hurt me, and nothing you own is worth my arm. Deterrence is effective protection.
Protection and aggression are not the same. Protection is defensive, reactive, often passive, and threatens or injures no one.
Aggression is active, harmful and offensive, threatens all and benefits none. Yard dogs often develop far more aggression than protectivity because everyone who passes by or enters has already violated the territory that dog has marked dozens of times a day for years. That's not protection, it's not desirable and it overlooks two facts of life today:

First, property owners have implied social contracts with others in the community. Letter carriers, paper boys, delivery people, law enforcement, emergency medical personnel, meter readers and others are allowed near and at times on your property without your specific permission.
And sure that ten-year-old was not supposed to jump your fence after his Frisbee; but neither you nor your dog are allowed to cause him injury if he does. Imagine this: A neighbor looks into your yard or window and sees you, your wife or child laying on the floor in a pool of blood. They call 9-1-1 and your dog prevents paramedics from assisting!
Should they shoot your dog or just let you die?

Great choice.

Second, even if the intruder is a criminal, few places allow you or your dog to cause physical injury to prevent property loss.
Convicted felons have sued the dog's owner from jail and won more in the suit than they ever could have stolen! Appalling? True.

And don't be foolish enough to believe your homeowner's insurance will cover the loss. Now you see why many feel that an outside dog is a no-brainer.

The more a dog is outdoors, the less behavioral control you have. It's easier to solve four or five indoor problems than one outdoor problem.
The reason is valid and simple: The more you control the stimuli that reaches your dog, the more you control the responses.
You've got a lot more control over your living room than you do over your entire county! When your dog is bored, but teased by every dog, cat, bird, squirrel, motorcycle, paperboy, airplane, firecracker and backfiring truck in the county, OF COURSE he'll dig, chew, and bark.

Would you sit still all day everyday? Do you want unnecessary medical and parasite fees, especially as the dog ages?

When a dog is alone indoors, you are still 30% there because your scent and things he associates with you, constantly remind the dog of you and your training.
When he's out, your dog is alone whether you're home or not. Do you really expect him to keep YOU in mind while the entire world teases, distracts and stimulates him?

The media is full of stories about the family dog saving everyone's life during a fire.
How many people, including children, would be dead today if those dogs were kept outside?
SURE - you ALWAYS get up to investigate every time your yard dog barks.
And I've got this bridge.

An outdoor dog has an address, not a home.

Dogs offer real value as companion animals.

Stop behavior problems and start enjoying real protection and companionship.

Bring your dogs inside.

Below is the link for California's "Lockyer-Polanco-Farr Pet Protection Act, which contains information regarding the "Lemon Law" should you find that you have purchased a puppy (or kitten) from a pet store or breeder who turns out to be sick,  crippled or has serious behavior problems. 

This information will explain your rights,  the requirements that breeders and pet stores must disclose to a purchaser, and what to do should the pet dealer fail to provide necessary documentation.

California codes health and safety code section 122125-122220

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov

This will take you to the Official California Legislative Information page.  Click on "California Law, then click on the box next to :Health & Safety Code, scroll down and type in 122125-122220 in search box, then click Search.  This will take you to the link, click on the corresponding #'s; 122125-122220, and you can read the law in its entirety.

Bill Number S.B. 1578 Prohibits a person from tethering, fastening, chaining, tying, or restraining a dog to a dog house, tree, fence, or other stationary object for an unreasonable period of time.

If you live in California, please contact your state assembly member and urge him or her to support S.B. 1578.

Update; as of 1-07, this bill was passed.  It is now against the law to chain, tether, or restrain your dog to any fixture for longer than three hours.

BILL NUMBER: SB 1578

AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 27, 2006
INTRODUCED BY Senator Lowenthal (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Koretz)
FEBRUARY 23, 2006
An act to add Chapter 8(commencing with Section 1 22335) to Part 6 of Division 105
of the Health and Safety Code, relating to dogs.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1578, as amended, Lowenthal
Dogs: tethering prohibition.
Existing law contains various provisions relating to the health, safety, and humane treatment of animals, such as birds, horses and other equines, and animals performing in traveling circuses and carnivals.
This bill, with specified exceptions, would prohibit a person from tethering, fastening, chaining, tying, or restraining a dog to a doghouse, tree, fence, or other stationary object.
This bill would make a violation of its provisions an infraction or a misdemeanor and would require that a county use fines collected under the bill for animal control purposes.
By making a violation of its provisions a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would provide that it is not to be construed to prevent
a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Vote: majority.
Appropriation: no.
Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 8 (commencing with Section122335) is added to Part 6 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code, to read: CHAPTER 8. DOG TETHERING 122335.
(a) For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following definitions:
(1) "Animal control" means the municipal or county animal control agency or other entity
responsible for enforcing animal-related laws.
(2) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade or professional association,
firm, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, estate, or any other legal entity, and any officer, member, shareholder, director, employee, agent, or representative thereof.
(3) "Reasonable period" means a period of time not to exceed three hours in a 24-hour period, or a time that is otherwise approved by animal control.
(b) No person shall tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog, or cause a dog to be tethered, fastened, chained, tied, or restrained, to a dog house, tree, fence, or any other stationary object.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a person may do any of the following in accordance with Section 597t of the Penal Code :
(1) Attach a dog to a running line, pulley, or trolley system A dog shall not be tethered to the running line, pulley, or trolley system by means of a choke collar or pinch collar.
(2) Tether, fasten, chain, tie, or otherwise restrain a dog pursuant to the requirements of a camping or recreational area.
(3) Tether, fasten, chain, tie, or restrain a dog no longer than is necessary for the person to complete a temporary task that requires the dog to be restrained for a reasonable period.
(d) A person who violates this chapter is guilty of an infraction or a misdemeanor
(1) An infraction under this chapter is punishable upon conviction by a fine of up to two hundred fifty dollars ($250) as to each dog with respect to which a violation occurs.
(2) A misdemeanor under this chapter is punishable upon conviction by a fine of up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) as to each dog with respect to which a violation occurs, or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than six months , or both.
e) Any funds collected under this chapter shall only be used by the county for animal control purposes.
(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit a person from walking a dog with a hand-held leash. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.

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Some Facts About Chaining or Tethering Dogs
The Humane Society of the United States

 What is meant by "chaining" or "tethering" dogs?
These terms refer to the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake, usually in the owner's backyard, as a means of keeping the animal under control.
These terms do not refer to the periods when an animal is walked on a leash.

 Is there a problem with continuous chaining or tethering?
Yes, the practice is both inhumane and a threat to the safety of the confined dog, other animals, and humans.

 Why is tethering dogs inhumane?
Dogs are naturally social beings who thrive on interaction with human beings and other animals.
A dog kept chained in one spot for hours, days, months, or even years suffers immense psychological damage.
An otherwise friendly and docile dog, when kept continuously chained, becomes neurotic, unhappy, anxious, and often aggressive.
In many cases, the necks of chained dogs become raw and covered with sores, the result of improperly fitted collars and
the dogs' constant yanking and straining to escape confinement. Dogs have even been found with collars embedded in their necks,
the result of years of neglect at the end of a chain. 

 Who says tethering dogs is inhumane?
In addition to The Humane Society of the United States and numerous animal experts, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
issued a statement in the July 2, 1996, Federal Register against tethering:
"Our experience in enforcing the Animal Welfare Act has led us to conclude that continuous confinement of dogs by a tether is inhumane. A tether significantly restricts a dog's movement.
A tether can also become tangled around or hooked on the dog's shelter structure or other objects, further restricting the dog's movement and potentially causing injury."

 How does tethering or chaining dogs pose a danger to humans?
Dogs tethered for long periods can become highly aggressive. Dogs feel naturally protective of their territory;
when confronted with a perceived threat, they respond according
to their fight-or-flight instinct.
A chained dog, unable to take flight, often feels forced to fight, attacking any unfamiliar animal or person who unwittingly wanders into his or her territory.
Numerous attacks on people by tethered dogs have been documented.
For example, a study published in the September 15, 2000, issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
reported that 17% of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans between 1979 and 1998 were restrained on their owners' property
at the time of the attack. Tragically, the victims of such attacks are often children who are unaware of the chained dog's presence
until it is too late. Furthermore, a tethered dog who finally does get loose from his chains may remain aggressive, and is likely
to chase and attack unsuspecting passersby and pets.

 Why is tethering dangerous to dogs?
In addition to the psychological damage wrought by continuous chaining, dogs forced to live on a chain make easy targets for other animals, humans, and biting insects.
A chained animal may suffer harassment and teasing
from insensitive humans, stinging bites from insects, and, in the worst cases, attacks by other animals.
Chained dogs are also easy targets for thieves looking to steal animals for sale to research institutions or to be used as training fodder
for organized animal fights.
Finally, dogs' tethers can become entangled with other objects, which can choke or strangle the dogs to death.

 Are tethered dogs otherwise treated well?
Rarely does a chained or tethered dog receive sufficient care. Tethered dogs suffer from sporadic feedings, overturned water bowls,
inadequate veterinary care, and extreme temperatures.
During periods of extreme heat, they may not receive adequate water or protection from the sun. What's more, because their often
neurotic behavior makes them difficult to approach, chained dogs are rarely given even minimal affection.
Tethered dogs may become "part of the scenery" and can be easily ignored by their owners.
The HSUS recommends that all dogs be kept indoors at night, taken on regular walks, and otherwise provided with adequate attention, food, water, and veterinary care.
If an animal must be housed outside at certain times, he should be placed in a suitable pen with adequate square footage and shelter from the elements.

 Should chaining or tethering ever be allowed?
To become well-adjusted companion animals, dogs should interact regularly with people and other animals, and should receive regular exercise.
It is an owner's responsibility to properly restrain her dog, just as it is the owner's responsibility to provide adequate attention and
socialization. Placing an animal on a restraint to get fresh air can be acceptable if it is done for a short period. However, keeping an
animal tethered for long periods is never acceptable.

 What about attaching a dog's leash to a "pulley run"?
Attaching a dog's leash to a long line—such as a clothesline or a manufactured device known as a pulley run—and letting the animal have a larger area in which to explore is preferable to tethering the dog to a stationary object.
However, many of the same problems associated with tethering
still apply, including attacks on or by other animals, lack of socialization, and safety.

 What can be done to correct the problem of tethering dogs?
At least 25 communities have passed laws that regulate the practice of tethering animals.
Maumelle, Arkansas; Tucson, Arizona; and New Hanover, North Carolina, are a few communities that prohibit the chaining or tethering of dogs
as a means of continuous confinement. Many other communities
allow tethering only under certain conditions.

 Why should a community outlaw the continuous chaining or tethering of dogs?
Animal control and humane agencies receive countless calls every day from citizens concerned about animals in these cruel situations.
Animal control officers, paid at taxpayer expense, spend many hours trying to educate pet owners about the dangers and cruelty involved in this practice.

A chained animal is caught in a vicious cycle; frustrated by long periods of boredom and social isolation, he becomes a neurotic shell of his former self—further deterring human interaction and kindness.
In the end, the helpless dog can only suffer the frustration of
watching the world go by in isolation—a cruel fate for what is by nature a highly social animal.
Any city, county, or state that bans this practice is a safer, more humane community.