| The
following update on “animal legislation” here in New
England is just a partial list. For more information on these bills
and others, you can browse the state legislative home pages provided,
call the New England Regional Office of The Humane Society of the
United States (HSUS) at 802-368-2790, or email nero@hsus.org.
New England
Legislative Update - 7/2006
--Connecticut
--Massachusetts
--Maine
--New Hampshire
--Rhode Island
--Vermont
--Related
Links
Connecticut
A
bill to allow Sunday archery hunting on private property died.
The Agriculture Commissioner will be required to investigate the
expansion of the Animal Population Control Program (APCP) to include
feral cats and animals owned by low-income residents with the
passage of a study committee bill.
Bills on humane education, animal control officer training, pet
trusts, monk parakeets, dangerous dogs, and elephant inspection all
died in committee but are likely to come up again in future
legislative sessions.
Massachusetts
The
Dog Protection Act was struck down on July 13th after a ruling in
Suffolk County Supreme Court concluding that the petition's three
provisions were not closely enough related and ultimately violated a
relatedness limitation required in the initiative petition process.
Initially on August 15, 2005, and August 29, 2005, representatives
of Massasoit Greyhound Association, Inc. (Massasoit), and Taunton
Dog Track, Inc. (Taunton), wrote to the Attorney General opposing
certification of the petition. The Attorney General concluded that
their objections to the petition were groundless. Following this a
law suit was filed, plaintiffs claimed that by combining a
controversial proposition like dog racing with other less
controversial issues such as animal fighting and cruelty laws, the
initiative would be misleading to voters. A ruling was handed down
on July 13th 2006 concluding that the petition does in fact violate
the relatedness limitation requirement of the initiative petition
process and therefore the measure was shot down.
Legislation to ban the use of exotic animals in circuses made
significant progress. Sponsor Senator Robert Hedlund offered an
amendment that will make it illegal to use any implement, such as a
bullhook or ankus, to train, punish and control captive elephants.
A
bill to allow hunting on Sundays was defeated.
Bills that would prevent the force feeding of birds for foie gras
production, as well as allow students in Massachusetts the right to
use a non-animal alternative to specimen dissection, are both still
in committee.
Maine
The passage of a first-in-the-nation law will allow judges to
write protection from abuse orders to protect companion animals in
domestic violence situations, as well as encourage human victims to
leave safely with their pets.
An internet hunting ban was also successful.
New
Hampshire
A
state study commission was created to develop a comprehensive plan
for the evacuation and housing of pets and livestock in cases of
emergency.
A
ban on internet hunting was successful, and the expansion of canned
hunting of red deer and elk was defeated.
Another attempt to strengthen the outdoors shelter for dog law
failed, along with a bill that would have made drowning an animal a
felony.
Rhode
Island
A
law that bans the breeding of cats over six months without a permit
passed, making Rhode Island the first state to legislatively mandate
sterilization.
A
bill to establish outdoor shelter and tethering standards for dogs
is still pending.
A
bill which bans Internet hunting became law on July 14, 2006 without
the Governor's signature.
Vermont
A
law to allow judges to include pets in protection from abuse orders
in domestic violence situations followed on the heels of Maines
law.
An emergency planning bill passed with several provisions for
animals, including liability protection for building owners who
allow pets in their facilities during disasters and emergency
drills, and the inclusion of humane society representatives in a
state emergency response committee.
Internet hunting was banned, but an effort to ban the cropping of
dogs ears for cosmetic purposes was unsuccessful.
RELATED
LINKS
www.congress.org
or www.vote-smart.org:
Links to help you find your elected officials.
www.hsus.org/ace/12505:
Update on legislative activities being monitored by the New England
Regional Office of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
www.hsus.org/ace/702:
Update on state legislative activities being monitored by the Government
Affairs Department of The HSUS. Provides links to HumaneLines, a
free weekly electronic alert to keep you up-to-date on hot issues
in animal protection, State Action Alerts, and Federal Legislation.
www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=lobby:
The ASPCA’s Legislative Advocacy Center. Includes Action Alerts
on state and federal legislation. |