TX: RPOA Austin update.

TX-RPOA E-News

From RPOA Texas Outreach and
​

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
"Animal welfare, not animal 'rights'
and, yes, there is a difference."
Permission granted to crosspost.
December 16, 2010

Austin City Council voted unanimously to approve the Pet Trader Ordinance
this morning. No surprise there. However, as the main opposition to the
"animal rights" inspired ordinance proposal, we were contacted by numerous
media reporters.
So that was a pleasant surprise and a golden opportunity to educate the
media and their listeners on Texas animal issues. Just a warm up for the
upcoming Texas Legislative Session! Who has more animal expertise than our
members?

Martine Hueslig represented RPOA and spoke to City Council opposing the
ordinance. After stepping down from the podium, she immediately had four
reporters surrounding her and some seemed to be on our side. Supporters of
the ordinance deemed it to be a "public safety" issue. Go figure!
The only Petland store in Austin closed some time back when this was first
proposed by the Austin Animal Advisory Commission -- knowing that Austin
City Council would approve the proposal. How long before Petco and PetSmart
will be banned from selling all the other species of pets in Austin? How
long before there's no need for pet food and pet supplies at all in Austin?

So what does this ordinance (which has no enforcement date) mean to Austin
animal owners?

* Anyone who receives "consideration" for a dog, cat, puppy, kitten (any
age) is now a Pet Trader unless it is the City Pound or a 501 (C)(3)
Nonprofit Rescuer Group. (All rescuers are not nonprofits.)

* All sales are forbidden from a location other than where the cat or dog
was bred.

* Sale of agricultural livestock is exempt.

* A Pet Trader must pay a $50 Sales Fee unless the animal is sterilized.
(This will be interesting to watch the Pet Police enforce.)

* Microchip is mandatory.

* Veterinarian must give buyer a signed document (a guarantee!) that the
animal has no known disease or illness at the time or that is likely to
adversely affect their health in the future, or describe any known disease,
illness that is likely to affect their health in the future. In addition to
documentation of sterilization.

* Pet Trader must provide the usual paperwork for the dog and cat, all
medical records, etc.

Regarding the recent Austin alert:
"There'll be no Doggie in the Window," there was some confusion about the
last sentence
which was "meant" to imply that rescuers who aren't IRS 501 (C)(3)
Nonprofits - and there are many -- are supposed to pay sales tax per the
Comptroller's office although it's generally ignored.

 

A sad day for the ole lone star.

 

Only for the peddelers mac

It sounds like a good thing to me, just dont SELL your stock then there will be no need for chips or sales fee then

the vet thing means healthy dogs

Long story short get what you want now and get ready to close your yard.
Truth is its gonna put a stop to those who are not serious.

 

Don't fool your self Frank. What ppl fail to realize what this is, is just another chip off your rights as a animal owner. An if you don't think that type of legistlation won't seal the deal on you ...it's just another loop hole to do just that. Lets just say you have a yard full of animals and it doesn't have to be bulldogs. You get a knock on the door by the city or county, state an they are asking speciffically what are you doing with these animals and why do you have so many? How do you think you are going to get out of that? What would you say? Are you up to speed with what is required of you?

Seriously......

 

You have a point but to tell you the truth in texas theres is a problem with petstores

Ive bought a ball python from one it came with a healt cert but when I got it home the dam thing had tics all over it

So yeah it sounds like a bad thing but to those that are serious about there dogs/animals will do whats nessacery (sp)

Which could help reduce the number of strays, ill-bred animals, and a few more things

Now bsl is a horse of a different color

This bill dosnt target animals it targets irrisponsible owners and the negative effects they bring about

Besides this is what we been asking for

How many times have you heard or read its not the dog fault its the owner

Now the blame will be on the owner and not a certain breed or animal

 

This bill does infact target the buyer and seller of cats and dogs.