P.O. 9652 Chapel Hill, N.C. 27515-9652 --
919-942-2503
A summary of the Animal Protection Act:
I. Purposes of proposed Animal Protection Act:
The principle purposes of the Animal Protection bill are as follows:
First, the proposed bill will provide direct assistance to help reduce the number of homeless animals that must be killed each year. Aggressive statewide spay-neuter ("Litter Prevention") programs will be initiated.
North Carolina's euthanasia record of killing over 300,000 animals annually places us among the top 5 states nationally. That is an embarrassing ranking and one this bill will help eliminate. (Footnote-1)
Second, the proposed bill will authorize the Animal Welfare Department (an existing department in the Department of Agriculture) to create and maintain guidelines for the operation of all NC shelters. The Animal Welfare Department will inspect and regulate all public and private animal shelter facilities. Currently the Animal Welfare Department
regulates private shelters. The purpose is to insure the humane care and treatment of all animals in all shelters.
Third, another important component of the bill will be education. Education programs will focus on helping school children and pet owners to learn how to treat and care for pets. Additional emphasis will be placed on anti-cruelty education and tougher anti-cruelty laws. Increased owner responsibility will decrease the number of animals impounded
and killed.
WHAT'S IN THE PROPOSED BILL:
State oversight/inspection/regulation, by Department of Agriculture of all private, non-profit, and government-run cat and dog shelters.
Financial assistance to counties and cities providing low cost dog and cat spay/neuter services. Litter prevention through aggressive birth control.
I. An increase in the existing pet food assessment that is being collected on all cat and dog food manufactured or distributed in North Carolina.
A. The funds that are generated will be collected by the Department of Agriculture.
1. $10.00 per ton
2. An increase in the existing pet food assessment that is being collected on all cat and dog food manufactured or distributed in North Carolina.
B. The funds that are generated will be collected by the Department of Agriculture.
1. $10.00 per ton (2,000 pounds) of dry food and $1.00 per 48-can case of canned food. This would amount to 10 cents per pound of dry food and 2 cents per can of canned food if passed
on to the consumer.
2. If this cost is passed on to consumers the added cost for an average-sized dog amounts to LESS THAN $2.00 PER YEAR.
C. The funds will be placed in a non-reverting Animal Protection Fund.
D. This will create a dedicated fund to pay for the services provided in the proposed Animal Protection Act.
E. An estimated $8.6 million will be generated to fully fund the bill.
F. Like vehicle owners who pay the highway use and gasoline fees, pet owners will fund this bill. Non-pet owners will not be penalized or forced to contribute.
WHAT'S NOT IN THE PROPOSED BILL:
The recommended bill DOES NOT include the following:
Mandatory spay/neuter (sterilization) of all dogs and cats.
Differential licensing fees for sterilized versus unsterilized dogs and cats.
Dog and cat hobby breeder permits, licenses or fees.
Restriction on ownership or breeding of animals.
A new tax - or creation of any financial hardship.
Restrictions on cat and dog fanciers or their shows.
Inspections of dog and cat hobby breeder facilities.
Changes in current policies on commercial dog and cat breeders.
Changes in current policies on hunting dogs.
A dog and cat rabies database.
WHO SUPPORTS PASSAGE OF THE BILL
I. All National Animal Welfare Organizations to include:
A. [2]American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), [3]American Humane Association (AHA), [4]Doris Day Animal League (DDAL), [5]People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), [6]The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), [7]Friends of Animals, and [8]No More Homeless Pets
II. All North Carolina Animal Welfare Groups - with over 5000 members.
III. [9]The NC Veterinary Medical Association
IV. [10]The North Carolina League of Municipalities
V. Many thousands of Pet Owners statewide.
Summary
Statewide, citizens are demanding a solution to the problems caused by the ongoing animal overpopulation crisis. This crisis is very real and it affects non-pet owners and pet owners alike. We must act now to address this dilemma. Failure to do so will result in constantly rising taxpayer costs for animal control services. This burden will have to be shared equally by pet owners and non-pet owners.
The proposed Animal Protection Bill represents a very fair and reasonable approach to solving North Carolina's current companion animal crisis. It puts the financial interests of all taxpayers and the state government on equal footing. There are no special interest groups favored in this bill. In fact, it is the most responsible solution offered to date. All
pet owners will pay a small cost, a few dollars a year from pet food sales, to create the funds needed to solve the animal problems.
What we have is a win-win situation. We can dramatically reduce the number of animals that must be killed each year in NC "shelters" and we can stabilize the cost taxpayers have to bear for this depressing service.
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