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UPDATE: H.B. 934 In Committee

March 27, 2009, 1:30PM MT

By Cheri Moon

Bill Needs Your Support To Pass!

Bill Needs Your Support To Pass!

By Amy Abern, Best Friends Staff

Action Item for IL Residents Only

UPDATE: H.B. 934 is now in the Senate Criminal Law committee. Please contact your own state Senator and members of the Senate Criminal Law Committee today to help this bill pass! (contact information below)

H.B. 934, sponsored by Rep. Mike Boland, adds dogfighters to the list of convicted felons who are unable to own unsterilized dogs or those deemed vicious by a court.

Best Friends Spearheading Legislation
A few years ago, the Illinois legislature outlawed those convicted of certain felonies— including forcible felonies, violations of the Humane Care for Animals Act, possession of controlled substances, methamphetamine and marijuana—from owning unsterilized dogs.
Best Friends is spearheading this legislation which would serve not only as a helpful tool to decrease violence but also to increase spay/neuter initiatives.

Best Friends Senior Legislative Analyst Ledy VanKavage, Esq., is hopeful H.B. 934 will become a matter of law.

“We continually hear horror stories of convicted felons behind bars continuing to organize dog fighting operations from their prison cells,” says VanKavage. “They get their relatives to continue breeding and fighting vicious dogs. It’s how they make money while they’re in prison. Convicted dog fighters should not be allowed to have unsterilized dogs once they leave prison.”

According to a 2006 study by Karen Delise of the National Canine Research Council, 97 percent of the dog related human fatalities in the United States involved unsterilized canines.

Contact Your Illinois state Senator and the Senate Criminal Law Committee today!

An effective letter, call or email to council members needs only three things:

1. Your name and address at the end of your letter AND on the envelope, in the email or during the phone call.

2. Call for specific action.
Ask your Senator to support H.B. 934.

3. Give reasons and examples
Chose from the list below or share your own. Remember to be always be respectful and avoid being emotional.

• H.B. 934 will prevent reckless owners from breeding dogs.

• H.B. 934 will protect innocent dogs and responsible owners.

• H.B. 934 is an effective tactic to curtail the number of dogs being bred with the purpose of turning them into fighting dogs.

Please contact your own state Senator and members of the Senate Criminal Law Committee today

? Contact information for Illinois Senators

?Contact members of the Senate Criminal Law Committee

• Senator Michael Noland (D)

• Senator Kwame Raoul (D)

• Senator William R. Haine (D)

• Senator Dan Kotowski (D)

• Senator A. J. Wilhelmi (D)

• Senator Tim Bivins (R)

Senator Kirk W. Dillard (R)

• Senator John J. Millner (R)

• Senator Dale A. Righter (R)

Additional Information and Resources

• Join the Stop BDL community for more information.

• Why Breed Specific Legislation Won’t Solve the Dangerous Dog Dilemma

Stock main-photo by Clay Myers, Best Friends Staff
Posted by Cheri Moon, Best Friends Staff

**Best Friends supports this legislation.

Comments

Posted March 30, 2009, 1:55PM by nutsahoy

I too am having trouble rejoicing over this bill. Convicted dog fighters should never again be allowed to own or be near animals of any type. They can impose lifetime weapons bans, license bans, why not protect animals by making it impossible for them to ever own any animal ever again.

Posted March 29, 2009, 9:24AM by content

Why shouldn't they go one additional step and never allow them to acquire any animals. Duh!

Posted March 29, 2009, 8:14PM by bluethunder1962

And why can't they even go one additional step and never let a unsterilized convicted dog fighter back on the street.

Posted March 29, 2009, 8:41PM by Rita2828

convicted dog fighters should not be allowed to own any dogs period , fixed or not. There is something wrong here please wake up.

Rita from Brooklyn

Posted March 29, 2009, 10:45AM by Antonia732

I agree with Content. convicted dog fighters should not be allowed to own,or acquire any animals. I fail to see how H.B. 934 stops families of the jailed dog fighters from running organized dog fighting operations from prison.

Posted April 04, 2009, 12:11AM by GeorgeBailey47

Stop an Illinois Bill That Would Kill Cats

This action is for residents of Illinois only.

The Illinois House of Representatives is considering a bill that could drastically increase the number of cats impounded and killed in animal pounds and shelters. In 2008, those facilities killed 60,673 cats, according to data Alley Cat Allies obtained through the Freedom of Information Act; they returned only 2,991 cats to their owners. In spite of these horrendous statistics, H.B. 2703 would require animal control officers to impound any cat found "at large."

H.B. 2703 was proposed by approximately 50 Illinois county animal control officers. In addition to the "at large" provision, the bill targets many provisions of Illinois law favorable to feral cats and their caregivers. They have even hired a lobbyist to promote their agenda.

Please act immediately--write to your State Representatives now and urge them to oppose this dangerous bill.

http://capwiz.com/alleycat/issues/alert/?alertid=13055536&PROCESS=Take+Action

If the web address doesnt work, please go to www.alleycat.org and click on ACTION CENTER

Please spread the word to every pet lover in Illinois!

This insane Bill MUST fail.