TX-RPOA E-News
From Responsible Pet Owners Alliance
Permission granted to crosspost.

April 8, 2008
Dallas, TX Chapter 7 Animal Ordinance Revisions


Dallas is considering the most restrictive anti-pet ordinance in the US
which the mayor has said should become law by the end of this month.  So
we don't have much time.  Have you contacted Dallas city officials yet
to help animal owners in Dallas?  What passes in one city affects us all!

Texas Kennel Club is taking the lead to oppose the proposed ordinance
and retained the services of noted animal law attorney Zandra Anderson.
  But they need your letters, faxes and emails to city officials to back
them up!

Willie McDaniel, director of Dallas Animal Services, stated in the
Dallas Observer recently that breeders must pay a $500 permit and will
be BARRED from areas zoned residential."  (Emphasis ours.)  Permits will
be issued at the discretion of the director but only for registered dog
and cats whose owners belong to approved dog/cat clubs with a code of
ethics approved by the director.  This opens the door to extinction of
certain breeds in Dallas which violates state law. The $500 Breeder
Permit is PER DOG PER YEAR!

[The Dallas Observer article is here: http://tinyurl.com/3b6ow3 - quote
is in third paragraph from bottom on page 1.]

The proposal clearly demonstrates the national "animal rights"
legislative agenda to end all breeding of dogs and cats.  More
information is on our website: www.responsiblepetowners.org .  Click on
the lower left "Action Alert" button on the home page and all the Dallas
information is there:  an action alert with talking points, contact
information for city  officials and the ordinance provisions.

The Dangerous Dog Section is well written but RPOA strongly opposes the
following:  Mandatory Spay/Neuter of all dogs/cats over 4 months;
Breeder Permit; Pet Limits of six dogs/cats per single-family home; Ban
on tethering and 150' minimum pen size per dog;

Responsible Pet Owners Alliance spoke at length with Willie McDaniel to
ascertain the animal problem the city was attempting to address.  All
we've heard repeatedly is "We have to do something!"  We were told the
problems are in South Dallas in lower income areas as in most cities and
with loose aggressive animals.  "Dallas has free and low  cost pet
spay/neuter programs which are not utilized," said McDaniel.  He also
said there have been several cases of neighbor's complaints of too many
dogs next door which we feel could be addressed under Nuisance Laws.

This type legislation is a documented failure from 15 years ago.  We
agree with Nathan Winograd, founder of the No Kill Advocacy Center, who
says overly restrictive legislation leads to more animals being killed
at animal controls and shelters.  We can only hope reason and common
sense will reign in Dallas. But it definitely did not in San Antonio.
Just "doing something" can make matters worse.  San Antonio's numbers
have doubled for the first three months this year.

The solution lies in enforcement of existing laws (especially Leash
Laws), expanded free and low cost pet spay/neuter programs, and adult
and children education in responsible pet ownership.

~ Responsible Pet Owners Alliance