Several bills in Tennessee that are of serious concern to sportsmen are scheduled to be heard in different committees tomorrow, March 12th. We cannot put them all in one alert. After you take action on this alert, please keep an eye on your inbox for another alert with more bills that will need your immediate attention.
Tomorrow, House Bill 2938 and its companion bill, Senate Bill 2513, to create a licensing process for “commercial” dog breeders, are scheduled to be heard in their respective House subcommittee at 1:30 p.m. and Senate committee at 1:00 p.m.
Do not be fooled that these bills are to stop puppy mills. HB 2938/SB2513 are so vaguely written that instead of licensing truly commercial activity, they will create a new massive regulatory system that is likely to ensnare a huge swath of sporting dog enthusiasts into regulatory compliance.
These bills define “commercial breeder” as a person possessing or maintaining under the person’s immediate control ten (10) or more dogs or cats for the purpose of selling the offspring as companion animals. It is unknown what this means. This vague and broad statement can be used by enforcement officers to say just about anyone is a “commercial breeder.” There is no definition of how many intact animals a person can possess, nothing about breeding age, nothing about the number of offspring sold, or how this will all be enforced.
When does the “possession” of ten (10) dogs have to take place in a year? At any time? What could this possibly mean for hobby breeders who are attempting to improve a sporting breed, but NOT for commercial purposes? The questions are endless because these bills have no answers, only one trap-door after another so the animal welfare crowd can get a toe-hold and begin to shut down legitimate sporting dog owners throughout the state.
Please use both Take Action buttons to ensure the respective committee members hear your opposition to HB 2938 and SB 2513. Laws must be clear and concise to stop potential persecution of law-abiding citizens due to ambiguous and ill-defined language.
Please use the Take Action button below to email the members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee urging them to vote “No” on HB 2938.
Please use the Take Action button below to email the members of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee urging them to vote “No” on SB 2513.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
