Big Victory For California Dog Owners

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California Dog Owners
Hold Off Spay/Neuter Bill

Levine Can’t Get Enough Votes In Senate

By JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@csonline.net

SACRAMENTO, CA – Animal rights activists failed to get enough votes in the Senate to pass AB 1634 on Friday, thus probably ending a two-year-long battle by dog owners against legislation that would result in widespread forced pet sterilization.

AB 1634 was called for a vote Friday, and the results were 27-5 in opposition. However, many Democrats abstained, and the bill’s sponsors, Rep. Lloyd Levine and Sen. Alex Padilla, were accorded the courtesy of bringing up the legislation again next week if they think they can muster enough support to pass it.

The Senate adjourned following the vote, so that the Democrats can go to their party’s presidential nominating convention. The Senate will reconvene August 28, and must conclude business by midnight August 31, when the legislative session expires.

Dog owners cannot declare victory until after the session expires, but Senate observers now believe that it is virtually impossible for Levine and Padilla to get enough votes to pass AB 1634.

It would take 21 votes to pass it, and 27 senators voted against it on Friday. There are 41 members of the Senate, and that means nine members abstained or were absent. Those nine members would not be enough to pass the legislation, even if they all voted for it. Moreover, the Senate would have to pass the measure quickly, as the entire assembly would have to vote to concur with several amendments before the August 31 deadline.

For dog owners, it looks very good.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance has staunchly opposed AB 1634 in all of its amended forms. We also have supported several great California organizations that worked very hard to defeat this legislation. This apparent victory shows what can happen when dog owners unite, stand up and be counted.

Winning this battle wasn’t easy, as we were up against every large statewide and national animal rights group. These powerful groups threw many millions of dollars into their effort to force the sterilization of all dogs and cats in California. AB 1634 was the number one priority for animal rights groups, but their money and power weren’t enough to defeat dog owners when we stood our ground and fought back.

The days leading up to Friday’s vote were hectic and confused, with Levine gutting the bill early this week and gaining a pact of non-opposition from the American Kennel Club. AKC’s agreement with Levine drew heavy fire from many other dog owners’ organizations.

Then, late yesterday, Levine reneged on his deal with the AKC and announced plans to change the legislation yet again, in a desperate effort to gain more votes. This violation of trust caused AKC to once again announce its vigorous opposition to the bill. In turn, Levine backed off making any changes today, so that he once again could claim non-opposition from AKC. The version that was voted on in the Senate today was the version that the AKC Board voted not to oppose.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance and most California groups have been unwavering in our opposition to AB 1634.

While this fight has been exhausting, we are asking California dog owners to do one more thing. Please write to as many California state senators as you can and thank them for voting down the legislation today. Also, please ask them to continue to oppose it if Levine attempts to bring it up again in the closing days of the session.

Thank these Senators for Voting NO on AB1634 and please consider voting for them in November:
Voted NO Phone Mailing Address
Ellen Corbett (Dem) 916-651-4010 State Capitol, Room 5080, Sacramento, CA 95814
Louis Correa (Dem) 916-651-4034 State Capitol, Room 5100, Sacramento, CA 95814
Denise Moreno Ducheny (Dem) 916-651-4040 State Capitol, Room 3048, Sacramento, CA 95814
Dean Florez (Dem) 916-651-4016 State Capitol, Room 3092, Sacramento, CA 95814
Alan Lowenthal (Dem) 916-651-4027 State Capitol, Room 4062, Sacramento, CA 95814
Carole Migden (Dem) 916-651-4003 State Capitol, Room 2068, Sacramento, CA 95814
Jenny Oropeza (Dem) 916-651-4028 State Capitol, Room 3076, Sacramento, CA 95814
Don Perata (Dem) 916-651-4009 State Capitol, Room 5035, Sacramento, CA 95814
Mark Ridley-Thomas (Dem) 916-651-4026 State Capitol, Room 5094, Sacramento, CA 95814
Gloria Romero (Dem) 916-651-4024 State Capitol, Room 5061, Sacramento, CA 95814
Jack Scott (Dem) 916-651-4021 State Capitol, Room 2052, Sacramento, CA 95814
Joe Simitian (Dem) 916-651-4011 State Capitol, Room 5064, Sacramento, CA 95814
Leland Yee (Dem) 916-651-4008 State Capitol, Room 4038, Sacramento, CA 95814
Sam Aanestad (Rep) 916-651-4004 State Capitol, Room 5108, Sacramento, CA 95814
"bleep" Ackerman (Rep) 916-651-4033 State Capitol, Room 2032, Sacramento, CA 95814
Roy Ashburn (Rep) 916-651-4018 State Capitol, Room 5066, Sacramento, CA 95814
Dave Cogdill (Rep) 916-651-4014 State Capitol, Room 4082, Sacramento, CA 95814
Dave Cox (Rep) 916-651-4001 State Capitol, Room 3082, Sacramento, CA 95814
Jeff Denham (Rep) 916-651-4012 State Capitol, Room 3070, Sacramento, CA 95814
Bob Dutton (Rep) 916-651-4031 State Capitol, Room 2059, Sacramento, CA 95814
Tom Harman (Rep) 916-651-4035 State Capitol, Room 5114, Sacramento, CA 95814
Dennis Hollingsworth (Rep) 916-651-4036 State Capitol, Room 4074, Sacramento, CA 95814
Abel Maldonado (Rep) 916-651-4015 State Capitol, Room 4032, Sacramento, CA 95814
Bob Margett (Rep) 916-651-4029 State Capitol, Room 205, Sacramento, CA 95814
Tom McClintock (Rep) 916-651-4019 State Capitol, Room 4061, Sacramento, CA 95814
George Runner (Rep) 916-651-4017 State Capitol, Room 313, Sacramento, CA 95814
Mark Wyland (Rep) 916-651-4038 State Capitol, Room 5097, Sacramento, CA 95814

Thank these Senators for Not Supporting AB1634:
Abstained Phone Mailing Address
Ron Calderon (Dem) 916-651-4030 State Capitol, Room 2082, Sacramento, CA 95814
Christine Kehoe (Dem) 916-651-4039 State Capitol, Room 2080, Sacramento, CA 95814
Sheila Kuehl (Dem) 916-651-4023 State Capitol, Room 4035, Sacramento, CA 95814
Darrell Steinberg (Dem) 916-651-4006 State Capitol, Room 5050, Sacramento, CA 95814
Patricia Wiggins (Dem) 916-651-4002 State Capitol, Room 5052, Sacramento, CA 95814
James Battin (Rep) 916-651-4037 State Capitol, Room 4081, Sacramento, CA 95814
Gilbert Cedillo (Dem) 916-651-4022 State Capitol, Room 4066, Sacramento, CA 95814
Edward Vincent (Dem) 916-651-4025 State Capitol, Room 4048, Sacramento, CA 95814


Try to change the minds of these senators who voted for the bill, and PLEASE don’t vote for them in the fall election unless they do change their minds:

Elaine Alquist (Dem)
Mike Machado (Dem)
Gloria Negrete McLeod (Dem)
Alex Padilla (Dem)
Tom Torlakson (Dem)

The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, hobby breeders and professionals who work with all breeds of dogs, and especially with a focus on the breeds that are used for hunting. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life. Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. Our email is ASDA@csonline.net. Complete directions to join by mail or online are found at the bottom left of each page.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by the donations of our members, and maintain strict independence.

PLEASE CROSS-POST AND FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS

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View from Inside the Capitol
Bill Hemby

Before the overwhelming vote in opposition to AB 1634, I was hanging out outside of the Senate chambers with Mark Hennelly, CHfC, COHA, and Ed Worley, and Paul Payne, NRA. There were about 100 other lobbyists in the hallway too. When AB 1634 came up and Senator Padilla started his speech about the AKC, my cell phone started to blaze. The messages were something like: "DO SOMETHING!!!

As I started to contact senators on the floor, Chris Wagaman, on Senator Correa's staff showed up with the flier off the AKC website. At about the same time another staffer from Senator Dave Cox's office came running up with his copies of the AKC flier. Both said, "you know, as soon as Padilla opened his mouth, our phone lines lit up like crazy".. They assumed the same was happening in every senator's office. Both rushed into the Senate chambers to distribute the fliers. (Lobbyists, by the way, cannot go into those chambers). But, this shows the behind the scenes support we were receiving from senators' staff. There are a lot of dog and cat people working in the capitol.

When Chris came out, she said she spoke directly with Padilla, who told her, "No, the AKC is neutral, this just means they are upset with Levine, not AB 1634." (Wrong!). I remember Senator Lou Correa's comments when he visited with us and Lassie in the hallway a month earlier. Correa: "whats the bill number?" Lassie: "Its AB 1634." Correa; "who's carrying it?" Lassie: "Lloyd Levine". Correa; "oh sh#@ not HIM?" as he walked away with a disgusted look. That was my first clue, Correa might not vote for AB 1634.

I had been saying we needed 6 Democrats, and I counted 10 who I thought might vote "No". My original picks were, of course all 15 of the Republicans, with only Maldonado as a question mark---but not much of one. In the Dem column I picked Correa, Ducheny, Florez, Migden, Oropeza, Scott, Calderon, Kuehl, Steinberg and Yee. Well, as you know I was wrong. We didn't pull 10, We got 13. And we got Calderon, Kuehl and Steinberg to abstain, which were "No" votes.

On the first go around, I think we picked up 5 or 6 Democrats. When Senate pro Tem, Perata and Migdon from San Francisco, voted our way on the first vote, I knew we had this bill beat. But, we had to wait an anxious hour for the vote to be lifted. Senator Padilla was the only Democrat to talk on the bill while on the Republican side, Dutton, Cox and Runner got up to speak against it. I was very pleased with Cox, 'cause I recognized a number of my talking points that he covered. Its always nice to find out they really listen.

During the wait Chris would come out with news; like: "Lowenthal and Simitian are coming off the bill!" As the hour waned, the news kept getting better. Finally, after what turned out to be a very long hour they called for the absentees. Thats when we ended up with 27 ayes and 5 no's.

You cannot imagine the elation and satisfaction I felt at that time. What blew me away were Kehoe not voting and Ridley-Thomas changing his vote from "Aye" to "No." Both had been staunch allies of Lloyd Levine.

Following the vote, I met with Kelley Moran and his two German Shepherd dogs on the North lawn. While we talked Jeff Leacox, the AKC lobbyist came out, so we asked him what gives with AKC? His answer? "There was nothing wrong with AB 1634!" "It would not have harmed breeders!". I asked him what as all about this so-called 12th amendment, but then his phone rang and he mumbeled something and left.

The two NRA lobbyists took Mark and me to lunch to celebrate. There has been some questions about the NRA, but I have to tell you, these guys have been with us from the very beginning and like PetPAC never waivered. The other group are the hunters, especially the California Houndsmen for Conservation. Every time AB 1634 came up in committee a herd of these gentlemen showed up.

From the very beginning I have been saying if we are to defeat the AR's, we will need a coalition made up of all types of dog and cat people. Thats why PetPAC isn't called DogPAC. In a little over a year ago, we started with three of us, and we have grown to 45,000, dog and cat owners and clubs from throughout the breeding, working, police K9, service, hearing impaired, hunting, sporting and non-AKC community, as well as many cat clubs and of course the support of CFA. And before you think this is a PetPAC commercial, Please remember, I have always included the thousands of individual dog and cat people who have fought tooth and nail (forgive the pun) to kill AB 1634.

I even mentioned to the NRA guys, that for 25 years I represented law enforcement officers and unless legislation had something to do with their golf game, I could never field many to help. That is not true with the pet community. I plan to wax eloquently at a later time, but please know I am thrilled to have been working with everyone.

And for the record. let me just tell you, there will be no "good parts of AB 1634" that will survive next session.

Bill Hemby