CFA Legislative Group: Information that cat fanciers need in today’s legislative climate.

As if cat fanciers didn't have enough laws to be concerned with, a whole new wave of state and local legislation is threatening both animal hobbyists and pet owners.

Part of a coordinated campaign initiated by In Defense of Animals, a California animal rights group, advocates are seeking to change first the language of our relationship with animals, to be followed by a revolution in the whole body of laws in how society views and treats animals. The end result would be legal rights for all animals on a par with human children - with our traditional pet ownership rights stripped away, and replaced by a more tenuous relationship controlled by the courts and guided by agencies and organizations.

What had once seemed far-fetched is now sounding appealing to some pet lovers and legislators. By the same token, the goals of IDA may seem remote and not threatening compared to our immediate concerns with breeding restrictions, limit laws, licenses, etc., because these directly affect the cat fancy and CFA. In reality, however, the long-range legal effects of the "guardian" campaign have greater potential to affect all of our relationships with animals and would broadly impact the cat fancy and veterinary medicine in the future. In fact, some of the bills and ordinances currently introduced are already beginning to reveal that impact.

For a fuller explanation of how this campaign represents the Trojan Horse of the animal rights movement, read "Pets or Furpeople? Owners or Guardians?" The CFA Legislative Group is also currently preparing a pamphlet that will be available for distribution.

In addition to the bills and ordinance proposals that are direct offshoots of the IDA "Guardian" campaign, lawmakers are grappling with another thorny issue that could threaten the cat fancy in the future. The New Mexico state legislature is currently considering HB 19, which attempts to define for criminal penalties the concept of "animal hoarder." Not only would this criminalize a mental illness, but it would establish the idea that 15 or more animals is a threshold for a definition of "animal hoarder." Many responsible cat breeders fall into this threshold, especially when the number includes all dogs and cats in combination, and does not differentiate kittens from adults. State animal cruelty laws generally address the problems associated with hoarding behavior, and the courts have broad latitude in dealing with persons afflicted with this mental aberration.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles anti-breeder ordinance continues to rear its head in other municipalities in the country, primarily in Florida, where it is either introduced or provisions from that ordinance are under discussion in Alachua and Broward Counties.

The cat fancy's best weapons in meeting the current challenges continue to be our people, who are becoming more observant and aware of the threats these types of legislation pose. Our grass roots network of legislative liaisons become more accomplished and effective each year. Thanks to all who let the CFA Legislative Group know of proposals and bills being introduced, and who are willing to write letters and testify at local hearings to represent our positions.

To correspond with the CFA Legislative Committee, please send email to legislation@cfa.org

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