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Student Choice Bill Passes in the Nick of Time

Adapted & posted with permission by Sheryl Rapee-Adams, Best Friends Network
Photo by Sheryl Rapee-Adams

Student with dogJust hours before Vermont's legislative session ended for the season, the Student Choice bill passed the Vermont Senate unanimously. Longtime friend to nonhuman and human Vermonters Senator John Campbell (D-Windsor) advocated strongly for this bill and negotiated with the House Education Chair on its behalf.

A Miller Makes the Case for Regulation in Ohio

 Banner for www.holmescountyexposed.com                                      Update May 5, 2008:  Testimony continued this past week on the Ohio puppy mill bill before an Ohio legislative committee. One animal welfare organization, All Tails Are Waggin, presented the committee with 500 letters in support of the bill. More humane agents and animal welfare advocates testified in support of the bill.

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Animal Law Coalition on Pet Rentals

DogNeed a dog or a cat, may be a ferret to keep you company?  But don't want to take care of it for more than a few hours, days or weeks? 

A burgeoning new industry advertises that you can now rent a pet.

Act Now to Protect Dogs and Cats from Pet Rental Companies

Dogs for rentThere's a new type of business that plans to open in Boston this spring. FlexPetz rents dogs by the hour or day for people to use and return on whim-like cars or DVDs. But rental cars don't have feelings. And they don't bite. Experts caution that this practice poses risks to people as well as animals.

State Rep. Paul Frost has filed "An Act Prohibiting the Renting of Pets" to keep this exploitive trade out of Massachusetts.

Legal Perspective on the Renting of Pets

Rental dogby Jonathan Stone Rankin, Esq. reprinted with permission

Pet rental or "flexible ownership" companies may be coming to Massachusetts soon; one in particular has announced an opening in Boston this year. With this new, unregulated industry comes a Pandora's box of legal considerations that could potentially devastate consumers.

Horse Tripping Now Illegal in Nebraska!

 White horse                                      Update April 17, 2008: The Nebraska legislature passed and the governor has approved LB 764, a ban on horse tripping and steer tailing. Click here for a copy of the final bill.

The Nebraska legislative session has now ended.

Sen. Kent Williams Defends Right to Dump Dog at a Public Shelter

                                        UpdateGerman Shepherd dog April 24, 2008: It is now clear Sen. Kent Williams may have violated the state and county law.

Governor's Recommendation Moves Up Effective Date of Puppy Mill Bill!

Puppy mill

Update April 25, 2008: Instead of signing the puppy mill bill, H.B. 536, Governor Tim Kaine returned the bill to the legislature with a recommendation to move up the effective date from July 2009 to January, 2009.

By a vote of 66-29 in the House and 39-0 in the Senate, the legislature has agreed!

Alaska Strengthens Penalties for Animal Cruelty

Girl with petAlaska is no longer one of the states where animal cruelty is not a felony under any circumstances.

Until now it was no more than a Class A misdemeanor to abuse an animal in Alaska no matter the intent of the perpetrator or the extent of the abuse. Alaska Stat. §11.61.140. The most punishment anyone could face on a charge of animal cruelty is a $5,000 fine and 1 year in jail. Alaska Stat. §12.55.015

The Alaskan Government's Drive to Destroy Wolves and Bears

Alaskan wolfUpdate April 14, 2008: The bills, S.B. 176/H.B. 256 died without passing when the Alaska legislature  adjourned on April 13. Good news.