Update July 2, 2010: Koda's Law, H.B. 4663, has passed the Michigan House of Representatives Agriculture Committee by a vote of 8-2! This vote came after the bill languished for months in the committee.   

The bill as introduced would have banned in Michigan the practice of pound seizure, the sale of dogs and cats by public shelters for use in research.  The committee amended the bill to allow research facilities to continue to obtain stray, lost or homeless animals from shelters for use in experiments and testing.  

Also, for the first year after the bill becomes law, Class B dealers as well as research facilities could obtain owner-surrendered animals though only if the owners agree by signing a form allowing this. After 12 months Class B dealers could not get owner surrendered animals and can never obtain stray, lost or homeless animals from public shelters for sale to research facilities.

Class B animals dealers are licensed by the USDA. Class B dealers typically obtain animals from public shelters and other "random sources" as well as from "bunchers" and sell them to research facilities.

Random sources are defined as dogs and cats obtained from auctions or animal shelters or someone who did not breed and raise the animal. Random sources can also refer to stray or lost dogs or cats. 

Bunchers obtain animals by telling people who want to give up their pets that they will provide a good home for them; once they have the animal, bunchers sell them to Class B dealers which in turn sell the animals for research. Bunchers also steal pets and sell them to Class B dealers.   

Michigan does not require pound seizure like Minnesota and Oklahoma. (This year Utah ended mandatory pound seizure!). But Michigan does allow public shelters to sell animals to research facilities. This bill would end that practice under the committee substitute version to the extent Class B dealers could no longer acquire shelter animals impounded as strays, lost or homeless for sale to research facilities; and Class B dealers could only obtain owner surrender animals for one year if the owner agrees. 

Under the bill, H.B. 4663, research facilities could continue to obtain dogs or cats from public shelters as well as from licensed dealers or commercial breeders whether or not they are licensed.

No one would be allowed to buy or sell dogs or cats for research at auctions or by weight.  

This bill is named Koda's Law, for a 3 year old dog named Koda who was surrendered by his owner to a shelter and instead of being offered for adoption, he was immediately sold to the University of Michigan's Advanced Trauma Life Support Class where he was subjected to experiments and died. The outrage and ensuing investigation resulted in the university's decision in 2009 to stop using live pets in that course.

Click here for more on pound seizure.  Also, go here for information about the pound seizure going on in Montcalm County, MI This bill would not shut down agreements between public shelters and research facilities, or for one year after the bill becomes law, those agreements between shelters and Class B dealers for owner surrender animals.  

What You Can Do

Call or write (faxes are best) your Michigan lawmakers and urge them to pass this bill, H.B. 4663, which was introduced by Rep. John Espinoza.  Let them know you are a constitutent.

Find and contact your Michigan state representative.  Here is a list of email addresses and phone numbers for all Michigan state representatives. 

Find and contact your Michigan state senator.  Here is an email list for all Michigan state senators.