Update Nov. 10: Thanks to your calls and letters and a huge turnout at the Nebraska legislative committee hearing on Monday, Nov. 9, the committee, the Agriculture Committee, voted 7-0 to kill LB 6 which would have relaxed and in some instances, eliminated, inspection requirements for commercial breeders.

The bill's sponsor, state Sen. Tom Carlson, abstained. He did not even vote for his own bill. In fact, when he stood to introduce the bill to the committee, he said he did so with reluctance. 

For more on this bill, read Animal Law Coalition's report below.

A bill, LB 6, that was introduced just two days ago in the Nebraska legislature by state Sen. Tom Carlson on November 4, will be heard by a legislative committee on Monday, November 9, 2009. The bill, LB 6, will eliminate requirements for inspections of humane societies and other organizations that adopt animals seized in connection with charges of cruelty, animal fighting or other laws.  

The bill will also eliminate the requirement for an initial inspection for commercial breeders applying for licenses to operate in the state. Instead of inspections at least every 24 months to ensure compliance with the Nebraska Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Act, the current law, under this bill, the agriculture department would be required to establish "an inspection program for applicants and licensees to determine  whether the standards of care of the Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Act are being met."

Judy Varner, President and CEO of the Nebraska Humane Society, says, "[If this bill passes,]... the inspection of puppy mills will go back to being complaint driven only. Thousands of dogs and puppies will suffer horribly if this is allowed to happen. All too often, puppy mills sell their puppies only through the internet. That means no one ever sees the hell where the breeding dogs live. No one can see the horrors that the dogs or cats are forced to endure - tiny cages, wire floors, living in their own feces, filthy water too thick to drink, never seeing the sun, never feeling grass to run in, never getting the most basic care. WE SIMPLY MUST ACT NOW. THE HEARING FOR THIS BILL IS MONDAY. THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE."

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Urge members of the Nebraska Legislature's Agriculture Committee to vote NO on LB 6 and require the State to require puppy and cat mills to pass an inspection as a condition of obtaining a license and then at least every 24 months.

Members of the Agriculture Committee

Tom Carlson
District 38,
State Capitol Room 1022
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
Bus: (402) 471-2732
Email:tcarlson@leg.ne.gov

Russ Karpisek
District 32,
State Capitol Room
1015 P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
Bus: (402) 471-2711
E-mail: rkarpisek@leg.ne.gov

Scott Price
District 3,
State Capitol Room 1528
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
Bus: (402) 471-2627
E-mail: sprice@leg.ne.gov

Norm Wallman
District 30,
State Capitol Room 1406
P.O. Box 94604
Lincoln, NE 68509
Bus: (402) 471-2620
E-mail: nwallman@leg.ne.gov

Also, find your Nebraska state senator here and urge him or her to vote NO on LB 6.