To All Dog Owners,
We must take control over the ever growing attack on our ownership
and use rights. Breed specific legislation is sweeping the country.
We urge you to exercise your right to petition Congress for
redress. Please take the time to go to ;
Look up your Congressman, or woman, and your Members of the House of
representatives and write to them asking that dogs be declared
valuable property. While you're there you can also drop a line to
the President, he's a dog owner, too. Please be polite and
respectful. We must always be better behaved, and more sensible
that the people who would remove our dogs from us. You will be
asked to designate a topic, use "ANIMAL WELFARE". Please use the
subject of this e-mail as the subject of your letter.
Talking points, here are some reasons that Congress should declare
dogs a valuable property.
1. The human/dog bond can be archaeologically traced back over
thirty thousand years. We have a long and important tradition of dog
ownership.
2. A person is far more likely to be killed by lightening, bee
stings, snake bite, etc., than by a dog.
3. The dog related industry in the United States is a multi-billion
dollar asset to the economy. Dog shows alone generate over a
million dollars to the host community over the course of a weekend.
4. Individual dog owners should be regulated rather than whole
breeds prohibited from ownership.
5. Breed specific prohibitive regulations set a legal precedent
allowing for any, or all other breeds to be added to the prohibition
at a later time.
6. Dogs bring comfort to their owners, and pet owners live longer
happier lives.
7. There are countless numbers of dogs in service from police
departments, to the military, from guide dogs to therapy dogs, from
dogs who find cancer, to dogs that work search and rescue, there
are dogs who hear for the deaf, and the dog who is the child's best
friend. There are dogs helping the disabled and dogs that hunt.
Human beings need, and want dogs today for even more reasons than
all of the reasons that our ancestors have for millennia owned dogs.
8. How can a city, county, or state government seek to choose the
merit of one dog breed over another? Regulatory legislation
increases already strained city, county, or state budgets, and under
BSL their policing agencies are expected to know more about dog
breeds, and pedigrees than the most experienced dog owner.
9. Property rights are guaranteed under the US Constitution, and
under every state's Constitution. Animals are humans most ancient,
and traditional property. It is reasonable to assume that animals
are protected under those property rights.
10. Strictly enforced containment ordinances for dogs, and strict
liability laws for dog owners are all that is necessary to promote
public safety.
11. Breed specific dog ordinances have no stop gap to prevent all
domestic animals from being legislated away.
American Russell Terrier Club, Inc.
~Established 1995~
AKC Designated Parent Club for the Russell Terrier
