VT: Our pet dogs need your help!

Share on your favorite social network:

Pit Bull Image Legislative Alert

House Bill 416 will end breed discrimination in Vermont.

Did you know that it’s legal in Vermont for local officials to outlaw or regulate pet dogs based on their breed or appearance? That means that any municipality can ban your dog, even if he or she has done nothing wrong. Very few Americans agree with that. In fact, a whopping 84 percent of Americans believe that federal, state and local governments shouldn't be allowed to tell people what kind of dog they can own.

House Bill 416 would stop this infringement on your rights and save the lives of dogs.

This important humane legislation, introduced in the House, has been assigned to the Committee on Government Operations.

At Best Friends, we believe that all dogs are individuals. That’s why community-focused, safety-first dangerous dog laws should focus on the behavior of the individual dog and the individual owner. What the law shouldn’t do is target certain dogs based on myths and stereotypes. Instead, let’s hold owners accountable and responsible for their animals.

HB 416 is awaiting a hearing in the House Committee on Government Operations. It’s up to us to let the committee know how important this legislation is for our state.

Take action now, and contact your state representative and senator and urge her or him to support this bill and to tell the chair to bring HB 416 up for a vote.

Don’t stop there! Share this message on Facebook, Twitter and your other social media platforms. The more of us who speak up for Vermont’s dogs, the better our chances of ending breed discrimination in our state.

Thank you for being a voice for our pets. Together, we are ending breed discrimination to Save Them All.

Recipients

Targeted recipients based on your address
cc: Committee Assistant Denise Diehl

Contact

*Required fields

* Title:

* First Name:

* Last Name:

* Your Email:

* Address 1:

Address 2:

* City:

* State / Province:

* ZIP / Postal Code:

* Phone Number:

Yes, I would like to receive email from Best Friends Animal Society

Remember me. What's this?

Message

* Subject:

Dear [Decision Maker],

As a constituent and voter, I urge you to support HB 416 to stop local governments from infringing on Vermont citizens' right to own and care for whatever breeds of pet dog they choose.

* Personalize your message

We all want safe communities for people and pets, but breed-specific and breed-discriminatory laws fail to enhance public safety. They also interfere with our property rights and they're extremely expensive to enforce.

Uniformity is needed. Citizens shouldn't have to give up their pets just because they move into a new town, and they shouldn't be subjected to a fine just because they inadvertently walk their dogs from one city limit to another.

Indeed, the National Animal Care and Control Association (NACA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Veterinary Medical Association all oppose breed-discriminatory laws. Dangerous dog laws should focus on the behavior of the dog and the behavior of the individual.

Local Vermont ordinances should protect people and pets by protecting against dangerous dogs and irresponsible owners. Our goal is safety, first and foremost, in the most effective and most comprehensive way possible. Everyone benefits from a safe society -- both people and pets.

This is America. All Americans who follows the correct safety rules as a responsible dog owner should be allowed to own whatever breed of dog they choose. It's that simple.

I am counting on you to protect our freedom and help make Vermont the 22nd state to ban breed discrimination. Please support HB 416 and ask Chair Townsend to hold a hearing on the bill in the House Committee on Government Operations.

Sincerely,