Page 74 - Chow LIfe - 2019 03 Fall_Neat

Legislative Issues for Chow Chow Owners

(and Other Purebred Dog Owners, Too)

by Dan Strachan, CCCI Advocacy Chair

the shelter should expedite the placement of animals
at the expense of through background checks.

The ARs also help with fundraising, Public Relations
(PR), communications and being the shelter’s voice
to the county commission. I wouldn’t be surprised
if some of these groups ask for a donation from the
county shelter. A shelter would be more likely to
I recently attended the AKC Legislative Conference make such a donation, given all the gratis help it
in the Washington DC area as the representative of received from the AR.
the Chow Chow Club, Inc.(CCCI). There were about
50 people in attendance from all across the USA. I And shelters are not the only place they have influ-
had been to these before and knew that I would ence. Many AR groups come across as subject mat-
come away with something. ter experts (SME’s as we call them in DC!) to local
government. They help write the legislation, the zon-
Let me give you a little background here, until this ing ordinances, and regulations dealing with animals
past May, I was a lobbyist in Washington DC. I had in that jurisdiction. It’s one-sided. And unless there
worked in DC right out of college. I have, what is are opposing views, it will stay one-sided. This is
called, an “inside-the-Beltway” mentality. I’ve seen where the AKC, CCCI and you can help clarify the
what federal and local governments can do to help message.
people. But I have also seen what special interests
can do to sway legislators and others in power. In An ill-informed county commissioner might think
this day of social media, memes, and forwarded that anyone who breeds a dog is trying to make
information before it is verified, special interests money. They believe that all animals should be fixed
can come across as voice of the people. The message while still juveniles. They believe that purebred dogs
may be misleading or just a downright lie. This is are freaks of nature and should be phased out. Why
the world that the purebred dog owner and purebred these beliefs? Because this is what they have been fed
breeder deals with today. by the so-called SME’s.
The Animal Rights activists (ARs) are in Washing- It’s time to take a stand.
ton, but only for show. Their real power is in Lan- Many of us are more concerned with what a politi-
sing, Raleigh, Jefferson City, Albany and other state cian might say in a tweet than with what a local one
capitals. Even more power is in Deland, Newton, might want to do to their dog. I’m not telling you to
Upper Marlboro, Waukegan and more county seats. ignore what’s coming out of Washington, but your
The ARs are influencing local governments. They are county voting to restrict the number of dogs you
establishing relationships, making friends and com- have probably has a bigger impact on your day to day
ing across as subject matter experts. Just what a good life than the Muller Report ever will.
lobbyist is supposed to do. I hesitate to use the word “war”, but there sure is a
County governments usually work with tight bud- growing trend to look at purebred dogs as something
gets. County animal shelters have to go hat-in-hand that is overbred, unhealthy, and unsocialized. Those
to county commissioners for funding. The ARs step of you reading Chow Life know this is so untrue. But
in and say they will train shelter workers gratis. The the HSUS, PETA and those groups who are working
county saves money, the shelters have training, ev- with many of the county shelters across the nation
eryone is happy. will say a different story. This is where the AKC re-
Even though there is no money, there are strings at- ally steps up to the mound. I learned the following at
tached. Perhaps the ARs groups such as the Humane the conference:
Society of the United States (HSUS) and others do a • If someone has a problem with the fact you have
good job in training staff. But they also push their a purebred vs a rescue mixed breed, I know what
agendas. They talk about how all breeders are the first thing you will want to say to them. Don’t
bad. Why the shelter must participate in pro- act on that thought! Instead, ask them about
grams to bring homeless dogs to the US. Why health testing, OFA, CERF, and other tests on
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