The Act tells an agency to impose certain fees for licenses for animal rescue entities. The Act tells the agency to create a program for granting licenses to persons that breed certain animals. The Act gives money for the program.
Directs the State Department of Agriculture to impose certain fees for licenses and license renewals for animal rescue entities $600+350 annually and $400 for shelter services raised annually for cost of living. Punishes a violation of the rules by a maximum of six months’ imprisonment, $2,500 fine, or both. Authorizes the department to investigate and inspect the breeders. Appropriates moneys to the department out of the General Fund for purposes related to the new licensing program. Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
As amended, it exempts from licensing only for those pet breeders who breed two
litters or less annually in conflict with current law.. Current Oregon law, ORS 167.374, states, “It is prima facie evidence that a person possesses dogs for the primary purpose of reproduction if during a 12-month period the person sells, offers for sale, barters or exchanges more than three (3) litters of dogs that are less than eight months of age.”
The Animal Rescue Entity was designed to solve the spreading of diseases, which could be solved without additional expense just by making the practice of importing unregulated dogs for fee-based adoptions illegal. Oregon Humane Society (OHS), the organization that historically has imported 60%, the highest number of dogs into Oregon annually, seeks an ever-greater share of the dog sponsoring this bill, has the police powers. Once OHS confiscates animals, under an Oregon Supreme Court ruling, they own them and do whatever they choose with them, and have been known to sell them before a court determines guilt or innocence. This bill would also allow the OHS unfettered access to the homes and property of individuals, a violation of the 4th amendment.
This bill will create a cost to the state as there are not enough breeders or rescue shops to sustain a program without taxpayer general fund allotments. Why should taxpayer support a program that is already well regulated and licensed?
This bill could also severely disrupt youth agricultural programs like 4-H and FFA, which
depend on responsible breeders for animals used in educational projects. The legislative fiscal office has identified the Oregon Youth Authority with the greatest impact as a bill that targets kids. It will also disrupt Oregon’s pet-related events that generate more than $8.3 million annually for the state’s economy.
We are also against any bill that automatically increases a tax base by applying an index. This is illegal and a forced increase without representation bypassing due process.