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January 2009 Bill Prohibits Pit Bull Ownership Paws Down! To Representative Robyn Driscoll for introducing Montana legislation, H.B. 191, which unfairly targets “pit bulls” in the state of Montana. The Montana House of Representatives has before it H.B. 191, which seeks to prohibit the ownership, harboring, or keeping of “pit bulls.” The bill defines pit bull to mean a Staffordshire bull terrier, an American Staffordshire terrier, an American pit bull terrier, an American bulldog, or any dog that has been registered at any time as a pit bull terrier or has the physical characteristics of any of the breeds mentioned. Exceptions to the ban will include allowing current owners of “pit bulls” to keep their dogs providing they register them prior to the passage of the legislation. Anyone found to have an unregistered pit bull after the law is passed will have his or her dog confiscated and euthanized within 10 days. Other requirements the bill seeks to enforce include requiring all pit bull breeds to be muzzled when outside the owner's premise and spayed/neutered. While NHES agrees with the bill's requirement for spay/neuter, H.B. 191 as a whole unfairly targets pit bull breed dogs and its enforcement will only further perpetrate the image of pit bulls as vicious animals. Update: H.B. 191 was voted down in late January 17 to 1! Montana residents: please send a polite letter to Representative Driscoll strongly expressing your opposition to H.B. 191 and urging her to withdraw it immediately. Also, please send a letter to your representative urging him or her to oppose this legislation and instead, support efforts to require spay/neuter and licensing for all dogs, no matter their breed. The Honorable Robyn Driscoll Montana House of Representatives
P.O. Box 200400
Helena, MT 59620-0400 Phone: (406) 534-4874 Email: rdriscoll@peoplepc.com Sources: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2009/billhtml/HB0191.htm http://www.animallawcoalition.com/breed-bans/article/650 http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3697 # Japan Commission Suggest Cloned Animals Safe Paws Down! To the Food Safety Commission of Japan for suggesting cloned animals are safe for human consumption. Reuters announced that a top safety watchdog group, the Food Safety Commission of Japan, said cloned animals are safe for food. This is a first step before recommendations are made to the government about the efficacy of cloned animals entering the Japanese food market. NHES is gravely concerned by this announcement because it will surely lead the way to mass production of cloned animals. Current exploration of cloning practices has resulted in many animals suffer during the breeding and rearing process. Furthermore, the potential health-risks associated with consuming cloned animal foods are yet to be studied at great length. Please write a polite letter to the Food Safety Commission of Japan encouraging the members to reconsider cloning animals for food purposes. Takeshi Mikarni, Chariperson Food Safety Commission Secretariat of Japan
2-13-10 Prudential Tower
6th Floor
Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-8989, Japan Sources: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Quality-Safety/Japanese-experts-say-food-from-clones-safe/?c=IpD6Q7nYc6ufybLJb7kYOA%3D http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE50J1SV20090120 # |
