DFOW's Wisconsin Legislation Action Center: 

The 2007/2008 Session has ended and all dog related bills were killed in committee.

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DFOW would like to express it's appreciation to these Member Dog Clubs and our individual supporters for their generous donations...

Milwaukee Bulldog Club

Western Waukesha Dog Training Club

Green Bay Shetland Sheepdog Club

Badger Golden Retriever Club

The need for dog owners to organize and collectively lobby for the best interests of our dogs is greater today than perhaps ever before. Dog ownership is threatened everywhere you look these days.

The Dog Federation of Wisconsin is the unified voice of those who value the love of a good dog. We work on canine legislation at federal, state and local levels.

DFOW will be placing increasing emphasis on communicating via the Internet in order to expand our audience and reach thousands of dog owners across the state.

The March Newsletter can be found by using the link at the left

Senate Bill 308

On Nov. 2, 2007, Senators Plale, Darling, Kreitlow, Carpenter, Cowles, Lassa, Lazich, Lehman, Risser, Roessler, Sullivan and Wirch, cosponsored by Representatives Lothian, Sinicki, Albers, Berceau, Bies, Black, Cullen, Grigsby, Hahn, Hebl, Jorgensen, Kaufert, Kerkman, Newcomer, Pridemore, Smith, Turner and Van Roy introduced Senate Bill 308. This bill, advertised to be a breeder bill, is a thinly disguised Puppy Lemon Law that will affect anyone who sells a dog under the age of 18 months. The State of Wisconsin is apparently trying to legislate genetics and hold breeders accountable for anything that the purchaser's vet decides could be genetic. If this passes, you will not find a breeder in our state willing to sell a puppy to a WI resident. Existing contracts between breeders and purchasers will be null and void. Write your State Representatives expressing your concerns.

Bill Link:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2007/data/sb-308.pdf  Senate Bill SB-308

Find your State Representatives:  http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/

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Assembly Bill 567 Introduced 11/6/07 (Identical Bill to the senate bill)

Bill Link:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2007/data/ab-567.pdf Assembly Bill AB-567

The bill was sent to the Committee on Consumer Protection and Personal Privacy.  Rep. Lothian who chairs this committee is one of the authors of the bill.  Also 4 other representatives on that committee are co-sponsoring Sinicki, Cullen, Jorgensen and Kerkman.

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Wisconsin Residents can also go to:  http://capwiz.com/naiatrust/issues/alert/?alertid=10520921 and from there send an email or print out a letter for the Small Business Committee

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Senate Bill 38

Bill Link:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2007/data/sb-38.pdf  Senate Bill 38

This bill bans felons from residing with intact dogs.  It is suggesting that intact dogs can be used as a weapon.  This is a dangerous precedent.

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Assembly Bill 436

Bill Link:  http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2007/data/ab-436.pdf  Assembly Bill 436

This bill allows a judge to order a pet be placed with a humane society if the divorcing parties are unable to stipulate the placement of a pet.  Pets are considered personal property in the state of Wisconsin per section 174.06 subsection 5 and 8 of state code and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources chapters 12.54 & 12.55.  In short, this bill takes away a person's Federal Fourteenth Amendment right to due process by allowing a judge to order personal property to be given to an organization WITHOUT COMPENSATION.

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Village of Menomonee Falls Residents:

On November 5th, the Menomonee Falls General Government committee discussed some revisions to existing animal codes, specifically trying to make it easier for the village to prosecute people who allow their pets to be a nuisance.  During this discussion, it was expressed by two trustees that they would like to hold a public meeting.  As Village code allows existing code changes without holding a public hearing, they wanted to lay the ground work for what the public meeting would be about.  It was suggested that not only should the original ordinance suggestions be part of the discussion, but that they should also draft yet another ordinance, modeled after Germantown's code where there are pet limits and fancier permits.  However, despite our plea's to create an Animal Advisory Board over these last 2 months, they never brought up that possibility during this discussion.

The Village of Germantown's code regarding animal licensing is one of the worst in SE WI.  In order to have a fancier's permit in Germantown, you need to reside in specifically zoned areas, all of your neighbors within a 300' radius must approve and final approval must be issued by the Safety Committee.  You must also waive all of your fourth amendment constitutional rights.  You not only have to pay the regular animal license fees, you must also pay for the permit.

If you would like to email your concerns to the ELECTED Village Board members, you may write one email and send it to:  villageboard@vmenomonee-falls.org