Become an Animal Advocate
Animals can't talk, and that's why they need you to do the talking for them! Stay informed about animal advocacy issues and pending legislation both in the Austin-area, the State of Texas and nationally by visiting this page, then contact your representatives to make your voice heard!
Federal Level
Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act - H. R. 835
This act would require all dog breeders nation wide who sell over 50 animals per year fall under the oversight of the USDA and be required to comply with regulations of the Animal Welfare Act, including providing the dogs daily exercise. In addition, the act permits the USDA to conduct inspections of the breeding facilities. This bill is sponsored by Austin’s own US Representative Lloyd Doggett!
The Austin Humane Society is very honored to be a partner and local resource to the Congressman’s office on these very important issues and would like to share a letter that he recently wrote about his work for the animals.
State Level
Commercial Dog and Cat Breeders Act (HB 1451)
What will the bill do?
The bill ensures the humane care and treatment of dogs and cats in the custody of large scale commercial
breeders.
- Requires commercial breeders to obtain a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- Allows TDLR to conduct initial and annual inspections;
- Requires adequate wholesome food and clean water for dogs and cats;
- Provides confined dogs and cats enough space to easily sit, stand, turn around and lie down in a normal manner;
- Requires proper ventilation and adequate lighting for animals confined indoors;
- Requires structurally sound shelter with proper protection from inclement weather conditions for animals confined outdoors;
- Ensures adequate sanitation conditions within the living spaces; and
- Requires proper handling, treatment and veterinary care.
End Cockfight Cruelty in Texas – HB 1043
Cockfighting is a state jail felony and has been illegal in Texas since 1907. However, it is not illegal to own or operate a facility for cockfighting; possess birds with intent to fight; own cockfighting equipment; or attend a cockfight. These loopholes are exploited by cockfighters and hinder law enforcement’s ability to crack down on these operations. This bill will eliminate these loopholes and providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to investigate and prosecute cockfighting activities.
The bill will make each of these supporting activities an offense and will categorize cockfighting as an organized criminal activity, allowing the seizure of cockfighting equipment as contraband. In particular, it will make the following activities a crime:
- causing one cock to fight with another cock (a state jail felony);
- participating in the earnings of or operating a facility used for cockfighting (a state jail felony);
- using or permitting another to use property for cockfighting (a state jail felony);
- manufacturing, buying, selling, possessing cockfighting equipment (a state jail felony);
- owning, possessing or training a cock with the intent that it be used for cockfighting (class A misdemeanor); or
- attending as a spectator an exhibition of cockfighting (class C misdemeanor.)
Inclusion of pets in orders of protective custody - HB 323 and SB 279
This bill would allow for pets and other companion animals to be listed on protective custody orders.
Antifreeze Bittering Agent - HB 437
HB 437 would require the addition of a bitter flavor agent to antifreeze and engine coolant to prevent poisoning. The manufacturers would be required to add denatonium benzoate, the world’s bitterest known substance, to antifreeze and coolant with more than 10 percent ethylene glycol to render it unpalatable to both children and animals.
Animal Friendly License Plate Fund Allocation – HB 1 - No. 5032
License Plate Account No. 5032 to help “balance the Budget.” Although the Animal Friendly Account is a designated account and cannot be used for anything except spay/neuter programs, the money in that Account can be held indefinitely to help “balance the Budget” and that’s what’s being proposed. Instead of allocating all the money in the Account which is estimated to exceed $1.6 million, HB 1 allocates only about $450,000 and leaves the balance in the Account to help “balance the Budget.” The purchasers of Animal Friendly License Plates did not buy them to help balance the Budget, but instead to help fund programs for low and no cost spay/neuter surgeries.
Request:
Please amend HB 1 to allocate all the money in the Account be used for its intended purpose and give the Department of State Health Services the authority to move any unexpended balance in the Account from one biennium to the next biennium.