Once again, members of the Arizona State Legislature are trying to throw us off their trail. The pro-puppy mill legislation is now being attached as an amendment to HB2163. This is the 3rd time, in two weeks, that this piece of legislation has been added as an amendment to another bill so that it can be passed without proper study, review, or public input. It continues to be framed in a deceptive way to imply that pet stores will be “responsibly regulated.” Make no mistake, this bill will allow the puppy mill pipeline to thrive in Arizona. Here is a copy of the bill, as currently proposed: http://www.azleg.gov//FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/52leg/2r/proposed/s.2163shooter.doc.htm&Session_ID=115 We WILL be protesting this bill tomorrow!! The state legislators need to know that the people of Arizona do not support puppy mills!! Please join us outside the Arizona State Capitol tomorrow at 1:30 pm to begin protesting this egregious bill. PLEASE contact the Arizona Senate Appropriations Committee members IMMEDIATELY and ask them to VOTE NO ON HB2168: Don Shooter - Chairman (602) 926-4139 dshooter@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/DonShooterAZ/ John Kavanagh - Vice Chairman (602) 926-5170 jkavanagh@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/John.KavanaghAZ Sylvia Allen – Member (602) 926-5409 sallen@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/SenatorSylviaAllen/ Twitter: @Allen4AZSenate Olivia Cajero Bedford – Member (602) 926-5835 ocajerobedford@azleg.gov Steve Farley – Member (602) 926-3022 sfarley@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/Steve-Farley-58318867918/ Twitter: @SteveFarleyAZ Katie Hobbs – Member (602) 926-5325 khobbs@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/hobbskatie/ Twitter: @katiehobbs Debbie Lesko – Member (602) 926-5413 dlesko@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/DebbieLesko/ Twitter: @DebbieLesko Steve Smith – Member (602) 926-5685 stsmith@azleg.gov www.facebook.com/SteveSmithAZ To re-cap: This bill will undo ordinances passed by the cities of Phoenix and Tempe to ban sale of puppies from commercial breeding facilities, otherwise known as, puppy mills. It will prohibit other cities from passing similar ordinances. It will allow pet stores to continue to rely on the USDA regulations. These regulations allow dogs to be kept in kennels or cages for their entire lives, with absolute minimal care, and in conditions that most pet owners would consider inhumane. As unacceptable as this bill already is, there are currently no means of enforcement written into the bill – other than by private watchdog groups. Please help us stop this inhumane piece of legislation!!