Senators gave first-round approval April 21 to a bill that would change the Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Act.<\/p>\n
LB360, introduced by Wahoo Sen. Jerry Johnson, would list the following as examples of \u201csignificant threat\u201d to the health or safety of dogs or cats:
\n\u2022 not providing shelter or protection from extreme weather;
\n\u2022 refusing to seek treatment for acute injuries involving potentially life-threatening, hemorrhaging or medical emergencies;
\n\u2022 not providing food or water resulting in starvation or severe dehydration;
\n\u2022 egregious abuse resulting in trauma from beating, torturing, mutilating or burning; or
\n\u2022 failing to maintain sanitation standards that result in animals walking, lying or standing in feces.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome people say we\u2019re not going far enough, some say we\u2019re going too far,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat we\u2019re attempting to do with this bill is to come to a middle road in order to provide the due process in the judicial system, if necessary, to handle the situation at hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
The bill also would establish an annual fee beyond the initial license fee, on a graduated schedule starting at $150 for facilities with up to 10 dogs or cats and up to $2,000 for facilities housing 500 or more animals.<\/p>\n
An Agriculture Committee amendment, adopted 28-0, incorporated provisions of LB389, originally introduced by Heartwell Sen. John Kuehn. These would establish a re-inspection fee of $150, plus mileage charges necessary to complete the re-inspection.<\/p>\n
Hoskins Sen. Dave Bloomfield said he was concerned that LB360 could represent the beginning of overregulation for livestock producers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the regulations in this bill were imposed on a feedlot, the feedlot could not operate,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s be careful as we move forward that we don\u2019t open a door that we never intended to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senators voted 26-0 to incorporate provisions of LB359, also introduced by Johnson, which would increase a fee remitted to the Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Program Cash Fund from $1 to $1.25 per licensed animal.<\/p>\n
Provisions of LB377, originally introduced by Seward Sen. Mark Kolterman, also were incorporated on a 26-0 vote. The bill would establish a judicial process for owners whose animals have been impounded in cases of alleged neglect or abuse.<\/p>\n
The amended bill advanced to select file on a 29-0 vote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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