Tonight’s edition brought to you by the letter F:  I’m being assisted by a foster kitten, Fergus, so please forgive any R4tttttttttttttttt typos I miss. 

Fifteen it is

A week of drama notwithstanding, there wasn’t much shouting today as the Senate agreed to the House’s 15-day continuing resolution.  The Senate had argued for an open-ended deadline extension, but Senator Linda Garrou told her colleagues today it wasn’t to be.

"The House asked that we put a – what you might call a “drop-dead date” on here, and  I may just drop dead by that point if we don’t get something done."

The Governor signed the CR late this afternoon. The new budget deadline is July 15th.

Four-legged

It’s a big week for pets on Jones St. Today, the House approved a measure (S467) aimed at easing overcrowding at county animal shelters by allowing county governments to enter into placement agreements with local rescue groups, with no liability for the animals at those outside placements. 

The bill also requires a minimum 3-day hold for impounded animals (other than feral cats) statewide, and requires all shelters to be open at least 4 hours on 3 days a week to let people come in to search for lost pets.  Pets housed offsite must have photos available at the shelter for public inspection.

State HSUS spokesperson Amanda Arrington supports the bill. She says some counties have already enacted ordinances allowing offsite placement. The current bill would let all counties try it.

"I think that it’s a good thing because we have so many great rescue groups around the area. And this allows them to pull some of the more adoptable animals from the shelter and ease the overcrowding for them."

The measure passed the House almost unanimously, and is headed back to the Senate for a final vote.

Four-legged, Part II

Senate Finance today narrowly approved S460, a measure that would require state licensing of puppy mills.  The measure defines a “commercial” breeding operation as 15 breeding females and 30 puppies, not including hunting, herding, or “show” dogs.  It’s a series of loopholes a dog could drive a truck through, never mind a breeder. But advocates say it’s a start.

The measure would ban the breeding of female dogs younger than 18 months and older than 8 years, and would require commercial breeders to get a vet health certification before breeding eligible females. In addition, big breeders would be required to have all dogs seen by a vet at least once a year, and comply with minimal care standards yet to be determined by the Ag Dept.

If this sounds like a no-brainer to you, you might be surprised by the fervor of the opposition.  Lobbyist Joe McClees told the committee today that stories of puppy mill abuses are “fluff,” that existing laws are tough enough, and that this proposal is the first step in a plot by PETA (animal rights activists) to eventually outlaw owning any pets whatsoever.

Bill supporters say all three above arguments are untrue.  If you don’t remember the horrors of the last two NC puppy mill raids, they weren’t “fluff.”  Wayne County Animal Control chief Vicki Faulkner helped rescue nearly 300 dogs from squalor in Goldsboro earlier this year. She told lawmakers today that puppy mills are a pervasive problem, and that current law doesn’t do enough to prevent abuse.

"The statute only covers neglect and abuse at a criminal level, and doesn’t prevent this from happening again in the future,. The intent of this law is to be proactive – to prevent situations from getting to the level of criminal origin, such as animal cruelty."

As for existing laws, there really aren’t any.  Breeders who sell to pet stores or other businesses are regulated by the USDA, but those who sell direct to the public are subject to no federal or state regulation whatsoever.  And, supporters say the PETA connection is nothing more than blatant fearmongering by the measure’s opponents.

Still, plenty of Senators have clearly spent more time listening to those opponents than reading the actual bill.  One Senator after another asked sponsor Don Davis (D-Wayne) about PETA’s involvement and the specter of animal rights.  Andrew Brock (R-Davie) even asked whether a neighbor would have to pay a fee if his backyard dog got pregnant.  

But the best line of the day came from Steve Warren, arguing against the bill on behalf of NC’s AKC-affiliated “dog clubs.”  He says commercial breeders are business owners like any other, but they’re being unfairly demonized.

"In England, they have another name – puppy farmers. That may be a more accurate description. North Carolina farmers are more like – they’re like most citizens, they’re law-abiding and pay their income taxes."

One is forced to assume he’s talking about farms like this, since no one’s writing bills to protect free-range golden retrievers. But here’s the irony: factory pork and chicken farms undergo inspection for animal health.  Puppy mills?  None.

The measure may or may not make it onto the Senate floor, depending on its level of support among Democrats. 

Farewell

Today was the last day on Jones St for veteran NCNN reporter Matt Willoughby.  He’s been around the place for twenty-some years - as long as the most senior legislators – and covering it fulltime for Capitol Broadcasting.for more than ten, making him the de facto den father of the press corps.

Matt announced earlier this month he’d taken a buyout from NCNN.  Today, a host of friends gathered to see him off in the 1300 court. (Okay, some probably came for the cake, but still.)   Matt’s charming wife, Kim, was there as well.

Matt says he doesn’t know what he’ll do next. But he’s too young to retire, and since Kim probably doesn’t want him hanging around the house on a long-term basis, I’m betting we’ll see him going to work for some politico or other sometime soon.  We’ll miss you, Matt.

Comments? Drop me a line.