Michigan Shelter Animals are for Adoption, Not Class B Dealers!

Michigan House Bill 4663, also known as Koda's Bill, will ban USDA licensed Class B Dealers from taking shelter animals. Class B dealers buy animals from shelters and transport them to holding facilities then laboratories for use in experiments. Sponsored by Rep. John Espinoza and originally drafted by American Humane, Koda's Bill is named after a shelter dog that, instead of being placed for adoption, was sold to a USDA Class B Dealer and resold to the University of Michigan, where he was used in the university's Advanced Trauma Life Support Class, and then euthanized. An amended bill recently passed the House Agriculture Committee. In order to save the bills from opposition, the committee had to limit the scope of Koda's Bill so that it could still allow research facilities to obtain stray animals while eventually phasing out Class B Dealers from pound seizure altogether.

Koda's former family believed that taking him to a shelter would allow him another opportunity to find a home and did not know he would be used in a research experiment. Sadly, this happens to far too many shelter cats and dogs in Michigan. But the public is speaking out with zero tolerance for this inhumane and deceptive practice. Currently only two county animal control shelters still allow Class B Dealers to take cats and dogs from their shelters.

Companion animals depend on humans for their safety and well-being. When Class B dealers can obtain cats and dogs -- like Koda -- from animal shelters, it diminishes the shelters' credibility and purpose, and betrays public trust.

Since remaining session voting days are limited, Koda's Bill needs to receive a passing vote in the full House of Representatives and the Senate very soon.

Please support for Michigan House Bill 4663 so we can take a huge step forward toward becoming a humane state for cats and dogs.