Governor Greg Abbott
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, Texas 78711-2428
Senator Ted Cruz
200 S. 10th Street Suite 1603
McAllen, Texas 78501
Senator John Cornyn
2222 East Van Buren Suite 404
Harlingen, Texas 78550
The Humane Society of the United States
2100 L Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Harlingen Humane Society
1106 Markowsky Street
Harlingen, Texas 78550
Brownsville Animal Care and Regulation
416 FM 511
Olmito, Texas 78575
United States Senate
512 Dirksen Senate Building;
Washington DC, 20510
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 224-3121
July 1, 2016
Dear Gentlemen,
I advocate for animal welfare, both foreign and domestic, wild and captive and defender of the
Earth.
Millions of innocent animals are killed in animal shelters annually. Animals that have been
picked up on streets as strays or animals that have been surrendered by their owners, once the
novelty of having a pet kitten or puppy wears off. It is a given, gifting animals is a bad idea. For
one, kittens and puppies outgrow their cuteness. Careless owners then discard them like trash
or even worse, drop them off in remote areas to fend for themselves. The sad part is that the
survivors are often found emaciated, near starvation or tragically, as road kill.
But pet abandonment is only half of the problem.
The other issues are puppy mills and pet stores.
Puppy mills sole mission in life is to generate money for its operators. If you think pet owners who abandon their pets are heartless, the puppy mill owners are even worse. They use their females as a factory, constantly being impregnated to produce more and more babies. This action of course has its own ramifications.
Mother’s subjected to constant reproductive cycles don’t always produce a quality product. Many of their offspring are often born with defects or sickly and often die soon after they have been sold. What we need to do is work on and enact legislation to deal with the excess animals in shelters and the legislation should also include how to deal with puppy mills and the pet stores that don’t care for the animals in their shop, only the cash in the register.
For the root cause of the pet overpopulation we must go to the source puppy mills. The mills serve as factory farms, just like in the meat industry, for them to supply goods to animal pet stores.
The other contributing factor to pet overpopulation, careless owners who don’t take care of their animals by spaying or neutering them. If owners don’t act responsibly, the only alternative is to pass legislation which fall under state law. However, any state involved in interstate commerce in the continental United States is beholden to federal law. I propose mandatory sterilization of all pets, that is the only solution to end the vicious revolving door of animal shelters who eventually end up being put down.
So, therein, lies the solution to the problem. In order to control the pet population, this is what any animal welfare legislation should include:
Animal Control Proposal:
Regulation of all U.S Puppy Mills
Regulation of all Pet Stores in the U.S.
Annual inspections of puppy mills and pet shops to ensure standards for animal welfare are met.
Annual check ups on animals to ensure animals are living under sanitary conditions and in overall good health.
Impose a limit on the number of litters any one female animal can have. My suggestion is two.
Mandatory spaying of females after their second litter.
Mandatory neutering of all males at two years of age.
Any animals sold at pet stores must be spayed and neutered.
Impose of tax or fine for pet stores or puppy mills not complying with the law. And forfeiture of all animals at the said facility
Impose a penalty for continuing to breed animals beyond two litters and forfeiture of all animals at the said facility.
Tax exemption or credit for abiding by the regulations.
Shut down all puppy mills or pet stores not adhering to regulations.
Shut down all pet stores in the commerce of selling live animals.
Tax credit for adopting from shelters.
Tax breaks for adopting special needs pets.
Tax breaks for adopting older pets.
Tax incentives to convert all animals shelters to no kill shelters.
Stipend or coupon for a spay or neuter for shelter animals(most shelters do provide a coupon)
Sincerely,
Lucio Ortega Jr. MLS
101 W Resaca Drive
Los Fresnos, Texas 7566
References:
1.
Puppy Mill Research:
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/publications/whitepapers/puppy-mill-research.html?referre
r=https://www.google.com/
2.
Last Chance for Animals:
http://www.lcanimal.org/index.php/campaigns/puppy-mills/puppy-mill-facts
3.
11 Facts About Puppy Mills: https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-puppy-mills
4.
Pets By the Numbers:
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html
5.
Cat Fatalities:
http://www.alleycat.org/page.aspx?pid=395&gclid=CjwKEAjwqJ67BRCzzJ7Hy-LYlFYSJA
Bwp9PGOBtlVfkUIp8PzFywc8jhdiaEirQj80xEWLg48KWhghoChAHw_wcB
6.
Shelter Intake and Surrender:
http://www.aspca.org/animal-homelessness/shelter-intake-and-surrender/pet-statistics
7.
Animal Shelter Euthanasia:
http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/stop-animal-abuse/fact-sheets/animal-shelter-euthan
asia.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
8.
Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters:
http://www.aspcapro.org/webinar/2012-02-29-000000/guidelines-standards-care-animal-shelte
rs
9.
A closer Look at Puppy Mills:
http://www.aspca.org/animal-cruelty/puppy-mills/closer-look-puppy-mills
10.
Puppy Mills and the Law: http://www.thepuppymillproject.org/relevant-laws/
11.
Signatures:
1. GGmaSheila D WILLMAR, MN
2. Millie O'Connor COCOA, FL
3. Judith Downey CHELSEA, MA
4. Nikki Boys South West, Australia
5. mauricio carvajal santiago, Chile
6. Lea Ludwick SHEPHERD, TX
7. Glennis Whitney Nth Rockhampton,
Queensland
Australia, Australia
8. Irene Brosseit Herford, Germany
9. hELEN
hEARFIELD
York, United Kingdom
10. Maud Nilsson Grästorp, Sweden
11. Robert Ortiz PHOENIX, AZ
12. Diana Seidel Erlangen, Germany
13. Paola Scodellari Roma, Italy
14. brigitte hoin aachen, Germany
15. Nicola VeryBusy
Foster
Somewhere, United
Kingdom
16. Sandra Ferri Bäretswil, Switzerland
Name From Comments
Page 10 - Signatures 1 - 16
Name From Comments
17. natasha salgado Toronto, Canada
18. Danielius
Adomaitis
Kaunas, Lithuania
19. Katarzyna
Krajenta-
Jasińska
Płock, Poland
20. Anneke Andries Raamsdonksveer,
Netherlands
21. Paul Ayers MADISON, MS
22. yolanda schultes wittenbach,
Switzerland
23. Teresa Wlosowicz Sosnowiec, Poland
24. MG seabra Anadia, Portugal
25. Alexandr
Yantselovskiy
Vyshneve, Ukraine
26. Rolf Mense Puerto Lumbreras,
Spain
27. Animal lover Workington, United
Kingdom
28. Willem Kom hoogezand,
Netherlands
29. simone Maes gent, Belgium
30. Petra
Hegenscheidt
Essen, Germany
31. Dieter Deichsler 95615, Germany
32. Corrina Parker Toowoomba,
Australia
33. Mafalda Fonseca Vila Nova de
Milfontes, Portugal
34. Angelika
Schui-Lindthaler
Höxter, Germany
35. Monika
Bachmann
Euskirchen, Germany
36. Carol Jacklin Barton, United
Kingdom
37. regina recica ampflwang, Austria
38. Elena Poensgen Cork, Ireland
39. Kate Kenner JAMAICA PLAIN, MA
40. James Mulcare CLARKSTON, WA
41. Chantal Buslot Hasselt, Belgium
42. angelika wegner burscheid, Germany
Page 11 - Signatures 17 - 42
Name From Comments
43. Paulo Reeson Toronto, Canada
44. Brigitta MacMillan Deal, United Kingdom
45. Connie Palladini SAN JOSE, CA
46. Daniel Reis Hösbach, Germany
47. Jenny Neilson Toronto, Canada
48. Oliver Guenoun Sydney, Australia
49. cornelia heppner Bremerhaven,
Germany
50. Yan Loh Singapore, Singapore
51. mariangela
monterisi
Bisceglie, Italy
52. Vanna Pagnozzi Riedstadt, Germany
53. Julia Schebach Hornstein, Austria
54. Robert
wiehemeijer
Jemgum, Germany
55. Djamila Grouci Nanteuil les meaux,
France
56. Joseph Wenzel MAPLEWOOD, MN
57. James Tillotson DALLAS, TX
58. Bettina Lorenz Rhede, Germany
59. Sasha Kemble Essex, United
Kingdom
60. Bobbi Jo Parsley Atwood, IL
61. Annette Grochau Gelsenkirchen,
Germany
62. Angelika
Kohwagner
München, Germany
63. marion mörs peine, Germany
64. cécile christine paris, France
65. Ted Williams RALLS, TX
66. Dixie Meyer Henderson, NV
67. esther Kemperle st veit an der glan,
Austria
68. andrea hucke bergisch gladbach,
Germany
69. Roswitha
Hanowski
Wedel, Germany
70. Ludo Stassijns Lebbeke, Belgium
71. Laila Sunde Odda, Norway
72. lydia zink hannover, Germany
Page 12 - Signatures 43 - 72
Name From Comments
73. Alessandra
Fernandes
Sã, Brazil
74. CHRIS KULCZAK OREGON, OH
75. Dina Smith NEWINGTON, NH
76. Keith Melton Weston, United
Kingdom
77. Oleg Kobetz Kemerovo, Russian
Federation
78. Kim jackson Peterboro, United
Kingdom
Ban puppy mills
79. florence israel behen, France
80. mesut subasi istanbul, Turkey
81. vasiliki paschalidi patmow, Greece
82. manuela wolter san-jose, Costa Rica
83. A. O.Schaller Leimbach, Germany
84. Mari Dominguez LINDEN, CA
85. Bine
Regensburger
Innsbruck, Austria
86. Vic Bostock ALTADENA, CA
87. Regina Wielsch Gemünden, Germany
88. Ferry Mes Vlissingen,
Netherlands
89. Maria Klein Innsbruck, Austria
90. Mark Stewart Aberdeen, United
Kingdom
91. Sabine Mayr Innsbruck, Austria
92. Penny Gerrard London, Canada
93. martine naudin masseret, France
94. Bolly Maus Rum, Austria
95. Ivonne Carlson FORT MYERS, FL
96. Julien Eberle ihgff, France
97. Iris Reinhard Friesenheim,
Germany
98. angelika zintel guntersheim,
Germany
99. Marie DIAS LA VARENNE SAINT
HILAIRE, France
100. Sigrid Dr. Neef Beverungen,
Germany
Page 13 - Signatures 73 - 100
Name From Comments
101. Margarete
Hülsemann
Hohnhorst, Germany
102. utku streetman Fresno, CA
103. Elisabeth
Bechmann
St. Pölten, Austria
104. Marion Beier Mülsen, Germany
105. Marion Schorr Kelmis, Belgium
106. Christiane
Hofmann
Hagen, Germany
107. Susanne
Wiesneth
Neuenbürg, Germany
108. Gabriela Murner Eggstätt, Germany
109. Angela Fricke Bad Sachsa,
Germany
110. Silvia Guethoff
Hussmann
Höxter, Germany
111. Beatrice Lelievre Menton, France
112. sylvia meister weiterstadt, Germany
113. Jane Rita JOHNSTOWN, PA The way we treat animals is an indicator
of our care for other human beings.
114. Sylvie Ries Calmus, Luxembourg
115. Hanneke Mol Poortvliet,
Netherlands
116. Tanja Lepikko Smålandsstenar,
Sweden
117. AnnMarie
Hodgson
Barrie, Canada
118. Lisette de Waard Lelystad, Netherlands
120. Marianne Rehfeld REDWOOD CITY,
CA
121. Manuela Arioli Milano, Italy
122. Judith Platz Wildegg AG, IA
123. Tony p st h, United Kingdom
124. Angelflowers
Dawkins
ALPINE, AR
125. claudio cesar
vecino
Bs As, Argentina
126. analia veronica
mercado
cordoba, Argentina
127. Natalie Van
Leekwijck
Deurne, Belgium
Page 14 - Signatures 101 - 127
Name From Comments
128. MONICA
BECERRA
STGO, Chile
129. evelyn ayala lima, Peru
130. Jon Abbey ANDERSON, IN
131. karina karyn rio gallegos,
Argentina
132. Maryann Staron EVERGREEN PARK,
IL
133. Lise Vandal Alma, Canada
134. solange scherer st pete, FL
135. susan sander clearwater, FL
136. Cuello Amanda S.M.de Tucumán,
Argentina
137. Liliana Ramiro Buenos Aires,
Argentina
138. Inge Stadler Hilpoltstein, Germany
139. Svetlana Babies Berlin, Germany
140. Angela K away Cologne, Germany
141. Mariana Lukacova Moldava Nad
Bodvou, Slovakia
142. Birgit Semberger Melle, Germany
143. Karen Street Rosemeadow,
Australia
144. bos claudine poligny, France
145. stefania pavese torino, Italy
146. Cynthia Franke Kassel, Germany
147. Sophie PREVOST MORMANT, France
148. Christine Potnik St.Stefan i. Rosental,
Austria
149. Carmen Zehm Loxstedr, Germany
150. Rudolf Mühl Michelstadt, Germany
151. Tanja Heyer Hauzenberg,
Germany
Hört endlich auf die armen Tiere zu quälen und zu töten,es
sind Lebewesen und haben ein Recht auf ein schönes
Leben,Tiere haben auch Gefühle und Schmerzen,wir leben
ja nicht mehr im Mittelalter!!!!Also hört auf damit!!!!
152. Vera Sadkovsky Modesto, CA
153. Nicole Mielemeier Hövelhof, Germany
154. Martine Vansingel Halle, Belgium
155. jadranka vidovic rijeka, Croatia
Page 15 - Signatures 128 - 155
Name From Comments
156. Hagen Simon Oberstaufen,
Germany
157. vici doubek graham, WA
158. Karin Guenther Cuxhaven, Germany
159. Marina
Kotelnikova
Moscow, Russian
Federation
160. heike lessmann bad pyrmont,
Germany
161. Olaf Janssen Aachen, Germany
162. Brigitte
Woschniak
Groß-Enzersdorf,
Austria
163. Franziska Eber Oldenburg, Germany
164. adrienne jones goldcoast, Australia
165. Manuela Schmidt Erkenbrechtsweiler,
Germany
166. Ina Gerhold Großrosseln,
Germany
167. Daniela Bress Niedersachsen,
Germany
168. Dawn
Ward-Doma
Melbourne, Australia
169. Wendy Forster Newastle, United
Kingdom
170. Martina Drews Kempen, Germany
171. Stella
Gambardella
Roma, Italy
172. Karin
Zimmermann
Hersbruck, Germany
173. Yves Tetzner L-o, Germany
174. Rita Staempfli Kirchdorf, Switzerland
175. Lisa Salazar SHASTA LAKE, CA
176. Maria Lorena
Bouret
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
177. Petra Jakubzik Neuss, Germany
178. corinna Brenz wörnitz, Germany
179. Darren Woolsey Bradford, United
Kingdom
180. gro ottesenn Stavanger, Norway
181. Felisa Aurascoff Rosario, Argentina
182. Annabella Santini Camaiore lido, Italy
Page 16 - Signatures 156 - 182
Name From Comments
183. Marga Huber weert, Netherlands
184. CILLA BRITTON Montross, VA
185. diana bosse m, Germany
186. lana gebahi chateauguay, Canada
187. Rita Wolff Hannover, Germany
188. Maria Mas Aragua, Venezuela
189. Margot Bock Remlingen, Germany
190. Jo-ann Tellado Mahón, Spain
191. Dagmar Grabsch Berlin, Germany
192. ale afo caba, Argentina
193. -- -- TACOMA, WA
194. aj Em BOISE, ID
195. Kay Mi BOISE, ID
196. KAREN HAMZA BURBANK, CA
197. annelie moser idar-oberstein,
Germany
199. Jean
Clelland-Morin
SAN ANTONIO, TX CLOSE ALL PUPPY MILLS ! ! ! Exploitation of
Non-Humans is IMMORAL.
200. Melissa Logan HAVRE DE GRACE,
MD
201. Virginia Mendez MIAMI, FL
202. FLORA ROSAS HOLLYWOOD, CA
203. Jillian Fiedor BILLINGS, MT
204. Sharyl Todd Marion, OH
205. JosefineAnne
Gobreville
LOS ANGELES, CA
206. Maxine Robinson Alexander city, AL
207. Nelds Monjure Montgomery, TX
208. Francesca
Biondetti
Pietrasanta, Italy
209. Elisa Hidalgo
Blanco
Vitoria, Spain
210. P. Laatsch Kiel, Germany
211. Anna Stein Frankfurt- Main,
Germany
212. Adele Urbanek Mödling, Austria
213. Bianca Rutz Frechen, Germany
214. Andrea Knoepfler Hannover, Germany
215. Andrea Ritter Jagerberg, Austria
Page 17 - Signatures 183 - 215
Name From Comments
216. Siegrid Roedel Herzogenaurach,
Germany
SAVE ALL PUPPYS NOW
217. Irene Bendhiba Köln, Germany
218. anita erhard g, Austria
219. Martina Grosse Dresden, Germany
220. Christina Legner Mengerskirchen,
Germany
221. pia fechter regensburg, Germany
222. Regula Hauser Zurich, Switzerland
223. Olga Troyan Taraz, Kazakhstan
224. Doris Koinig Mönichkirchen,
Austria
225. Beate Vossen Remscheid, Germany
226. Trautel Schönheit Rudolstadt, Germany
227. Denise Hodder Fairfax, VA
228. Nina Kreft Hamburg, Germany
229. Astrid wich Mainz, Germany
230. Ingrid Volek Weiz, Austria
231. botez elena Galati, Romania
232. silvia niederlander obergeilbach, France
233. Margrit Wagner Karlsruhe, Germany
234. Gertrudis
Bootmann
HOUSTON, TX
235. Joan Walker BISHOP, CA
236. monika konetzki schöningen, Germany
237. Gys Mignot Vasselin, France
238. sylvia kirtsios altweidelbach,
Germany
239. Suki Knight Greensboro, NC
240. Sophia Palacios
Santacruz
Tulcán, Ecuador
241. Chuck Densmore Clarkston, MI End all puppy mills!
242. Mary DeCraemer Clarkston, MI
243. Gabi Ortmann Brühl, Germany
244. Nathalie Urban Saarbrücken,
Germany
245. LORRAINE
Crimando
BROOKLYN, NY
246. Katarina Neretljak Basel, Switzerland
Page 18 - Signatures 216 - 246
Name From Comments
247. JAN TUTT PEFFERLAW,
Canada
248. Els Bol Zoetermeer,
Netherlands
249. Ronda
Richardson
Granite City, IL
250. Sabine Amon Hohenberg, Austria
251. Christa Lohrig Korschenbroich,
Germany
252. Danny van Huizen Geldrop, Netherlands
253. cristina carloni riva del garda, Italy
254. Gisela Gama Esposende, Portugal
255. Andrea Borounian Caba, Argentina
256. elisio almeida Pará de Minas -MG,
Brazil
257. Stacey Calvert Sunderland, United
Kingdom
258. Sara Paoluzzi Sacile, Italy
259. Nan Newall BrightsGrove,
Canada
260. Gero Woelfel Amt Wachsenburg,
Germany
261. Stuart Paterson Boreham, United
Kingdom
262. Roswitha Heissen
von
Tutzing, Germany
263. Marie Pacheco Toronto, Canada
264. cinzia potini Grosseto, Italy
265. Rachel Ely Thornhill, Canada
266. Mark Jennerjohn Appleton, WI
267. Beth Knuth Roann, IN
268. Saiju
Gangadharan
WASHINGTON, DC
269. ayako makishita sapporo, Japan
270. karen ryckman hampden, ME
271. Lynda Howarth lestrechure, France
272. Connie Haubold Gerbstedt, Germany
273. odette sempere chennevieres, France
274. Pat Mair Salzgitter, Germany Adopt! Don`t shop!!!
Page 19 - Signatures 247 - 274
Name From Comments
275. Julie Port Slough, United
Kingdom
276. Sylvia Gries Eppenbrunn,
Germany
277. a zehnpfennig hamm, Germany
278. Dr. med. Anusha
Patchava
Bad Nauheim,
Germany
279. Sabine Pertgen Bingen, Germany
280. Christian
Brodbeck
Waldsee, Germany
281. Holló Mária Illmitz, Austria
282. Sieglinda Du
Preez
East London, South
Africa
283. Rui Pina Cascais, Portugal
284. Janina Grage Herne, Germany
285. Mary Thomas RICHMOND, CA
286. Celia Reinberger Tetenbüll, Germany
287. Sara Tanner SEATTLE, WA
Page 20 - Signatures 275 - 287