Animals; clarifies several standards of welfare. (HB673)
Introduced By
Sen. Kenneth Alexander (D-Norfolk)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✓ |
Passed Committee |
✓ |
Passed House |
✓ |
Passed Senate |
✓ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Animal welfare standards. Clarifies several standards of animal welfare. The amount of time an animal must be deserted to be considered "abandoned" is shortened from five consecutive days to 24 consecutive hours. "Adequate shelter" for tethered animals will require an enclosure large enough to provide separate eating and sleeping areas, both of which shall be at least 10 feet from a toilet area. "Adequate space" for tether animals will require that the tether is no more than 1/8th the weight of the animal and at least 20 times the length of the animal. "Adequate water" will require refreshment at least once every 12 hours and a container that cannot be overturned. The definition of "adoption" is broadened to include transfers of ownership from dealers. Read the Bill »
Outcome
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/08/2008 | Committee |
01/08/2008 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 088708408 |
01/08/2008 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources |
01/16/2008 | Impact statement from DPB (HB673) |
01/17/2008 | Assigned ACNRsub: #1 Agriculture |
01/30/2008 | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
01/30/2008 | Committee substitute printed 083247408-H1 |
01/31/2008 | Read first time |
02/01/2008 | Read second time |
02/01/2008 | Committee substitute agreed to 083247408-H1 |
02/01/2008 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB673H1 |
02/04/2008 | Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N) |
02/04/2008 | VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (98-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/04/2008 | Communicated to Senate |
02/05/2008 | Constitutional reading dispensed |
02/05/2008 | Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources |
02/18/2008 | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N) |
02/19/2008 | Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally) |
02/20/2008 | Read third time |
02/20/2008 | Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N) |
02/21/2008 | Enrolled |
02/21/2008 | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB673ER) |
02/22/2008 | Impact statement from DPB (HB673ER) |
02/22/2008 | Signed by Speaker |
02/25/2008 | Signed by President |
03/02/2008 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 126 (effective 7/1/08) |
03/02/2008 | G Approved by Governor-Chapter 127 (effective 7/1/08) |
03/05/2008 | G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0127) |
Comments
Any animal "not cared for," e.g. without daily freshen water or droppings removed, for a period of 24 hours is "abandoned" and the owner is subject to prosecution. A dog tether must be 60+ feet long and a horse tether must be 140-150 feet long. Virginia dogs and cats are no longer bought and sold, they're adopted and unadopted? Norfolk politician Alexander has introduced similar ill-considered bills each of the last three sessions.
A tether a whopping 20x the length of the animal, but no more than 1/8th its weight. Real slick way to BAN tethering without actually saying it's what you're doing!
Separate eating, resting, and toilet areas.
Uhhh... are folks in the habit of strictly toilet training their animals up to human standards over in Del Alexander's Norfolk? Our hillbilly horses and dogs over here on the Southside just eliminate where they please. Most of us who own them have a shovel for that. Should we ship them to Richmond so delegates will have a far more effective method for dealing with nonsense bills like this?