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HB1160 finalization of rule making will be 2022

HB21-1160

Care Of Dogs And Cats In Pet Animal Facilities

Concerning the care of pet animals in the custody of certain pet animal facilities.

SESSION: 2021 Regular Session

SUBJECT: Agriculture

BILL SUMMARY

The act requires each animal shelter and pet animal rescue to:

Provide each dog and cat held in its custody with timely veterinary care to address and prevent unnecessary or unjustifiable pain and suffering; and

Address the behavioral needs of each dog and cat held in its custody to ensure that the dog or cat is not housed or kept in a manner that fosters stereotypic or self-mutilating behavior.

It doesn't matter what your party affiliation may be or the medium you use to speak out -- unless we ALL raise our voices and tell our legislators and our regulatory agencies we want a higher level of care for our companion animals, suffering will continue.

We look to our Sheltering community to lead in the industry as they already have standards of care in place to lead in the discussions

on how we can handle sickness coming into Colorado, isolation times, vaccinations, vet examinations and provide better standards of care.

Currently PACFA is engaged in the completion of their Education training modules. We have enjoyed working on the Transportation committee.

We believe the greatest accomplishment in Colorado was passing HB21-1160, it starts addressing our standards of care for animals being warehoused and their care.

We have very minimal standards of care for our dogs and cats. It is a great beginning.

We are thankful that BSL bans on pit bull bans have been lifted in three cities in 2021.. Any dog can be dangerous. Let’s not discriminate. Only Louisville and Lone Tree still have bans in effect.

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT?

FIND YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE OR SENATOR AT https://leg.colorado.gov/legislators

LET'S FOCUS ON COLORADO THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION -- THE CLIMATE IS RIPE FOR CHANGE!

EDUCATE YOURSELF ON THE ISSUES - YOUR VOICES AND SUPPORT NEED TO BE LOUD AND CLEAR IF WE ARE TO EMPOWER OUR LEGISLATORS.

Our COMMUNITY Commitment

Our society is at a critical point in shaping the future of animal welfare. Colorado is leading welfare in many areas. While most people mean well in their attempts to change public policy around how we care for homeless pets, some recent decisions have created regulations that are leading to unintended suffering for the very pets that people are trying to protect. We must educate colleagues, friends, family members, neighbors and policymakers.

It’s about transparency and leadership. It’s about thoughtful public policy. It’s about safe communities. We must work together to create the best outcomes for all animals.

Every Animal must be treated as an individual.

The mental well being of an animal must be considered.

Placing known dangerous animals creates life threatening outcomes for people and other pets.

New DIEASE Control Board is in session.
Rules and implementation will be in 2022.

Thanks to new direction provided through the 2019 Sunset review process, changes have been recommended. ALL recommendations were submitted in writing to DORA by Stakeholders. PACFA has established a new Inspection and Investigation Work Unit. The task will focus and be dedicated to the management of the inspection and investigation team. This, in turn, will allow PACFA to develop a second work unit that will focus on licensing, education and outreach initiatives. Once we are able to secure additional resources for the Licensing and Educational Work Unit, we will begin to execute new projects that we have identified, including:

Development of a Disease Control and Treatment Plan (DCAT Plan) Initiative to address the importation of sick animals into Colorado.

Establishment of qualifying and continuing education for licensees.

Updated Legislation

Current information:

(Pet Animal Care Facilities Act) program. The Sunset review Bill SB19-158 passed and became law in 2019. Signed into law in September 2019. Rule making is over for 2019. We absolutely thank our legislators for their outstanding work.

TABTO.org testified and were stakeholders on the Sunset Review, spay and neuter legislation, HB1160, HB1102 and have been active within many associations and were stakeholders within the Department of Agriculture. We are advocates for better standards or care for all our companion animals.

Spay/Neuter Policy became law in October of 2019. Regulated by PACFA in our Department of Agriculture. SB19-158 Sunset Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act, "...removes the option of an animal shelter or pet animal rescue to release a dog or cat to a prospective owner with spaying or neutering. The commissioner of agriculture may grant an exemption to a facility in an area with limited access to licensed veterinarians or for the safety of an animal. Per law and rule the organization must spay and neuter the animal. It is the responsibility of the rescue to provide this service to the our community at large Rescues should not put the financial burden on the adopter. That was not the intent of the law. Modifications and rules need to be revisited on altering our companion animals.

Rescues and shelters must disclose and document any aggressive, sick or abnormalities in any animal that is known to a Rescue, Shelter, adopter, and dog training facility.

The “Humane Pet Act” did not move out of committee.

It was introduced in 2020 by Representative Monica Duran and Marlon Reis. It was written by the The National Humane Society. The Humane Pet Act.

The bill never made it out of Committee.

Standards of care: The standards of care and our retail rescue industry in Colorado should be addressed as that is where the most violations exist. All offenders should be held to the same standards and regulatory oversight as Pet Stores. We have more violations and violators in the non profit rescue world.

HB21-1102 was introduced by Monica Duran and Matt Soper. It was another controversial bill aimed at closing pet stores. Many stakeholders were left out of the process. The bill was aimed at closing the Pet Stores hidden under consumer protection language. The bill ended as a disclosure of information bill. The bill was gutted and had very little support. Transparency and facts seem to be be overlooked. Political agendas always seem to be at play. The animals are secondary.

The Socially Conscious bill was introduced in the 2021 legislative session.

HB21-1160 passed the house committee 10-1, and Senate 5-1. PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE the second and third readings, unanimously. It became law in August 2021. The rules will be discussed through PACFA with Stakeholders in the industry. An enrichment plan will be offered.

Dogs are suffering mentally and physically warehoused in boarding facilities and animal rescues and shelters.

A new bill passed granting additional duties and powers to thee bureau of animal protection agents (agent), including the authority to conduct investigations; to take possession of and impound any animal that the agent has probable cause to believe is a victim of cruelty to animals; and to take possession of and impound a dog if the agent has probable cause to believe the dog is a dangerous dog.

Bureau of Animal Protection(BAP)

They are designated as an investigative agency for animal neglect and cruelty in numerous Colorado counties and provides three ways to report by: calling their toll free animal cruelty hotline (1-800-249-5121)

Bureau of Animal Protection

The Bureau of Animal Protection (BAP) serves as a support mechanism to local law enforcement agencies in conducting animal cruelty and neglect investigations.