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March 3, 2008
Published by Julie on March 3, 2008
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MAPBD



The Michigan Association for Purebred Dogs.  Does very important work fighting anti-dog legislation.  This is important for all people who love dogs not just those with purebred dogs. You can become a member as an individual. Please join and support with a donation!


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February 27, 2008
Published by Julie on February 27, 2008
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Chimp not a Person

Who says we don't have complex issues in animal history?



Chimp cannot be declared a person, Austrian court rules

 The Associated Press




A chimpanzee cannot be declared a person, Austria's Supreme Court has
ruled, activists said Tuesday.



An animal rights group had sought to have the chimp, Matthew Hiasl Pan,
declared a person in hopes of gaining guardianship of the animal.



The shelter where Matthew has lived for 25 years is going bankrupt,
threatening to leave him homeless. Donors have offered to help support him, but
under Austrian law, only a person can receive personal gifts.



The Vienna-based Association Against Animal Factories sought to have him
declared a person and petitioned to be appointed Matthew's
trustee.



But the high court upheld a September ruling by a judge in the town of
Wiener Neustadt rejecting the petition, the group said Tuesday.



The rights group said it would take the case to the European Court of Human
Rights.



Matthew and another chimp at the shelter, Rosi, were captured as babies in
Sierra Leone in 1982 and smuggled to Austria for use in pharmaceutical
experiments. Customs officers intercepted the shipment and turned the chimps
over to the shelter.



Organizers said they may set up a foundation to collect donations for
Matthew, whose life expectancy in captivity is about 60 years.



But they argue that only personhood will ensure that he isn't sold outside
Austria.


www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/01/15/europe/EU-GEN-Austria-Chimp.php
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February 27, 2008
Published by Julie on February 27, 2008
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Message from Dr. Stinson


The Michigan
Legislature has introduced Senate Bill 626 to prohibit certain dog races for the
purpose of wagering or gambling. Since the bill does not define "dog racing" or
"wagering" or "gambling" the Michigan Association for Pure Bred Dogs believes it
"opens the door" to protests from animal rights groups to challenge certain dog
show events such a "agility, fly ball, lure coursing races, sled dog racing,
coon dog races, etc. Please read the position paper in light of the following
quote from the (750.301).

"Any person or his or
her agent or employee who, directly or indirectly, takes, receives, or accepts
from any person any money or valuable thing with the agreement, understanding or
allegation that any money or valuable thing will be paid or delivered to any
person where the payment or delivery is alleged to be or will be contingent upon
the result of any race, contest, or
upon the happening of any event not known by the parties to be
certain, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment
for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than
$1,000.00."

The question should be
asked of your legislators "does the act that prohibits "certain dog races," some
of which put the many competitive events such as fly ball racing, lure coursing,
agility trials, coon hound water races, etc. at peril by the "vague" definitions
in the act. 

 

Contact your Senator
and ask this question:  what is the motivation behind SB 626?  Please forward
any response you receive from you Senator.  Thanks. 

 

Al Stinson, DVM.
Director of Legislative Affairs, Bred Dogs and

Federation.

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February 27, 2008
Published by Julie on February 27, 2008
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Position Paper Michigan Senate Bill

Position
Paper

Senate Bill
626 (S-5)

The

S-5 of Senate Bill 626 as written.

This
legislation prohibits certain dog races; prohibits the simulcasting of certain
dog races; and prescribes penalties.  “A
person shall not hold, conduct, or operate dog racing for the purpose of
wagering or gambling.”

Wagering or
gambling in the bill is not clearly defined [Sec. 1 (c)] even though it does
make a statement of what the law does not include.  (Does not include the payment of a purse or
prize to the owner, manager, or trainer of a dog in connection with a race in
which the dog races.) 

This statement is not helpful for the
owner, manager, or trainer to understand what other activities may be prohibited
as wagering or gambling as defined in a standard dictionary. Does MCL 750.307  Gambling: prima facie evidence
apply?

 Quoted from the WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD
DICTIONARY of American English (York

copyright 1994:

Wager n.
1. Bet: 2. a pledge to do something or abide by an
outcome:

Gamble vi. 1. to play games of chance for money.
2. to take a risk in order to gain some advantage. vt. to risk in gambling; bet,
wager; n. an act or undertaking involving risk or a
loss.

The dog
industry, one of the most economically important animal industries in
activities such as conformation shows, obedience trials, hunting trials, sled
dog racing, and others that meets the definition “to take a risk in order to gain some
advantage.”  What are some of these
advantages?

  • Pride and satisfaction of
    owning an animal of distinction.
  • A means of advertising the
    performance, appearance and/or of the owner’s breeding
    program.
  • Enjoyment of the
    opportunities for recreational activities with their dogs.
  • For breeders, the
    opportunity to increase the reputation of their dogs by demonstrating their
    performance in competitive events, resulting in increased sales of dogs.  Cash entry fees (risks) are a general
    requirement for participation.  This cost
    is used to finance the cost of the competition and pay the costs of the awards
    to the winners.

     

    The
    competitive public events sponsored by     risk to gain some advantage” could result in a violation of this act.  Practically all of these competitive events
    require the entrant to pay a fee.  There
    is no guarantee of a win with such a fee. 
    Thus all that money is essentially at risk to the exhibitor of any dogs
    entered in the competition.

    The Michigan
    Association for Pure Bred Dogs and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation are
    composed

    of over 100
    clubs that are located throughout     recreational activities that could be interpreted as violating this act, either
    by the club, their exhibitors or guests, depending upon the interpretation of
    the words “gambling” and “betting” and “wagering.”   The events attract entries from throughout
    the

    States

    A very important

attraction.

The
information provided by the proponents of the bill at the hearing of the
Committee on Commerce and Tourism on 2008

  SB 626 - 
Information Sheet - no author given)

 
SB 626 - Selection of Relevant News
Articles (no author
given)

raised some
disturbing questions about the true purpose of this legislation and its effect
on other forms of recreational and competitive activities of the dog
industry..

The statement
within SB 626 - Information Sheet,
[the paragraph entitled “What this legislation is NOT intended to
do: -  Represent the interest  or further the cause of any particular
organization, animal rights group, rescue or other animal welfare entity”]
 plus the text of the document [“SB
626 ? Selection off Relevant News Articles”]  is a more plausible explanation of the
real intent of the legislation’s supporters. 
The thrust of these documents is mainly related to propaganda from
anti-racing organizations with a biased animal activist view of the risks dog
are exposed to in the “racing
sports.”

The risks and
perils of greyhound racing are no different from those of other forms of
competitive activities.   Similar risks
are encountered in other racing events such as sled dog races, coon hound races,
lure coursing and agility trials,  If
this legislation is enacted in Michigan in the current session (it was rejected
in the 1996 session) the animal rights lobby’s next effort will be to stop sled
dog racing, then coon hound racing.  All
under the guise of preventing gambling and cruelty. The animal rights proponents
are already trying to stop sled dog racing events with accusations of it being
cruel to sled dogs.  Next to be
prohibited will be hunting events (dogs used in large game hunting are at
considerable risk.)  Then, the
legislature will be asked to outlaw hunting, one of the ultimate goals of the
animal rights agenda.

The Michigan
Association for Pure Bred Dogs and the Michigan Hunting Dog Federation urge you
to defeat SB 626.  If the sport of dog
racing is detrimental to the public as a gambling and wagering event, then ban
other forms of gambling supported by cruelty, then all animal racing events such as horse racing, and indeed, even
boat racing would be considered cruel and should be prohibited (to save the fish
who are at risk for damage from propellers.) 
These bans could also be extended to training and competing with horses
in timed international Olympic events. 
They too have risks of serious injury (cruelty?) 

 

Take a well-known leader’s
advice:

You should not examine legislation in the
light of the benefits it will convey if properly administered, BUT, in the light
of the wrongs it would do and the harm it would cause if improperly
administered.

Lyndon
Johnson

36th
President of the States

Prepared
by:

Al W.
Stinson, BS, Affairs

Michigan Hunting Dog Federation

1915 Epley Rd., Williamston, MI

, Phone: 517-655-5363, Fax:  517-655-3724,

E-mail:  LSFC2@aol.com






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