Exciting Progress on Animal Welfare Legislation!
The Ohio Legislature has been hard at work on some key animal welfare bills:
H.B. 664 passed in the Ohio House of Representatives! As originally drafted, this bill allows Registered Veterinary Technicians to provide preventative and routine care to protect the health and well-being of the animals in their community under the direction of a veterinarian.
However, the version passed by the House restricts highly-trained Registered Veterinary Technicians from administering Rabies vaccinations to shelter animals only, not to community animals.
According to the Ohio Supreme Court, the only difference between a shelter animal and an owned pet is ownership. This change to the bill came after opponent testimony by the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association. Learn more here: The Animal Welfare Junction Podcast
S.B. 232 is in the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources! This bill would revise the law governing high-volume dog breeders to protect the well-being of puppies.
Specifically, S.B. 232 would require euthanasia and all surgical procedures such as tail docking, dew claw removal, and ear cropping to be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
The Ohio Veterinary Medical Association is also opposing this bill, stating it "burdens clinics in rural communities where access to care is already limited." However, they are opposing H.B. 664, which would expand veterinary care by increasing the scope of responsibilities that Registered Veterinary Technicians can perform under supervision of a veterinarian, especially in rural communities.
S.B. 393 passed in the Ohio Senate unanimously! This bill would increase the penalties for bestiality from a misdemeanor to a felony charge, along with increasing penalties for other sexually oriented offenses involving juveniles.
We need YOU to keep the momentum going! Join us in taking action on these important bills in the Ohio Legislature. Help us be a voice for Ohio's animals by writing to your legislators today.
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