IMPORTANT ANIMAL LEGISLATION
FEBRUARY 2020 SESSION
There are a lot of great animal protection bills in front of the State legislature this year. We’ll be highlighting some of them that have major impact on the humane treatment of animals, and will be urging you to act as they move through the legislative process.
Extreme Weather Bill (HB406 / SB627) prohibits dogs to be left outdoors unattended for longer than 30 minutes without continuous suitable shelter. Extreme weather means less than 32 degrees, above 90 degrees, or when the National Weather Service has issued an alert. This bill was reassigned to the House Environment & Transportation Committee and will be heard February 26. We get so many calls from concerned people about dogs forced to suffer outdoors in dangerous weather. Here is a chance to make sure that doesn’t happen anymore. Please contact the Committee and tell them you support this bill. Their contact info can be found here. They've used tabs on their site so you have to click the "Membership" tab across the top. If you live in Howard County, Delegate Jen Terrasa sits on this committee ; her contact info is here. This bill is also cross-filed in the Senate and will be heard in the Judicial Proceedings Committee on March 10. Their contact info can be found here and again, you have to click the "Membership" tab.
Declawing Cats (HB 445) Prohibits the removal of a portion of the paw, the cutting or removing of a tendon of the paw, or any other procedure that prevents the normal functioning of a claw. The declawing procedure is considered inhumane and is illegal in over 40 countries including much of Europe, the state of New York, and major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver. This bill is scheduled to be heard February
19 in the Environment & Transportation Committee. Please contact Howard County Delegate Jen Terrasa who sits on this committee to let her know you support this bill, and thank her for sponsoring it. Her details can be found here and the rest of the Committee’s contact info can be found here and you'll have to click on "Membership" to make their contact info open.
We will update these bills on our website or facebook page as, hopefully, they move through the steps to become law. Legislators need to hear these issues are important to you! When you call or email, simply say "I would like you to support this bill". They usually ask your name and maybe your address. That's it! It's so easy and literally takes less than 30 seconds. Please contact your legislators now to make the lives of Maryland animals better.
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