Breeder Letter Template 3

Breeder letter template 3

Dear

Re:ProposedAmendmentstotheDomesticAnimals Bill2016

Ihavebeenaresidentinyourinsert name hereelectoratefor 33years.IamcompelledtowritetoyouinrelationtotheproposedamendmentstotheDomesticAnimalsBillwhicharecurrentlybeforeParliament.

In particular,Iseekthatyoukindlyconsiderthefollowing:-

Ihave devotedinsert number hereyearstomyhobbyofenjoyingowning,showingandoccasionallyselectivelybreeding pedigreeinsert breed here.Myhobbyis importanttome,itisamajorpartofmylife.

Iamproudofmyreputationasaresponsible,ethicaland honestbreeder. IhavebeenacontinuousactivememberofDOGS Victoriasinceinsert year here.IhavealwaysabidedbytheRulesandRegulations,andimportantly,theCodeofEthics ofDOGS Victoria.

LikesomanydedicatedmembersofDOGS Victoria,Ihaveovermanyyearsmadeconsiderableeffortstoensurethatmydogsarehealthyandsoundexamplesofthebreed, andhaveundertakenappropriateDNAtests,vetexaminations,etc.Thishasbeenthecaseforthedurationofmyinvolvementinthebreed,andIhavealwaysacted honestlyandethically,andprovidedcareandadvicetothosepeoplefortunateenoughtohaveacquiredoneofmypuppies,orwhoowninsert breed here,whetherornottheyboughtonefromme.IfyoutookthetimetospeaktothegrassrootmembersofDOGS Victoriaatanygivendogevent, youwilldiscoverthatIamnotalone.

Idonotagreewith,norhaveIeversupportedpuppyfarms.

Thegovernmentmediareleasesaremisleadingandpurportthattheproposed amendmentsseektocontrolDomesticAnimalbreedingbusinesses(puppyfarms)and indiscriminatebackyardbreeders.However,inrealitytheamendmentsarewiderandfarreachingandwillseverelyimpactuponhonest,ethicalpeoplelikemyself.Despitenofaultonmypart,Inowfindmyselfclassifiedasa"onesizefitsall"DomesticAnimalBusiness,andlumpedintothesamebasketasthecommercialdogbreedingbusinesses/puppyfarmers.

Thatbyowningone(1)entirefemaledog,Iwillnotbepermittedtobreedanotherlitterofinsert breed hereorsellanypupsfromalitterunlessIamaDomesticAnimalBusiness; and forcedtoincuronerousobligationstocomplywithacorporatestructureaswellasincurringconsiderableexpenses,(ontheassumptionthatmylocalCouncilwillgrantaDomesticAnimalBusinesspermit).

DespitewhatisproposedintheBill,I,andmanythousandsofothermembersofDOGS Victoriawhoalsoresidein insert residential suburb here,are concerned that ‘hobby’ breederswillbeprohibited/excludedfrombeingabletoregisterasaDomesticAnimalBusinessbyvirtueofthelocalgovernmentresidentialplanningschemes.ItshouldbenotedthatmanyCouncilshavealreadystatedthattheywillnotgrantapplicationsforDomesticAnimalBusinesses.

IntheeventthisamendedBillispassedbytheStateParliamentasis,thenmanysmallhobbybreederslikemyselfwillbehardesthit.Theimmediateimpactwillforceusoutofourhobbyofbreedingandshowingourdogs.

Thebiggerpictureisthatthegoodpeoplethatdotherightthingwillnolongerbepermittedtobreed-therewillbenowell-adjusted,sociableandhealthtestedpurebredpupsforVictorianstopurchasefromrecognizedDOGS Victoriapedigreedog breeders.

Otherstakeholderswhowillalsobeaffectedandbusinessessuchasvets,foodsuppliersandretailers,canine pharmaceuticalsuppliers,boardingkennels,dogequipmentsuppliers(leads,collarsetc.)andmanymorewillsufferduetothedeclineinpedigreedogbreeds.

Iam facedwiththerealitythataftermanydecadesofcarefullyconsideredbreedingofmyinsert breed here;theimportedbloodlinesin whichI have investedconsiderableamountoftimeandsavingsintowillbelostforever,andthevaluableimportedfrozensemenIhavestoredrenderedunusable.

Theprevailingattitudeandproposedtreatmentofhonest,ethicalpeoplelikemyselfwhohavedevotedalifetimetotheirchosenhobbyofpedigreedogs,ismanifestlyunfairandwithoutfoundation.

Further,byallowingthe Billtopassasis,theninashortperiodoftimemany registeredpedigreedogbreedersinVictoriawillnolongerexist,andpedigreedogsinthisStatewillsignificantlydecline,becomeendangeredorbeextinct.

Thismorethananythingelsetrulysaddensme,andsomethingIneverbelievedIwouldseeoccur inmylifetime.

Inallthecircumstances,IhumblyimplorethattheblanketchangestotheBillarecarefullyreconsidered, includingthedefinitionofaDomesticAnimalBusiness,andthatmembersofanApplicableOrganizationbegrantedanexemption,inthetermsasispresentlyinplace.

Finally,IhopethatamorebalancedapproachisappliedtodiscussionsregardingthisBill,andthatratherthantolistentoandaccepttheviewsoftheactivists,thatthevoicesofhardworkingVictorianslikemeareheard.

Yoursfaithfully