For a complete list of all animal bills, please see  Issues and Legislation: Current Legislation 2011-2012. 

Minnesota Ag-Gag

Good news! With the adjournment of the Legislature on May 10, 2012, Minnesota’s ‘ag-gag’ bill has died. Strong opposition, from many sectors in Minnesota, contributed to the demise of this legislation. MVAP opposed this bill.

If passed, Senate File 1118 and House File 1369 would criminalize blowing the whistle on animal cruelty, food safety problems, or labor or environmental abuses inside puppy and kitten mills or factory farms by making it a crime to take video inside such facilities, or even for the news media to possess or distribute these images. Read more here.

 

Game and Fish Bill

The omnibus game and fish bill was signed into law by Governor Dayton on May 3, 2012.

The passage of HF 2171 was a complicated and prolonged one, which included debate, voting, and determination of several important issues. A wolf hunting and trapping season was authorized, new trapping regulations passed, and discussion happened on the issue of animals killed by antifreeze poisoning. Read more here.

 

 

Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation

The Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, S.F. 462/H.F. 702,  was introduced in 2011. The Minnesota Legislature adjourned for the 2011-2012 legislative session without taking action on dog and cat breeder regulation. MVAP supported this bill.

Minnesota has no state laws, rules, licensing or regulations to address the care of cats and dogs in commercial breeding facilities. S.F. 462/H.F. 702 would have provided basic licensing and regulation for this industry. Read more here.

 

Pound Seizure

Good news! The bill to repeal pound seizure was included in the Omnibus Agriculture bill (HF 2398/SF 2061) and was signed into law by Governor Dayton on April 28, 2012.

Pound seizure refers to the practice of obtaining lost or stray pets from animal shelters for use in research, testing, and education. Minnesota’s pound seizure law required publicly-funded animal shelters, such as city or county shelters, to surrender animals in their care to institutions that request them. Read more here.

 

Antibiotics in Animal Feed

Two bills, SF 1951 and HF 3006, were introduced in 2012 that would have prohibited the use of nontherapeutic, medically important antibiotics in animal feed. MVAP position: support. Neither bill advanced.

The growing threat of antibiotic resistance in humans is almost entirely attributed to routine inclusion of antibiotics in animal feed. This subtherapeutic use of antibiotics is used to keep animals on industrial farms in intensive and crowded conditions as well as to promote the animals’ rate of growth. Nontherapeutic use of antibiotics in animal feed contributes to potential harm for humans and unnecessary animal suffering. Read more here.

 

Trapping Bills

 

There were numerous bills before the Minnesota Legislature in 2012 that would amend current law governing trapping in Minnesota. Some good bills, like the bill that would protect dogs from traps, did not pass. Fortunately, some harmful bills, like the bill requiring that snares only need to be checked every three days, did not pass. Read more here.

 

 

Bills Affecting Wolves

In December 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed Minnesota’s gray wolves from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife. As of Jan 27, 2012, Minnesota’s wolves are managed by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. A Minnesota hunting and trapping season for wolves was authorized during the 2012 legislative session. For details on the federal delisting of wolves, Minnesota’s wolf management plan, the hunting and trapping season, the 2011 changes in state law, and a historical background, please read more here.

 

 

Antifreeze Bittering

The bill bill to require a bittering agent be added to antifreeze to protect against accidental poisoning did not advance in 2012. Its main author in the Senate, Senator Sieben, offered it as an amendment to the omnibus game and fish bill, but unfortunately, the amendment was ruled non-germane. MVAP position: support.

The sweet taste of antifreeze attracts animals, but less than a teaspoonful can be fatal. SF 2232/HF 2599 would require that all antifreeze products containing more than 10 percent ethylene glycol that are manufactured or sold in the state of Minnesota must also contain denatonium benzoate to diminish the taste. More information here.

 

Pet Lemon Law Amendment

Good news! A bill amending the Pet Lemon Law, HF 1635,  did not advance in 2011 or 2012.  MVAP opposes this bill.

The Pet Lemon Law, passed in 1992, is a consumer protection law that was created to regulate for-profit businesses, defined as pet shops, breeders and dealers of dogs and cats. This bill would have amended the current Pet Lemon Law by including nonprofit humane societies and rescue groups under this law and defining them as “pet dealers”. In doing so, these organizations would have to follow the same requirements as for-profit pet dealers, such as conducting two veterinarian exams of each animal. Unlike for-profit businesses, nonprofits take in strays, owner surrendered, abused, neglected and seized animals, some of whom already require substantial vet care. At the same time nonprofits are not often able to recoup the vet expenses put into the animals they receive, this bill would cause humane societies and rescue groups to incur additional expenses. The intent of the Pet Lemon law is to regulate those who are in business breeding, dealing and selling dogs and cats, not to regulate nonprofits that are helping Minnesota’s communities by rescuing stray or unwanted animals. Read the current Pet Lemon Law here.

Animal Control Mandate Amendments

Good news! Bills amending animal control mandates, HF 7/SF 159 and HF 516 and HF 519, were introduced, had hearings, but did not pass in 2011 or 2012. MVAP opposes these bills.

The amended HF 7 removes requirements for animal control/law enforcement to seize, impound, or restrain stray animals and to enforce dangerous dog provisions. HF 516 and HF 519 do the same as HF 7, and also remove requirement for local animal control authority to report what regulated animals (wild cats, bears, primates) are registered in their jurisdiction. If passed, these bills could have negative consequences for companion animals and for regulated exotic animals.

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For a complete list of bills affecting Minnesota’s animals, please see Issues and Legislation: Current Legislation 2011-2012.