ALERT! Massachusetts Bill Bans Outdoor Dogs
On Sept. 24, Massachusetts legislators will consider a bill that would literally ban outdoor dogs. Unless a dog owner is physically present, Senate Bill 990, sponsored by Sen. Mark C. Montigny (D- New Bedford), bans a person from confining or tethering a dog outside and unattended for more than 5 hours between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., or for more than 15 minutes between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Take Action Today! Massachusetts members should call their state legislators and ask them to vote NO on SB 990. Members can contact their legislators by using the Sportsmen’s Alliance Legislative Action Center Directory. The Joint Committee on The Judiciary hearing will be held at 1 p.m. in Room A-1 of the Capitol Building in Boston.
SB 990’s ban on keeping dogs outdoors applies even if a yard is fenced in, has shade trees and even if the dog has access to a shelter, kennel or doghouse. SB 990 applies for all 12 months of the year, regardless of weather conditions.
“Like many working dogs, hunting dogs have to be heartier to be prepared for weather conditions that take place during hunting seasons,” said Luke Houghton, associate director of state services for the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “A law like this would actually endanger the health of dogs who are not acclimated to colder and warmer conditions they will be exposed to during a hunt. This bill is so extreme it doesn’t even consider a dog house or kennel to be adequate shelter.”
The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing, and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense, and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible.
Silencers