OPPOSE HB 458: Pet Limits in Counties – HEARING MON.

As of 4-9-2009 this bill has been passed out of committee but has not yet been scheduled for a full vote. The bill has been amended with some confusing language about possibly allowing rescue groups to be exempted but no other exemptions or grandfather clause.

Hunters, rescuers, pet foster parents and dog show enthusiasts – if you moved out of the city limits so that you could enjoy your hobby in peace…. think again!

TIME & DATE:
2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess
Monday, March 16, 2009
PLACE:   E2.016 at the State Capitol

HB 458 states:
“The commissioners court of a county with a population of one million or more by order may limit the number of dogs that an individual may keep at a residence located in a residential subdivision in the unincorporated area of the county.” The complete text is here. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB458

According to 2007 estimates, the following counties are now over 1 million people.

Harris      3,935,855
Dallas     2,366,511
Tarrant     1,717,435
Bexar     1,594,493

And these fast-growing counties will reach 1 million people soon:

Travis     974,365
El Paso     734,669
Collin     730,690
Hidalgo     710,514
Denton     612,357

Additionally, once passed into law, it would be easy for the legislature to lower the population threshold.

This law would enable counties to limit the number of dogs you may own, even if there are no homeowners associations or deed restrictions governing dogs.

Please contact the members of the County Affairs Committee with your brief and respectful opposition. Letters and telephone calls are best, followed by fax and e-mail. If you live in the district of one of these members, we especially need you.
Find out who represents you: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/home.aspx

Talking points:

Limit Laws:

• Target all pet owners, regardless of the behavior of their animals.
• Are hard to enforce as pet owners will simply hide their pets.
• Cause a decline in the number of pets licensed and vaccinated for Rabies.
• A person with one dog that runs loose or barks all night is a greater nuisance than a person with a dozen dogs that are quiet, clean, and kept at home. Numbers have no relationship to nuisances.
• Mean fewer homes and foster homes, especially for hard-to-place adult dogs.

Some people choose to live in the country because they have more dogs than can comfortably live in the city.  If keeping show dogs, hunting dogs, or rescue and foster dogs is important to a homeowner, he or she tends to do the research on rules and laws before moving.  Those who do not keep dogs should do the same and should have different expectations of hearing animal noises in unincorporated areas than in a city or suburb.

You can mail copies of your letter for all of the members to the clerk – however, use USPS Priority Mail and mail it before Friday in order for it to arrive in time. Otherwise, FAX and/or CALL.

Clerk Revlynn Lawson
EXT E2.130
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Phone: (512) 463-0760

Read more on HB 458.

Rep. Garnet Coleman (chair)
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist147/coleman.php
Capitol Office: CAP GW.17
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0524 FAX: (512) 463-1260
District Address:      5445 Alameda, Suite 501
Houston, TX 77004
District Phone: (713) 520-5355

Rep. Geanie Morrison (Vice Chair)
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist30/morrison.php
Capitol Office: CAP GN.11
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0456  FAX:  (512) 476-3933
District Address:      1501 East Mockingbird,, Suite 101
Victoria, TX 77903
District Phone: (361) 572-0196

Rep. Leo Berman
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist6/welcome.htm
Capitol Office: EXT E2.908
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0584    FAX (512) 463-3217
District Address:      P.O. Box 6028
Tyler, TX 75711
District Phone: (903) 939-2400

Rep. Valinda Bolton
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist47/bolton.php
Capitol Office: EXT E2.716
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0652   FAX (512) 463-0565
District Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78701
District Phone: (512) 463-0652

Rep. Joaquin Castro
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist125/castro.php
Capitol Office: EXT E1.302
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0669   FAX (512) 463-5074
District Address:      6502 Bandera, Suite 106
San Antonio, TX 78238
District Phone: (210) 684-6896

Rep. John E. Davis
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist129/davis.php
Capitol Office: CAP 4S.4
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0734   FAX (512) 479-6955
District Address:      1350 NASA Parkway,, Suite 212
Houston, TX 77058
District Phone: (281) 333-1350

Rep. Marisa Marquez
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist77/marquez.php
Capitol Office: EXT E2. 704
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0638    FAX (512) 463-8908
District Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
District Phone:

Rep. Ralph Sheffield
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist55/sheffield.php
Capitol Office: EXT E1.422
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0630  FAX (512)322-9054
District Address:      3000 S. 31st Street, Suite 505
Temple, TX 76502
District Phone: (254) 774-9888

Rep. Wayne Smith
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist128/smith.php
Capitol Office: EXT E2.214
Capitol Address:      P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Capitol Phone: (512) 463-0733   FAX  (512) 463-1323
District Address:      909 Decker Drive,, Suite 104
Baytown, TX 77520
District Phone: (832) 556-2002