The Red Dog Inn » Legislation

One more time: Pets and Hot Cars Don’t Mix

Suzi — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 06:21:50 +0000

As I was leaving the pet expo this Saturday night, I heard a dog whimpering in a white mini van. Yes, the windows were cracked, but it was 80* that day. And when I say cracked, I mean about a 1/2 inch. I informed parking and they said they could do “nothing”. I called the local police department and wasn’t too certain they’d do anything either. I had to force the dispatcher to take the ;license number, which I still have along with a photo of the vehicle. There had already been a dust up in the parking lot earlier in the day, so I thought the wisest move was to let officials handle the violation of California Penal Code 597 . Ironically, the van had a Harvest Crusade bumper sticker in its back window. (“The righteous care for the needs of their animals…” from Psalms ring a bell?)

Now, the penal code is clear: Thou shalt not leave an animal in a car.
Legal folks have worked to further define that. Who hasn’t stopped by the dry cleaners to pick up cleaning on the way back from the vet? Clearly, the animal is within sight. The windows are down. And the owner will be returning momentarily. (Even this is scary for me after I passed out during a shopping errand. You really never know IF you’re making it back to your car. So keep that in mind when bringing your pet along for the ride.)

However, this animal was in a parked car. with the windows barely cracked. on a hot day. with no shade. and the only place to enter was the Pet Expo, not someplace you just run into.

I have written letters to the event venue and the PD asking them to review and make changes to how they respond to calls re: Penal code 597.

Do you take your pet with you? How would you have addressed this situation?

Mom: The Protector

Suzi — Fri, 07 May 2010 05:08:43 +0000

On the way to work this week, I saw something that made me sick — a dog that had been thrown from the bed of pick up. I dutifully called Animal Control and was informed by two people that I’d have to talk with someone else. By the time I talked to the someone else, I was feeling pretty darn miffed! THERE SHOULD BE A LAW ABOUT THIS!

Well, where I live, there is: CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE 23117. (a) No person driving a motor vehicle shall transport any animal in the back of the vehicle in a space intended for any load on the vehicle on a highway unless the space is enclosed or has side and tail racks to a height of at least 46 inches extending vertically from the floor, the vehicle has installed means of preventing the animal from being discharged, or the animal is cross tethered to the vehicle, or is protected by a secured container or cage, in a manner which will prevent the animal from being thrown, falling, or jumping from the vehicle. http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc23117.htm

I’ve called the paper and asked them to publicize this code — as well as encouraging people to not take their dogs if they have to be left in the car. As of January 1, 2007, it’s illegal to leave your pet in a car unattended on a hot day in the Golden State.

When I think about where I got this role of protector, I think of my mom. When did she start instilling in me how the initiative system works? When I was 5-years-old. When I was 5, the board of education wanted to bus kids away from their home districts. Mom had lived in Chicago and worked in a hospital. One day, my older brother came by to visit, which was odd because it was a school day. His school was taking part in an assimilation experiment and one of the kids pulled a knife on the bus. Well, that was it. Not only did the Chicago program come to a grinding halt, but that’s when my mom decided none of her kids would be subjected to this again.

So there I sat, at the kitchen table as a 5-year-old stuffing and sealing envelopes to convince other California voters to not allow this intiative to pass.

Thanks to those days around the kitchen table, I’ve developed a healthy appreciation for the political process. I was able to meet a President of the United States, a few representatives, two governors of California, work for a County Supervisor and meet more than my fair share of movers and shakers –each who was a force in her own right.

I think it’s ironic that virtually every one of the people I mentioned above was an animal person.

So Mom, thanks for being a Protector and for all the opportunities.

TAKE ACTION:: Do you think there should be an animal abuser registry?

Suzi — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:00:05 +0000

When I started this blog, I made the Proverbs 12:10 my mission statement of sorts. Proverbs 12:10 reads: The righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. So when I saw this message from teh Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF), I signed the petition. Give it a read. Visit the site. If you are compelled, take action!

“The Animal Legal Defense Fund is working to ensure that convicted animal abusers are exposed and prevented from harming new victims by promoting model legislation to establish an animal abuser registry in every community across America.”

FOLLOW THE LINK TO ADD YOUR VOICE AND LEARN MORE! http://www.exposeanimalabusers.org/

Com’n Along, Let’s All Get H.A.P.P.Y.!

Suzi — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:35:52 +0000

Happy Dog. Photo by Steve Carragher

How would you like to write off up to $3,500 annually for taking proper care of your pet? You might be able to, but we need to get busy before we can GET HAPPY!

I received an advocacy alert from the ASCPA telling me about the HAPPY Act (H.R. 3501) proposed by Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI). The ASPCA supports this act, and so do the inhabitants of The Red Dog Inn!

If passed, HAPPY will amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (specifically, Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1, add a new section 224 and renumber accordingly.) The new section 224 will read:

SEC. 224. PET CARE EXPENSES.

`(a) Allowance of Deduction- In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified pet care expenses of the taxpayer during the taxable year for any qualified pet of the taxpayer.

`(b) Maximum Deduction- The amount allowable as a deduction under subsection (a) to the taxpayer for any taxable year shall not exceed $3,500.

`(c) Qualified Pet Care Expenses- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified pet care expenses’ means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.

`(d) Qualified Pet- For purposes of this section–

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009.

What YOU can do!

The proposed legislation is so easy to read, even a member of Congress can understand it! I encourage you to visit the link below and read it for yourself.

After reading it, I hope that you’ll contact your Representative and Senators and encourage them to SUPPORT the HAPPY ACT! Then, tell your pet loving friends about HAPPY and encourage them to contact their representatives, too!

If you get a response, let us know about it!

What the HAPPY ACT does:

If passed, HAPPY will allow pet owners to deduct up to $3,500 annually from their taxes for “qualified pet care expenses” starting in the 2010 tax year.

Links:

ASPCA: https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2605

H.R. 3501 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.3501: