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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Dogs are not a commercial crop and should not be
3 indiscriminately or irresponsibly mass produced; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Illinois citizens have the right to purchase
5 quality purebred dogs, produced in loving homes by responsible
6 breeders; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Poorly or improperly run breeding facilities
8 increase the likelihood that the dogs contained therein will be
9 denied their most basic needs, including, but not limited to,
10 sanitary living conditions, proper and timely medical care, the
11 ability to move freely at least once per day, and adequate
12 shelter from the elements; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Illinois is committed to preventing dogs from
14 being housed in breeding facilities or pet stores that are
15 overcrowded, unsanitary, and lacking proper shelter and care;
16 and
 
17     WHEREAS, Current Illinois laws are insufficient regarding
18 the care and husbandry of dogs in breeding facilities; and
 
19     WHEREAS, Without proper oversight, breeding facilities can
20 easily fall below even the most basic standards of humane

 

 

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1 housing and husbandry; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Breeding facilities with unsanitary conditions
3 create the potential for soil and groundwater contamination,
4 the spread of zoonotic parasites and infectious diseases, and
5 the sale of sick and dying animals to the public; and
 
6     WHEREAS, An unfair fiscal burden is placed on city, county,
7 and state taxpayers, as well as government agencies, animal
8 shelters, and rescue groups, by having to care for discarded or
9 abused and neglected dogs from these breeding facilities; and
 
10     WHEREAS, Animal shelters and rescue groups are dedicated to
11 caring for and finding homes for stray and unwanted animals and
12 irresponsible breeders and pet stores are adding to the burden
13 placed on these non-profit rescue groups; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Consumers must be provided with adequate
15 information about the background of puppies prior to purchase
16 in order to make an informed decision and current Illinois law
17 is ineffective in providing this information to consumers who
18 purchase puppies from pet stores and breeding facilities; and
 
19     WHEREAS, There is public support for addressing the
20 breeding industry and pet store industry in this State;
21 therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
3 CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established a Joint Task Force
4 on Breeders and Pet Stores to investigate and make
5 recommendations on ways to strengthen Illinois law regarding
6 these 2 industries; issues that shall be examined include, but
7 are not limited to the following: (1) humane care and treatment
8 for dogs at pet stores and breeding facilities, (2) creating
9 more specific requirements for indoor and outdoor kennel
10 facilities to ensure the health and welfare of dogs used for
11 commercial purposes, (3) establishing more detailed
12 specifications so that indoor and outdoor facilities provide
13 dogs with proper shelter, temperature control, ventilation,
14 air movement, lighting, bedding, sanitation, slope of ground
15 and run, and flooring materials, (4) creating more detailed
16 record keeping requirements for breeders and pet stores, (5)
17 ensuring that consumers are provided adequate information
18 prior to the time of sale of dogs, (6) ensuring that dogs being
19 sold are healthy, and (7) amending animal welfare laws to
20 address these specific issues as well as related yet broader
21 issues that could be addressed through such laws; and be it
22 further
 
23     RESOLVED, That the members of the Joint Task Force shall
24 include: one member appointed by the President of the Senate;

 

 

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1 one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one
2 member appointed by the Speaker of the House; one member
3 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; the Director of
4 Agriculture or his or her designee, who shall serve as the
5 Chairperson; the Director of Agriculture shall appoint 5
6 members to represent the animal welfare community, including 2
7 members from national organizations and 3 members representing
8 the shelter community and animal rescue community; the Director
9 of Agriculture shall also appoint one member representing the
10 small scale breeding community, one member representing the
11 sporting dog community, one member representing the large scale
12 breeding community, one member representing the pet store
13 industry, and one member representing the Illinois
14 Veterinarians; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That that the Department of Agriculture shall
16 provide administrative and other support to the Joint Task
17 Force and meet at the call of the chairperson; and be it
18 further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Director of Agriculture or his or her
20 designee shall serve as the Chairperson; the Joint Task Force
21 shall have a minimum of 3 meetings; and the members shall serve
22 without compensation; and be it further
 
23     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its

 

 

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1 findings and legislative recommendations to the Secretary of
2 the Senate and the Clerk of the House by October 1, 2009; and
3 that upon filing its report the Joint Task Force is dissolved;
4 and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to
6 the Director of the Department of Agriculture.