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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 56

 
2     WHEREAS, Illinois citizens have the right to purchase
3 quality purebred dogs, produced by responsible breeders; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Illinois is committed to preventing dogs from
5 being housed in breeding facilities or pet stores that are
6 overcrowded, unsanitary, and lacking proper shelter and care;
7 and
 
8     WHEREAS, Breeding facilities with unsanitary conditions
9 create the potential for soil and groundwater contamination,
10 the spread of zoonotic parasites and infectious diseases, and
11 the sale of sick and dying animals to the public; therefore, be
12 it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
15 CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is established a Joint Task Force
16 on Breeders and Pet Stores to investigate and make
17 recommendations regarding these 2 industries; issues that may
18 be examined include, but are not limited to the following: (1)
19 humane care and treatment for dogs at pet stores and breeding
20 facilities, (2) creating more specific requirements for indoor
21 and outdoor kennel facilities to ensure the health and welfare
22 of dogs used for commercial purposes, (3) establishing more

 

 

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1 detailed specifications so that indoor and outdoor facilities
2 provide dogs with proper shelter, temperature control,
3 ventilation, air movement, lighting, bedding, sanitation,
4 slope of ground and run, and flooring materials, (4) creating
5 more detailed record keeping requirements for breeders and pet
6 stores, (5) ensuring that consumers are provided adequate
7 information prior to the time of sale of dogs, (6) ensuring
8 that dogs being sold are healthy, and (7) amending animal
9 welfare laws to address these specific issues as well as
10 related yet broader issues that could be addressed through such
11 laws; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That the members of the Joint Task Force shall
13 include: one member appointed by the President of the Senate;
14 one member appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one
15 member appointed by the Speaker of the House; one member
16 appointed by the Minority Leader of the House; the Director of
17 Agriculture or his or her designee, who shall serve as the
18 Chairperson; the Director of Agriculture shall appoint 5
19 members to represent the animal welfare community, including 2
20 members from national organizations and 3 members representing
21 the shelter community and animal rescue community; the Director
22 of Agriculture shall also appoint one member representing the
23 small scale breeding community, one member representing the
24 sporting dog community, one member representing the large scale
25 breeding community, one member representing the pet store

 

 

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1 industry, and one member representing the Illinois
2 Veterinarians; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That the Department of Agriculture shall provide
4 administrative and other support to the Joint Task Force and
5 meet at the call of the chairperson; and be it further
 
6     RESOLVED, That the Director of Agriculture or his or her
7 designee shall serve as the Chairperson; the Joint Task Force
8 shall have a minimum of 3 meetings; and the members shall serve
9 without compensation; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That the Joint Task Force shall report its
11 findings and legislative recommendations to the Secretary of
12 the Senate and the Clerk of the House by January 1, 2010; and
13 that upon filing its report the Joint Task Force is dissolved;
14 and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be delivered to
16 the Director of the Department of Agriculture.