Comments on: Hoarder, breeder or rescuer? http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/ The Web blog of the Pet Connection, a pet-care feature syndicated internationally by Universal Press. Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:53:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Joy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-264309 Joy Sun, 11 May 2008 19:14:18 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-264309 I join the others here who are asking…if existing laws are not being enforced, how does one propose that a stronger law will be better enforced? I join the others here who are asking…if existing laws are not being enforced, how does one propose that a stronger law will be better enforced?

]]> By: Caveat http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-252139 Caveat Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:13:15 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-252139 I personally feel the laws are more than adequate. What's missing is the enforcement. I find it odd that municipalities consider enforcement of simple leashing, licensing, maintenance and care bylaws to be a very low priority. They do not allocate proper resources, either financial or in terms of personnel, believing it is a waste of money. Yet, many of these places have no problem with legislating dog owners into second-class status because of the shape of their pets, or mandating invasive surgery with health implications for animals, then actively enforcing those completely useless approaches. There are systems out there that are universal, fair, enforceable and taxpayer neutral. They don't cost taxpayers a cent, in other words as they are fully funded by pet owners. Until animal abuse and cruelty along with negligent pet ownership are considered a priority, there will be no improvement. More laws are definitely not the answer, at least not across the board. Enforcement of existing regs is the key, as shown in places where they have been successful. I personally feel the laws are more than adequate. What’s missing is the enforcement.

I find it odd that municipalities consider enforcement of simple leashing, licensing, maintenance and care bylaws to be a very low priority. They do not allocate proper resources, either financial or in terms of personnel, believing it is a waste of money.

Yet, many of these places have no problem with legislating dog owners into second-class status because of the shape of their pets, or mandating invasive surgery with health implications for animals, then actively enforcing those completely useless approaches.

There are systems out there that are universal, fair, enforceable and taxpayer neutral. They don’t cost taxpayers a cent, in other words as they are fully funded by pet owners.

Until animal abuse and cruelty along with negligent pet ownership are considered a priority, there will be no improvement.

More laws are definitely not the answer, at least not across the board. Enforcement of existing regs is the key, as shown in places where they have been successful.

]]> By: Ann H http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-252036 Ann H Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:54:43 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-252036 Incentive to enforce. Lobbyists have the incentive to make sure that laws include no parameters to provide legal repercussions. Pablum. Laws when made should include the incentive (repercussions). Otherwise, the laws, enforcement and incentive are left chasing their tails. Isn't that where we are now? Problems with no incentive, no laws that are sufficent to enforce and no solutions and a disenfranchised society? Incentive to enforce.

Lobbyists have the incentive to make sure that laws include no parameters to provide legal repercussions. Pablum.

Laws when made should include the incentive (repercussions).

Otherwise, the laws, enforcement and incentive are left chasing their tails.

Isn’t that where we are now? Problems with no incentive, no laws that are sufficent to enforce and no solutions and a disenfranchised society?

]]> By: EmilyS http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251605 EmilyS Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:32:28 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251605 uh Carol: if the existing WEAK laws aren't enforced, what makes you think STRONGER laws would be? uh Carol: if the existing WEAK laws aren’t enforced, what makes you think STRONGER laws would be?

]]> By: slt http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251570 slt Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:37:01 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251570 Senator Williams from SC did violate a number of existing laws (both county and state) but simply wasn't held accountable. Hopefully that will change when the parties involved receive enough letters from concerned citizens questioning why the Senator was not charged. I've sent mine. Senator Williams from SC did violate a number of existing laws (both county and state) but simply wasn’t held accountable. Hopefully that will change when the parties involved receive enough letters from concerned citizens questioning why the Senator was not charged. I’ve sent mine.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251563 Christie Keith Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:02:18 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251563 So, you'd like stronger laws on the books everywhere, across the board? There are no places that already have laws that are good enough? So, you’d like stronger laws on the books everywhere, across the board? There are no places that already have laws that are good enough?

]]> By: Carol http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251562 Carol Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:01:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251562 Frankly, I'd like to have stronger laws already on the books and work on the enforcement of them. That can happen if concerned citizens work together. Frankly, I’d like to have stronger laws already on the books and work on the enforcement of them. That can happen if concerned citizens work together.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251556 Christie Keith Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:48:15 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251556 We need to determine if the problem is our laws suck, or the will to enforce the laws doesn't exist in the community, local law enforcement, etc. If the laws are the problem, reform them. If the enforcement is the problem, then more and stricter laws won't work. We need to determine if the problem is our laws suck, or the will to enforce the laws doesn’t exist in the community, local law enforcement, etc.

If the laws are the problem, reform them.

If the enforcement is the problem, then more and stricter laws won’t work.

]]> By: Carol http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251553 Carol Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:37:55 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251553 Then how exactly do you prosecute offenders for abuse/neglect if there isn't a law for it? So we shouldn't have stricter laws for this because we might offend someone? That's what I'm getting from your post. Then how exactly do you prosecute offenders for abuse/neglect if there isn’t a law for it? So we shouldn’t have stricter laws for this because we might offend someone? That’s what I’m getting from your post.

]]> By: Christie Keith http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251545 Christie Keith Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:16:55 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2008/04/14/hoarder-breeder-or-rescuer/#comment-251545 The effectiveness of a law and the enforcement of a law don't necessarily have anything to do with each other. In areas where the laws are weak, they can be brought up to a higher standard. But in areas where there is no will to enforce them, making more or stricter laws will just piss of a lot of people and reduce will for enforcement, not increase it. Unless the laws in an area really are substandard when comapred to other similar communities, we need to get out of the headset that everything we think is right or best needs to be a law. It doesn't work. The effectiveness of a law and the enforcement of a law don’t necessarily have anything to do with each other.

In areas where the laws are weak, they can be brought up to a higher standard.

But in areas where there is no will to enforce them, making more or stricter laws will just piss of a lot of people and reduce will for enforcement, not increase it.

Unless the laws in an area really are substandard when comapred to other similar communities, we need to get out of the headset that everything we think is right or best needs to be a law. It doesn’t work.

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