HELP needed! CT dog legislation! breeds!

[stegall]

LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT-For Immediate Release 4/2005

 
ATTENTION DOG OWNERS OF CONNECTICUT:
SUPPORT 6543!


YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED! Legislation has been introduced this session that would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against breeds of dogs. HB6543 An Act Concerning Homeowners and Tenants Insurance Underwriting Based on Breed of Dog would keep insurance companies from denying insurance or charging higher insurance rates based strictly on the breed of your dog.

Unfortunately, families have been forced to give up their pets because they cannot afford the high insurance premiums, or have been unable to obtain coverage just because their dog is on this breed list. This practice needs to be stopped. The insurance industry is lobbying to kill this bill, and the public needs to come forward in support or the bill will die.


UPDATE: The bill made it through the insurance committee by a very narrow margin on March 22, 2005 and now heads to the House and Senate for votes.

PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY:


Ø   Contact your state Senators and Representative s and urge them to support and/or Co-Sponsor HB 6543

Ø   Contact your local dog clubs or breed associations and ask that they also have their members contact their legislators.


If you do not know who your legislator is, or need their contact information, please visit the CT General Assembly website at www.cga.ct.gov.  On the left side of the page click on “House” or “Senate” and then “find your legislator”. You may email them through this link. You may also call your town hall if you do not have internet access. If you have questions about this bill, or need assistance, please contact stegall@snet.net
 

Please always use the title and bill number when speaking with your legislators, and be respectful and polite. Let the legislators know that you cannot judge a dog by its breed alone! Make yourself heard: phone/fax/email/write your legislators today!
                                           

**PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE AS APPROPRIATE**

ALL DOG OWNERS AND LOVERS NEED TO SPEAK OUT NOW--YOUR DOG COULD BE NEXT!


A “few” of the dog breeds on the banned list include: Huskies, Malamutes, German Shepherds, Mastiffs, Akitas, Rottweilers, Dobermans…. (crosses/mixes of these breeds are also included)

[jabear]

One question- Why will these legislative proposals not go away??? It is so frustrating to see these popping up in so many states. Grrr......

[stegall]

actually, this is GOOD legislation for once. However, its a very tough sell, as the insurance lobbyists are fighting their best to kill it. This bill has been attempted three years in a row, and this year we are very close-which is why the industry is out in force. The only way to be successful is to have EVRYONE contact their legislators.  They need to hear from you-especially dog owners.....

I am hoping we can go all the way this year.

So-for all of you reading, I am appealing to you for help. PLEASE contact your legislator immediately. If you need help, just email the address in the alert.

We need to them to vote YES on 6543! lets stop breed discrimination this year!

For those of you in other states, please visit the HSUS website, as there are currently 11 states with similar bills in need of help. Every state that gets these bills through is a beacon to other states.
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS MOVEMENT!

For those of you who already contacted your legislators-THANKS. your voice does matter greatly in this fight.  

[jabear]

  Opps! Sorry for my earlier comment. I guess that is what I get when I mearly glance at something. I have jus read so many legislation pieces lately that I immediately puch stop when I see something. But you are so right. This is good for every dog owner.

[stegall]

  not a problem. You should see what happens to me when I try and read things before coffee or without glassess 

We are striking back at this "vicious" dog movement with pro dog legislation. its harder to undo laws once they are passed, so lets hope we can get this done.

I have had anti-dog people say a number of ignorant things to me: "of course big dogs are aggressive-thats what they are bred for" said one person in the industry. UM, yes.... ALL big dogs are bred to attack humans.  Thats the type of mindset we need to fight.

so-all those peeking in on this thread-email those elected officials and tell them to support this bill. Then send the alert to all your friends and tell them to do the same. Its the only way this bill will pass.

I'll keep you folks posted.

[stegall]

I promised to keep you posted, so here were are, we passed the House and are now in the SENATE!! everyone-if you have not contacted your legislators (most especially Senators) please do so today, and ask them to SUPPORT 6543!  See below update/alert:

*************************************
LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT-For Immediate Release 4/2005
UPDATE AS OF 05/04/05-the bill passed the HOUSE and moves to SENATE!!

ATTENTION DOG OWNERS OF CONNECTICUT: SUPPORT 6543!

YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED! Legislation has been introduced this session that would prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against breeds of dogs. HB6543 An Act Concerning Homeowners and Tenants Insurance Underwriting Based on Breed of Dog would keep insurance companies from denying insurance or charging higher insurance rates based strictly on the breed of your dog.

Unfortunately, families have been forced to give up their pets because they cannot afford the high insurance premiums, or have been unable to obtain coverage just because their dog is on this breed list. This practice needs to be stopped. The insurance industry is lobbying to kill this bill, and the public needs to come forward in support or the bill will die.

**UPDATE 3/22/05: The bill made it through the insurance committee by a very narrow margin and now heads to the House and Senate for votes.

**UPDATE  4/25/05: An amendment has now been added. The bill now not only prohibits breed discrimination by insurance companies, but provides named protection from breed discrimination for **********guide/service and search and rescue dogs *********

**UPDATE: 5/4/05: We made it through the House with fierce opposition 77 to 70. The bill now heads to the Senate. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS IMMEDIATELY!!!!

PLEASE DO THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY:

 Contact your state Senators and urge them to support and/or Co-Sponsor HB 6543 {SEE UPDATE of 5/4/05 ABOVE}

 Contact your local dog clubs or breed associations and ask that they also have their members contact their legislators.

If you do not know who your legislator is, or need their contact information, please visit the CT General Assembly website at www.cga.ct.gov.  On the left side of the page click on “House” or “Senate” and then “find your legislator”. You may email them through this link. You may also call your town hall if you do not have internet access. If you have questions about this bill, or need assistance, please contact Amy Stegall stegall@snet.net

Please always use the title and bill number when speaking with your legislators, and be respectful and polite. Let the legislators know that you cannot judge a dog by its breed alone! Make yourself heard: phone/fax/email/write your legislators today!

**PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE AS APPROPRIATE**
ALL DOG OWNERS AND LOVERS NEED TO SPEAK OUT NOW--YOUR DOG COULD BE NEXT!

A “few” of the dog breeds on the banned list include: Huskies, Malamutes, German Shepherds, Mastiffs, Akitas, Rottweilers, Dobermans…. (crosses/mixes of these breeds are also included)


 

[Jaimie]

Breed discrimination is just horrible.  When will they get it into to their heads that ANY breed large or not can be aggressive and cause harm, aggressiveness is NOT breed specific.  They are going about it totally the wrong way what we have to do is educate people who are to be dog owners and not everyone should be allowed to have a dog.  It is the owners stupidity that this is happening to our beloved dogs( children).  Makes me so angry

[mamadog]

My insurance company has a page on their site about dogs, how to care for them and how to avoid being bitten, and what to do if you are bitten. But there are no "banned breeds" fortunatly. For that matter, they have never asked us about weather  or not we have dogs or said that we should tell them if we get one.  I'm going to call and ask them about a dog list on Monday though, just to see if they have one. In March there was an artilcle in the paper here that said legislators were trying to make it so insurance companies couldn't do that. That if your dog has already bitten someone they could refuse you, but if it hasn't they can't refuse insurance or renewal. I think it's great, though sad that this is an issue.

Vicki