YOUR “HEART” or YOUR RIGHTS?

Editor’s Note: Sam Harper's views of Albuquerque are his own. The information in his essay specific to the provisions of the HEART ordinance was adapted from the website of ICARE-USA. ICARE-USA is a new organization formed to deal with HEART and future pet laws.   Visit their website for details and updates on HEART.  www.icare-usa.org

July 2006 | Sam Harper | TheDogPress

My daughter is tuned in to SAOVA. I saw eye to eye with Bob Kane. His successor is a lot nicer but just as much on top of political stuff. Susan Wolf reminds us that there are a lot of new faces in state capitols. I wouldn’t get too enthusiastic about that but she suggests “If you cannot meet personally with a legislator, the best methods of communication are: telephone calls, faxes and direct emails to key staff.”

What you are about to read will be hard to believe, especially if you are over 50 and paid attention in Civics class. People half that age will accept it because they have seen its roots in a new society shaped by the teaching materials provided by PeTA and other whacko groups.  They have been schooled in the “don’t make waves” tradition.  They are intimidated by vets and afraid of not supporting it.  If you care about dogs, pets of any kind, and you care about your rights as Americans, you will fight this.

I am going to condense this for you, boil it down to things that will shock and anger you but I took it right from the new law in Albuquerque.  First, let me say I have been to that city, a mix of Old Town traditions that I admire, and smog and poverty and modernization that repels me.  It is right at the foot of the Sangre De Christie mountains and stretching to its west is a rough land that supports a few depressed trading towns like Gallup, old Indians, sheepherders, and reservations.  Everything and everyone else seems to have gravitated into the metropolis.

So who are the people of the city who elected the Moron Mayor that got this bill passed?  I am guessing they are people who came in from the hard land or from Mexico looking for work or a better life.  Those people don’t keep up with local politics.  How many others are just old hippies, middle-aged Indian supporters or young tree huggers who only care about their own narrow-minded agenda?  Who knows?  They don’t do that kind of census.  When I was there (do not ask me which of the third group I belonged to) it was a city just beginning to find itself.  When I think about it, it would have been a prime target for the animal rights whackos to move in and take control of a city with its mind on other things, its government ripe for the taking.  It also is a city that figured its citizens, a lot of whom don’t even speak English much less read or write English, wouldn’t notice.  And don’t blame just the Moron Mayor, he had accomplices and one such group is pretty obvious because the VETS had to be planning how they were going to spend all this extra income and a lot of new inspector and enforcement jobs will be created and paid for by the fines and fees generated and, well, you get it.

Here is what the citizens of Albuquerque New Mexico let happen.  The Mayor of Albuquerque and the Albuquerque Animal Care Center (AACC) just walked off with all of your rights as concerns your pets but you can be SURE that if this stands, it will spread like a plague and everyone everywhere will be infected. Here's just some of the insanity:

• You have to get a permit to keep a pet and if you and your neighbor have a falling out, they can complain and bingo, there went your permit and your pet.

• If you upset your dog or cat by giving it the mandatory bath, and that pesky neighbor reports you, you can be charged with misdemeanor cruelty and your pet can be hauled off and put out of its misery!

• Rescue, feed or otherwise take care of a stray unless you report it to the AACC people and they say you can be a “finder” which isn’t likely.

• Your vet is now required to report everything about you when you take the dog in for a rabies shot or to the required microchip.

• Spay/neuter is of course mandatory and if you claim some kind of exception but even if your vet says the dog is too old or sick to have the surgery, that despot the Mad Mayor can require your dog be re-examined (at your expense) by another vet or you have to get a $150 permit to avoid the surgery.

• Then you have to pay that $150 every year but they can revoke it at any time.

• You have to be a model citizen with no record and you can’t be associated with anyone the Mad Mayor is mad at or you can be denied that permit at any time.

• Your home can be inspected any time, without warrant or provocation. In other words, a suspected drug dealer can only be raided with a warrant but you can be raided without legal proceedings if you own a permitted animal.

• If you are granted that permit you must display it and the damn law in one-inch high lettering in the front of your property! You have to advertise for the city and the Mayor! A big sign that violates a sign ordinance!!

• It’ll cost you another $150 for a permit to breed your permitted dog or cat.

• You can’t keep a promising pup for more than six months.

• If the pup or kitten gets “sick” during the first week, you pay the new owner's vet bills because if you don’t, you will wind up paying the new owner’s legal fees too.

• Even if every puppy is pre-sold, you are required to advertise the litter locally and include that permit number.  

• If you live in 5 surrounding counties and take your pet to Albuquerque to shop, visit a friend, go to training class or to work, you have to license it in Albuquerque.

Unconstitutional?   Not according to the Albuquerque City Council which proudly stated it expects legal challenge and isn’t at all worried.