Wisconsin Animal Legislation Mail Campaign

1. The PFA (Pet Facilities Act) makes provisions for $426,507 per year to be spent on it. This number is now estimated to be $691,000.
   References 1 and 2 and October 16th public hearing Madison, WI.

2. The PFA estimates that there are 1300 facilities in Wisconsin eligible for licensing.
   References 3 and 4.

3. The size of Wisconsin is 65,503 square miles.

4. The PFA makes provisions to employ 5 inspectors and 2 coordinators.
   References 5 and 6.

5. Each inspector would be responsible for 260 facilities and/or 13,100 square miles.

6. Doing the math, the state plans to spend $531 per year per eligible facility.

7. The PFA plans to spend over $58,000 per year on each of it's 5 inspectors, over $87,000 on it's coordinator and over $42,000. Including salaries, benefits, supplies and services. State workers also get regular yearly raises regardless of performance.
   References 7 and 8.

8. Nowhere in the PFA does it designate that any of the PFA employees will be Certified Animal Control Officers.

9. Fines collected from enforcement of the PFA will go into the State's School Fund.

10. The interest collected on the School Fund goes into the schools.

11. The fines do not go to education per se, least of all "animal education".

12. The Common School Fund is where the fines collected from PFL will go...and the interest from this fund is distributed to all school districts in Wisconsin.

13. $2 of each pet license fee will go to funding the PFA.

14. This $2 will either be added to the existing fees or taken out of the portion earmarked for shelters.

15. At a recent hearing the average fee for a kennel or breeder was expected to be $225. We have no idea at this time what it will be as AB536 states that the fees will be promulgated by rule which basically means that if they need more money to support the program they can change it to whatever they want. Currently what is on the books shows an average fee of $25, significantly less than what was recently proposed!

16. Based on 1300 qualifying facilities, that's approximately $292,500 in revenue.
    Wisconsin Department of Trade, Agriculture and Consumer Protection estimate

17. The law hasn't even been passed and there is already talk of putting a surcharge on pet food. This could lead to surcharges on other pet-related items and supplies. It could go further than that.

18. Once licensed, even the most notorious puppy millers and pet stores would be "legitimate" in the eyes of the law and the people behind it.

19. Not every county in Wisconsin has a certified Humane Officer.

20. Policemen and Sheriff's Deputies can become Certified Humane Officers.

21. Police Officers and Sheriff's Deputies have more legal power than inspectors.

22. It only costs $500 for someone to become Certified as a Humane Officer.
    Reference 9

23. Every county in WI (72 in all) could have 2 County Deputies certified as Humane Officers for $72,000. 1 each for $36000.

24. Some counties already have Animal Control Officers. (Milwaukee has several)

25. They could still operate as Sheriff's as well.

26. Each Certified County Sheriff would be responsible for 9 facilities and/or 455 square miles if two and 18 facilities and/or 910 square miles if one each.

27. A State Senator Gary Petrowski admitted this bill was too weak to stand on its own merits which is why it is being snuck through attached to the state budget.

28. By the description on their website, the Wisconsin Department of Trade, Agriculture and Consumer Protection suggests that reputable hobby breeders are the best source for purebred pets. AB 536 will group these dedicated hobby breeders along with the most nefarious "mill" breeders in the state and drive many hobby breeders out of their hobby, significantly reducing the availability of socialized, healthy animals.

29. At the October 16th public hearing on AB536 one supporter of the bill, now identified as Eilene Ribbens Rohdes, President of the Alliance of Wisconsin Animal Rehoming Efforts, of Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin stated that she had used her staff to collect names, phone numbers and website addresses of anyone who has advertised an animal for sale or for free in Wisconsin in the last five years. She has also volunteered to turn that list over to the state for enforcement. With the tools of the Internet available to Ms. Rohdes we should assume actual addresses are available as well. YOUR address!

30. Any legislation that results in reduction in compliance with rabies vaccination laws is not in the public interest. Increased license rates have been demonstrated to result in less compliance.

31. Licensing of bird, reptile and amphibian breeders and rescuers may be added to the statute.

32. There is now a mechanism for training and certifying humane officers and a strong anti-cruelty statute in Wisconsin Law. The welfare of animals is best served by local, well-trained and certified humane officers with the power to enforce that cruelty statute, not bureaucrats "inspecting facilities" where breeding or rescue takes place.