Unless common sense prevails, Animal Rights Groups from all over the world will rejoice, as HEART has become law in Albuquerque.  There has been a challenge mounted by Albuquerque citizens…but if it does not succeed HEART will become law August 22, 2006.

So many of the provisions in HEART are so absurd, it is hard to believe that any City Councilor who has ever owned a pet could possibly vote in favor of such a law.  It passed tho…6 ayes to 3 nays and signed by the Mayor.  It purportedly took 3 years to create HEART.  Below is an overview of what 3 years of work brought forth on the citizenry of Albuquerque.

HEART has trivialized “animal cruelty” to the extent that the concept of cruelty is rendered meaningless.  Under HEART, everyone who owns a dog, cat, or any pet, will at some time be guilty and violate HEARTs provisions of animal cruelty.  For example, withholding water for ANY reason is animal cruelty.  That would include Vet Instructions, crating at night, or a tipped water bowl (no, it doesn’t matter if the dog DID do it).

HEART declares that walking a dog on a leash longer than 8’ is animal cruelty.  Good-bye “Flexi” leads or the 12’ show leads at the dog shows.  I can see Animal Control “Leash Posse’s” armed with their tape measures looking for violators of the 8’ rule.

Animal crates are for “temporary use only” and must exceed commercial standards for kennels.  A sleeping crate for a 66 lb. dog requires 24 square feet of floor space and must be at least 3’ high.  Anything smaller…you guessed it…is animal cruelty. Good-bye collapsible or Ferrari styled crates for FIDO or Fluffy. 

Animal cruelty also includes “psychological pain.”  Albeit undefined…it's included in HEART.  Bird Perch diameters are also included and if you run over a snake on the road and don’t report it…yep…”You’re GUILTY” of animal cruelty.  If you are convicted of Animal Cruelty…you may no longer ever own an intact dog or cat.

HEART will require mandatory spay and neuter of all existing intact dogs or cats over the age of 6 months. You can apply for a permit to keep an intact dog or cat for $150 per animal with a maximum of 4 per household.  All puppies and kittens must be spayed or neutered by the age of 6 months.  That said…the Mayor could, at any time, declare a moratorium on “Intact Permits”, in which case any intact animals may be seized by the city and be spayed or neutered.  Pet stores will no longer be able to sell dogs or cats. The City Council, after hours of debate, was successful in changing the term “dog toy” to “safe product.”  Failure to provide such a product is a misdemeanor.

HEART repeals existing sections of Albuquerque’s current animal control ordinance and adds new sections. Inexplicably, HEART repeals provisions for Off Leash dog parks and the Animal Welfare Board.  Under HEART, no provisions for either exist and letting a dog run loose will be Animal Cruelty.

If there is any question as to who is running the “Show” in Albuquerque…allow me to give you the straight answer!  The Mayor has publicly announced that during his administration,”Animal Activists” are “In,” and people with more moderate views are “Out.”  By passing HEART, the City Council has supported the “extreme ideologies” expressed by those Animal Rights Activists who are “in.”  After three years of development, those Albuquerque citizens with concerns about HEART, were given just 90 seconds to express those concerns to the City Council.  It would seem the “mainstream" or common-sensical” approach has been cut out of the process.

HEART is based on false assumptions associated with the extreme concepts of the Animal Rights Movement. The ARO concepts found in HEART include numerous invalid propositions such as those that follow:

Albuquerque is NOT Humane & Compassionate towards animals. 
Albuquerque treats animals as lifeless chattel property. 
Albuquerque residents commit unfettered, callus acts that cause pain and suffering to animals. 
Laws “against chaining” will help to eliminate dogs roaming at large.  Chained animals are more likely to run away. 
Albuquerque has an overwhelming supply of animals that exceeds demand and crowding or overpopulation at shelters
                 endangers humans. 
Strict laws will increase compassion towards animals. 
Government must exercise control over dog and cat populations. 
Government must identify and track all dogs and cats as well as their owners. 
Except by Government fiat, every dog and cats must have its reproductive capability eliminated. 
Government will establish arbitrary standards for animal care. 

I have followed HEART as it has gone through its formative stages.  I have written virtually all of the Council Members and the Mayor to no avail.  To say that ARO’s are entrenched in Albuquerque is an understatement.  I have monitored the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s activities in Albuquerque and they have been many.  The ALDF is the “3 piece suit” division of the AR Movement.  They are AR Lawyers who promote those ideas listed above as fact.  The ALDF has had many lunches (always Vegan) and seminars during the past 3 years.  HEART is their dream legislation that was allowed by a dream Mayor and dream Council members.  I believe you could say that HEART is the most draconian proposition yet attempted, and that includes CA SB 861.

There is “good news” tho…the person responsible for 861 is California Senator Jacque Speier.  Senator Speier ran for the Lt. Governor position on the Democrat ticket.  She finished a dismal 2nd and this was in large part due to a coalition of Democrat pet owners that sent her a startling message on how “Their Dog Votes!”  Such a coalition is forming in Albuquerque and will voice its feelings in the coming elections.  As the Albuquerque Mayor and City Council have yet to learn, you cannot “legislate responsibility”…you must “educate” responsibility.  Irresponsible pet owners simply go further underground when such laws are passed.  They didn’t obey the existing laws and they won’t follow the provisions of HEART, either. 

However, if Albuquerque had spent the last 3 years promoting “Responsible Pet Ownership 101” in their School Districts, they would have graduated 3 classes of responsible pet owners who would obey existing laws.  The National figure for spays and neuter is 7 out of 10 households.  That’s 70 % any way you cut the pie.  Mandatory Spay & Neuter that is called for in HEART will eliminate ALL companion animals in Albuquerque and that is exactly what the ARO’s want to happen.  Plank 10 of the Animal Rights Agenda is to “Abolish the breeding of companion animals…especially purebred or pedigreed dogs and cats.  In a sad way, I am pleased HEART passed and others can see what they’re in for if they follow down the ARO path. 

The German Shepherd Dog Club of America and its AR directed committee RALEEF are currently working at forming such coalitions in each of the 9 Regions of our country.  RALEEF is working to see citizens and other Specialty and All Breed clubs come together at the Ballot Box in defense of our animals and our sport.  Your support is a must.  Email RALEEF at RALEEF@bellsouth.net and a RALEEF representative will contact you with information on what you can do to thwart the ARO plans.  It’s no longer a matter if we fight them…it’s a matter of we must fight them.  If we do not, HEART will become the rule rather than the exception.  Is that what you want????