Nevada Legislators Vote to Protect Our Animals

Dear Readers, 

We have lots to celebrate! The Nevada Legislature just concluded its 2013 session and Kevin O’Neill of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) says 

NEVADA LEADS THE NATION IN PASSING ANIMAL PROTECTION LEGISLATION!

Thanks to Beverlee McGrath, lobbyist for animal protection, Carrol Able and Shannon Windle of Hidden Valley Wild Horse Protection Campaign for providing this information.  

SB 72, ANTI-HORSE TRIPPING; substantially amended

PASSED

SJR 1, WILD HORSE RESOLUTION RE TOURISM; Encourages tourism of horses in their NATURAL environment, encourages cooperative agreements between the Dept. of Ag and rescue organizations. 

PASSED

AB 264, PENALTIES FOR FEEDING ESTRAY HORSES; First offense - discussion only re illegal feeding, Second offense - gross misdemeanor.***

 

Man-handling of this new foal mobilized a grassroots movement to form a cooperative agreement between Nevada Department of Agriculture and wild horse advocates  

(photo by Bo Rodriguez)

 SB 82,BEAR HUNT STUDY RESOLUTION; Watered down from a prohibition of a bear hunt to a 3-yr study to be conducted after the 2013 scheduled hunt. 

AMENDMENT CONCURRED

AB 110, PROHIBITS DOG BREED DISCRIMINATION; watered down from original bill, but should be good news for those of us who like to kiss German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, etc. 

 PASSED and SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR

Many Pit Bulls are quite lovable and like to dress up as pirates

 

SB 73, PROTECTS THE IDENTITY OF A PERSON WHO REPORTS ANIMAL CRUELTY; clarifies that the person who reports should be withheld/protected, not the entire report. 

  PASSED

SB 83, INCREASES PENALTIES FOR COCKFIGHTING
   PASSED
SB 213, TRAPPING; watered down from original bill, currently requires some form of ID on the traps that are set.

 PASSED

 
SB 245, PROHIBITION OF PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF EXOTIC ANIMALS; This was a great bill - it has been dramatically watered down to suggest “counties MAY adopt an ordinance pertaining to exotics”.  The amendment which prohibited private ownership of great apes was rejected.

NO ACTION FROM THE ASSEMBLY

SB 371, PROHIBITS FEEDING BIG-GAME MAMMALS; will prohibit 'baiting' mammals for hunting purposes.

PASSED


AB 168, REQUIRES COUNTY COMMISSION TO APPOINT A 'PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVE TO WILDLIFE COMMISSION since hunters are the only members who serve on the County Advisory Board for the Wildlife Commission
   SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR
 

AB 246, SWAP MEETS; A compromise bill, due to varied issues across the state.  Prohibits the sale of live animals at swap meets/flea markets/open air markets unless an ordinance
   PASSED

AB 345, PREDATORS; Requires wildlife commission to establish policies for predator programs and activities and 'manage' according to the BEST SCIENCE AVAILABLE. PASSED

 

 

***AB 264 calls for increased penalties against people who think it's fun and perfectly okay to feed horses in inappropriate places which may put wild horses at risk. A change to the law replaces the word “controlling” with the word “managing”.  This small change opens the door that will bring wild horse advocates and the NV Dept of Agriculture together to develop humane methods of managing the wild horses of the Virginia Range – a cooperative agreement!