On February 17, SB 1712 was passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee, with only one dissenting vote (Senator John Gumm)!

Effective Organizing to Move SB 1712 Forward

SB 1712, “The Black Market Breeders Bill,” will address the tax evasion by unlicensed dog sellers that robs Oklahoma of millions of dollars in tax revenue through clandestine sales. Tax evasion, cruelty and consumer fraud hurt Oklahoma…together we can help.

Under current State law, a seller of dogs and cats must collect and remit sales tax to the State of Oklahoma. Yet, many skirt taxes and cruelty laws as well. Under our current lack of state laws, Oklahoma breeders operate with virtually no oversight.

How to support the passage of SB 1712

After its February 17 passage out of the Senate Appropriations Committee, SB 1712 will be voted on by the full Oklahoma Senate. It is vital that each and every senator hear a message of support from people within their own districts. Constituent’s opinions are the most important message the senators can hear.

To find your senator click here. (Your Federal legislators are listed first; please scroll down to see your state representatives and senators)

• Contact your senator through a letter, phone call and/ or a visit. Please ask any other registered voter(s) who care about animals to do the same.
• Create a phone tree of people that you know will follow through with their own calls, letters and visits. Remember one phone call or letter can make a difference.
• Ask friends in other legislative districts to write or call their own representatives.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper supporting the passage of SB 1712.
• When writing letters, write your own letter and avoid form letters if possible.
• When calling a senators office, have a phone script handy and plan a call lasting only a minute or two. For example: “Hello, this is Jane Smith at 123 Main Street in Oklahoma City. I’m calling to ask for your support for SB 1712, which would regulate dog and cat producing facilities in our state that currently avoid taxes and bypass other laws as well. I urge you to vote yes. Thank you.”
• If using voicemail: State your name and address, identify SB 1712 and briefly state your support for the bill. Keep the message simple and clear.
• E-mail is received differently by individual legislators. Some prefer e-mail over all other communication; some don’t read e-mail for days or not at all. Call your legislator’s office first and simply ask, “Does Senator Smith read e-mail” If you send an e-mail, always include your FULL name and HOME address at the end.

SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR

(please write this in your own words)

The Honorable John Smith
Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Date………

Dear Senator Smith:

I am a constituent in your district and I am writing to urge your support for SB 1712.

I am deeply concerned about halting unscrupulous breeders who are on the rise in our state and often operate a cash business that enables them to evade taxes they are compelled to contribute.

Additionally, Oklahoma is the second to the highest dog producing state in the nation, and is the only high volume breeder sate to have no state regulations to address the facilities which do not fall under the federal regulatory agencies.

In addition to the well-known tax evasion issues, substandard facilities create serious animal welfare and consumer fraud issues, and they are causing legitimate breeders in our state to close their doors.

I look forward to learning your position on SB 1712. Please let me know if any additional information about this issue would be helpful.

Sincerely,

Jane Public
100 Main Street
Anywhere, OK & Zip

Sample Talking Points on the “Black Market Breeder Bill”

Oklahoma is the second largest commercial dog producing state in the nation, but unlike all other high volume breeder states, these facilities are unregulated in Oklahoma. By continuing to allow black market puppy sales, our state loses millions of dollars in tax revenue and welcomes people who cannot comply with basic laws in their own states. Without the protections of SB 1712, Oklahoma will continue to lose out.

Who is affected by this bill? Only people who are engaged in the business of selling dogs and cats and have eleven (11) or more female dogs or cats which they breed.

Why is an important bill? It insures that the taxes owed to the State are collected. Estimates are that annual dog sales in Oklahoma total between 75 and 200 million dollars; these sales should be bringing 3 to 9 million dollars in sales tax revenue to Oklahoma. Yet many sellers do not report cash sales.

• This bill treats commercial, large-scale dog pet breeding as the profession that it truly is.
• It protects consumers by helping to assure they get a quality product.
• And it will ultimately help the industry by eliminating substandard breeders that are not providing proper care and treatment for their animals.

If you have ANY questions, please contact Christy Counts, Executive Director of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, at christy@okhumane.org or 405-286-1503.

THANK YOU for your support, time and dedication!