Puppy mill bill moving through Legislature

It is time for Maine to stop supporting the large scale breeding industry (a.k.a. puppy/kitten mills) by buying pet shop puppies and kittens.

L.D. 335 HP 229 is “An Act To Prohibit The Sales Of Dogs And Cats In Pet Shops.” This bill will prohibit pet shops from selling puppies and kittens that have not been born and raised by the pet shop proprietor. The prohibition does not apply to a public or private charitable nonprofit shelter, humane society, or rescue organization, a pet shop where a dog or cat owned by a public or private organization excepted by the law is being offered for adoption or a pet shop that is selling a cat or dog that was born and raised by the owner of the pet shop in a separate facility.

Documents obtained from the Maine Department of Animal Welfare have shown 95 percent of all pups and kittens sold in Maine pet shops are from out of state, inhumane large scale breeding facilities (puppy mills) where the parents are kept in unsanitary cages, without nutritious food, veterinary care, and protection from the elements, many breeders with repeat violations and many not licensed by the USDA.

I urge everyone reading this to please take a moment and contact the committee of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry as the hearings for this proposed bill will start very soon. You may call or email the members of this committee to show your support for this bill and simply ask for an “ought to pass” vote. You may contact them by following this link: http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/jt_com/acf.htm. The phone number for each state representative is 1-(800)-423-2900 and state senators, 1-(800)-423-6900.

Please join Maine Citizens Against Puppy Mills on Facebook for more information.

Lynne Fracassi

Maine Citizens

Against Puppy Mills

Casco

Manager’s salary not scandalous

I would like to give my two cents in regard to the new contract for the town manager in Standish.

I have no idea what the exact reason is for the manager to ask for a renewal at this time. But, for the sake of argument, let’s say that he decided to do so in order to keep job security if a new council decides to replace him. How many people in the audience Tuesday night would not do the exact same thing? How many Fortune 500 executives would not ask for a renewal if they were unsure of their future? This is not a huge deal. This is an example of a manager who has served the town for 14 years doing something that makes perfect sense. This is not an illegal act. This is not an immoral act. This is a no-brainer. I would do the exact same thing given the same circumstances, and so would anyone else.

I applaud any group that believes a town should have checks and balances. I have respect for any group that fights to ensure that a project is shut down if the people reject it four times. I have a huge amount of respect for any council member who stands alone for what they believe in. But I have to be honest in saying that this one battle is one without substance.

The watch-dog group has accomplished a huge amount of success in a short period of time. They deserve respect whether you agree with them or not. I would however like to just mention that a lot of groups are judged on what battles they choose to fight. There is a fine line between standing up for and supporting the wishes of townspeople and using the power of numbers for a witch hunt.

As I said, this is just my opinion.

Jack Freitas

Standish

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