(Date)

(Your Representative's Name)
(Address)
(City / State / Zip)

Dear (Your Representative's Name),

I am writing to you to express my tremendous disappointment with SB308/AB567. This legislation is grossly inadequate and offers no solution to the serious problems with Wisconsin's pet breeder industry.

This proposal is nothing more than a "lemon law" combined with a weak honor system for licensing. The gaps in this proposal are far too numerous to list completely, so in the interest of keeping this brief, I will mention only a few:

• The bill does not address any other pet animals except dogs.

• The bill excludes pet shops and other non-breeder animal facilities from meeting any 'standards'.

• It allows anyone to get licensed by simply signing an affidavit stating they are in compliance with minimum standards.

• The bill calls for local law enforcement agencies to respond to complaints and goes so far as to say that 'the local law enforcement agency MAY (not shall) respond to complaints, leaving it their choice.

• The bill does NOT provide for the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to have ANY inspectors or staff to handle complaints.

• This proposal requires licensing only after 50 dogs are sold in a year. This number is much too high. (Applying conservative numbers @ $250.00 per dog, that is $12,500 of tax free income. How is that justified? No one else that I know of receives a $12,500 tax exemption on their income!)

Please do not support this legislation. Wisconsin can do better for its companion animals! SB308/AB567 will not resolve any of the neglect, abuse and cruelty happening in Wisconsin's puppy mills. In fact, it may very well make the problem worse by sending the message that this issue is not being taken seriously.

Thank you for your time. I welcome your response.

Sincerely,

(4 lines left blank for your signature)

(Your Name)
(Your Address)
(Your City / State / Zip)