House Veterinarians Urge Action on Canine Imports
By: Patti Strand Date: 10/3/2019 Category: |
For Immediate Release
October 3, 2019
Contact: Patti Strand, NAIA President
503-761-8962 or naia@naiaonline.org
HOUSE VETERINARIANS URGE ACTION ON CANINE IMPORTS
Today, Representatives Ralph Abraham (R-LA), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Ted Yoho (R-FL), members of the Veterinary Medicine Caucus and the only three licensed veterinarians currently serving in Congress, sent a letter to the leaders of the House Agriculture Committee calling for bipartisan action to address the gaps in oversight over canine imports. The letter states:
“Unfortunately, the recently released report from USDA reinforces concerns we raised in a letter sent to the House Agriculture Committee leadership on April 16, 2018 regarding the lack of authority over dog importation, the threats of diseases associated with imported animals, and the fractured oversight at the federal level… We would not tolerate this lack of oversight for cattle, poultry, or swine arriving in the U.S., and we should not tolerate it for the animals who are our closest companions. We believe, given the results of USDA's study, that significant enforcement and recordkeeping authorities are needed to address risks associated with the importation of dogs, and we look forward to working in a bipartisan fashion with you and the Administration to enact these needed changes.”
Patti Strand, founder and President of the National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) said:
“The NAIA applauds Representatives Abraham, Schrader and Yoho for calling attention to this important matter and we look forward to working with Congress to advance bipartisan legislation that addresses these significant gaps in federal oversight of dogs imported into the U.S.”
The letter comes following a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report on dog importation required by the 2018 Farm Bill. The report includes an estimate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that 1.06 million dogs are imported into the U.S. each year. Congress amended the Animal Welfare Act in the 2008 Farm Bill to give USDA authority over dog importation, but 11 years later, USDA’s report acknowledges that authority is applied to fewer than 3,000 dogs, or around one-quarter of a percent of dogs imported each year.
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Read more: Veterinary Medicine Caucus Letter
About The Author
Patti is a recognized expert and consultant on contemporary animal issues, most notably responsible dog ownership and the animal rights movement. She often appears on radio and television and her articles on canine issues, animal welfare, public policy and animal rights have appeared in major US news publications and in trade, professional and scientific journals. Patti and her…
All Authors Of This Article: | Patti Strand |
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