Oklahoma House OKs commercial pet breeder measure
BY WAYNE GREENE World Senior Writer
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
4/24/12 at 6:22 AM
OKLAHOMA CITY - The House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that would move oversight of commercial pet breeders to the state Agriculture Department.
Senate Bill 1919 - which now goes to the state Senate for consideration - would eliminate the Oklahoma Commercial Pet Breeders Board and its rules.
Under the proposal, kennels with 11 or more intact breeding females would be required to be licensed, inspected and regulated by the state Agriculture Department, said Rep. Don Armes, R-Faxon.
Armes said the Agriculture Department already has inspectors and state-certified law enforcement officers for enforcement operations and would be "less obnoxious" in dealing with pet breeders than the board has been.
The bill passed on an 86-1 vote.
Because the measure would wipe out current rules of the commercial pet breeders board, kennels would be unregulated until the Agriculture Department created new rules and the Legislature approved them, which couldn't happen until next year.
The bill provides for returning unspent funds donated to the Commercial Pet Breeder Board to donors on a prorated basis.
Original Print Headline: House OKs commercial pet breeders measure
