Happy Holidays!

Best wishes for a peaceful and healthy holiday season...

...and a wonderful New Year!

Seasons Greetings!

I'd like to begin by thanking you, our generous supporters, for your unwavering dedication to ISAR throughout 2010.

Your firm commitment has graciously provided ISAR with the means to remain steadfast and active on the legal, legislative, and educational fronts to improve the lives of animals.

Everything ISAR does on behalf of animals we owe to you.

It is always ISAR's top priority to expand our spay/neuter message through our various educational and direct action campaigns. ISAR is the only international organization dedicated, in various ways, solely to working for the day when every dog and cat born will have a permanent loving home.We strive for the day when our companion animals will be "companions," not disposable objects that are left along roadways or abandoned to shelters.

Through ISAR's comprehensive programs and our targeted resources we provide elected officials, attorneys, law schools, animal advocates and the media with the education, knowledge and tools to effect positive changes on behalf of animals.

As ISAR works to expand the reach of our message and many projects in 2011, I'm hoping you can help us kick off the New Year with a contribution of $15, $25, $35, $100, or even more.

At this time, I would like to take a moment to reflect on some of the programs and campaigns ISAR has worked on during the past six months.

ISAR will once again elaborate on our activities from the latter half of 2010 in a special six-month report in January 2011.

Here's a preview of some of ISAR's major activities during the last six months of 2010.

Exigent Circumstances
During the summer, ISAR created a buzz among our supporters with our blog, Search Warrants in Animal Protection Cases (http://isaronline.blogspot.com/2010/06/search-warrants-in-animal-protection.html). It focused on a criminal case decided by the Court of Appeal of the State of California, Second Appellate District, Division Three entitled The People v. Keith Chung.

ISAR noted that both the federal Bill of Rights and comparable constitutional provisions in the States require that before a search (or seizure) can be made by government officials, a search warrant must be obtained from a judicial officer. It takes "probable cause" that a crime has been, or is being, committed to support the issuance of a warrant.

However, as with most legal doctrines, there are exceptions.

One exception, relevant to the Chung case, is the "exigency" exception.

As the court said in the conclusion of its Chung decision, "[e]xigent circumstances properly may be found when an officer reasonably believes immediate warrantless entry into a residence is required to aid a live animal in distress. Where an officer reasonably believes an animal on the property is in immediate need of aid due to injury or mistreatment, the exigent circumstances exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment may be invoked to permit warrantless entry to aid the animal."

ISAR anticipates that this issue will arise in other states, which will reach the same conclusion. Serious apparent danger to animals will suffice for a warrantless entry.

Since our blog was posted, the response from our supporters and others new to ISAR's work has been very positive.

Indeed, we have been asked for more information about the Chung appellate opinion, and some folks have expressed an interest in making it available to police and animal control officers.

Accordingly, Professor Holzer has "annotated" the court's written opinion by interposing his comments in Courier font into the actual document.

To view Professor Holzer's comments online, please visit our website
www.isaronline.citymax.com/f/The_People_v_Keith_Chung_Revisited.pdf -- or you may request a hardcopy by contacting ISAR directly by mail, phone, or fax.

International Homeless Animals' Day®
On the third Saturday of August, since 1992, ISAR, along with animal protection organizations, dedicated vigil coordinators, and concerned individuals have banded together from around the world to educate people of all nations about the pet overpopulation epidemic and the spay/neuter solution.

On August 21, 2010, ISAR commemorated its 19th annual International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigil observances in 38 states and 18 foreign countries.

For the 9th consecutive year, ISAR once again, was pleased to offer our Online Candlelight Vigil.

Individuals from around the globe, including Sweden, Canada, Serbia and Montenegro, Bermuda, Czech Republic, Australia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Poland, Brazil, Croatia, Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, Denmark -- as well as the United States -- posted a message in memory of the victims of pet overpopulation.

This year, ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day observances were marked with candlelight vigils, adopt-a-thons, spay/neuter clinics, blessings of the animals, pet walks and contests, fundraisers and much more. ISAR is grateful for the efforts put forth by dedicated vigil coordinators, concerned individuals, and countless organizations who observe International Homeless Animals' Day. ISAR is pleased to report, that as a direct result of ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigils, countless shelter animals find permanent loving homes and equally countless numbers of pets are now spayed and neutered, saving millions of animals' lives.

ISAR will commemorate our 20th anniversary of International Homeless Animals' Day on August 20, 2011. We will once again offer our vigil planning packets, at no cost, to help guide participants in selecting a vigil site and reaching target audiences to ensure a successful event. Interested parties may request a free vigil packet by contacting ISAR.

ISAR's Spay/Neuter Billboards Shed Light On Pet Overpopulation
Just in time for ISAR's 19th annual International Homeless Animals' Day observances, ISAR unveiled its latest spay/neuter billboard design featuring a tiger-striped cat and golden dog while promoting prominent slogans such as "Shed Light on a Global Tragedy - Pet Overpopulation" and "Spay/Neuter. It Stops Killing." Animal protection organizations and concerned individuals took advantage of ISAR's latest billboard design to promote their International Homeless Animals' Day observances. ISAR's Spay/Neuter Billboards were erected in two locations in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Virginia.

Social Networks
ISAR continues to grow by utilizing online social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace as well as Twitter and our blog (www.isaronline.blogspot.com) to keep thousands of our supporters abreast of what we are currently working on in our fight for animal rights. Some of our recent blog topics include Search Warrants in Animal Protection Cases, The People v. Keith Chung, Revisited, The "Half-a-Loaf" Problem Arises Again, "No-Kill" Advances, Shed Light On A Global Tragedy, ISAR's Semi-Annual Report: January - July 2010, and International Homeless Animals' Day: August 21, 2010.We encourage everyone interested in animal protection/animal rights to join us online via Facebook (www.facebook.com/isaronline), Myspace (www.myspace.com/i_s_a_r), or subscribe to ISAR's Blog (http://www.isaronline.blogspot.com/). If you would like to receive ISAR's E-Newsletter, ISAR encourages you to contact us by visiting our website (http://www.isaronline.org/) and requesting to be added to ISAR's E-Newsletter mailing list.

ISAR on the Radio
DogsInDanger Radio Hour invited ISAR Chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, as a special guest to discuss mandatory spay/neuter programs with their listening audience. The DogsInDanger radio show helped to provide a perfect platform for animal lovers alike to learn more about ISAR's recent monographs titled, The Policy, Law and Morality of Mandatory Spay/Neuter and ISAR's Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Faciliation and Sales both of which can be found on ISAR's website www.isaronline.org. You can listen to an archived podcast of Professor Holzer's radio interview by visiting the DogsInDanger website.

As 2010 comes to an end, ISAR is focused and energized for 2011.We plan to expand our already successful spay/neuter programs and campaigns. ISAR will continue to send our spay/neuter message worldwide and work toward the elimination of the ghastly spectacle of companion animals being destroyed because there are not enough good homes for them all.

On behalf of all animals and ISAR, I thank you and look forward to a positive and productive year in 2011.

Sincerely,

Susan Dapsis
President

International Homeless Animals' Day: August 21, 2010

International Homeless Animals' Day 2010 was commemorated for the nineteenth consecutive year on August 21st with Candlelight Vigil observances in 38 states and 18 foreign countries.

Introduction
Each year, on the third Saturday of August, animal protection organizations, dedicated vigil coordinators, and concerned individuals band together from around the world and join ISAR in an educational endeavor known as International Homeless Animals' Day. Since 1992, this Day has allowed humankind to act in solidarity and express that the disgraceful mass-murdering of healthy yet homeless animals, who wind up in shelters through no fault of their own, is unacceptable! ISAR is extremely grateful for the hard work our devoted vigil coordinators put forth every year leading up to our August event. Because of their loyal commitment, ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day observances result in the re-homing of companion animals into loving new families and the performing of countless spay/neuter surgeries. This year, hundreds of ISAR's candlelight vigil planning packets were sent to organizations and individuals interested in coordinating an International Homeless Animals' Day event. ISAR spay/neuter bumper stickers, buttons and handouts were made available to many participating organizations for distribution at their events.

In honor of International Homeless Animals' Day 2010, ISAR was pleased to sponsor our 9th Annual Virtual Vigil. Visitors to our website, http://www.isaronline.org/, were invited to light an online candle and post a message in memory of the victims of pet overpopulation. Participation in our online vigil spanned the globe, including foreign locations such as Sweden, Canada, Serbia and Montenegro, Bermuda, Czech Republic, Australia, Nicaragua, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Poland, Brazil, Croatia, Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, Denmark - as well as in the United States.

New this year, ISAR produced a tribute video for vigil coordinators who have held International Homeless Animals' Day observances over the years. Accompanied by Michael Bublé's beautiful rendition of his song Home, images of homeless animals and humans dramatizing the pet overpopulation tragedy fade into one another while the music plays. Multiple animal protection organizations and caring individuals shared our special tribute by hosting our video on their websites, blogs, and online communities. In just a month's time, ISAR's tribute video garnered 1,300 hits. ISAR's video may be viewed on our website, http://www.isaronline.org/.

2010 Vigil Highlights
While ISAR encourages all vigil coordinators to contact us with feedback, due to space restraints we are not able to acknowledge the many events that took place on August 21, 2010. Some representative examples follow.

Glow sticks aligned to spell the word home illuminated the lawn at Civic Center Park in Palm Desert, California during an International Homeless Animals' Day observance coordinated by Desert Paws. Dr. Lori Kirshner, President of Desert Paws, welcomed approximately 70 people to their event to raise awareness concerning the pet overpopulation epidemic and its simple spay/neuter solution. Mayor of Palm Desert, Cindy Finerty, read a proclamation based on ISAR's declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day. Special guest speaker, ISAR Chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, encouraged the crowd to continue all efforts to alleviate pet overpopulation and to support animal rights groups who are in positions of influence. According to Dr. Kirshner, "We, along with others from around the world who gather for similar vigils, can make a difference. Together, we can work to help end this senseless killing. We must do everything in our powers to support legislative efforts to make pet sterilization the law in every city and county around the U.S." ISAR could not agree more!

Hundreds of people, including members from ISAR, Rescue Ink, Guardians of Rescue, the founder of The Animal Kindness Awards, and president of DogsInDanger.com attended a concert and documentary film premiere of Take Me Home - The Story of the Georgia Puppy Caravan hosted by The M.O.M.S. Animal Rescue in Philadelphia on August 19, 2010. On August 21, 2009, one year prior to ISAR's 19th commemoration of International Homeless Animals' Day, The M.O.M.S Animal Rescue, along with a troop of volunteers, traveled to Summerville, GA and completely emptied the Chattooga Animal Control of 138 animals and re-homed all of them into new loving families. During the documentary premiere, artist John Donato presented art inspired by the puppy caravan titled "Freedom Train", where Summer, one of the rescued Georgia dogs, signed the painting with a paw print. Musical performances from the Take Me Home soundtrack, including a number sung by the children of the caravan, helped set a very moving and inspirational tone for the evening. Karen Talbot LaSasso, Founder of The M.O.M.S. Rescue, attributes ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day for rekindling her mission and states, "After devoting three full years into St. Joseph Paws for a Cause, The M.O.M.S. Animal Rescue and the Georgia Puppy Caravan, I decided to take a much needed break because I became absolutely emotionally drained. I rested for one day and asked GOD to send me a sign that would push me to move forward and not take a "break". The very next day, I received an email in a crosspost. I receive hundreds of these emails daily, BUT this one changed the course of my future! It was the announcement that ISAR was hosting their annual candlelight vigil for Homeless Animals (Worldwide) on August 21, 2010. The significance of this date hit me like a Mack truck! This was the one year anniversary of the Georgia Puppy Caravan. This was the day we completely emptied out an entire shelter in Summerville, GA. On August 21, 2009 the M.O.M.S. Animal Rescue carried 138 animals to safety for the first time in Georgia state history. This is the day that had completely changed my life forever. The sign that I was given was larger than life and so my day of rest came to an immediate end and at that point I realized that I may get weary and emotionally drained but if I give up, who will speak for them? I was honored to be part of ISAR and even drove to The Queenie Foundation's Candlelight Vigil in Connecticut to be surrounded by many other voices for our nation's voiceless! If we as adults could only learn to take more cues from animals and children, what a world we would live in!!!"


Volunteering: An Inspired Endeavor was the theme for The Queenie Foundation, Inc.'s 15th annual International Homeless Animals' Day observance on August 21, 2010. Media attention from local newspapers and television stations, including an interview on an ABC affiliate in New Haven, helped promote their event which drew a crowd of 100 people. Multiple animal protection organizations were on hand mingling with the crowd while raffles, live music, adoption displays, vendors and vegan fare added to the highlights of the Day. Guest speaker, ISAR Program Coordinator, Colleen Gedrich, read a proclamation based on ISAR's, signed by Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day. Miss Gedrich also spoke to the crowd about the importance of volunteering and the need for camaraderie between animal rights/welfare groups. During the event, ISAR volunteers distributed copies of ISAR's monograph Harming Companion Animals: Liability and Damages, The Animal's 10 Commandments bookmarks, spay/neuter bumper stickers and buttons, as well as previous ISAR Newsletters to the crowd. Enid Breakstone, Founder and Director of The Queenie Foundation, Inc. is no stranger to holding successful International Homeless Animals' Day observances. For many years, Ms. Breakstone coordinated candlelight vigil events in Texas with attendee numbers reaching 400 participants with more than 30 pro-animal organizations present. Since her move to Connecticut, Ms. Breakstone claims, "New England is quite different. The rescue community in the Hartford area is not nearly as cohesive as in Dallas/Ft. Worth and so it seems more difficult to get organizations and the public to attend. Even though this is a serious event, because I take companion animal overpopulation dead seriously, our event next year is going to be very lively and hopefully fun for people to attend. We can make this event one that people want to go to every year while informing them that spay/neuter stops companion animal overpopulation off its tracks."

Proclamations based on ISAR's declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day were signed by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, the Mayors of Franklinton and Bogalusa, along with Washington Parish President, Ned Thomas and presented during an observance coordinated by the Humane Society of Louisiana - Magnolia Chapter. Mr. Thomas not only read the proclamation during this event but also declared to post signs in rural areas of Washington Parish informing the public about animal abandonment laws and penalties. Dogs and their custodians donned black ribbons in memory of all animals who lost their lives to pet overpopulation during their International Homeless Animals' Day Memorial Walk. Young volunteers asked so many questions during the event regarding pet overpopulation and spay/neuter benefits that it inspired the following suggestion from the Humane Society of Louisiana, "talk to school superintendents and principals asking that elementary students become involved in this Day by incorporating courses with projects of drawing and coloring pictures, writing poems or stories about animals finding good homes while high school levels could do research projects on pet overpopulation (consequences and solutions). The hosting vigil coordinator could choose winners from each level and have each student present their project during an International Homeless Animals' Day event. Winning students would be featured in the newspaper." ISAR agrees wholeheartedly that younger generations should be offered ways to get involved in International Homeless Animals' Day and thinks this idea would certainly help garner some media attention!

The NEPA-Animal Adoption Network (NEPA-AAN) teamed up with Eastern PA Animal Alliance (EPAA) for a low-cost spay/neuter mobile clinic in time for this year's International Homeless Animals' Day. ISAR's brightly colored billboard was posted along a busy roadway one month prior to the event to help spread the spay/neuter message and advertise their clinic. Appointments filled fast as more than 35 dogs and cats were spayed/neutered as a result of this one day clinic. Due to its popularity, NEPA-AAN and the EPAA have already scheduled return visits to the Scranton area. According to Nancy Reese, Founder of NEPA-AAN, "Bringing the low-cost spay/neuter mobile to Scranton was a success and a great way to celebrate International Homeless Animals' Day. We hope to plan a big event for this Day in 2011 to get our community more involved and to raise the much needed awareness on how important it is to just simply spay and neuter your pets." Mrs. Reese went on to say, "We live in such a disposable society, it's a shame. People need to pay attention and take responsibility for their actions. Thousands of animals die each day because of the carelessness of others."

Mayor Susan Hardee Steger, Fernandina Beach, FL, presented Beth Hackney of Cats Angels Inc. SPCA with two proclamations declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day, as well as affirming August 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Month. As a result, throughout the month of August, Cats Angels Inc. SPCA found loving new homes for more than 60 cats. Cats Angels was also responsible for the spaying/neutering of 110 cats in August bringing their total number of sterilizations to an impressive 10,000 surgeries performed. Rounding out their month-long events, Cats Angels hosted a 2 mile walk with participants toting signs prominently featuring spay/neuter and adoption messages and concluded with a touching candlelight vigil at the finish line.

ISAR is pleased to report that International Homeless Animals' Day participation has expanded to businesses outside the realm of animal rights/protection organizations. For instance, Vibe Hair Studio, MI, held a hair cut-a-thon on August 21st raising $690.00 with one hundred percent of the proceeds donated to the Michigan Humane Society. Remington Apartment Homes, TX, provided a list of local animal shelters on their website and waived half their pet fee to tenants for any cat or dog adopted during the week leading up to International Homeless Animals' Day. Spanning over 19 U.S. states, Aveda Retail Stores in 40 locations invited local shelters on site, provided spay/neuter/adoption awareness handouts to the public, displayed photos of adoptable animals throughout their stores, and offered spa services in exchange for donations to local shelters and rescue groups. An Aveda representative can be quoted as saying, "This event was so important to me and heartwarming. It made me so happy to see the public's response to be the same. I am proud to work for a company that allows us to be the voice for the animals. I hope we can do this again in the future. It was a great success for our store and most of all, the animals."

International Activities
A sea of candles cast a warm glow during a candlelight vigil with some three hundred adults and children at an International Homeless Animals' Day observance hosted by the SPCA-Penang in Malaysia. Throughout the event, members of the crowd inquired about how to get involved in animal protection, participated with their pets in a parade and pet tricks and skills contest, spent time with adoptable animals and were offered information on spay/neuter. Approximately RM900 (or $300 U.S. dollars) were raised toward the SPCA's neutering program as a result of this observance. When asked about the pet overpopulation problem in Malaysia, Lily Lang of the SPCA summed up her frustrations by stating, "The general public lacks pet overpopulation education in Malaysia while consistency from government officials regarding animal laws is virtually nonexistent. The SPCA-Penang craves standardization and has been attempting to negotiate with city officials since 1993 to improve conditions for animals and create a more cohesive legal system."

Fifty people gathered in the Czech Republic during two International Homeless Animals' Day ceremonies held by First Society for the Cat Rights. ISAR spay/neuter educational materials were made available to the public while photos of adoptable animals and a candlelight memorial were on display in the town of Pribor. Close by, the melody of a lone flute player filled the air while participants at a new vigil location met adoptable cats searching for loving homes. ISAR's Proclamation declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day was signed and presented by a council member from the town of Cernosice. According to the Society's Chairwoman, Alice Oppova, "First Society for the Cat Rights has been trying for a long time to persuade other Czech animal protection organizations to coordinate vigils with us. Nevertheless, we believe that the first official vigil in Cernosice was a success."

Approximately 100 people were encouraged to write a blessing in honor of homeless animals on brightly colored yellow ribbons and tie them to a tree centrally located in the courtyard of the Hong Kong Dog Rescue (HKDR) in Tai Po, Hong Kong for International Homeless Animals' Day. Informational posters on pet overpopulation, spay/neuter, and the adoption option adorned the walls leading into the kennels where excited animals spent the day playing with friendly visitors. During the event, a moment of silence was observed for all animals killed as a result of pet overpopulation. Sally Anderson, Founder of the HKDR, along with members of the crowd, signed ISAR's Proclamation declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day.

One thousand people gathered in two locations to participate in the spay/neuter campaign efforts coordinated by Spay/Panama, Angeles De Los Animales, Adopta Patitas, Albergue San Roque, Fundacion San Franciso De Asis, Tinakeros Hogar Temporal and Amigos De Los Animales y La Naturaleza in honor of International Homeless Animals' Day in the Republic of Panama. Over 170 animals were spayed/neutered on August 21, 2010 as a result of their observance. Shelter fundraising activities included animal friendly contests for best rescue story, best adoption story, a photo contest of people helping homeless animals and a dog agility contest. Social networking sites, local newspaper, television and radio stations contributed to their media coverage and spread the spay/neuter message far and wide.

Thirty-two free spay/neuter coupons valuing over $1600 were dispensed to the public at an International Homeless Animals' Day observance in the Bahamas on August 21, 2010. The Bahamas Alliance for Animal Rights & Kindness (Baark!) quizzed passers-by on pet overpopulation statistics during their event. Real change occurred when a few people (who admitted to breeding their animals) were so affected by the numbers of animals killed in shelters they graciously accepted Baark!'s coupons for a free spay/neuter to have their animals sterilized. According to Laura Kimble, Chairwoman of Baark!, "We salute those people who, once they understand the direct connection between breeding their dog and animals dying at the pound were willing to step up and take action." Ms. Kimble went on to say, "The homeless animal problem should matter to every Bahamian, if only because suffering diseased animals roaming everywhere severely impacts the image of our country. Most tourists have never seen such suffering animals, especially in these large numbers, and it really makes them think less of our beautiful country...the suffering of animals [throughout the Bahamas] is completely avoidable if we all just do our part." ISAR would like to extend that great advice to include every country around the globe!

Special Thanks
ISAR is delighted to report that many elected officials have signed ISAR's Proclamations recognizing August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day. ISAR extends a heartfelt thank you to all government leaders who recognized this Day including Mayors Dewey Bartlett, Tulsa and Vic Vreeland, Jenks, OK, Michael Newhard, Village of Warwick, NY, as well as Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. Governor of Pennsylvania, Edward G. Rendell, in addition to declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals' Day, expressed the following sentiments in a letter to ISAR, "Each year, Pennsylvania's animal shelters find adoptive homes for hundreds of thousands of homeless pets. Shelters around the world recognize this day to remember all the animals that entered the shelters homeless, waiting for a familiar face. ISAR gives hope for the many animals that are waiting for their happy ending story. Thank you for helping to find animals the forever homes they deserve."

ISAR would also like to thank everyone who employed various media outlets promoting our 19th annual International Homeless Animals' Day observances. Blogs, newspapers, radio and television stations, websites, and online communities, greatly contributed to ISAR's educational crusade against pet overpopulation and assisted ISAR in publicizing the overwhelming scores of companion animal deaths that take place each year because there are not enough good homes for them. Among the many sources, PetSmart Charities supported ISAR's spay/neuter awareness efforts with an International Homeless Animals' Day inspired blog. BBC News, Washington, launched a media blitz focusing on the importance of International Homeless Animals' Day. Iams-sponsored blogs, The Dog Daily and The Daily Cat, circulated its International Homeless Animals' Day interview featuring ISAR Program Coordinator Colleen Gedrich on news sites such as Fox, NBC, and CBS affiliates while The Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan, produced an article proclaiming, "Every year more than 4.5 million dogs and cats die in local animal shelters due to a lack of space. For the past 19 years, organizations such as ISAR have promoted new ideas and efforts to maintain the pet population with spay/neuter programs. One of the kindest acts people can perform to save the lives of animals is to spay or neuter their pet, which prevents homeless animals from ever being born in the first place."

Our Deepest Gratitude to Coordinators
Listed below are some of the countless organizations ISAR would like to acknowledge for their efforts.

ISAR would like to specially thank, Friends of Pets, Anchorage Animal Care and Control, The Center for Animal Rescue and Adoption, HALO Animal Rescue, Bryant Animal Shelter, From the Heart Animal Behavior Counseling & Training and Paws at Play Doggie Daycare, Santa Cruz SPCA, Surf City Animal Response Team (SCART), Sacramento County Animal Shelter, Molly's Mutts and Meows, Lange Foundation of Los Angeles, Berkeley Humane Society, Berkeley East Bay Humane Society, San Francisco SPCA, Friends of the Formerly Friendless, Tony L Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation, All Breed Rescue & Training, Our Companions Domestic Animal Sanctuary, Seashore Striders Event Productions, Inc., Central Brevard Humane Society, Aloha Pet & Bird Hospital, the North & South Animal Care Centers and S.P.C.A. of North Brevard, Florida Boxer Rescue, Tri-County Humane Society, Susan Buser, SPCA of Central Florida, Orange County Animal Services, A Second Chance Puppies and Kittens Rescue, Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League, Humane Society of Tampa Bay, Animal Rescue Force of South Florida, Inc., The Humane Society Naples, The Cat Network, Atlanta Humane Society, SweetWater Brewery, Park Tavern, Maui Humane Society, Almost Home Foundation, CIAWC Agencies, Livingston County Humane Society, New Leash On Life Animal Rescue, The Temple Bar, Chicago English Bulldog Rescue, Mercy Rescue and Adoption of Jennings County, Elkhart Humane Society, Humane Society of Indianapolis, Siouxland Humane Society, Cedar Bend Humane Society, City of Overland Park, The Lexington Humane Society, College Park Animal Welfare Society, Chesapeake Cats and Dogs, Inc., Maryland SPCA, Save A Dog, Humane Society of Kent County, Friends for the Dearborn Animal Shelter, Happy Tails Rescue, Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, Dogwood Animal Shelter, Osage Beach Culvers, Pulaski County Humane Society, Callaway County Humane Society, Marketplace Media, Angels of Animals, Inc., Coordinators of "Your Dog is Worth It Too", Somerset Regional Animal Shelter, Humane Society of Bergen County/Lost Pet, Inc., Camden County Animal Shelter, Craft Company No. 6, Warwick Valley Humane Society, Humane Society of Rome, New York Feral Cat Initiative - A Program of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals, No Kill New York, New Rochelle Humane Society, Pet Rescue, C.A.R.E. For Animals, Unleashed, Carl & Linda Grubb Family YMCA, SNIP Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic, Independent Animal Rescue, SPCA of Raleigh, Greyhound Adoption of Ohio, United Coalition for Animals, Cincinnati Pet Food Pantry, Community Animal Task Force, Knox County Humane Society, Cuyahoga County Kennels, Queen City Greyhound Rescue, Friends of The Shelter, Columbus Humane Society, Oklahoma Alliance for Animals, 92.9 BOB FM, Partnering for Pets, Inc., Miss Molly's Pet Services, No-Kill Lehigh Valley, Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge, Dr. Jennifer L. Fry, VMD, Helen O. Krause Animal Foundation, Inc., Animal Friends, Defenders of Animals, Providence Animal Rescue League, Journey's End No-Kill Animal Society, Nashville Humane Association, Tunica Humane Society, Irving Animal Services, Kaufman County Animal Awareness Project, Kittico, DFW Humane Society, The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter (WCRAS), Humane Society of Williamson County, A Different Breed Animal Rescue, Green Mountain Animal Defenders, NOVADog Magazine, Greenbrier Humane Society, Raleigh County Animal Rescue, Countryside Humane Society, Leadership Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin Pets, Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), Waupun Area Animal Shelter, Inc., Angels Wish.

ISAR also truly appreciates the international efforts from the Public Association for Animal Protection "EGIDA", Belarus, Animal Rescue Sofia, Bulgaria, Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society, Bow Valley SPCA, City of London, Pet Valu, Petfinder.com, Bosco & Roxy's, Country Paws, A Village Tail, Canine Life, Cohen Highley Lawyers, Sifton Properties, 103.1 Fresh FM, Canada, AnimaNaturalis, Chile, Protestors in Medellin, Colombia, Association de Defense de la Nature et Des Animaux OÏKOS KAÏ BIOS, France, Georgian Society for the Protection and Safety of Animals, Georgia, IDA Deonar, India, Animal Welfare Department at Ghammieri, Marsa, Malta, Happy TailsAcapulco, Mexico, SOS Chats, Switzerland, Kiev MTZT SOS Shelter, Ukraine, Humane Society of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

ISAR Spay/Neuter Billboards Shed Light on a Global Tragedy
Displaying brightly colored images of a yellow dog and tiger-striped cat, ISAR unveiled its new spay/neuter billboard design in the spring of 2010 in time for our 19th Annual International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigil observances. ISAR's striking new artwork prominently featured educational slogans such as "Shed Light on a Global Tragedy - Pet Overpopulation" and "Spay/Neuter. It Stops Killing." Animal protection organizations and concerned individuals took advantage of ISAR's latest billboard design this summer to promote their International Homeless Animals' Day observances. ISAR's Spay/Neuter Billboards were erected in two locations in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Virginia.

ISAR is pleased that our friends at Holly Help Spay/Neuter Fund in Bristol, VA, not only purchased an ISAR billboard to shed light on pet overpopulation and promote spay/neuter, but took creative license and featured ISAR's billboard design into a store-front memorial display for the month of August in honor of International Homeless Animals' Day. Each side of the display incorporated a startling mosaic depicting glowing candles made up of thousands of images of euthanized cats and dogs, victims of pet overpopulation, with ISAR's spay/neuter billboard design situated in the center of the canvas. Cat and dog overpopulation statistics and solutions to this crisis were also integrated into the design.

Organize a Vigil for 2011
Mark your calendars! August 20, 2011 is the date for anyone wishing to join ISAR in commemorating our 20th anniversary of International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigils. We look forward to welcoming back all previous vigil coordinators along with a host of new ones, to join ISAR in solidarity and shed light on pet overpopulation.

ISAR will once again offer our International Homeless Animals' Day vigil planning packets, at no cost, to help guide participants in selecting a vigil site and reaching target audiences, while providing sample press releases, suggestions for speakers, posters, proclamations, poems, songs, coloring sheets and more!

Interested parties may request a free vigil packet from ISAR by mail, phone, fax or email. Packets are scheduled to be mailed by the first week in June, 2011.

We are very proud and pleased with the worldwide success and direct spay/neuter influence International Homeless Animals' Day 2010 has had for communities around the globe. We could not have achieved our goal without you, our dedicated friends and supporters.

With your continued friendship and support, ISAR will continue fighting the battle against pet overpopulation and we'll work tirelessly for the day when all companion animals are embraced in loving arms and caring homes.

Focusing On Mandatory Spay/Neuter Programs

This Sunday, August 29, 2010, the DogsInDanger Radio Hour will focus on Mandatory Spay/Neuter Programs. ISAR's Chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer will be a guest during their 1:00 - 2:00PM EST time slot. Tune in to AM970 The Apple NY or visit the DogsInDanger website www.dogsindanger.com to listen in! Simply click the "Listen Live" button on the home page and be sure your speakers are turned up!

A podcast of Sunday's radio show will be available on the home page of the DogsInDanger website for a whole week beginning on August 30th.

ISAR's Semi-Annual Report: January - July 2010

ISAR dedicates its efforts and resources to improving the lives of animals by being active on the legal, legislative and educational fronts. Since ISAR's founding in 1959 our organization has not wavered in this commitment.

Twice annually, we pause to reflect on the progress of our programs and campaigns. In January 2010, ISAR reported on our programs from the latter half of the previous year.

The major activities outlined below (somewhat belatedly; we've been very busy) are only a few of the many ISAR has devoted time and resources to throughout the first six months of 2010.

Animal Law Commentary and Interviews
In an earlier report, ISAR introduced our latest program as an adjunct to ISAR's other legal programs on behalf of animal rights; Animal Law Commentary and Interviews, by ISAR Chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer.

In March 2010, Professor Holzer interviewed Elizabeth DeCoux of Florida Coastal Law School about her article in Volume 16 of the Animal Law Review (2009) entitled, "Speaking for the Modern Prometheus: The Significance of Animal Suffering to the Abolition Movement," which explores the distinction between "Abolitionists" and "Welfarists," and argues strongly that each movement could benefit from understanding, and even utilizing, techniques employed by the other.

Following ISAR's interview with Ms. DeCoux, Professor Holzer interviewed Lt. Col. Mark Eichelman about his article in Volume 16 of the Animal Law Review (2009) entitled "Ringling Brothers on Trial: Circus Elephants and the Endangered Species Act," which discusses the dismissed case against Ringling Brothers circus for allegedly abusing the elephants it exhibits. Much of the Holzer-Eichelman discussion centers around the legal problem of "standing to sue"-that is, who is entitled to bring a case against humans on behalf of animals.

These stimulating interviews are available for download (free of charge) from ISAR's website, (http://isaronline.org/programs/animal-rights-education/)

ISAR will continue to provide our supporters and the public-at-large with important animal protection information through interviews with experts in the animal rights/welfare fields.

Please send us your suggestions on future interviews you would like to hear. Snail mail your suggestions to ISAR, P.O. Box F, Clarks Summit, PA 18411, or by email to Contact@isaronline.org.

Is Banning the Sale of Animals Beginning to Catch On?
In the month of June 2010 considerable attention has been given to the immorality and criminality of puppy mills and the dereliction of duty by those charged with their oversight.

Petland has been sued because of its complicity in the puppy mill outrage, in an effort to put the dog factory breeders out of business by choking off the retail end of the trade.

Also seeking the same result are municipal efforts to prohibit sales of companion animals. For example, pet sales have been banned in Albuquerque, NM and South Lake Tahoe, CA. Last February West Hollywood, CA did the same. Other cities throughout the United States are considering similar ordinances. San Francisco has recently applied the breaks to their proposed pet sale ban that would include not only cats and dogs, but the sale of small animals as well. After much heated debate, commissioners plan to take up this matter again at the beginning of 2011.

For years ISAR has supported such bans-as ends in themselves (ending the local retail companion animal trade), and as a means to reduce the incentive for puppy mills to produce a seemingly endless flow of canines (by narrowing the market).

However, we've realized that while outright municipal bans are desirable as far as they go, they don't go far enough because the retail sellers can easily relocate and go back into their dirty business elsewhere.

For that reason, in 2009 ISAR produced, and early this year promoted, a comprehensive "Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales" which seeks to deal with the overpopulation of dogs caused in large measure by puppy mills. We urge our supporters to review ISAR's model statute.

Massachusetts Ban On "Devocalization" Becomes Law
Unknown to most caring custodians of dogs and cats, there is a widespread practice in the United States of surgically cutting the vocal cords of canines (and occasionally felines). Known by the euphemism "devocalization," the procedure is almost always performed for the convenience of the animals' "owners."

Among other reasons for this barbaric practice, large-scale breeders even in rural areas want to keep down the noise level of their captives. Backyard breeders have to be concerned with neighbors.

Sometimes, "devocalization" is a compromise between children who want a pet, and parents who don't want animal vocalization.

Whatever the reasons, devocalization is inimical to the animal's health, unnatural, cruel and yet another brutal example of humans seeing canines and felines not only as property, but as inanimate objects-and devocalization as nothing more than oiling a squeaky door hinge.

Earlier this year, ISAR brought to the attention of our supporters the pendency of House Bill 344 prohibiting under most circumstances the "devocalization" of animals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The governor has signed the bill.

"Devocalization" is now a crime in Massachusetts.

Following suit to this Massachusetts victory, the State of New York currently seeks to pass a similar law banning devocalization.

ISAR encourages our supporters to write to your elected officials and voice your support for legislation that prohibits companion animal devocalization.

In the coming months, we intend to push this issue even higher on our priority list.

International Homeless Animals' Day Tribute Video
In honor of all dedicated International Homeless Animals' Day vigil coordinators, earlier this year ISAR produced a special tribute video to spotlight the many candlelight vigil observances held throughout the years.

Accompanied by Michael Bublé's beautiful rendition of his song Home, images of homeless animals, and humans shedding light on this global tragedy, fade into one another while the melody plays.

ISAR is extremely grateful for the hard work our devoted vigil coordinators put forth every year leading up to our August events. Because of your loyal commitment, ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day observances result in the re-homing of our companion animals into loving new families and countless spay/neuter surgeries performed to help put an end to the global pet overpopulation crisis.

Our organizational efforts in the first six months of this year have paid off handsomely, ISAR's upcoming Autumn Newsletter will fully report on the details of our 19th Annual International Homeless Animals' Day observances held on August 21, 2010.

ISAR's New Billboard Design Sheds Light On Pet Overpopulation
Displaying brightly colored images of a yellow dog and tiger-striped cat, ISAR unveiled its new spay/neuter billboard design in the spring of 2010 in time for our 19th Annual International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigil observances.

ISAR's striking new artwork prominently features educational slogans such as "Shed Light on a Global Tragedy - Pet Overpopulation" and "Spay/Neuter. It Stops Killing" with space reserved for the printing of an individual organizations' name, phone number and/or message.

ISAR offers six eye-catching spay/neuter billboard designs. To learn more about ISAR's spay/neuter billboards and how you can order yours today, please contact ISAR by mail, phone, fax or email or visit us on the web (http://isaronline.org/programs/animal-rights-education/billboards/.)

Shed Light On A Global Tragedy

August 21, 2010 marks ISAR's Nineteenth Annual Commemoration of International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigil Observances.

Since 1992, the third Saturday in August has been reserved for ISAR's innovative educational vehicle known today as International Homeless Animals' Day. This Day was named to publicize the overwhelming scope of dog and cat overpopulation, to increase public awareness of the millions of dogs and cats killed in shelters annually for lack of good homes, and to educate the public about the crucial need for spaying and neutering to help end this tragic loss of life. Each year, animal-friendly organizations and concerned individuals band together and shed light on the pet overpopulation tragedy that spans the globe.

On August 21, 2010, ISAR will mark its nineteenth annual commemoration of International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigil Observances. Events on International Homeless Animals' Day greatly contribute to ISAR's worldwide spay/neuter education efforts.

ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day Observances are so successful, in fact, that countless shelter animals are spayed or neutered and find permanent loving homes.

Many International Homeless Animals' Day Events for August 2010, include adopt-a-thons, microchip and spay/neuter clinics, rescue pet parades, blessings of the animals, dog walks, fundraisers, doggie swims, contests, concerts, information stalls, open houses, special guest speakers and candlelight vigils.

This Saturday, more than 30 U.S. states and 10 foreign countries will participate in International Homeless Animals' Day 2010. The first animal rights lawyer in the United States and Chairman of ISAR, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, will be the special guest speaker at a candlelight vigil held by Desert Paws in Southern California, while the opposite coast will play host to ISAR Program Coordinator, Colleen Gedrich who will speak during a vigil held by The Queenie Foundation, Inc. on the importance of camaraderie to battle pet overpopulation in Connecticut.

ISAR's website hosts an up-to-date listing of International Homeless Animals' Day Observances taking place worldwide. ISAR will continually add confirmed events as they are made available to us. Please check back often.

If you find there is not an event listed in your area, ISAR invites you to light a virtual candle in our 9th Annual Online Vigil.

International Homeless Animals' Day is not only an opportunity to pay homage to creatures whose lives we have responsible dominion over, it is a chance to meet others who yearn for change -- animal rights activists, animal control officers, animal lovers and others.

ISAR also encourages the public to pay a visit to local shelters or rescue groups. International Homeless Animals' Day is a perfect opportunity to begin volunteering your time to walk shelter dogs, groom shelter cats, and spend time with the animals. Volunteers aid shelter personnel by bringing happiness to the animals and socially preparing them for their journey to loving homes.

International Homeless Animals' Day may be a solemn day of remembrance for the millions of dogs and cats that die each year due to pet overpopulation, but it is also a day of hope and inspiration.

There is never a better time than the present to create positive change for unwanted animals.

Together, we make a difference!

"No Kill" Advances

On ISAR's blog of April 4, 2008, Professor Henry Mark Holzer favorably reviewed Nathan J. Winograd's then-new book "Redemption: The Myth of Overpopulation in America". Having established himself as this country's leading and most articulate voice for No-Kill, Nathan Winograd works tirelessly toward that goal. A milestone on the No-Kill road appears to be legislation just signed by the Governor of Delaware. It, and Mr. Winograd's comments about the legislation, can be found HERE. ISAR commends all who had a hand in conceiving, drafting and urging enactment of the new law. We hope it will become a template for similar legislation throughout the United States.

The “Half-a-Loaf” Problem Arises Again

More than once ISAR has confronted what we call the “Half-a-Loaf” problem, highlighting the dilemmas faced by serious people in the animal protection movement — especially those who recall Voltaire’s famous observation that “the perfect is the enemy of the good,” meaning that while one seeks utopia, “the perfect,” in human affairs, “the good,” doesn’t get done.

This principle applies to animal protection. While we wait and work for much better laws than those now being proposed ("the perfect"), the benefits that could have accrued from current proposals ("the good"), are lost if we oppose them.

We were reminded of this problem last year when ISAR was asked to support anti-tethering legislation pending in Pennsylvania. (Tethering is the cruel practice of chaining a dog to a stationary object, thus severely restricting its freedom of movement.)

Should we not have supported the proposed legislation because in doing so we would be accepting the existence of that cruel, indefensible practice, even though the law would ameliorate some of the more egregious conditions under which tethered dogs live? In other words, should we have sought “the perfect,” with not even a nod to reality?

Or should we have supported the proposed legislation precisely because of the amelioration, abjuring “the perfect” to gain “the good”? In other words, should we have accepted the reality that “the good” meant reducing suffering, at the expense of “the perfect,” which in a utopian world would be an outright prohibition of tethering?

After much soul-searching, ISAR concluded that half-a-loaf was better than none.

To paraphrase what we have written before, as to tethering in particular: Is half-a-loaf better than none? Much better--if you’re a dog chained to a stationary object and whose entire universe consists of several square feet (at best), primitive shelter (at best), almost no human contact (at best), and little interaction with your own kind (at best).

But to make our position unequivocally clear, we concluded with two paragraphs that bring us to the subject of this current blog. We wrote:

This said, however, ISAR insists on making unmistakably clear that we unequivocally oppose the practice of tethering both as a moral and humane imperative, and that our support of the pending Pennsylvania legislation is not intended, nor should it be construed as, our sanction, approval, or any other kind of endorsement of the cruel practice of tethering.

If ISAR had its way, Pennsylvania and every other state would immediately enact laws making tethering of dogs illegal, with severe penalties. Let there be no mistake about ISAR’s position!

California appears poised to enact a statute (AB 2743) that would prohibit landlords from requiring tenants to declaw or devocalize their animals. According to Legislative Counsel’s Digest of the bill, it “would prohibit a landlord, that allows a tenant to have an animal on the premises, from advertising or establishing rental policies in a manner that requires a tenant or a potential tenant with an animal to have that animal declawed or devocalized, for nontherapeutic purposes, as a condition of occupancy.”

All well and good, and ISAR supports the effort.

But AB 2743 illustrates the half-a-loaf problem, yet again. Yes, it is “the good” that some few companion animals will be spared the barbaric practices of devocalization and declawing. But what about the rest, mutilated in the name of annoying barking and scratched couches? If devocalization and declawing are objectionable (let alone immoral) and so to be prohibited by California in the relatively minor landlord-tenant context, it is not possible to justify the imposition of those practices on any animals in any context whatsoever.

Yes, ISAR supports AB 2743, but with the same reservation we have expressed as to tethering and other animal protection legislation. We insist on making unmistakably clear that we unequivocally oppose the practices of devocalization and declawing, both as a moral and humane imperative and that our support of the California legislation is not intended, nor should it be construed as, our sanction, approval, or any other kind of endorsement of those barbaric practices.

If ISAR had its way, California and every other state would immediately enact anti-devocalization laws, as Massachusetts recently did, making devocalization (and, while they're at it, declawing) of companion animals illegal, with severe penalties. Let there be no mistake about ISAR's position about both of these practices!

We will have much more to say about devocalization and declawing in the near future.

Please join ISAR in commemorating our 19th annual International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigils on Aug. 21, 2010

In 1992, ISAR introduced International Homeless Animals’ Day® and Candlelight Vigils as an innovative educational vehicle, with the purpose of informing society about a global tragedy that overwhelms animal shelters each year – pet overpopulation. For all these years, ISAR has on the third Saturday of August commemorated the countless companion animal victims of overpopulation and continued to promote new campaigns, programs and ideas relating to the solution to the pet overpopulation epidemic: spay/neuter.

This year, on August 21st, ISAR marks it's 19th Annual International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigils.

ISAR extends a welcoming invitation to all previous vigil coordinators, as well as any new coordinators, to participate in International Homeless Animals' Day 2010.

ISAR's website includes information on how to order your complimentary International Homeless Animals' Day Vigil Packet, an event schedule of confirmed observances for August 2010, ISAR's 9th Annual Virtual Vigil, information on ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day Billboard Program, and more!

In honor of this Day, you can also view a video tribute to previous International Homeless Animals' Day events in this blog and on ISAR's website www.isaronline.org. To help set the tone for your own candlelight vigil, ISAR invites all coordinators to use our International Homeless Animals’ Day video during their own observances, perhaps by playing it on a laptop computer.

By coming together in spirit with like-minded people throughout the world on International Homeless Animals’ Day you can support ISAR in letting the world know we will not tolerate the senseless killing that continues to take the lives of innocent dogs, cats, puppies and kittens simply because there are not enough good homes for them.

Together, we will continue to be a voice for the animals, and continue to demand an end to the suffering these animals face each day.

The People v. Keith Chung, Revisited

More on the Chung case:

Professor Holzer comments on the court's opinion.

The People v. Keith Chung, Revisited

Search Warrants In Animal Protection Cases

The California Court of Appeal, in a recent important decision (People v. Keith Chung), has joined a few other jurisdictions in applying to the protection of animals an important exception to the requirement of a search warrant.

In general, both the federal Bill of Rights and comparable constitutional provisions in the states require that before a search (or seizure) can be made by government officials, a search warrant must be obtained from a judicial officer. It takes "probable cause" that a crime has been, or is being, committed to support the issuance of a warrant.

As with most legal doctrines, there are exceptions. For example, if a weapon reasonably believed to have been used in a bank robbery is seen lying on the sidewalk--that is, "in plain view"--the police don't need a warrant to seize it.

Another exception, relevant to the Chung case, is the "exigency" exception, which the court explained this way:

The exigent circumstances exception to the Fourth Amendment has been defined to include an emergency situation requiring swift action to prevent imminent danger to life or serious damage to property. . . . The action must be prompted by the motive of preserving life or property and [must] reasonably appear to the actor to be necessary for that purpose. * * * There is no ready litmus test for determining whether such circumstances exist, and in each case the claim of an extraordinary situation must be measured by the facts known to the officers. An action is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment, regardless of the individual officer's state of mind, as long as the circumstances, viewed objectively, justify [the] action. The officer's subjective motivation is irrelevant. * * * The touchstone of all Fourth Amendment determinations is reasonableness. (Citations and inner quotation marks deleted.)

Thus, the question for the California Court of Appeal in the Chung case was whether there were "exigent circumstances" presented to the responding police officers.

What were those circumstances? According to the court's summary,

Chung's neighbor, Jennifer Lee, testified she called the police in the early morning hours of July 13, 2007, and reported hearing the high pitched crying of a dog in pain in the unit above hers. Lee told the officers who responded to her call that she had heard similar sounds in the past, but this time it sounded more serious. The officers went to Chung's door but he said he did not own any dogs. While the officers spoke to Chung, one of them heard the faint sound of a dog whimpering inside Chung's condominium. Believing there was an animal in distress, the officers entered without a warrant after Chung refused the officers permission to enter.

The officers found an injured dog on the patio and a dead dog in the freezer section of the refrigerator. Both dogs had suffered head trauma. The live dog on the patio was euthanized by a veterinarian later that morning.

Given these facts, the Court of Appeal ruled that the requisite exigent circumstances were present, that the officers had a right to enter without first securing a warrant, and that Chung's conviction for cruelty to animals was valid.

According to the court, criminalizing the abuse of animals had deep historical roots (as the Supreme Court of the United States recently recognized in United States v. Stevens), and California has the constitutional power to punish conduct such as Chung's.

As to the exigent circumstances, the Court of Appeal invoked the 1999 California precedent of Broden v. Marin Humane Society. In that case,

[O]fficers conducted a warrantless entry into business premises, a pet shop, based on exigent circumstances. The officers entered the premises following reports of stench and flies at the store and found animals in distress.

Broden concluded [that] the exigent circumstances exception permits officers to make a warrantless entry when there are reasonable grounds to believe there are animals in need of immediate aid.

Broden recognized: "There is no question that law enforcement officers may make a warrantless entry of a building when there are reasonable grounds for believing that persons inside are in need of immediate aid. . . . Section 597.1 [of the California statutes] clearly contemplates that animals shall receive a similar solicitude."

In addition, the Court of Appeal's conclusion was supported by four cases from other jurisdictions. According to the court,

People v. Thornton an Illinois case, is directly on point. There, a police officer responded to a report of a dog barking for several days inside an apartment. The apartment manager informed the officer she previously had entered the apartment using a key after being unable to contact the resident and found a thin dog shaking and continuously whimpering and yelping in a small cage. The tenant who lived above the apartment told the officer the dog had been yelping continuously for two or three days. The officer entered the apartment to check on the well-being of the dog and found it in conditions matching those described by the manager.

Thornton found the totality of the circumstances known to the officers at the time of the entry into the apartment was sufficient to permit the officers reasonably to believe that an emergency requiring their immediate assistance was at hand. Thornton concluded the officers reasonably could have believed the dog was not merely "uncomfortable," but was in need of immediate assistance to avoid serious injury or, possibly, death.

Thornton noted other jurisdictions also had applied the exigency exception to prevent harm to animals, citing Suss v. American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals . . . [cat trapped between walls of two buildings]; Tuck v. United States . . . [rabbits in unventilated display window of a pet store suffering from extreme heat], and State v. Bauer, [distressed horses in barn].

Thus, the net result of the Chung decision is a strong plus for animal protection.

As the court said in its conclusion, "[e]xigent circumstances properly may be found when an officer reasonably believes immediate warrantless entry into a residence is required to aid a live animal in distress. Where an officer reasonably believes an animal on the property is in immediate need of aid due to injury or mistreatment, the exigent circumstances exception to the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment may be invoked to permit warrantless entry to aid the animal."

ISAR anticipates that this issue will arise in other states, which will reach the same conclusion. Serious apparent danger to animals will suffice for a warrantless entry.

Keith Chung has the right to seek review in the Supreme Court of California. If he does, ISAR will be there to oppose him.

The Puppy Mill Sewer Is Beginning To Overflow

Lately, more attention than ever before has been given to the immorality and criminality of puppy mills and the dereliction of duty by those charged with their oversight.

Petland has been sued because of its complicity in the puppy mill outrage, in an effort to put the dog factory breeders out of business by choking off the retail end of the trade.

Also seeking the same result are municipal efforts to prohibit sales of companion animals. For example, pet sales have been banned in Albuquerque, NM and South Lake Tahoe, CA. Last February West Hollywood, CA did the same. Other cities throughout the United States are considering similar ordinances.

For years, ISAR has supported such bans--as ends in themselves (ending the local retail companion animal trade), and as a means to reduce the incentive for puppy mills to produce a seemingly endless flow of canines (by narrowing the market).

However, we've realized that while outright municipal bans are desirable as far as they go, they don't go far enough because the retail sellers can easily relocate and go back into their dirty business elsewhere.

For that reason last year ISAR produced a comprehensive "Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales" which seeks to deal with the overpopulation of dogs caused in large measure by puppy mills. We urge our supporters to review ISAR's model statute, as well as the extensive report in which it appears.

Here is the Introduction and Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION

A major defect in many animal protection statutes is that crucial terms are ill-defined, or not defined at all. This failure leads to ambiguity, avoidable litigation, lack of enforcement, and other problems undermining the goals the legislation was enacted to achieve.

Hence, for purposes of this Monograph and ISAR’s Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales (hereafter “Model Statute”), we use the following definitions:

• “Commercial”: “relating to the buying or selling of goods, including dogs, or services, in return for a monetary or non-monetary benefit.”

• “Retail”: “the selling of goods, including dogs, or services, directly to purchasers or consumers.”

• “Sale”: “the transfer of property, including dogs, to the ownership of someone else.”

• “Seller”: “any person or legal entity that makes a sale.”

• “Outlet”: “the place where, or through the means of which, a retail sale occurs.”

• “Purchaser”: “any person or legal entity that is the recipient of a sale.”

• “Breeder”: “any person or legal entity which intentionally, recklessly or negligently causes or allows a living female dog to be inseminated by a male canine.”1

• “Puppy mill”: “a place where at the same time at least three female dogs are kept whose sole or major purpose is producing puppies for sale.”2

• “Facilitator”: “any person or legal entity, not a breeder, seller, sales outlet or purchaser, as defined herein, who acts as a broker, dealer, wholesaler, agent, bundler, middleman or in any similar role in the sale, purchase, trade, auction, or other transfer of the ownership, custody or control of dogs, whether or not such animals are in the custody or control of the facilitator at the time of transfer.”3

While ISAR’s Model Statute applies to all breeders, it contains certain provisions aimed specifically at the horrors of puppy mills because they are, by far, the most inhumane kind of dog breeding that exists today in the United States and elsewhere in the world.

Puppy mills, however, are only the first stage in the mass production and sale of dogs. Next come the facilitators, followed by the commercial retailers who sell to the public.

That public, however, has little or no idea just how immoral and inhumane are certain aspects of the business of commercially producing and selling puppies and adult dogs as if they were inanimate objects, no different from sausages.

Not only is the factory-like commercial production and sale of dogs by itself immoral and inhumane, the business is a leading cause of the nationwide canine overpopulation problem. That problem, in turn, has an adverse impact not only on the animals themselves, but also on society at large. Overpopulation of dogs has severe economic, social, political, financial, health, environmental and other consequences which are well-documented and not debatable.

Accordingly, by severely reducing the numbers of dogs produced by breeders, brokered by facilitators, and sold by commercial retailers, the related problems of immorality, inhumaneness and overpopulation could be dealt a serious blow.

Regrettably, however, even the most aggressive educational efforts by the animal protection movement have not been powerful enough to put sufficient pressure on breeders, facilitators and commercial retailers to reduce voluntarily their production and sales of dogs, let alone to drive them out of business altogether.

That said, however, there is a way in which production, trafficking and sale of dogs can be greatly reduced—a way in which puppy mill producers, facilitators and commercial retail sellers of dogs could virtually be put out of business.

How, then, to accomplish this worthy goal?

The short answer—which is developed at length in this Monograph—is through strict administrative regulation of breeders, facilitators and commercial retail sellers, coupled with harsh penalty and generous “standing to sue” provisions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction.

1. Breeders:

Types of breeders.

Genesis of puppy mills.

“Life” in a puppy mill.

Puppy mills are a blight on civilized society.

The moral case against puppy mills.

Federal efforts to regulate puppy mills.

State efforts to regulate puppy mills.

The Petland case and the torturous road of litigation.

2. Facilitators:

ISAR definition.

USDA definition.

Examples of facilitators.

3. Retail sellers:

Introduction.

State laws.

4. Constitutionality of regulating dog breeding and sales.

5. ISAR’s Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales:

Animal Welfare Act

Preface to ISAR’s Model Statute.

ISAR’s Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales.

Preamble.

Part I. Definitions (annotated).

Part II. Breeders (annotated).

Part III. Facilitators (annotated).

Part IV. Commercial retail sales outlets (annotated).

Part V. Miscellaneous provisions (annotated).

Conclusion.

Appendix:

ISAR’s Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales
(unannotated).

Preamble.

Part I. Definitions (unannotated).

Part II. Breeders (unannotated).

Part III. Facilitators (unannotated).

Part IV. Commercial retail sales outlets (unannotated).

Part V. Miscellaneous provisions (unannotated).

* * *

As ISAR's Study and Model Statute prove, the serious problem of puppy mills must be addressed across-the-board by targeting all three links in the production-middleman-sale chain of animal abuse. Our Model Statute does that, and it is our earnest hope that ISAR volunteers, other animal protection organizations and concerned individuals seek to have it introduced in their state legislatures.

The abomination of puppy mills must end!

ENDNOTES

1 This definition is deliberately broad because it intends to include all breeding—from family pets to the most egregious type, “puppy mills.”

2 A puppy mill has been defined by one court as “a dog breeding operation in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.” Avenson v. Zegart, 577 F. Supp. 958, 960 (D. Minn. 1984). While that description of a puppy mill accurately identifies one aspect of such an operation, it does not adequately invoke the horrors of puppy mills and is thus insufficient for the purposes of ISAR’s Model Statute.

3 The Animal Health and Plant Inspection Service (hereafter “APHIS”), a division of the United States Department of Agriculture (hereafter “USDA”) groups “pet wholesalers” and “animal brokers” under the heading of “dealers.” Pet wholesalers are defined as “anyone importing, buying, selling, or trading pets in wholesale channels.” Licensing and Registration Under the Animal Welfare Act, USDA, available at www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/aw/awlicreg.pdf (last visited Sept. 20, 2009). Animal brokers are defined as “anyone who deals in regulated animals but does not take physical possession.” Id. Both pet wholesalers and animal brokers are required to be licensed by USDA. Id. The Humane Society of the United States (hereafter “HSUS”) defines brokers as those who purchase dogs from puppy mills and kennels and then resell them to retail pet stores. More on How Petland Continues to Support Cruel Puppy Mills, HSUS, Jun. 29, 2009, available at www.hsus.org/pets. The term “facilitator” as used in ISAR’s Model Statute is intended to include all of the persons and legal entities described above.

Ends and Means

ISAR supporters know that the fundamental goal driving our organization is to reduce, if not eliminate, the overpopulation of companion animals through humane education, emphasizing spay/neuter as a major solution to the problem.

To that end, in addition to our other programs, ISAR recently produced a study and model law--Model Statute Regulating Dog Breeding, Facilitation and Sales--dealing with the vice of puppy mills and other wholesale and retail breeding and sale of dogs and cats. The ISAR-proposed statute has, no pun intended, teeth, because among other provisions some sections impact heavily on breeders in general and puppy mill operators in particular.

Since publication of our study/model law, we've received considerable positive reaction from ISAR supporters and others who understand the nature of the overpopulation problem, and grasp why ISAR's solution has merit.

Yet, apparently not everyone understands what we're trying to accomplish.

ISAR has recently received the following comment, reproduced below in its entirety.

I read your puppy mill book and there is no way I can support your group's extreme, government imposed goals which sounds ultimately like dog extinction. In reality, there is the very real potential to turn people against more moderate and constructive solutions by association with your solutions. I can't speak for the rest of the people in our Rescue.
The "Rescue" to which the writer refers, according to its website, is a "a licensed 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats."

If that's true, and we assume it is, it should be unnecessary for us to point out that a major way to save the lives of dogs and cats is through the kind of breeder and other restrictions the ISAR model statute proposes.

ISAR doesn't hide from the characterization "extreme," nor from the fact that amelioration of the overpopulation problem rests at least in part on the power of government.

While ISAR respects the important, usually very difficult work, of rescue groups, they need to understand that laws such as that proposed by ISAR will go a long way to making their work easier.

ISAR's International Homeless Animals’ Day 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010 will commemorate ISAR’s 19th Annual International Homeless Animals’ Day® and Candlelight Vigil observance.
In 1992, ISAR introduced National Homeless Animals’ Day and Candlelight Vigils as an educational vehicle to raise awareness of the pet overpopulation epidemic and its simple solution to spay/neuter.

Since that time, National Homeless Animals’ Day has grown international in scope with every third Saturday in August reserved to commemorate this Day. ISAR’s International Homeless Animals’ Day 2009 observances brought more than 20 states and 6 foreign countries together to alert communities about pet overpopulation and to promote spay/neuter. The need for companion animal sterilization to end the senseless killing has been revered by dedicated individuals and organizations and captured through events including candlelight vigils, spay/neuter clinics, blessings of the animals, adopt-a-thons, dog walks, open houses, information stalls, heartfelt speeches given by council members, local veterinarians and shelter personnel, and much more.

ISAR's International Homeless Animals' Day and Candlelight Vigils are so successful, in fact, that as a direct result of this worldwide effort, countless shelter animals find permanent and loving homes.

Individuals and organizations wishing to organize an International Homeless Animals’ Day and Candlelight Vigil observance on August 21, 2010 can contact ISAR by email to receive our 34 page, downloadable candlelight vigil packet. Our vigil packet includes guidelines for organizing a successful vigil event with tips on site selection, suggestions for speakers and vigil events, reaching target audiences, poems, songs, sample press releases and more!

In addition to ISAR’s downloadable vigil packet, you will receive through the U.S. Postal Service, our International Homeless Animals’ Day posters to advertise your event, Proclamations to be signed by your governor and mayor declaring August 21, 2010 as International Homeless Animals’ Day, coloring sheets and more. ISAR will also guarantee advertisement of your organization’s event to thousands of people on ISAR’s website, www.isaronline.org, as well as promotion on ISAR’s online communities including Facebook and Myspace.

Our animal friends need us now more than ever! Please join us in our crusade to stop the killing of our faithful companions.

Will lack of "standing to sue" once again rear its ugly head?

ISAR's supporters know that the bane of animal rights litigation has been the problem of "standing to sue"--the question of what individuals or organizations have the right to sue in behalf of animals (see, for example, Animals and "Standing to Sue" and Jones v. Butz.

Here we go again . . . perhaps.

The Gerber Animal Law Center of Raleigh, North Carolina, announced earlier this month that it has commenced a lawsuit against the county shelter. Although Gerber's press release is sketchy on details, the case seems to be grounded in a recent North Carolina statute promoting fostering rather than euthanizing, and the shelter's alleged failure to abide by the law.

Be that as it may--and when the complaint is available we'll know exactly what Gerber is alleging, factually and legally--unfortunately the case's announcement is silent about on whose behalf the lawsuit has been brought. That question is critical, because whatever the merits of Gerber's complaint, it will go nowhere unless someone has "standing to sue."

Massachusetts Ban On "Devocalization" Becomes Law

Two months ago ISAR brought to the attention of our supporters the pendency of House Bill 344 prohibiting under most circumstances the "devocalization" of animals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The thrust of our blog was not merely that the bill sought to address a serious moral issue of animal rights, but to deconstruct the specious and anti-animal position of the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association.

To its everlasting shame, the MVMA persisted in its unprincipled and indefensible opposition to HB 344.

No matter.

The governor has signed the bill.

"Devocalization" is now a crime in Massachusetts.

And the MVMA has disgraced itself.

United States v. Stevens: A Half-Full, Not Half-Empty Decision

Last week the Supreme Court of the United States, by a vote of 8-1, held unconstitutional the federal statute criminalizing creation, possession or sale of material depicting cruelty to animals.

ISAR had submitted an amicus curiae ("friend-of-the-Court") brief in the case and our Chairman, Professor Henry Mark Holzer, presented two audio commentaries about it--one after our brief was filed and the other following oral argument.

Although the case, and the issue which remains unsettled, was of obvious importance to the animal protection movement, so too did it implicate the First Amendment's guarantee of free speech.

Exceptions to that guarantee--defamation, "fighting words," hard-core pornography--are rare, yet the Court was being asked to create another one by upholding the suppression of the speech that the challenged statute criminalized: depictions of cruelty to animals.

In declining to create that exception, the Supreme Court did not rule that government--Congress or the states--lacked a substantial (the lawyerly term is "compelling") interest in illegalizing depictions of animal abuse. The "compelling interest" issue was raised in the Stevens case, and the Court could have decided it--but despite being invited to, it didn't. (Although in his dissent, Justice Alito stated unequivocally that the federal government did have a compelling interest in preventing the conduct that the statute was aimed at.)

Instead, the Court's eight member majority ruled that the statute was "overbroad," meaning that the law could be interpreted to suppress speech of activities which, though distasteful to many (like hunting), were perfectly legal. In other words, the Court objected to the potential broad sweep of the statute, not its intention to protect animals from certain forms of unquestionable cruelty by suppressing depictions of that cruelty.

Already legislation has been introduced in Congress to comport with the Court's invitation that the legislature craft a statute narrowly reflecting its substantial interest in curbing cruelty to animals--a law which is not overbroad and targeted more specifically to the goal that all members of the Court share: ending the scourge of crush videos and dog fighting by suppressing the depiction.

ISAR will stay on top of developments and provide ongoing commentary.

Welcome News

ISAR's accountants have recently provided us with our organization 2009 certified financial statement and tax return. We're pleased to report that although 2009 contributions to ISAR have fallen below our expectations, a problem most not-for-profits have suffered from during the past few years, the shortfall was considerably less than we had anticipated and planned for. ISAR remains on a sound financial footing, and with the continued support of those who understand what we're doing to ease the suffering of animals we'll stay the course. (Accordingly, it will no longer be necessary for us to charge even a modest fee for the materials we provide.)

Mandatory Spay/Neuter Beat Goes On

As ISAR's supporters know, our organization has been in the forefront of a "take no prisoners" approach to mandatory spay/neuter--meaning that we have staked out a position that there are to be virtually no exceptions, including and especially for breeders.

To that end, we have prepared a lengthy monograph on the subject, which includes our Model Mandatory Spay/Neuter Statute. ISAR's approach to the overpopulation problem is spreading through the animal protection movement and into the general culture.

For example, a Florida participant in ISAR’s 2008 Homeless Animals’ Day has informed us that: “Just so you know, I copied the great model spay/neuter statute you wrote about in your blog and forwarded it to all Florida state senators. I’ll do the same with the state representatives tomorrow.” The Executive Director of Animal Law Coalition has requested “permission to reprint this wonderful monograph”—which ISAR gratefully granted.

ISAR has had offers to translate our Model Mandatory Spay/Neuter Statute into Russian and Albanian, and we're seeking volunteers to translate it into other languages. As the translations become available, they will be posted on our website and made available to spay/neuter advocates in the appropriate countries.

We mention this now because California Independent Voter Network on April 15, 2010 published an important article by Greg Lucas entitled "Californians rabid about sterilizing cats and dogs."

Mr. Lucas writes:

The most heated debate in Sacramento during the past two years hasn’t been budget cuts depriving poor children of health care or awarding billion-dollar tax breaks to corporations. It hasn’t even been California’s massive multi-billion dollar budget shortfalls.

Generating far more public outcry is the mandatory spaying and neutering of cats and dogs.

In 2008, unsuccessful spay/neuter legislation logged some 32,000 letters and e-mails either in support or opposition -- many thousands more than generated by the contents of the state budget, the most significant public policy action taken each year by the Legislature and the governor.

The almost rabid interest in the issue stems in part from the fact that many state policy issues, like the budget or foster care, are abstract. But altering a family pet – or a prize breeder – is very personal. “People care desperately about their pets. They view them as family members,” said Barbara O’Connor, director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at California State University Sacramento. “Unlike the budget, this is tangible, it's real, it's part of people’s inner circle. So mandating that you spay or neuter a family member gores people’s ox. And they really hate government anyway so this is just another outrage in their minds.”

Were the current spay and neuter bill pending in the state Assembly to pass – and be signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger – California would be the first state in the nation with such a requirement. Several cities and counties including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside and Santa Cruz already require sterilization, however.

Spaying and neutering reduces the number of animals that must be euthanized. Advocates of mandatory sterilization say it would reduce even further the number of unplanned, unwanted cats and dogs. Doing so would reduce the strain on overcrowded shelters allowing them to keep animals longer instead of killing them for lack of space.

Sen. Dean Florez, a Shafter Democrat, says he introduced his spay and neuter bill, SB 250, in part to address pet overpopulation but also to reduce government spending. “State and local governments spend and have spent millions of precious taxpayer dollars on the care and feeding of unwanted animals – and, unfortunately, ultimately the destruction of too many animals,” Florez said.

Opponents, which include breeders, offer a number of arguments against mandatory sterilization, starting with violation of the 14th Amendment prohibition on states depriving any person of “life, liberty or property without due process of law.” Other opposing arguments include difficulty of enforcement and the added animal control costs of trying to enforce the law. Others contend fewer pets will be licensed or vaccinated out of fear it will be discovered the animal isn’t sterilized and the owner will be fined.

Previous spay and neuter legislation in California hasn’t been successful for various reasons. A measure introduced in 2008 began as a blanket requirement for sterilization but then so many exemptions were added to mollify opposition, it became, as one lawmaker said, “Swiss Cheese,” and ultimately failed passage.

Florez’s legislation requires cats and dogs be spayed or neutered before they are six months old. But he took a different tack than previous legislation. “I don't believe in a blanket spay or neutering requirement. But I do believe there is a problem that needs to be addressed. I told the spay and neutering advocates I was interested in a different approach and if they had one that made sense, a successful model, then I would be willing to work on this issue,” Florez.

They brought him the spay and neuter ordinance from Santa Cruz County. Passed in 1995, it was the first such ordinance in the state. Lake and Stanislaus counties followed suit, as did Los Angeles County, which passed a similar law in February 2008.

Like Florez’s bill, the Santa Cruz ordinance requires dogs and cats be fixed by six months of age. But there are exemptions: guide dogs, police dogs, herding dogs, search and rescue. Breeding these types of dogs is allowed. Old animals or ones with health issues are also exempted.

The Santa Cruz ordinance allows for the sale of an “unaltered certificate” which permits one litter per year for a single dog or cat. The certificate imposes various conditions on the owner such as veterinary care and a minimum age when the animals can be sold. Supporters say the ordinance has succeeded.

Before 1995, Santa Cruz’s shelter held 14,000 animals a year, down to 5,500 12 years later, according to a June 9, 2007 article in the San Francisco Chronicle. Euthanasia dropped from 30 percent to 17 percent of sheltered dogs and from 60 to 50 percent of sheltered cats, the article reported.

Critics say the euthanasia rates in the county are the same as those around the state, that fewer owners license their dogs and animal control costs have doubled.

“All along I've tried to keep the focus on the issue of licensing and roaming dogs,” Florez said. “In a nutshell, if your dog is unlicensed and unaltered and is impounded, then you must have it fixed as a condition of return.” Florez likens that to existing state law – freeing an impounded animal is akin to adopting a new one, which requires sterilization.

“Let’s put it this way, if you have an unaltered, unlicensed animal in your yard, not causing trouble and not roaming – this bill will not affect you. If you have a unaltered but licensed animal roaming around or causing other problems –- then, yes, this bill will affect you.”

No state in the country has a mandatory spay or neuter law, although measures have been introduced in Alabama and Massachusetts. Both are still pending. The closest to one is Rhode Island which requires all cats be sterilized unless the owner has a breeding permit or the owner has agreed to spay and neuter the cat after adopting it from a shelter or animal welfare agency.

Thirty states, however, require sterilization or a promise to sterilize a pet adopted from a shelter, pound or pet rescue organization. Among them are California, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Nevada, New York, Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Colorado, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Las Vegas adopted an ordinance in November requiring most pet owners to sterilize their cats or dogs by four months of age. Dallas’ ordinance requires spaying and neutering but not until the animals are six months of age. Service dogs and purebred cats and dogs are among the exemptions.

In Lawton Oklahoma, owners of pet stores are fined if they sell an unaltered pet. Like Florez’s measure, in Tacoma Washington, an animal running loose must be spayed or neutered.

Other states have created funds to subsidize the costs of spaying and neutering. Legislation is pending in West Virginia to place a $75 registration fee on bulk pet food with $25 deposited into a Spay Neuter Assistance Fund. A $50 registration fee would be levied against commercial feed of which $10 would go into the fund.

Legislation in New York, introduced in 2009 but lying dormant in the Legislature, would grant a tax credit capped at $200 for the costs of spaying or neutering pets.

As for Florez’s legislation, he’s not sure when he will bring it to a vote in the 80-member Assembly, which narrowly passed the last sterilization bill on a 41-37 vote. “I’m prepared to work with all parties to win enough votes to get this measure to the governor's desk.”
ISAR predicts that by the time the Florez bill is sliced and diced in the various legislative committees and diluted by the breeders and other anti-spay/neuter forces, it will be simply a rehashed version of the 2008 unsuccessful legislation.

ISAR opposed that legislation for reasons we have made very clear, and if the Florez bill is a reprise of the earlier bill we will oppose it too. Our reasons, and our alternative is found HERE.