The 2021 Humane Pet Sales Bill has been signed by Governor Inslee into law!
Ava and I are absolutely ecstatic to report that as of Friday morning, HB 1424 has been signed by Washington Governor Inslee into law. Once officially enacted, this bill will prevent any new pet stores from funneling puppy and kitten mill animals into our state, helping cut off the puppy mill to consumer pipeline. Though under this year's compromise, current pet stores will still be allowed to operate as before, we still recognize the progress this bill creates. It is a crucial step forward for animal welfare in our state that prevents this issue from getting any worse. So much of our high school experience has been linked to our support of this bill, and we feel incredibly proud to see its passage now. To think for us, this all began in the Humane Teen Club of our local shelter all those years ago! Through this experience, Ava and I have gotten the opportunity to work with a plethora of amazing animal lovers, all of which were instrumental to passing this bill. To Representative Amy Walen, the amazing primary sponsor of HB 1424, those at Pasado's Safe Haven, our friends at Seattle Humane, and everyone across the Indivisible network, thank you. We also want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has supported the Humane Pet Sales Bill over the years by contacting their legislator, signing our petition, and simply getting the word out! These small shows of constituent support can move mountains. Please know that thanks to you, Washington now has a more humane future for consumers and animals alike.
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Novia and I are ecstatic to announce that the Humane Pet Sales Bill has passed in its Senate committee, meaning it has officially moved on to Senate Rules!
We had the honor of testifying in support of HB 1424 this past Tuesday to the Senate Business, Financial Services, and Trade committee, and we were so excited to hear about its quick passage just days after. Though this is an incredible step forward, our work is not yet done. In light of the news, many pet stores are working rapidly to set up as many new establishments as possible before the bill's potential finalization. Thus, we have contacted the senators of the Rules committee and requested that they please bring HB 1424 to the Senate Floor as soon as possible. The more voices the better, so we'd like to politely ask that anyone able echoes this request in messages to the Rules senators. Here is a link to their information. Here is an example message for your convenience: Dear Senator [LAST NAME], My name is [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE] and I am writing to you in support of the Humane Pet Sales Bill, which was introduced this legislative session as HB 1424. This crucial bill is now in the Rules committee, and I hope you will vote to pull it to the Senate Floor as soon as possible to protect consumers and animals alike from unscrupulous puppy mills. Without hurting reputable breeders, the Humane Pet Sales Bill would close the channel between puppy/kitten mills and the public by prohibiting any new stores from selling cats or dogs. This compromise would put a freeze on the current issue, preventing it from worsening. It is imperative that HB1424 pass promptly, as pet stores selling mill-bred puppies are attempting to quickly expand before it comes into effect. Thank you for your support of a more humane future! Sincerely, [INSERT YOUR NAME] Novia and I would like to express our sincere gratitude for all the support and guidance we've received throughout this lengthy process. The finish line is in sight, we just need your help! We are overjoyed to relay that The Humane Pet Sale Bill (HB1424) has passed in the House! It is now beginning it's journey in the Senate, where it will start in the Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee.
We would like to extend a special thank you to Representatives Amy Walen, April Berg, and John Lovick, who were among this bill's greatest supporters. Their work has been absolutely essential to the bill's success so far, and we could not be more grateful! The wonderful people at Pasado's Safe Haven have created a way for Washington citizens to easily send their thanks to all three legislators at once, which we highly encourage you to do via this link. As mentioned prior, the bill is now awaiting a hearing in the Washington Senate's Business, Financial Services, and Trade Committee. If you live in Washington State and want to support the Humane Pet Sales Bill, now is the time to contact your state senator to let them know! As always, constituent support will make the biggest difference in whether this crucial piece of legislation becomes law. Olympia, WA 3/11/21 Now is the time to let your voices be heard! The 2021 Humane Pet Sales Bill is awaiting a floor vote in the WA House of Representatives.
After several busy weeks, Novia and I are ecstatic to share some updates! This past month, we've had the pleasure of being interviewed for a Crosscut article shedding further light on the urgency of this legislation. All while remaining socially distant, we talked at length about our efforts and were even photographed with our furry family, as pictured above! We are so grateful to have been able to help spread the word about the Humane Pet Sales Bill, and are so grateful to Crosscut for the experience! In other exciting news, on February 11th we testified in the Consumer Protection and Business Committee. Though the committee hearing was virtual, Novia and I were just as humbled and excited to promote the passage of the bill! During this process, an amendment was made to the bill that limits its original source transparency measures. Despite this, we are still grateful for the new protections this bill offers for consumers and animals alike. Essentially, while not as comprehensive as we had intended, the bill will ensure the issue of puppy mill sales does not get worse in Washington, as it bans any new puppy-selling stores from opening. Additionally, it leaves a viable pathway for local progress efforts; something we are certainly optimistic about. As it stands, the bill is waiting to be voted on in the House. The bill must be passed in this chamber by March 9th, otherwise it will remain on the Floor until our next legislative session. Novia and I have been doing our best to urge our network to contact their legislators, but the more support, the better off we are! Letting your House Reps. know you are in support of HB 1424 is imperative, so we politely ask that if you are able to contact your Representatives, please do so (here's a link to our "How to Help" page to get started)! We are so hopeful for this bill and subsequent measures we can take to best ensure the wellbeing of consumers and animals in our state! This journey has been long and informative, and it is far from over. However, this next big push can make all the difference! Olympia, WA 3/4/2021 Continuing our efforts from the 2020 legislative session, we are now spreading the word about this crucial bill virtually through the Washington Indivisible network.
2020 has certainly been a year to remember. Following the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, we had to reimagine our advocacy efforts. Together with our partners at Pasado's Safe Haven, the incredible animal advocacy organization we worked with last session, we brainstormed a new strategy to reach constituents while ensuring the safety of everyone involved. On September 19th, 2020, we had the absolute honor of delivering our first virtual presentation to Indivisible Eastside regarding the Humane Pet Sales Bill. Alongside Pasado's Education and Advocacy Director, Brenna Anderst, we talked through the deceptive puppy mill to consumer pipeline, which utilizes false guarantees of reputability to transfer unscrupulously bred puppies from mill to broker to pet store. Indivisible Eastside was also the first chapter we presented to last year, and we are beyond grateful for their continued support. On October 8th, 2020, we expanded our reach to Snohomish County Indivisible. This chapter covers the region home to Pasado's Safe Haven, and we were ecstatic to see their enthusiasm. They asked insightful questions regarding the Humane Pet Sale Bill's enforcement and the extend of mill influence in Washington. Thank you so much for having us! Going in to November, we are looking forward to our presentation to Indivisible Greater Vancouver on the 13th. Though these times are unprecedented, our commitment to the well being of animals is as strong as ever! Bellevue, WA 10/27/20 As we prepared to push this bill once more next legislative session, we are working on a local level to prevent the spread of unscrupulous pet stores.
At the end of January, we had the honor of testifying in favor of the Humane Pet Sales Bill in the House Consumer Protection and Business Committee. Though the bill ultimately did not make it out of committee this year, we are incredibly hopeful for its future after hearing wave of support from activists, everyday citizens, and legislators alike. The committee expressed a desire to learn more about the complexities of the issue of animal mills, and Pasado’s Safe Haven, the Humane Society of America, and Bailing Out Benji collectively presented a strong case against unethical pet store practices. They, alongside us, will continue to fight for this piece of legislation, which Representative Amy Walen has committed to sponsor. With the knowledge that we will not be seeing a state-wide passage this session, we are currently pursuing local avenues to pass the bill. This locally preventative work, while not an end-all solution, allows us to protect as many animals and consumers as possible in our state while we continue working towards our ultimate goal. Pet stores selling puppies and kittens from mills have begun to expand, with the notable opening of Puppyland in Olympia a month prior that was quickly banned by the addition of Chapter 6.01 into city law. Additionally, this past month, we drove out to visit Pasado’s Safe Haven to shoot an interview encouraging youth advocacy for animals. We are immensely grateful to have had this opportunity and were utterly blown away by the amazing facility! We spoke thoroughly with Pasado’s about our next steps in legislation and are so appreciative of their support in our efforts. Thank you all for your continued support of our work in all its avenues! We are sincerely looking forward to a 2020 full of legislative advocacy, both locally and on the state level. Olympia, WA 01/31/2020-02/19/2020 The Humane Pet Sales Bill has officially been submitted to the Washington State House and Senate! With the start of the 2020 Washington Legislative Session, the Humane Pet Sales Bill is on its way towards a vote. In the House, the bill number is HB 2344 sponsored by Representative Sherry Appleton (District 23), Representative Amy Walen (District 48), and Representative Gerry Pollet (District 46). Its Senate counterpart, SB 6221, is sponsored by Senator Derek Stanford (District 1). The Humane Pet Sales Bill is an expanded retail pet ban that ensures animal welfare is preserved throughout the entire adoption process. Without harming reputable breeders, the bill will make the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores illegal unless they are showcasing animals in collaboration will an animal care and control agency or animal rescue group. It is a crucial step towards ensuring legal protection for consumers and animals alike. We would be so grateful for your support in passing this essential bill. Please consider emailing your legislator, as every constituent voice helps! Issaquah, WA 01/14/20 The Retail Pet Ban has a new name and new language for the upcoming 2020 Washington Legislative Session!
The new bill, known currently as the Humane Pet Sales Bill, builds on California's model with stronger provisions to prevent unscrupulous pet stores from funneling puppy/kitten mill animals into an unsuspecting public and help legitimate rescues promote animals through adoption. At the end of October, Ava and I received amazing news from our local member of the Washington Federation of Animal Care and Control Agencies whom we had been working with over the summer. It was confirmed that Pasado's Safe Haven, a fantastic animal advocacy organization based in Monroe, Washington, would be leading the effort to introduce and pass the Humane Pet Sales Bill, with support from a variety of stakeholders, including the Federation. Just last year, Pasado's Safe Haven led the successful effort to ban the practice of using puppies and kittens as live collateral in pet sales financing schemes. They also supported successful efforts to strengthen our state's anti-animal fighting law and limit dog breed-based discrimination. Over the past few months, we have had the honor of working with this incredible animal welfare organization and are ecstatic to share the product of these efforts. The Humane Pet Sales Bill is a modification of the retail pet sales bill introduced last year. It is designed to not only combat puppy and kitten mills, but also promote successful adoptions from legitimate rescues. Among other measures, the bill requires basic best practice adoption steps such as use of an adoption questionnaire and transparency of any medical issues. It will not impact responsible breeders who sell directly to the public, as it is intentionally focused on eliminating the few bad actors responsible for funneling the vast majority of puppy/kitten mill animals. Attached to this update is a link to the one-page document from Pasado's Safe Haven detailing the bill itself. As of today, the Humane Pet Sales Bill is currently in the process of being pre-filed for the start of this year's session, where it will be assigned a bill number. As we move closer to the start of this very exciting (and very short!) legislative session, we encourage all of you to continue to reach out to your representatives regarding your support of this bill. Ava and I's next goal is to speak to our local political organizations and persuade them to pass resolutions in favor of the Humane Pet Sales Bill. We will provide the bill number as soon as possible to aid in these efforts. Once more, we would like to thank you all for your support. We cannot stress the importance of constituent passion enough, and it warms our hearts to see it here. Click here to read more about the Humane Pet Sales Bill! Bellevue, WA 12/09/19 In a charming office building adjacent to a tranquil water view in Kirkland, Novia and I got the pleasure of sitting down with Senator Dhingra to discuss the bill.
Senator Dhingra was overwhelmingly supportive and we were immediately humbled to receive her backing of the bill early on in our discussion. She encouraged us to reach out to committee members via their office phone numbers and good old-fashioned emails. She also gave us the wisdom to find new outlets for exposure, such as podcasts. We were very touched by her story of finding her rescue pup, and are so grateful for her time and encouragement and appreciate her support of the bill! Kirkland, WA 11/22/19 Indivisible Eastside, an outstanding group of individuals united in support of thoughtful, progressive policies, have joined us in our fight against animal cruelty. We are beyond grateful to have been given the opportunity to present the Retail Pet Ban at their November meeting and are hopeful for their efforts.
When passing legislation, constituent passion is of the utmost importance. As representatives respond best to those within their districts, we have been eager to spread word of the Retail Pet Ban to as many people from as many places as possible. Today's speech gave us the opportunity to reach out to politically active individuals from Washington legislative districts 1, 5, 41, 45, and 48, tripling the number we had previously covered. As a branch of the national Indivisible Movement, this fantastic group is able to not only support the Retail Pet Ban locally, but forward the message to members across Washington State. This is exactly what this piece of legislation needs: a passionate statewide audience. Thank you once more to Indivisible Eastside for inviting us to speak. Local interest is the foundation of our fight for animal welfare, and your support is indispensable. To learn more about Indivisible Eastside and their fantastic mission, please visit: http://indivisibleeastside.com/ Redmond, WA 11/09/19 |