FOR DETAILED INFORMATION SEE www.sb250.org

CURRENT STATUS - 9.11.09 - INACTIVE

The bill was defeated 28-42 in an Assembly vote on September 8, 2009. Numerous Service Dog organizations, as well a search and rescue and law enforcement groups filed opposition after the amendment were made.

SB250 is on the Inactive File and will resume from where it is in January 2010.

WHAT SB250 DOES

As amended, SB250 purports to be a bill about responsible dog ownership but it is actually another way to get at mandatory spay and neuter that was defeated in 2008. The proponents says that only irresponsible people would be affected by SB250, but here are some ways to run afoul of the law. And if you do, you can never own an intact dog again.

• If your dog or a dog in your care gets loose two tims over the lifetime of the dog.
• If you are training a dog for obedience, agility, tracking or hunting off leash.
• If you are participating in a conformation show, obedience competition, agility trial, hunt test or tracking test off leash.
• If you are participating in a conformation show, obedience competition, agility trial, hunt test or tracking test without your tag hanging from your collar.
• If your search and rescue dog is working off leash.
• If a cadaver dog is working off leash.
• If you fail to complete the appropriate transfer papers when you change ownership of a dog - even though the proposed law does not say how or to which jurisdiction this should be done.
• If you are found in violation of any local animal control ordinance one time.
• If your dog is not licensed by the exact day it is old enough to have a license. (Because most veterinarians won't give rabies shots before 4 months and because SB250 says your dog has to be licensed at 4 months, they have built in a great way to "get" people.)