Ban OHIO Dog Auctions Movement “Moving” Right Along…

Ohio’s Attorney General and the Ballot Board have certified the Ohio Dog Auctions Act, a proposal to ban all dog auctions and dog raffles in the state. Dog auctions are a little-known piece of the puppy mill puzzle: they are where commercial breeders go to squeeze the last few dollars out of sickly or unwanted breeding dogs by selling them to other breeders, who hope to get a few more litters out of them.

The Ohio Dog Auctions Act is being proposed through an “initiated statute” process. This process gives the state legislature (the Ohio General Assembly) an opportunity to pass the Act before it goes straight to the voters.
 
Here’s how it works:

- If the Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions can gather 120,700 hard-copy signatures from Ohio voters in at least 44 of the state’s 88 counties, the Act will go before the Ohio General Assembly.

- The General Assembly will have four months to pass the Act as written.

- If the General Assembly fails to pass it, or passes a weakened version of the Act, a second petition must then be circulated and another 120,700 signatures gathered.

- If the second petition succeeds, the Act will be placed on the November 2011 state ballot for voters to pass or reject.

Unfortunately, the Coalition was unable to collect the required 120,700 signatures by December 14, 2009, but there’s still hope! All signatures carry over into the next election year! The Coalition has been gathering signatures throughout 2010 in the hopes of placing the initiative on the ballot in 2011. Help us build momentum over the summer to make sure we gather enough signatures by the December 1, 2010 deadline!

To get the Ohio Dog Auctions Act passed in 2011, you must act now. The Act is being proposed through an “initiated statute” process, which gives the General Assembly an opportunity to pass the Act before it goes straight to the voters as a ballot initiative next year. The deadline to collect 120,700 hard-copy signatures is December 1, 2010. Help us build momentum over the summer to make sure we gather enough signatures by the deadline!

What You Can Do
Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to contact the Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions. The Coalition will reply to you with instructions on how to add your voice to the chorus of Ohioans who are ready to ban cruel dog auctions from your state.