[5]
By Natural Resource News Note,
Letter from Oregonians for animal care [6]
“Twelve leading Oregon agricultural groups have petitioned the Oregon Attorney General’s Office to clarify the sweeping devastating effects (IP) 13 would have on all Oregonians. The measure would criminalize good animal husbandry practices, hunting and fishing, animal breeding of both pets and livestock, and even home rodent control. It also would create a new felony category for teachers, advisors, or parents who show children how to care for animals. “Everyone from horse trainers to pet groomers to dairy farmers to anyone who kills a rat in their own home would become criminals under this measure,” said Oregon Farm Bureau Public Policy Vice President Mary Anne Cooper. “Even farmers protecting their fields and crops from rodents would be made criminals. I have never seen an initiative that would have such an immediate and devastating impact on more Oregon families than IP13.”
Oregon Dairy Farmers Association executive director Tami Kerr said, “Animal abuse is already criminally illegal in Oregon. This initiative isn’t about protecting animals, its about criminalizing family farming activities. Preventative herd health practices shouldn’t be criminalized. Breeding practices that are safe for animals shouldn’t be criminalized.” Oregon Cattlemen’s Association executive director Tammy Dennee added, “This measure makes it impossible to protect your pets and calves or sheep from aggressive predators legally. It undermines food safety by outlawing rodent control in our food supply chain, literally all the way from ranch to or farm to your table. IP 13 also cripples the local food system and would force Oregonians to rely on out-of-state or overseas suppliers”
The proponent of the measure has until July 8, 2022 to agther more than 1112,000 valid sigantures to get the measure on the November 2022 ballot. Said Farm Bureau’s Cooper, “The best advice I can offer is don’t sign the petition…”
Continue reading letter here [7].