By:  Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President

S.B. 241 seeks to require that dog or cat breeders be licensed by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.  Simply put, this is not a place that Nevada Government should be permitted to go.

The legislation was not initiated by the Department of Agriculture.  It was proposed by freshman Senator Shirley Breeden of Las Vegas.

If passed, not only would the Department of Agriculture be collecting an annual $500 licensing fee, they would also be required with determining whether the applicants who seek the authorization are of “good moral character”.

Among other restrictions the legislation determines that a breeder for dogs or cats does not breed a cat or a dog for more than two litters during the life of the cat or dog.

There is no reason to believe that this type of intrusion for dogs and cats won’t expand to making similar determinations down the road for other animals – including livestock.  Those associated with this type of government control agenda do in fact have animal agriculture in their sights and would be very much inclined to leverage any gains made in one area to extension into others.

While we accept that necessary and appropriate controls are in place and should be pursued in protecting animals (whatever species) from abuse or other forms of mistreatment,  S.B. 241 goes way over the line in promoting the intrusion of government into this area of private property.