Law would harm law-abiding breeders

My husband and I are retired, and show our boxers in conformation and obedience, and have won several AKC titles. We breed a litter of puppies twice a year. We place them in pet homes on spay/neuter contracts, and people seek us out because they know we care about our Boxers and breed carefully, always health-testing our dogs before mating them.

Now we have lawmakers trying to usurp our rights to own this breed the way the American Boxer Club has designated since it was formed. We oppose Senate Bill 139, which renders the common practice of docking the tails of dogs and cropping ears as torture and a felony. More than 17 breeds dock or crop or both and remove dew claws. This has been safely and humanely done for centuries. Additionally, the American Kennel Club forbids the participation of a cropped dog in its events if the state prohibits the procedure. Thus, those dogs that come from all over the country, including Illinois, would be prohibited from participation in any AKC field trials, obedience trials, agility trials and conformation shows that are held in Illinois. These events bring millions of dollars to Illinois every year, revenue that would be lost at a time when our state needs all the help it can get.

If that isn't bad enough, Rep. John A. Fritchey is seeking to enact a law (HB 0198) that would require me to be fingerprinted, have my home searched, a criminal background check run, and pay a fee for this. We are not a part of the puppy mill problem and do not sell through pet stores. We are a local in-house breeder, which is always the best place to purchase a pet. We have strict ethics rules regarding the breeding and placement of our puppies. Our puppies are micro chipped, inoculated and health cleared by a veterinarian before they go to their devoted families.

Bill and Barbara O'Connor

Villa Park