We support the Animal Welfare Act, as previously written by the US Congress, upheld by the courts and enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture.

We support responsible animal ownership and breeding.

PAWS 2005, SB1139/HB2669, is an amendment to the AWA that reduces the threshold requirement for USDA licensing.

We do not believe that the provisions of the PAWS 2005 proposed legislation, SB1139/HB2669, will enhance the effective enforcement of the AWA. We believe that the PAWS provisions will further invade/limit private citizens' rights to own and breed pets, which we find unacceptable.

Further, we believe that the PAWS 2005 provisions will further encumber federal agencies and the courts during times of budget cuts and personnel shortages without quantified evidence of compelling need and problem resolution.

As US citizens and voters, we urge US Senators and Representatives to oppose Sen. Santorum's PAWS 2005, SB1139/HB2669. We don't need the Federal Government to pass a badly-composed law, without a defined compelling need and quantified problem resolution, to invade/limit/restrict responsible animal ownership in private citizens'/voters' residences at our undefined expense.