Uno lobbies at the Capitol

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Uno, the famous Texas beagle, pranced into the State Capitol on Wednesday as part of a lobbying effort against pet regulation bills.

Uno was brought in on behalf of the Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, a group opposed to a bill that would require pet owners spay or neuter their animal.

"Someday your children might not be able to have a dog of their own," said David Fry, host of the Westminster Dog Show. “Someday your grandchildren may not be able to have a dog on their own because they've been legislated out of existence."

Fry said the bill could eventually eliminate purebred dogs, like Uno. Check out Uno's "lobbying" below:

However, Patt Nordyke, Executive Director of the Texas Federation of Animal Care Societies, said the bill has allowances for those who want to breed their pets.

"This is not a mandate," she said. "It exempts show dogs from the law and allows people who want to breed their pets and make money off those dogs to buy a permit."

Nordyke's organization sponsored the bill, which has yet to be voted out of committee.

"This is for those people who do not bother to spay or neuter their animals and end up leaving the unwanted litters by the side of the road or in shelters," said Nordyke. "Taxpayers end up with the burden."

Euthanasia Rates in Texas

Since implementing a low or no-cost pet sterilization program for low-income pet owners, the Town Lake Animal Shelter has seen a drop in euthanasia rates.

"There should be more programs to offer low-cost spay and neutering services," said Fry. "That is the solution to shelter animals."

But Nordyke encourages opponents of the bill to look at the numbers. In 2008, the Town Lake Animal Shelter still had to euthanize 44 percent or 10,916 thousand of its animals. In San Antonio, the numbers are more than double.

"In some of the smaller towns, there aren't even any spay or neuter services," said Nordyke. "We have tried to lower the cost, but it is still not working enough."

Other Pet Related Bills

H.B. 3180 puts the clamp down on large-scale commercial breeders. It would prohibit what is now considered a puppy mill and require any breeder with a large number of animals to provide animals with the following:

• Food at least once every 24 hours with continuous access to water
• Allow confined animals enough space to easily sit, stand, turnaround and lie down in a normal manner.
• Provide proper ventilation and adequate lighting for animals confined indoors
• Provide structurally sound shelter with proper protection from inclement weather conditions for animals confined outdoors
• Maintain adequate sanitation conditions within the living spaces
• Provide proper handling, treatment and immunization of animals for disease, parasite and pest control, including proper care by a veterinarian and written health records for each animal.

HB 2001 would prohibit tethering pets

HB 1982 changes the definition of a "vicious" dog and puts regulations on dogs over 40 pounds