Senator Sean Burrage has introduced SB1295 to amend the Oklahoma Commercial Pet Breeders Act, as per his Executive Assistant, Donna Garlick, he was requested to do so by the Humane Society. Representative Mike Jackson has introduced HB2716, which is identical to SB1295.

It seems that Sue Ann Hamm, a Board member of the Oklahoma Board of Commercial Pet Breeders and a Board member of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society is busy requesting this bill be introduced, and wants the assurance of getting it introduced in both Houses. This amendment includes a private police force and removes the Oklahoma Board of Commercial Pet Breeders from under the authority of the Oklahoma State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, giving an already out of control Board no oversight whatsoever.

It also changes the definition of “facility” to “used by a commercial pet breeder or person,” which would appear to potentially include anyone who owns, keeps, houses or breeds animals. It also changes the appointment of the Executive Director from appointment by the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to the Board alone.

The proposed amendment states “Section 5007.  The executive director may employ personnel necessary to carry out the functions and duties of the Board of Commercial Pet Breeders under the Commercial Pet Breeders Act and shall provide for a law enforcement division.

1. The law enforcement division shall have the responsibility for conducting investigations relating to reviewing license applications and inspecting commercial pet breeders, investigating suspected commercial pet breeders and enforcing the Commercial Pet Breeders Act.  The person in charge of the law enforcement division shall be a professional law enforcement officer with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in the field of law enforcement and a graduate of a four-year college with a degree in law enforcement administration, law, criminology or a related science, or in lieu thereof a minimum of ten (10) years of experience in the field of law enforcement.  The executive director may also serve as the person in charge of the law enforcement division.
2. The commissioned officers and agents of the law enforcement division of the Board, and such other employees as the person in charge of the division shall designate to perform duties in the investigation and prevention of crime and the enforcement of the criminal laws of the state, shall have and exercise all the powers and authority of peace officers.

3. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to restrict or prohibit any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer from performing any duties imposed upon the law enforcement officer by law.”

It further states that in the absence of an Executive Director, and executive officer of the Board may authorize disbursements; and to quote from Section 5026, Part D, “A commercial pet breeder or an unlicensed person who is reasonably suspected as a commercial pet breeder,…” This would allow for them to enter upon anyone’s property they choose. Remember that addition of “any person.”

These proposed changes in the Act grant unlimited power and authority to a Board that has proven time and time again to be totally out of control and acting beyond the scope of statutory authority. If this outrages you, perhaps Senator Burrage needs to be barraged by correspondence stating this is an outrage. You may contact him at:

Email address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Executive Assistant Donna Garlick

Or:

Senator Sean Burrage

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 529B
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
(405) 521-5555

To read the proposed bill as introduced: Oklahoma Bill SB1295 Once you are on the page, click on the "Versions" tab, then click on "Introduced" to open the bill.