WOLF-DOG CROSS ACT - H.B. 4793 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 4793 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor: Representative Gerald Law

House Committee: Health Policy

Senate Committee: Hunting, Fishing and Forestry

CONTENT

The bill would create the "Wolf-Dog Cross Act" to allow a person to possess one or more wolf-dog crosses if the person annually obtained a wolf-dog cross license, including a rabies vaccination, for each wolf-dog cross. The bill also would provide for conditions of a wolf-dog cross facility and the handling and care of the animals; standards for keeping a wolf-dog cross in a person's residence, including a posted sign stating, "A wolf-dog cross, which is a potentially dangerous animal, is kept on this property."; specification of owners' responsibilities and liabilities, including a requirement that a wolf-dog cross be humanely euthanized if it had potentially exposed a human, livestock, or a mammalian pet to rabies; and penalties for violations of the bill.

"Wolf-dog cross" would mean a canid that was a crossbreed resulting from the breeding of a wolf with a dog, the breeding of two wolf-dog crosses, or the breeding of a wolf-dog cross with a dog or an animal represented by the owner through advertisement, registration papers, sworn statements, or any other method, as a wolf-dog cross.

- Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a minimal fiscal impact on State government and local governments, depending on the number of wolf-dog crosses in the State.

A license for wolf-dog crosses would be the same as for regular dogs. Local units of government could experience increased enforcement costs to ensure that wolf-dogs were contained as required. An indeterminate increase in fine revenues could result from violations of the proposed Act.

Date Completed: 9-21-98 - Fiscal Analyst: G. Cutler

R. Ross

floor\hb4793 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.