Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the NC Sporting Dog Association?
We are a coalition of hunters, hunt clubs, breeders, houndsmen, dog trainers, kennel clubs, AKC judges, and other interested people. We are responsible animal owners. We were formed in early 2004 to oppose animal rights legislation proposed to the NC General Assembly. Since then, we have been fighting continuously against animal rights legislation promoted by the Humane Society of the US, PETA, and other radical animal rights groups. Our coalition is becoming increasingly active in county and state issues. In 2011, we worked with our local Club Members in several counties to protect the right to hunt with dogs. We continue to fight in counties and in the legislative session.
2. Is the NC Sporting Dog Assn. a non-profit organization?
Yes. The Association is a not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the laws of North Carolina. As a 501 (c)(4) organization, we may seek to influence legislation. The Association monitors legislation in the NC General Assembly. Your contributions to the Association are dues and are not tax deductible.
3. What is the main purpose of the NC Sporting Dog Assn.?
We protect our right to own, use, and breed animals. Our constitutional right to own property includes the right to own animals and to own unaltered animals for breeding. We believe in responsible animal ownership.
This right has come under attack by animal rights groups that are now working openly in North Carolina. The Humane Society of the US, PETA, the Doris Day Animal League, and other animal rights extremists do not believe that people should own animals. These extremists do not believe people should selectively breed animals, such as breeding to maintain purebred dogs. They wish to impose their bizarre ideas upon us.
In the spring of 2004, an NC House legislative committee prepared legislation to tax pet food and introduce mandatory spay and neuter policies in North Carolina. We helped alert the NC General Assembly to the problems with this proposal and no such legislation was introduced.
Since 2004, we have monitored the NC General Assembly to alert citizens to any legislation designed to destroy or diminish our rights to own and enjoy our animals.
In 2009, the Humane Society of the US hired a full-time lobbyist for North Carolina. More than a dozen bills with origins in the animal rights national agenda were filed in the NC General Assembly. For an update on the status of these bills, please visit Legislative News. We defeated the animal rights agenda in the 2011 legislature, but they will return in May 2012 when the NC General Assembly next convenes.
4. Why should I support the NC Sporting Dog Assn.?
The Association includes dog lovers, hunters, dog breeders, and volunteers involved in animal rescue work. Our members raise dogs, and many are active in AKC shows and field trials. Most of our members do not have the time to monitor animal rights groups or lobby in the NC legislature.
By joining the NC Sporting Dog Assn., members pool resources to protect our property, hobbies, and traditions. We want to protect the heritage of sporting dogs. We want our children to enjoy dogs and hunting as much as we do. We know we must fight to defend our rights against the work of animal rights activists and those who would sacrifice our constitutional rights.
We face an organized, fanatical enemy, the animal rights movement. This is why we challenge hunters to JOIN THE FIGHT! We have an enemy working every day to eradicate hunting, selective breeding of animals, and to impose their values upon our entire society.
The NC Sporting Dog Assn. retains lobbyists Joe & Henri McClees, who work to protect our rights. We pool our resources to pay for a full-time political presence in the legislature. We join together to protect our rights in a way we can all afford. For more information about membership, please Join Now. Henri McClees sends email updates during the legislative sessions.
Visit HenriMcClees’s Blog, which contains Henri’s musings on legislative updates during the session and legal, historical, and background material during the out-of-session months.
5. What can I do to help?
The NC Sporting Dog Assn. need financial support and volunteers. We need your personal support. Join as an individual member for $35.00. Have your kennel club or hunting club join with a Club Membership for $500.00 (small clubs may qualify for Small Club membership dues of $250.00 with ten individual memberships). Encourage your pet food supplier to join as a Corporate Sponsor. Membership applications are available.
Give us your email address and request to be added to our list of supporters who will contact other hunters, contact Senators and Representatives about specific legislation, and come to Raleigh for critical lobbying efforts. Also, register to vote! We will need you to vote in November 2012. For more information on voter registration, visit the NC State Board of Elections.
JOIN THE FIGHT!
See our membership page for how to join or make a donation.
Thank you in advance for protecting hunting & dog breeding in NC!