This Thursday, February 5, the Washington House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources is scheduled to hear the bills ( SB 5329  and  HB 1406 ) that would impose a fee on petfood of US $ 57.50 per ton to fund spay/neuter programs in the state of Washington, according to the  Pet Food Institute  (PFI). 

A representative from PFI traveled to Olympia to deliver testimony in person on the bills. He also met with key members of the Senate as well as representatives of allies who will assist PFI in this fight.

Also testifying against the petfood tax proposal were the  Washington Retail Association  and the  Washington State Veterinary Medical Association . A representative of the  Washington Department of Agriculture  testified against the program itself, asserting that the Department does not want the charge of administering the spay/neuter program that would be established by the bill. The Department representative also noted that the program would be the second largest item in the Department's budget.