[News] Iowa yorkie owners - call to paws!!!

[Missiemiss]

Iowa People - our State Legislature is currently voting on the PUPPYMILL BILL. At this time it is all but DEAD! NO! We can't let this happen!

Why? They have passed it off to the Ag committee who believe that if they vote for this it will affect the laws on LIVESTOCK!

WE MUST GET THE WORD TO THEM THAT DOGS NEED TO BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY FROM LIVESTOCK!

Please, in Iowa or anywhere - if you would send an email to the Ag Committee AND your Senate and House REp you could show support.

Please PM me with your email address and I will EMAIL you a very disturbing report:

A REPORT ON THE STATUS OF
USDA COMMERCIAL-LICENSED AND INSPECTED
DOG-BREEDING FACILITIES IN IOWA

I also have an email that I have prepared, to be sent to the members of the Ag Committee!

Please - PLEASE! We need your support NOW!!!!!

WE NEED THEM TO SUPPORT HF486

My sincere thanks!

It just takes a small snowball to create a huge one - let's start!!!

Missiemiss/Theresa

[yorkiekist]

Can you please post the link to the bill?

[Missiemiss]

http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Coo...xt&hbill=HF486

Please keep in mind, this is a START. Iowa is #3. We have to start with puppy steps.

[yorkiesmiles]

Backers: 'Puppy mill' bill in danger

Backers: 'Puppy mill' bill in danger | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register
Lots of comments already online

By TONY LEYS • tleys@dmreg.com • March 7, 2009


An animal-rights group complained Friday that a prominent Iowa legislator is holding up a bill that would crack down on "puppy mills."

The activists suspect Rep. Dolores Mertz plans to kill their bill, House File 486. They said the bill passed the Public Safety Committee last week and appeared headed to the House floor, but Mertz asked that it first be brought before the House Agriculture Committee, of which she is chairwoman.

The bill would allow state officials to inspect federally licensed dog breeders if someone filed a complaint about the businesses.


Advocates say the bill is needed because some of the dog breeders with the worst conditions hold licenses from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They said Iowa and Kansas are the only states that do not have some control over such facilities, and they added that Iowa is the nation's third-largest supplier of puppies.

Mary LaHay, director of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals, said many dog breeders are legitimate. But she said some keep dogs in horrible conditions, such as being crammed in small cages around the clock. "They might never get out in their lives," she said. "They might spend eight years in a cage."

Mertz denied doing anything underhanded. She said bills occasionally are considered by two committees before going to the House floor.

The Ottosen Democrat said the bill will get a fair hearing, but she expressed mixed emotions about it. She said that she does not support irresponsible breeders but doubts they are a major problem.

"There might be a few bad ones out there, but you shouldn't punish everyone for a few," she said.

Mertz said she is wary about adding duties to overburdened state inspectors when federal inspectors already oversee many dog breeders.

The bill is opposed by a dog breeders' group called the Iowa Federation of Animal Owners. Chairman Joe Gerst, who raises Yorkshire terriers in Amana, said federal inspectors do a good job of overseeing the 450 Iowa breeders who have federal licenses. He said the debate over the bill diverts attention from the real problem, which is unlicensed breeders.

Gerst said he was not comforted by the fact that, under the bill, state inspectors would stay away from federally licensed breeders unless they received a complaint. He said animal-rights activists could file baseless complaints about legitimate breeders. "When you're in this business, you're a target," he said.

Rep. Mark Kuhn, a Charles City Democrat who supports the bill, said he was unsure why leaders sent it to the Agriculture Committee instead of to the floor. "If it needs further work, that's fine," he said. "But if they put it there to die, that's disappointing."

[livingdustmops]

Originally Posted by yorkiesmiles

Mertz denied doing anything underhanded. She said bills occasionally are considered by two committees before going to the House floor.

The Ottosen Democrat said the bill will get a fair hearing, but she expressed mixed emotions about it. She said that she does not support irresponsible breeders but doubts they are a major problem.


"There might be a few bad ones out there, but you shouldn't punish everyone for a few," she said.

I doubt it is a few.

[yorkiesmiles]

Originally Posted by livingdustmops

I doubt it is a few.

Yes - you don't get to be #3 on the top ranked puppy mill states for just a few

[Missiemiss]

Mertz is really unders scrutany also - she is seen as a conflict of interest as the Chair of the Ag Committee - her sons own two of the largest HOG facilities in Iowa.

While I do appreciate her committment to Ag in Iowa I respectfully disagree with what she is doing here and I did write her and let her know that. I told her that I would personally take her on a road trip to some facilities in her area (North Central Iowa) to show her there is not just a "few."

[Missiemiss]

We are getting closer!

I have a prepared Letter to the Editor and some Talking POints on the proposed Iowa Bill.

If you are interested in putting it in your local paper - just PM me with your email address and I will send it to you!

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU! PUPPIES SAY THANK YOU!!!!

[yorkiesmiles]

Iowa Politics

Humane Society: Iowa voters support stronger oversight of puppy mills
3/10/2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Iowa Voters Support Stronger Oversight of Puppy Mills by Nearly Ten-to-One Margin

New Survey Reveals Overwhelming Support for Legislation to Protect Pets from Cruelty and Abuse

(March 9, 2009) – A recent statewide survey by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc. reveals that 86 percent of Iowa voters support legislation that would strengthen protections for dogs in large-scale breeding facilities known as puppy mills, while only 9 percent oppose tougher regulations. Overwhelming margins in every demographic group—men, women, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—support legislation to crack down on puppy mills. Iowa is the third-largest puppy mill state in the country.

Bills to strengthen Iowa’s oversight of puppy mills—H.F. 486 by Rep. Jim Lykam, D-85, and S.F. 265 by veterinarian Sen. Joe Seng, D-43,—have been introduced and are awaiting committee action. Puppy mills are mass dog breeding facilities that keep animals in factory farm confinement, often in filthy wire cages stacked on top of each other, with no exercise, socialization, or human interaction. Dogs from puppy mills are sold in pet stores, over the Internet, and directly to consumers with little or no regard for the dog’s health or genetic history.

Currently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture licenses and inspects some puppy mills, but only those that sell wholesale to pet stores—not those that sell over the Internet or directly to the public. Iowa is one of only two states (along with Kansas) where state officials are not able to inspect these puppy mills, even if complaints have been reported. The new legislation would give the Iowa Department of Agriculture the authority to inspect these facilities if they receive complaints.

The bill would not affect responsible breeders, who already keep their dogs in humane conditions, or the livestock community. It also will not require the Iowa Department of Agriculture to spend any additional resources, but simply will give the agency additional tools for pursuing investigations and enforcement if they choose to do so.

“Thousands of dogs are suffering in puppy mills throughout our state. These dogs will never know the pleasure of a treat, a toy or the feeling of grass under their feet. They are treated not like family pets, but like a cash crop,” said Carol Griglione, The HSUS’ Iowa state director. “Our state agencies should have the authority to check out any complaints of mistreatment, and now these dogs at least have hope for some expanded protections.”

The survey also revealed that Iowa voters strongly support other legislative proposals to protect animals. Bills that would allow courts to issue protective orders for pets that belong to victims of domestic violence—H.F. 32 and S.F. 119, also introduced by Rep. Lykam and Sen. Seng—would help keep both people and animals safe from their abusers. The poll showed that 72 percent of Iowa voters support the measure, while only 16 percent oppose it.

Up to 75 percent of domestic violence victims who have pets report that their partners have threatened or killed their animals. As many as 48 percent of domestic violence victims refuse to leave their abusers because they fear a pet will be left in harm’s way. The new legislation would allow courts to issue protective orders to include pets along with the people who are threatened by domestic abuse.

Generally speaking, 83 percent of Iowa voters said they support stronger legislation to promote the humane treatment of animals, while only 10 percent disagreed. The full text of the survey questions and results are below.

To learn more about puppy mills, visit humanesociety.org/puppymills.

To learn more about animal cruelty and domestic violence, visit humanesociety.org/firststrike.

[yorkiesmiles]

Pass state inspection for dog breeders | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register


Pass state inspection for dog breeders

March 13, 2009

Puppy mills, distinguished from responsible breeders, breed as many dogs as possible with no regard for the animals' welfare. They spend their entire lives penned up in small cages without any exercise, often in deplorable, filthy conditions that promote disease.

All they ever want is to be loved and belong to a family.

Iowans have the opportunity to stop the inhumane treatment. Currently, dog breeders who sell wholesale to puppy stores or brokers are required only to get a federal USDA license and are not subject to further regulation or inspection by the state.
Advertisement

There are 460 USDA-licensed breeding kennels in Iowa, ranking the state third in the nation for number of such operations. The USDA does not have adequate staff to inspect all of the state's kennels. The closest office that handles complaints for Iowa is in Colorado.

Thousands of puppies are sold in Iowa under the radar, directly to the public, without USDA inspection. We have a pending legislative bill, House File 486, that would allow state inspection of a puppy mill by the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Thirty four other states have enacted state restriction and humane standards for mills in the last four years.

- Linda Sorenson, Des Moines

[yorkiesmiles]

Rescue groups paint a sad story of Iowa’s puppy mills
By KATIE WILLIAMS, Messenger staff writer
POSTED: March 15, 2009

Rescue groups paint a sad story of Iowa’s puppy mills - MessengerNews.net | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Info. - Messenger News


A 6-year-old SharPei was sold at auction after she had been deemed useless at an Iowa puppy mill last November. She had been caged so long she was crippled.

She was known only as No. 248. Her owners didn't even give her a name, said Lin Sorenson, a member of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals.

Miracle, a poodle, was rescued from an Iowa puppy mill and sent to Hearts United for Animals based in Auburn, Neb., Sorenson said. The veterinarian who spayed her after her rescue found dead puppies that had been inside her for so long they had hardened. Her uterus had ruptured, probably because of medication she was given to force labor, said Sorenson.

Dogs with stories like these - and worse - are told over and over by rescue groups.

Now, they want to do something about it, said Sorenson.

"Puppy mills are in business to produce mass quantities of puppies to primarily sell to a broker or distributor," Sorenson said.

Female dogs are bred every heat cycle - usually starting with their first. Breeding is commonly continued until their bodies wear out, said Sorenson. To save money, the breeders often use small cages with very little protection from the elements, feed substandard nutrition and give little, if any, medical attention.

Mary LaHay, director of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals, said most puppy mills are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"The title 'USDA licensed' can be deceptive," she said. "It's not always a good thing."

An organization that needs approval of a government department doesn't mean it is held to high standards that people often think they are, she said.

"These dogs are stressed, emaciated and underfed. They're often kept in small wire cages that barely comply with the Animal Welfare Act."

LaHay said the Animal Welfare Act only requires that a dog in a cage have 6 inches of space above it and around it.

Judy Hintzman, with Keeshond Lovers United, in Lawrence, Kan., said many dogs have so little interaction with humans they don't trust them.

"There is such a lack of socialization that the dogs that are rescued from puppy mills will have trouble forming a bond with humans," she said. "They would rather form a bond with another dog."

There are so many dogs rescued from puppy mills that it is often difficult to find care for them in the same state that they were rescued, she said. Keeshond Lovers United takes dogs from five of the surrounding states, including Iowa.

Traci Seltz, a former breeder of champion Dalmatians, in Badger, said puppy mills are a problem, even in Webster County. She warns potential buyers to ask a lot of questions.

"A breeder should welcome you to the facility and let you see the parents and where they were raised," she said. "It should send up a big red flag if they don't."

She said a responsible breeder should know the history of the breed, the individual puppy's pedigree and should ask a lot of questions too.

"Backyard breeders are in it for the money," Seltz said. "If you hand them the money they will hand you the puppy."

She said in her 15 years as a breeder she has turned down more than one potential buyer because she had doubts if the breed was right for the owner or the owner would give it a loving home.

"A responsible breeder should also be willing to take the dog back, no questions asked," Seltz said. "If something happens where you can no longer afford the dog, the breeder should care enough to want to find a second owner rather than have the puppy sit in a shelter."

She said another red flag is if the breeder has more than one breed of dog.

"If you saw what went on in puppy mills you would be appalled," she said. "The cages are crammed, usually more than one dog per cage; they're sitting in their own feces - it's just disgusting."

A person may be tempted to rescue a puppy just to give it a better life, but that isn't fixing the overall problem, Seltz said.

"Backyard breeders run on a supply and demand basis," she said. "By purchasing a puppy you are making room for another puppy. You have given them more money to buy more breeding stock only to save one puppy."

Sorenson said if a person wants to rescue a puppy, they should get one through a rescue group instead.

[yorkiesmiles]

Puppy mill bill heads to House

Puppy mill bill heads to House - MessengerNews.net | News, Sports, Jobs, Community Info. - Messenger News

Public Safety Committee approves bill up for review

By KATIE WILLIAMS, Messenger staff writer
POSTED: March 15, 2009

Puppy mills may continue a strong presence in Iowa if a House bill doesn't gain approval Monday.

The "Puppy Mill" bill, or House File 486, will allow state inspectors access to federally licensed breeding facilities if a complaint is made against them. Right now, the law says that federally licensed facilities can be inspected by only federal officials.

The bill already received a 12 to 8 vote of approval from the Public Safety Committee on Feb. 24. It was scheduled to go to the House floor, but made a sideways jump to the House Agriculture Committee instead.

State Rep. Dolores Mertz, D-Ottosen, requested that the bill be reviewed by a subcommittee chaired by state Rep. Elesha Gayman, D-Davenport.

There are some who saw the request as an attempt to kill the bill before it makes it to the House floor.

"I'm not trying to kill the bill," Mertz said. "Everything needs a hearing."

Asked if she thinks puppy mills are a problem in Iowa, Mertz said, "The bad ones, yes."

Mertz said she would like to see the bill focus on unlicensed breeders who have no oversight whatsoever.

The bill doesn't need the approval of the Agriculture Committee to go to the House floor, since it's already gotten the approval of the Public Safety Committee, she said.

Gayman wants the bill to be reviewed a second time by the House Agriculture Committee because the inspectors who would be responsible for enforcing the new law work under the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

She said this proposed change has raised questions among existing breeders.

"There is a lot of concern from good breeders, who are following the licensing rules, that this would make it difficult for them and would create more loop holes in the industry," Gayman said. "We just want to take the opportunity to hear all sides and understand the issues."

She said the first meeting, scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday in room 103 of the state capitol, will also focus on how the bill is going to be regulated and its implications.

The meeting is open to the public.

"Iowa is the third largest dog-breeding state and we want to make sure that the animals get the respect that they deserve," Gayman said.

The bill was scheduled to be reviewed by the House Agriculture Committee since its initial proposal, but state Rep. Jim Lykam, D-Davenport, requested that it be reviewed by the Public Safety Committee.

"I was the sponsor of the bill and I would make the argument that dogs are companion animals, not livestock" Lykam said. "They could end up being service dogs for the blind or law enforcement and that makes it a public safety issue."

He said the bill could face an uncertain future by being reviewed again in the Agriculture Committee.

"The bill is so watered down as it is," Lykam said. "I don't know what else could be done to it without killing the bill."

He said he just wants to give dogs proper care.

"This is an animal welfare issue," he said. "I'm all for people in business and making a living, but you can do that and be a responsible breeder."

Dustin Vande Hoef, communications director for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, said he is concerned that the bill will overwhelm state inspectors who are already feeling the pinch of a diminishing budget.

"Five inspectors handle over 2,300 facilities and this bill would probably add 400 or so more," he said. "The concern at this time is that we will have $2.3 million less in our budget than we previously did."

Inspectors would also have to be trained in the different rules that federally licensed breeders adhere to, Vande Hoef said.

He said the combined problem of less money, a hiring freeze and added responsibilities that the bill might bring could impact all the facilities they inspect.

Contact Katie Williams at (515) 573-2141 or katie@messengernews.net

[yorkiesmiles]

More statehouse debate of "puppy mill" bill

Radio Iowa: More statehouse debate of "puppy mill" bill

Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 5:28 PM
By O.Kay Henderson

Legislation that would crack down on so-called "puppy mills" is losing steam at the statehouse. The bill has cleared one committee in the Iowa House, but it's bogged down in another as lawmakers consider allowing employees from the Iowa Department of Agriculture to inspect federally-licensed dog kennels that draw public complaints.

Robert Gibbens, regional director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Health Inspection Service, says his employees do a good job, but his federal agency is understaffed. "We used to visit them more often when we had less facilities and more inspectors. You know when you're going someplace once or twice a year for a few hours, you're getting a snapshot of what it looks like on that day. That's why we go by unannounced," Gibbens says. "But, still, things can change in a hurry at a commercial dog kennel or at any facility."

According to Gibbens, three U.S.D.A. inspectors are responsible for policing nearly four-hundred commercial dog breeders in Iowa. Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society says that's why the state needs to step in. "Currently in the state (of Iowa), if that state Department of Ag receives a complaint, they are powerless to do anything other than pass it on to the federal government in the hope that it will be inspected by them," Shain says.

The bill's opponents argue it's unlicensed breeders who cause the most problems and this legislation does nothing to address them. It's unclear when or if the full House Ag Committee may consider the bill. Today's discussion occurred in a subcommittee hearing.

[yorkiesmiles]

it looks like the powers that be are taking this issue out of the hands of the sub-committee -- they will have to caucus to see if it will be voted on by the full legislator.

[yorkiesmiles]

House To Debate Puppy Mill Bill

House To Debate Puppy Mill Bill - WHO

WHO Staff Writer

March 19, 2009

Lawmakers looking to change regulations for large-scale breeders (AP)
This week PETA named Iowa one of the top eight states for puppy mills. Now, Iowa lawmakers want to crack down on the practice.

The bill would add additional inspectors to help regulate large breeding facilities. Right now, state inspectors are in charge of small breeders who sell directly to customers. Federal authorities including the USDA, inspect larger, wholesale breeders.

The bill would give the state authority to go into federally licensed facilities if someone files a complaint against them. State inspectors are skeptical of the bill. They say they can barely handle the 600 facilities they inspect now, and don't have the manpower to handle any additional duties.

"I think that would be a lot of added work for our department, already really shorthanded. The number of facilities keeps expanding. We've been getting by with a lot fewer inspectors than we've ever had," says Doug Anderson, an Iowa Department of Agriculture Inspector.

The bill made it out of the agriculture subcommittee Wednesday. The House will debate the bill early next week.