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Originally Posted by yorkiekist  I know a few breeders that, under this law, would be considered high volumn breeders. Their dogs are kept in immaculate condition. Some are sold for show, search and rescue, seeing eye, hunting, companion, agility, therapy etc. They have more or less about 10 litters per year. Some years more than others. The parents have all the necessary health/temperment testing done and the puppies do too(what ever is needed for that age). All of these people have wonderful health guarantees. These are dedicated breeders. I dont see how they can be considered the same as a commercial breeder, if we are saying that commercial=puppy mill. Thats another thing that wrong with these bills. What, exactly, defines a puppy mill or a byber? What defines a hobby breeder or an exhibitor breeder? It is still legal to have a dog breeding business, large or small, in this country. There are some people that absolutely LOVE breeding dogs! They LOVE dogs! They have made it their business doing what they LOVE. Sure, they make money, but isnt that what a business does? These are the people that, more than likely, do it the correct way. Its just like there are some people that LOVE horses and LOVE breeding horses. But they have a business and they either make money or they find another job away from home. Do I agree with these breeding ethics? Its actually none of my business! Unless there is actual cruelty going on.
On the flip side, you have the "other people" that are ONLY motivated by $$$ and do as little as possible in the way of care and housing. These are the "breeders" we need to stop! We do need harsher sentences for these people instead of just a slap on the wrist.
I am sure that each state has some sort of animal cruelty laws. When AkC inspects, if the kennel is not up to par, AKC will call animal control/cruelty investigators and suspend all AkC breeding/exhibiting priveledges pending investigation. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, AKC will either re-instate your privledges or you could be banned for ever.
Now that most of the puppy mills dont use AkC anymore, thanks to the DNA requirements and unannounced inspections, they are a little harder to find out. Evidentally, ApRi and the other alphabet soup registries are not doing a good job except when it comes to raking in $$.
I dont even know where I was going with this anymore! 
I guess I just have one question. Will all of you be PROUD to say that you got your Yorkie/dog form a COMMERCIAL BREEDER? Because that is what you will be labeling all of us. |
Ten litters a year, is quite a few litters, at some point you have to come up with a number that is suitable. Maybe a breeder of a toy breeds could manage 10 litters, since a litter isn't that big, but, this law covers all breeds and 10 litters a year, could be as many as 100 dogs. I would say at some point they would have to be registered as a commercial kennel. Like I said before, I don't know the number, I actually think someone like you and the other good breeders could come up with a reasonable number. I imagine someone right on the edge could cut back a little or plan the next litter for the next year.
A commercial breeding facility isn't automatically a puppy mill, a puppy mill is a nickname for commercial breeders who keep their dogs in inhumane conditions. There are no legal definitions for backyard breeder, we all have our own definition for it, it's just meant to mean small lousy breeder. However, most don't abuse their pets, and at least most of the dogs live in suitable environments, and are loved.
You keep saying that when AKC inspects, they can call cruelty people, no they can't, not unless they are breaking the law of the state that the kennels are in. Again, many of these breeders aren't with the AKC, and APRl was created by the commercial pet industry for themselves. Do you think they will shut down their own businesses?
You asked if we will be proud to say we got our pet from a commercial breeder, and thats what all of you will be labled as, but only if you are producing 10 litters a year. I will be proud to say I purchased my pet from a cruety free breeder.
By the way, many have said we already have laws, we don't need this, if you look at the law, the parts they are adding are written in
Bold text. Nearly all of it describes kennel conditions. The parts written in regular type are already the law.