Yes, there are dogs that are registered by the AKC and they live in horrible conditions. The AKC is concerned mainly with “purebreds”, not how the dogs are raised. The AKC says that it can't go any tougher than state laws permit, so if a state doesn't demand certain kennel conditions, the AKC can’t do anything about it. The AKC is a registry and it's very strict on record keeping and if your records aren't in perfect order you can be banished easily. The AKC needs to do better on insisting on humane kennel conditions, although many puppy mills have been thrown out for inhumane conditions, they can just join another registry or make up their own. Also, once a USDA inspector finds a kennel is registered with the AKC, they no longer inspect them, because they say that the AKC is tougher than them. This just isn’t right. Unfortunately, the AKC is still led by commercial breeders and I wish more pet owners would register their dogs so that our needs would be heard. He who holds the money has the power. Bottom line is it's still the pet owner’s job, to approve of how breeding dogs are being raised. |