You already have the label of "breeder", and you know as well as I do that label has many different meaning to different people. If all breeders were like you we wouldn't need any breeding legislation, you set extremely high standards for yourself. This just isn't true for most breeders.

At some point, people have got to get involved and help protect the dogs that are in the hands of unethical breeders.

Aren't there several Amish Puppy Mills, often the most cruel of Millers, in Indiana? You keep asking for examples of the failure of the law, yet, if not much is being investigated -or- if regular people cannot get on the property to even be aware of a cruelty situation (enabling them to report it) - how on earth could I tell you about a failure of an investigation that doesn't even exist? Do you see what I mean? To answer this question for you, I'd have to come to Indiana, visit the Mills and then tell you if I think the current law is working.

I think if the current law was working, we'd hear of many more of the Amish mills and/or other mills being shut down not just in Indiana, but all over the place - on an almost daily basis until only the cruelty free facilities remained. That isn't happening right now.

Both the lack of quantity of mill-busts and the ongoing quantity of cruel-Millers is enough evidence for me that the current laws are NOT working. So, to me, the current laws are not effective.

Indiana is attempting to upgrade existing kennel conditions, among other things, what does this have to do with USDA regulations? States are free to make whatever laws they wish regarding this, many people like these types of laws in the states and not regulated by the federal government. If all these laws are already in place by the USDA, why is anyone fighting the fact that Indiana legislature wants to add this to the state law?

HB 1468 does not provide for inspections of commercial breeders. Any investigation under the bill would have to be complaint driven. So yet again, back to an enforcement issue. Gee I am repetitive.

Where are you getting the information that Indiana is rampant with puppy mills? At least two of the Indiana law enforcement officers I spoke with have large Amish communities in their jurisdictions and they are not aware of the existence of puppy mills there. I am NOT claiming that bad breeders don't exist in Indiana, but I guess I am not sure how you can claim we have all these horrible mills if you are also saying no one can get on the property to see the conditions in which dogs are kept?

Because to make another law just for the heck of it is not good law-making.
And if the laws are in conflict, all you have done is created confusion and made it incredibly difficult and expensive for people to comply. If the USDA regulations are inadequate, then the USDA needs to change them and include a period for retrofitting/construction for compliance with their new rules.

If the kennels are great than commercial dealers shouldn't have a problem with the regulations. Seems to me, this bill would allow a pet buyer to learn where the dog was acturally bred. This in turn could lead to knowledge of some of the kennels, and perhaps a camplaint. This is probably terrible news for puppy brokers (those that don't breed, but just sell others dogs), and I can see why they wouldn't like this law.

Indiana Amish Puppy Mill on Yahoo! Video

LCA Malibu Vigil for Slain Amish Puppy Mill Dogs on Yahoo! Video

WTHR - Indiana's Puppy Pipeline Part 1 on Yahoo! Video

WTHR - Indiana's Puppy Pipeline Part 2 on Yahoo! Video

WTHR - Indiana's Puppy Pipeline Part 3 on Yahoo! Video

Indiana Pet Stores Exposed on Yahoo! Video

Amish
 

Just because Indiana has a lot of Amish Residents, doesn't mean they are all raising and selling dogs. That is just another stereotype, Wouldn't you agree?? A lot of the Amish around here have many other ways to make money, They have built a lot of our surrounding homes, and have great work ethics.

I think the lack of mill-busts in Indiana may have something to with the fact that puppy mills are not a rampant problem in Indiana...

You agree that the USDA is over most of what we would call puppy mills, people selling their puppies at wholesale, so they do not have to deal with the public, or answer questions about their facilities?

If the USDA is over only puppy brokers, and they have the lack of staff, and money to visit and revisit all USDA liscensed people, that if the state of Indiana, passes a law to keep in check not only brokers, but puppy dealers and commercial breeders, They would actually be able to effectively do this? Why not add a section in Indiana just to help enforce the laws that already exist?

Um, the Grabers? Daviess County?

Better yet, just enter "puppy mills in Indiana" on google or yahoo - and read for yourself. Especially interesting are the descriptions of those who filed repeated complaints with the USDA regarding Indiana mills, about which the USDA did nothing. I would think since this is the area of your focus, you'd be well aware of all this. :confused:

Read about the Grabers and see how ineffective the entire process was in Indiana. They didn't even want a jury trial, bc they pretty much knew no jury in that county would convict someone of animal cruelty....I guess bc the mills are so "accepted" in that area. :(

Where did I say that all Amish Residents in Indiana are raising and selling dogs? Nowhere.

Please do not invent incidents of stereotyping here, seriously. :thumbdown

I agree that something needs to be done USDA need to follow through. But however you were talking yesterday about scare tactics what is this. how long ago was this video taken. I live about 15 miles from this puppymill and i know for certain this was taken in 2007 i am not 100 sure but i do believe this puppymill was shut down

The first video of the nasty conditions and untreated dogs,, That man is out of Business..

He should have faced charges for the dogs being left untreated for medical conditions..

The pet shops buying from out of state puppy mills, how does this law affect them?

All of the videos and the puppy mill busts in Indiana, are USDA certified suppliers and brokers. I agree that the USDA is not doing a great job. They need help.. These mills need to to be shut down or cleaned up. These people are already tracked, so it would be pretty easy to pass or approve of an enforcement team, to go an enforce existing laws and add harsher penalties that MUST be enforced as pertaining to animal cruelty.

This bill goes way beyond affecting only puppy millers and needs to be rewritten so it does what it says... Shuts down puppy millers that are cruel to their animals...

Unfortunately you can't write a bill, that says "shuts down puppy millers that are cruel to thier animals". When a bill is written, much of it is a definition of words, what is a "commercial kennel" for example. Then the bill has to write how the facility must operate, in other words, how the dogs are treated and how much exercise they are given, and the size of the cage. The idea behind it is that while no facility will necessarily be shut down, they will comply with state laws, and in doing so, the dogs will live in humane conditions and the term puppy mill will no longer be adequate, that's how you legally "shut down puppy millers."

The USDA and Puppy Mills
Truth about the Pet Trade
The USDA and Puppy Mills
November 7, 2008 : 5:22 PM
A Crash Course

Many have heard of the USDA (it’s stamped on organic food labels, meat labels, and other everyday grocery store items), and many have heard of puppy mills. But the fact that puppy mills are regulated by the USDA is a little-known fact to most people.

The US Department of Agriculture seems like a strange entity to be in charge of regulating the puppy industry, but that’s how it works. To be clearer, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) is the arm of the USDA in charge of regulating puppy mills under the Animal Welfare Act. There are currently 5,913 dog breeders and brokers with USDA licenses. People often wonder whether there is a list of all the puppy mills in the country. Well, the USDA is the first place to look.

In April, Oprah Winfrey aired an hour-long show about puppy mills, and the same day, the USDA published a FAQ on animal dealers. Note the paragraph to the right—the first frequently asked question: “who regulates puppy mills?” Answer: the USDA.
**Note that the USDA has since changed the language to read: "Who regulates commercial dog breeders?"

What many people also don’t realize is that under the Freedom of Information Act, we are all entitled to view not just a breeder’s name and address, but their inspection reports are included as well. Curious about a breeder? Order their inspection reports. You can do it online by clicking here.

What’s NOT inspected by the USDA?
-Retail pet stores. The USDA only regulates the supply end—the breeders.
-Puppy sales on the Internet, classified ads, flea markets. NO regulation
-Small-scale breeders who have three or fewer breeding female dogs. NO regulation

70 inspectors for 10,000 facilities
In addition to inspecting and watching over commercial dog kennels, APHIS inspectors are also in charge of inspecting research facilities, zoos and circuses, airport terminals—they are in charge of inspecting the care, handling and housing of everything from dogs to dolphins. This document, published on APHIS’ website, has this to say about the inspectors themselves:

“[Animal Care] inspectors receive special training in the proper care of marine mammals, exotic animals, and animals used in research. Inspectors also receive extensive training in how to conduct inspections at airport terminals, zoos, and commercial animal breeding facilities, among others. APHIS currently has more than 70 AC inspectors in the United States, who are strategically placed where regulated facilities are located.”

The total number of active licensed facilities listed on the APHIS website is 9,883. At first glance, seventy inspectors for nearly 10,000 facilities sounds like a miniscule number of people doing a colossal job but if you do the math, it adds up to about one facility per day per inspector.

What compliance means with the AWA
It’s important to note exactly what inspectors are looking for when they arrive at a USDA licensed kennel. Their job is to make sure breeders are adhering to the minimum standards set forth by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). They can look at a facility with hundreds of dogs in small cages, desperate for human attention, and note no violations.

That’s because the AWA does nothing to ensure dogs are happy, or live a quality life. It’s not written into the regulations, and therefore is not something the USDA enforces. Here are some quick facts about the minimum standards set forth by the USDA:
-Inspections are “Risk-based,” meaning that facilities that meet a certain criteria are inspected “as seldom as once every 2 to 3 years.” (source)
-Cage size: must be 6 inches larger than the size of the dog, on all sides
-Up to 12 dogs can be housed in one cage
-Dogs never have to be let out of their cages. Breeders only need to have an exercise plan
-There is no limit to the number dogs a breeder can have—many have over 1,000
-There is no age limit for breeding dogs. If a dog is able to produce puppies for ten years, that’s how long they could be in the facility
For the full text of the federal Animal Welfare Regulations, click here. Bad Kennels Stay in Business
One of the most common complaints about the USDA from animal advocates is that breeders can have repeated and long-standing violations, but continue to sell hundreds of puppies to pet stores. Below are several reports of large, USDA-licensed Minnesota kennels that have multiple USDA violations and dozens of reports of sick puppies sold in stores. Click the links below to see the reports, courtesy of Pet Shop Puppies Inc. Note that some have even been investigated by local news stations and have been charged with animal cruelty by the state. (**Note, the top of the report includes puppies the breeder has sold, and the bottom includes USDA inspection violations, news exposés and other investigations, if any.)

Wanda McDuffee

Angie & Gerry Wensmann

Kathy Bauck

What all this means, and what you can do:
1.) Support new legislation that will amend the Animal Welfare Act. The Puppy Uniform Protection Act (PUPS) is on the docket for the 2008-2009 session. Click here for more information (**For one example of a notorious kennel that currently does not need a USDA license under the AWA, visit this case on the CAPS website)

2.) Watch and share the Best Friends Podcast about the USDA and puppy mills: Click here to view. You can also subscribe to the podcast for regular video updates.

3.) USDA-licensed kennels supply pet stores. If you disagree with the way the USDA regulates these kennels, never, ever buy a puppy from a pet store. Share this article and the podcast with others who might not know about the pet store/puppy mill connection.

4.) Test your knowledge of the USDA’s regulation of puppy mills with this online quiz from PetShopPuppies.org

5.) If you know people who don’t understand or believe where pet store puppies come from, print this article and have them take it to a pet store and ask whether the puppies in the store come from USDA-licensed kennels. (The answer—legally—is yes.)

6.) For nine things you can do to help stop puppy mills, visit the Resources section of the Best Friends campaign website

By Kelli Ohrtman: Best Friends Animal Society

It should be for ANYONE that is cruel and inhumane to their dogs.