Puppy Mill Bill

[katy-yorkie]

Done. Posted on FB as well.

[Wylie's Mom]

Done!

[susan lynn]

I sent an email to my Senator, do not have a FB but will send this too all my email contacts.

[Dzbabykel]

Wow thanks for sharing, just posted it on my facebook page as well and emailed it around to my family and friends. Lets hope this can make some serious changes and save lives!!!

[AMD]

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

One thing I noticed, especially here on YT, is if a breeder in on the USDA list that means pet owners will stay away. To me seeing a breeder listed with the USDA is a huge red flag and I would warn others to stay away, hopefully that puts a dent in their business. Plus, do you honestly think puppymills are really going to put forth the effort to exercise the dogs everyday? That will require more help, which costs $$$$, you know they only care about the $$$$$.

Gotcha thanks!
And no I don' think they'll take the time to exercise their dogs...but hope they get BUSTED!

[lms0034]

Sounds like a great bill....

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

One thing I noticed, especially here on YT, is if a breeder in on the USDA list that means pet owners will stay away. To me seeing a breeder listed with the USDA is a huge red flag and I would warn others to stay away, hopefully that puts a dent in their business. Plus, do you honestly think puppymills are really going to put forth the effort to exercise the dogs everyday? That will require more help, which costs $$$$, you know they only care about the $$$$$.

This will only impact breeders who sell over 50 dogs a year. Just because a breeder is listed with the USDA, it only means that they are a large volume breeder, it' does not necessarily make them a horrible breeder. If a person believes they want to support this type of breeder, home inspections are crucial. I personally think it very difficult to be a large scale breeder and give the breeding dogs the attention they deserve.

From the website:

In May, Senators Durbin and Vitter and Rep. Farr introduced the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act to bring all commercial dog breeders in the United States under federal oversight. Currently, only breeders who sell their dogs to brokers or pet stores are required to be licensed and inspected by the USDA. If passed, the PUPS Act would require any breeder who sells or offers to sell more than 50 dogs annually directly to the public—including over the Internet—to also be licensed and inspected.

The bill would also require all dog breeders licensed under the federal Animal Welfare Act to exercise every dog every day, including allowing the dogs to reach a running stride without the use of treadmills or similar devices. Requiring exercise could dramatically improve the lives of thousands of dogs suffering from lifetimes of confinement at the hands of the commercial breeding industry.

The ASPCA was disturbed by the most recent report by the U.S. Office of Inspector General on the USDA’s lax enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. We are working with federal officials to ensure that the current law, as well as any amendments, is enforced consistently and aggressively against violators. In the meantime, strengthening the current law is critical if better enforcement is to have a significant impact.

http://www.aspca.org/blog/usda-fails...ect-puppy.html

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by AMD

I'm definitely in support of legislation against puppymills, but I'm just curious-does required USDA licensing really do anything? breeders that sell to brokers and petstores (puppymills) are USDA licensed, so how does this help? At least they're required to excercise them everyday, but that doesn't mean the rest of the time they're not caged.
Please note that I'm not against this bill, just trying to understand.

More information: ASPCA | USDA Fails to Protect Puppy Mill Dogs

USDA Fails to Protect Puppy Mill Dogs

Earlier this week, the Office of the Inspector General released a report detailing the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) lax and ineffective enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) against licensed large-scale dog breeders and brokers known as puppy mills. As part of the investigation, auditors visited 81 facilities and reviewed records documenting 28,443 violations over a two-year period.
The report concludes that despite regular inspections, breeders were allowed to continue operating facilities where dogs lived in inhumane conditions—cages overflowing with pools of urine and feces, food laden with dead cockroaches, and dogs infested with ticks and unattended injuries including a mutilated leg and other atrocities—all without penalty. Furthermore, in cases of severe neglect and abuse, inspectors failed to confiscate the animals. At one Oklahoma mill, despite discovering five dead dogs and others who had resorted to cannibalism due to starvation, investigators took no action. This resulted in the deaths of 22 more dogs. The ASPCA is saddened by the findings, but we are not surprised.
The ASPCA has been painfully aware of the cruel conditions to which dogs are regularly subjected at the hands of puppy mill operators who put profit above providing the most basic standards of care. “Puppy mills are a primary focus of the ASPCA’s anti-cruelty initiatives,” says Cori Menkin, ASPCA Senior Director of Legislative Initiatives. “The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response Team has rescued countless dogs from puppy mills and aided in the prosecution of their owners.” This past February, the ASPCA rescued more than 95 severely underweight dogs from a puppy mill in Holly Springs, MS—the animals were being housed in feces-encrusted pens and suffering from severe neglect.

[AMD]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

More information: ASPCA | USDA Fails to Protect Puppy Mill Dogs

Thanks!!

[Texanna]

I think Bilbo is a puppy mill dog (he was given to me, and the owner had America's Pet Registry papers), but I love him anyway. I think this is a great bill as far as it goes. What about supporting state laws or local ordinances as well? Sometimes, a local or state law is tougher and goes further toward preventing abuses than a broad sweeping, one size fits all federal law.

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Texanna

I think Bilbo is a puppy mill dog (he was given to me, and the owner had America's Pet Registry papers), but I love him anyway. I think this is a great bill as far as it goes. What about supporting state laws or local ordinances as well? Sometimes, a local or state law is tougher and goes further toward preventing abuses than a broad sweeping, one size fits all federal law.

Please don't think we are prejudice against puppy mill dogs, there is nothing wrong with them; it's just that their parents are living in horrible conditions. I agree with you, we should be supporting our local laws, but this is a complex problem and needs to be addressed in several ways. Only 33 states even have laws that leave 19 states without ANY laws. Here's a map of the states, and if you click on a state, you can read their laws. Map of State Dog Breeding Laws

[Texanna]

Oh, I know that YT doesn't oppose the sweeties or the people who own them. I do agree that there should be something done to regulate the treatment of pets and other animals that are bred for commercial purposes. If there were links to proposed state legislation, I might be able to get it into the hands of someone with the ability to introduce it to the Texas legislature.

[TresCutePiggies]

Done!

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by Texanna

Oh, I know that YT doesn't oppose the sweeties or the people who own them. I do agree that there should be something done to regulate the treatment of pets and other animals that are bred for commercial purposes. If there were links to proposed state legislation, I might be able to get it into the hands of someone with the ability to introduce it to the Texas legislature.

When there is a specific state that is working on a law, we try to notify other members of YAP and create a thread about it. Here's a site that is asking for signatures asking for tougher laws in Texas. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/569765933 To join YAP (Yorkies Against Puppy Mills) see the link in my signature.

[manolos mom]

Me too!