Wonderful, wonderful News!!!

[Yorkiemom1]

"The American Kennel Club (AKC) lauds the US Senate for passing a new five-year Farm Bill today that addresses some of the AKC’s concerns regarding recent regulatory changes to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by the USDA/APHIS Retail Pet Stores and Licensing Exemptions rule. The House of Representatives passed the bill last week.

AKC outlined to Farm Bill negotiators from the Senate and House Agriculture committees that although the intent of the changes to the rule was to regulate large-scale breeders and Internet pet sellers, it also would have required some small hobby breeders who maintain more than four “breeding females” and transfer an occasional dog sight unseen, to be licensed and regulated as commercial pet dealers. The regulation also would have required small hobby breeders who provide foster homes for rescue dogs to be licensed as commercial breeders if they maintain more than four female dogs and occasionally use an intermediary to transfer a foster dog to its new home.

The changes in the Farm Bill (HR 2642) will reduce the number of breeders and dealers otherwise required to obtain a license if the size of their business is determined to be “de minimis” (minimal). The Farm Bill Conference Report also allows USDA to “determine if the number of animals they breed or sell or the gross annual dollar amounts earned are so minor as to merit disregard.”

The measure’s conference report states that this will free up more USDA resources and recommends that APHIS finalize a rule regarding this change within the year.

“We believe these changes will be welcome to responsible small breeders who not only breed occasionally, but also provide foster homes for rescue dogs,” said AKC Government Relations Director Sheila Goffe. “Without these changes, many could have been forced to give up their rescue activities unless they could obtain a USDA pet dealer license.”

A second measure supported by the AKC directs APHIS to clarify the term “breeding female”. This term is currently used in AWA regulations to define who should be regulated as a pet dealer, but it lacks authority because it does not appear in the underlying statute. The conference report urged APHIS to clarify that only those female animals capable of reproduction and actively being used in a breeding program should qualify as breeding females. The AKC thanks the many members of Congress, Congressional staff and AKC club members whose dedicated efforts made these changes possible. “We are extremely grateful to the Farm Bill negotiators for addressing some of AKC’s concerns regarding the Retail Pet Stores and Licensing Exemptions. We would especially like to thank the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture committees, Chairman Frank Lucas, Livestock Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford and Ranking Member Jim Costa, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Thad Cochran for their leadership in including these beneficial changes to the AWA in the Farm Bill Conference report,” said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung."

This is fabulous news for breeders that are NOT breeding on a mass scale, no longer demanding or requiring them to "house their breeding stock" in an out kennel. For breeders that only produce 2-3 litters of puppies a year, this is going to be a great sigh of relief! The collateral damage that would have been generated by this ridiculous bill as first proposed, was totally unacceptable. Fortunately for us, calmer, clearer minds and eyes, without an agenda to eradicate breeding programs as much as possible, instead listened to the AKC and the thousands of breed clubs and their members who have devoted the last 5+ years of our lives, fighting that bill from State capitols across this country....they listened, read, and learned what devastating consequences that bill would have had, on all the wrong people!

[MauiGirl]

Good to hear this!

[Verbena]

Wonderful

[Cherie6446]

This great news but people have to get with the program and unethical people could careless about regulations.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by Cherie6446

This great news but people have to get with the program and unethical people could careless about regulations.

Which is exactly why this bill was missing the mark in the first place! The people that were the intended targets, fly under the radar and are not monitored at all so it was totally ineffective at accomplishing what the intent was designed to do.

[gemy]

I hope this step will yield dividends and that the AWA will change their presumptive regulations

Finally AKC has finally stepped up and reached their political will out to support the literally thousands of small hobby breeders that register with the AKC and show under AKC and thus in these and other ways support the AKC.

[Wylie's Mom]

In a way though, doesn't this sort of benefit the BYB? I know it's almost impossible to write a bill that will support ethical breeders, while also not supporting unethical BYBs, but I'm just concerned that this continues to make it easier on the BYB types.

[Yorkiemom1]

If they would write a Bill that required all breeders to send their puppies to new homes at 12-14 weeks, fully vaccinated, and micro chipped, this would hit BYB right in the pocket book. That is why they dump puppies at 6 weeks, some earlier....it costs too much, takes toooo much out of their profit margin to provide vaccinations and microchipping. All sires and dams can be required to be DNA'd....that cost $$$$. ANYTHING that requires them to pay more for that puppy, will cut into the profit margin, and they do not want that! That alone would cut down on a lot of the BYB's and puppy mill puppies.....they could make it illegal to sell puppies at flea markets, garage sales, parking lots, and pet stores....that would also cost them more money, because they would have to advertise some place.....NONE of these interventions would do anything to responsible, ethical breeders, because we already do the right thing by our puppies!

[gemy]

I think that across the board 12-14 wks is too strict - many breeds are okay to go at 8wks old.

But microchipping for sure - with the breeders name and contact number etc, plus across the country laws that stipulate breeders are responsible for genetic defects up to a certain $$ amount. Ie consistent puppy lemon laws, which apply to all folks who place puppies with any-one. That is your next door neighbour that just decided or oops pregnancies etc.

If the APPA is to be believed fully 40% of the American population gets their new puppy from family/friends/next door neighbours.

But the reality is this won't happen. Obviously the government would like to shut down the most egregious kennels. But I still find it dis-heartening to see that no-one seems to get the blatant situation that dogs destined for pet homes are raised in a commercial kennel, with no early learning socialization and adjustment to the sights, sounds, and smells of a true home environment.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by gemy

I think that across the board 12-14 wks is too strict - many breeds are okay to go at 8wks old.

But microchipping for sure - with the breeders name and contact number etc, plus across the country laws that stipulate breeders are responsible for genetic defects up to a certain $$ amount. Ie consistent puppy lemon laws, which apply to all folks who place puppies with any-one. That is your next door neighbour that just decided or oops pregnancies etc.

If the APPA is to be believed fully 40% of the American population gets their new puppy from family/friends/next door neighbours.

But the reality is this won't happen. Obviously the government would like to shut down the most egregious kennels. But I still find it dis-heartening to see that no-one seems to get the blatant situation that dogs destined for pet homes are raised in a commercial kennel, with no early learning socialization and adjustment to the sights, sounds, and smells of a true home environment.

12-14 weeks old is the period of time that vaccnations are started and completed per vaccination protocol in 90% of situations. Emotional development does not even factor into the 12-14 week old age that pups should be held before they are dispersed as far as this argument is concerned. While placing some puppies earlier may not have any negative effect on the emotional psyche on some breeds, if the breeders were responsible for making sure all puppy core vaccinations were given by the breeder, per protocol, before the puppies were dispersed, that would be a financial responsibility that is today shunned / avoided by BYB! Just look at the babies that are pushed out on the public at 5-6-7-8 weeks of age.....that is because the breeder is not commited to what is best for the puppy......they want to dump the puppy so they do not affect their profit margin!

[theporkieyorkie]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

If they would write a Bill that required all breeders to send their puppies to new homes at 12-14 weeks, fully vaccinated, and micro chipped, this would hit BYB right in the pocket book. That is why they dump puppies at 6 weeks, some earlier....it costs too much, takes toooo much out of their profit margin to provide vaccinations and microchipping. All sires and dams can be required to be DNA'd....that cost $$$$. ANYTHING that requires them to pay more for that puppy, will cut into the profit margin, and they do not want that! That alone would cut down on a lot of the BYB's and puppy mill puppies.....they could make it illegal to sell puppies at flea markets, garage sales, parking lots, and pet stores....that would also cost them more money, because they would have to advertise some place.....NONE of these interventions would do anything to responsible, ethical breeders, because we already do the right thing by our puppies!

I am glad they at least further defined what a "breeding" female is!!

[ihillside]

Really wonderful, I like it very much.

[lilgidget]

It's about time!