Post by Brooke on Jan 21, 2004 19:17:38 GMT -5
Legislation aims to regulate dog breeding facilitiesJanuary 12, 2004
Legislation aims to regulate dog breeding facilities
By DAVID WRIGHT
Sentinel correspondent
Marley is a standard poodle who spent the first four years of his life in a crate. When Soquel resident Marcy Albert rescued the dog from an unscrupulous San Lorenzo Valley breeder, his legs had atrophied to the point where he could only crawl.
Marley was adopted by Albert, a former board member with the Santa Cruz County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who had the patience and determination to care for the dog, who is now sweet and happy and loves spending time with Albert’s grandchildren.
But most dogs bred in "puppy mills" are not so fortunate, including two of Marley’s siblings who were in such bad shape that they had to be euthanized, the result of living in crates inches deep in their own waste.
"This problem is well documented and widespread" says Suzanne Eszterhas, public affairs coordinator for the county SPCA. "Many breeders are raising dogs like they were chickens, in small crates and unsanitary conditions." The most infamous area example came to light in 2001 when a puppy mill in Hollister was busted, releasing 147 dogs from deplorable conditions.
To address the problem, Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, joined by Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Kentucky, crafted the Puppy Protection Act, which aims to regulate high-volume commercial dog breeding operations.
"Puppies are not an assembly-line item. Breeding facilities shouldn’t act as if they are," Farr said. Supporters of the bill include the SPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The proposed law would augment the existing Animal Welfare Act with two key provisions: "three strikes" enforcement that would lead to the revocation of breeder licenses, and giving female dogs a break from producing puppies. Dogs typically have two breeding cycles per year. When forced to breed on every cycle they often suffer nutrition-related health problems, including severe tooth decay.
The bill not only seeks to protects dogs, but potential owners who could end up adopting dogs "prone to be medically burdensome for owners and problematic in temperament," Farr said.
SPCA board member Lisa Carter of Santa Cruz can attest to the difficulty of adopting dogs bred in puppy mills. She brought home a mother-and-son pair of dachshunds — Teeny Weenie and Fabio — with serious problems from a breeding facility in Sacramento that had been shut down due to inhumane conditions.
"Teeny Weenie had never been let out of her little crate, and was forced to breed over and over for a number of years" Carter said. "After we brought her home, she spent the entire first year under the bed. She would lunge at people’s feet and try to bite them."
Puppies bred in puppy mills are generally sold into pet stores, though some dog owners buy direct from the breeders.
Opponents of the proposed legislation, including the American Kennel Club, a special interest group that represents dog breeders, argues that breeding decisions should be made by owners, not the federal government. The AKC also claims there is no consensus among breeders regarding acceptable socialization standards, and that the government will be subjective in evaluating conditions.
A previous version of the proposed law failed last year under heavy pressure from the AKC and their member breeders.
Contact David Wright at david@davidwright.net. TEXT
Legislation aims to regulate dog breeding facilities
By DAVID WRIGHT
Sentinel correspondent
Marley is a standard poodle who spent the first four years of his life in a crate. When Soquel resident Marcy Albert rescued the dog from an unscrupulous San Lorenzo Valley breeder, his legs had atrophied to the point where he could only crawl.
Marley was adopted by Albert, a former board member with the Santa Cruz County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who had the patience and determination to care for the dog, who is now sweet and happy and loves spending time with Albert’s grandchildren.
But most dogs bred in "puppy mills" are not so fortunate, including two of Marley’s siblings who were in such bad shape that they had to be euthanized, the result of living in crates inches deep in their own waste.
"This problem is well documented and widespread" says Suzanne Eszterhas, public affairs coordinator for the county SPCA. "Many breeders are raising dogs like they were chickens, in small crates and unsanitary conditions." The most infamous area example came to light in 2001 when a puppy mill in Hollister was busted, releasing 147 dogs from deplorable conditions.
To address the problem, Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, joined by Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-Kentucky, crafted the Puppy Protection Act, which aims to regulate high-volume commercial dog breeding operations.
"Puppies are not an assembly-line item. Breeding facilities shouldn’t act as if they are," Farr said. Supporters of the bill include the SPCA, the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The proposed law would augment the existing Animal Welfare Act with two key provisions: "three strikes" enforcement that would lead to the revocation of breeder licenses, and giving female dogs a break from producing puppies. Dogs typically have two breeding cycles per year. When forced to breed on every cycle they often suffer nutrition-related health problems, including severe tooth decay.
The bill not only seeks to protects dogs, but potential owners who could end up adopting dogs "prone to be medically burdensome for owners and problematic in temperament," Farr said.
SPCA board member Lisa Carter of Santa Cruz can attest to the difficulty of adopting dogs bred in puppy mills. She brought home a mother-and-son pair of dachshunds — Teeny Weenie and Fabio — with serious problems from a breeding facility in Sacramento that had been shut down due to inhumane conditions.
"Teeny Weenie had never been let out of her little crate, and was forced to breed over and over for a number of years" Carter said. "After we brought her home, she spent the entire first year under the bed. She would lunge at people’s feet and try to bite them."
Puppies bred in puppy mills are generally sold into pet stores, though some dog owners buy direct from the breeders.
Opponents of the proposed legislation, including the American Kennel Club, a special interest group that represents dog breeders, argues that breeding decisions should be made by owners, not the federal government. The AKC also claims there is no consensus among breeders regarding acceptable socialization standards, and that the government will be subjective in evaluating conditions.
A previous version of the proposed law failed last year under heavy pressure from the AKC and their member breeders.
Contact David Wright at david@davidwright.net. TEXT