DV Journal

Animal extremists are back, and this time, they are attempting to stamp out the breeding of dogs in the United States with a proposal that would supercharge foreign puppy mills.

The latest assault is legislation they are advancing through allies in the House that they claim will “protect puppies.” It would do the opposite by punishing responsible domestic breeders with new, more burdensome regulations without providing resources to improve breeder education or enforce current laws.

The inevitable result of new regulations, instead of improving the enforcement of existing requirements, means that responsible pet breeders will be curtailed. At the same time, those who disregard current basic standards of care will continue to operate. To meet the always-high demand for dogs as pets, the so-called Puppy Protection Act would incentivize the importation of unhealthy dogs from countries such as China and Turkey. These dogs carry the threat of spreading diseases.

It is a crapshoot whether imported foreign dogs are carrying serious diseases. While importation laws require all dogs to have a health certificate, foreign paperwork is commonly invalid or forged, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dogs from other countries are not subject to the same health and welfare requirements required by the Animal Welfare Act and regularly arrive in the United States with serious and infectious canine diseases.

There is good reason Congress let the House measure die in previous sessions. In addition to its damaging effect on domestic breeding and encouraging importation of potentially sick animals, it’s a bad law based on bad science.

Guidelines in the Puppy Protection Act would create arbitrary, one-size-fits-all requirements for dog breeding even though dogs are the most diverse species of land mammal.

Some examples include:

—Unfettered access to an outdoor exercise area. Such a mandate does not take into account canine behavior and biology. Some dogs don’t get along. Some might be in heat. Some yards might not be large enough to accommodate the mandate. Small dogs can be prey to large birds and other predators. “Unfettered” can be irresponsible.

—Mandating two meals daily. A federal law mandating two meals a day, instead of existing Animal Welfare Act requirements for sufficient and appropriate food, doesn’t advance the well-being of dogs, especially when not all dogs have the same food requirements. This bill replaces regulations that allow for this flexibility.

—Flooring. The proposed legislation would mandate solid flooring only. This ignores the science that other types of structurally solid flooring may be better for animals. Research by Purdue University has found that dogs benefit from multiple types of flooring. It recognizes the health and sanitation benefits of high-quality engineered slatted or perforated flooring that protects dogs’ feet.

—Temperatures. A prohibition of temperatures below 45 degrees or above 85 degrees makes sense for most, but not all, dogs. Northern breeds, such as the Alaskan Malamute or Siberian Husky, prefer and can easily handle temperatures well below freezing. Other dogs, especially newly born puppies, require temperatures significantly higher than 85 degrees. Again, the one-size-fits-all approach makes no sense.

Current law mandates extensive requirements for breeders hugely effective at ensuring animal welfare as the top priority while providing flexibility for breeders depending on the breeds they are raising.

For example, the most recent annual report of the Department of Agriculture’s inspections of the nation’s dog breeders found that 96 percent of licensees and registrants were in substantial compliance with the Animal Welfare Act, the guiding legislation that regulates the treatment of animals. Breeders of dogs for commercial sale provide animals with humane care and treatment that meets government standards, including proper veterinary care, an appropriate diet, clean and structurally sound housing, proper ventilation and sanitation, and protection from extreme weather and temperatures.

Animal extremists don’t like dog breeding. If responsible breeders are regulated out of business, then the only ones left will be irresponsible breeders who ignore the laws. American families will be left with choosing among a rescue dog whose temperament, characteristics and provenance are suspect, patronizing an illicit dog breeder, and/or boosting the fortunes of foreign puppy mills.

The proposed measure is another attempt to achieve a radical and deeply unpopular outcome that deprives Americans of one of life’s pleasures — a loving pet of their choice.

The Delaware Valley is home to two kennels listed on the Humane Society of the United States horrible 100 puppy mills.

The HSUS says 10,000 puppy mills are active, with 500,000 dogs kept solely for breeding. Once their useful lives are over, those dogs are often killed or abandoned. Some 2.6 million puppies sold each year come from puppy mills.

But state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Bucks/Montgomery) wants to take a bite out of the puppy mill business through Victoria’s Law. It would ban pet stores from buying puppies from puppy mills.

Pennycuick, who introduced the bill in 2021 when she was a state representative, is now backing the legislation in the legislature’s upper chamber. She previously said Victoria’s Law would help ensure that reputable breeders can continue operating but would end “the deplorable conditions, overbreeding, and perpetuation of poor health traits for which puppy mills have become known.”

Pennycuick said recently, “I still have Victoria’s Law and will possibly introduce it in the fall.”

“I am also sponsoring a predatory financing bill so pet stores cannot charge up to 151 percent financing of a dog or cat,” said Pennycuick. “People who need to finance a dog or cat often cannot afford the vet bills required to care for a pet. Sen. Elder Vogel (R-Beaver) has a bill that would rework some of the current dog laws to bring the costs in line with today’s cost of living. This would allow for more inspectors for kennels.”

Grace Kelly Herbert, president of Finding Shelter Animal Rescue, had owned Victoria, a German Shepherd bred for 10 years by a puppy mill and passed down a genetic disorder to more than 100 puppies.

“This is something we have to fix,” said Herbert. “I am so thankful for every single legislator who is stepping up.”

The annual HSUS Horrible 100 report seeks to increase awareness of puppy mills and to stop buyers from purchasing dogs bred there, where there are diseases, a lack of sanitation and food, and mistreatment of the animals.

“In puppy mills, mother dogs spend their entire lives in cramped cages with little personal attention. When the mother and father dogs can no longer breed, they are abandoned or killed. Due to poor sanitation, overbreeding, and a lack of preventive veterinary care, the puppies frequently suffer from various health issues, creating heartbreaking challenges for families who should be enjoying the delights of adopting a new family member.”

Neither Blissful Paws in New Providence nor Woodland Puppies in Honey Brook, listed in the HSUS report, could be reached for comment.

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