|
Ohio's Proposal to Regulate Puppy Mills and Dog Auctions
There are 161 USDA "Class A" licensed b reeders and 34 USDA "Class B" licensed dealers in Ohio, and more than 54% of these breeding kennels are located in Berlin, Millersburg and Sugarcreek, the heart of Amish country. In 2009, Holmes County licensed 412 kennels, a 17 percent increase from 2003, the year before the Ohio Dog Auctions started.
With hundreds of kennel registrations in Ohio, there is great disparity in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) licensing and inspecting the appropriate number of kennels. Laws are on the books to provide minimum-care standards for animals, but enforcement has historically been spotty at best.
The *USDA-APHIS licenses and inspects commercial breeding facilities; (those that sell to wholesalers) for violations of the Animal Welfare Act; likewise, a handful of states have laws that provide oversight of some breeding operations as well. (**Ohio law requires kennels register annually in their home counties.) But puppy mills can successfully navigate around these laws, either by selling directly to consumers (thereby avoiding USDA licensing requirements) or by simply avoiding the reach of law enforcement - with so few USDA inspectors and minor fines, it's easy to stay in business.
You may be interested to know that a 2009 report issued by the USDA has confirmed Ohio ranks seventh among the top 10 states with the largest number of USDA Class A licensed commercial breeders:
1. MO - 1,370
2. OK - 498
3. IA - 322
4. AR - 308 (ranked 5th in 2008)
5. KS - 291 (ranked 4th in 2008)
6. PA - 202
7. OH - 161 (a 400% increase in the number of Class A licensed "commercial" breeders just six years ago!)
8. NE - 142
9. SD - 102 (ranked 10th in 2008)
10. TX - 91 (ranked 9th in 2008)
*To view copies of USDA Animal Welfare Inspection Reports, click here.
**To view a summary of state puppy mill laws as of December 2009, click here.
Ohio Dog Auctions Act
For more information on the proposed Initiated Statute to Ban Dog Auctions ("Ohio Dog Auctions Act"), we invite you to visit the Campaigns page of our website.
Ohio Senate Bill 95 and House Bill 570
For more information on the proposed Ohio SB 95 and HB 570 (aka the "puppy mill bills"), read the articles, "Gov. Strickland's Puppy Mill Deal" and "Ohio Bill Targets High Volume Breeders and Rescues" published by Animal Law Coalition.
To review a copy of the Fiscal Note & Local Impact Statement for Amended Sub SB 95, click here.
USDA-APHIS and the Animal Welfare Act
For more information on USDA minimum requirements, Animal Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) and the Animal Welfare Act regulations, read the article, "The USDA and Puppy Mills" published by Best Friends Animal Society.
To view the May 14, 2010 USDA report, APHIS Animal Care Report - Inspections of Problematic Dealers, click here. For more information in response to this report, read the articles:
On May 25, 2010, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D,IL) introduced the Puppy Uniform Protection Safety (PUPS) Act. Senators David Vitter (R.LA) and Ron Wyden (D,OR) are co-sponsors. U.S. House Representative Sam Farr (D,CA) has introduced the House version.
This bill recommends two important changes to the current Animal Welfare Act (AWA):
- Requires all dog breeders who sell more than 50 dogs be required to be USDA licensed and inspected. This amendment closes a loophole that exists in the AWA, wherein breeders who sell via the internet are exempt from licensing and inspection.
- Requires new exercise standards. Exercise areas must be large enough to allow dogs to reach a running stride. Currently, exercise requirments are met if a dog is afforded 2x the amount of living space required. Living space requirments are: (length of dog + 6") X (length of dog + 6") and 6" of headspace.
Legislative Resources
For more information on the status of bills in the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate, visit Ohio Legislative Service Commission.
For more information on contacting your local, state and federal elected officials to share your concerns about puppy mills and dog auctions, visit Congress by Capitol Advantage.
|
