How can I act to stop puppy mills?

Question

I want to help stop puppy mills and tell my elected officials about it. How can I find what legal actions are pending in the senate and the House to stop puppy mills? How can I find ways to stop them? And, how can I tell my representatives how important this is to our state? Thanks.

Answer 1

A big thing you can do is support public awareness. Tell your friends and family, and really anyone you know who is thinking about getting a puppy, not buying puppies from pet shops. Don't buy anything from a pet shop if they also sell puppies.

The best way to stop puppymills is to stop the demand for pet shop puppies, and the best way to stop the demand is to educate the public.

Answer 2

Sounds like someone needs a little education about PAWS.

Almost ALL commercial breeders are ALREADY licensed with USDA. The are up to code and already have the facilities The only ones that aren't are the back woods puppy mills. And they can't FIND them NOW! How do you think they are .going to find them to force them to be USDA?

PAWS would do nothing to stop the irresponsible owners or the thugs who allow their dogs to get bred on the street. The irresponsible don't care about their dogs either way, and the thugs don't care if the are within the law.

Rescue WILL be included in PAWS. If you charge $10 as a recue fee, you are a DEALER! Just as I am if I take a puppy for a stud fee and sell it because it didn't turn out to be show quality.

Say for instance, I breed two litters and have 12 puppies, my dogs are used for stud twice producing 10 puppies, and I ***** I sold and co-own is bred and has 4 puppies. I need a USDA license!!!

And you can bet your *** that those numbers will drop! The animal rights groups (like HSUS) were ALREADY talking about it. How will it be when it is 1 litter and 5 puppies? If you do not think that would happen you need to wisen up to the anti dog animal rights groups as well as politics and how this crap gets passed.

PAWS would do a pretty good job of stopping the 'good' breeders though, which is what the animal rights groups are intending. They see absolutely no difference between a show breeder who has a couple litters a year, and the very worst of the puppy millers. That want us ALL stopped, the show breeders are just an easier target.

USDA licensing would stop people like ME, who do it out of love for my breed. *I* can't afford $200,000 or more to build a facility that would be up to USDA specifications and the show breeders I know couldn't either. Nor do I want to be forced to raise my puppies outside on CONCRETE!!! The commercial breeders don't care, they are already USDA! PAWS goes after the SHOW BREEDER!!!

PAWS is tabled for now, thanks to the efforts of some hard working dog lovers!

Santorum needs to be VOTED OUT, before his anti-dog bills become law!

BTW - There are ALREADY laws against abuse and neglect, and if a puppy mill or commercial breeder is abusing or neglecting, they can be stopped with existing laws!!!

Answer 3

do not give buisness to pet stores, petco, or anything along the lines of this. they buy puppies from puppie mills, so then you give them money. i would make posters and get people in your area (myspace or something like that) and ask people to help you protest! good luck im a firm believer of stopping them!!!!!!

Answer 4

Thank you for taking a stand against puppy mills.

The best place to start is with the Humane Sociatey of the United States. They spearhead a lot of legislation. You can go to the following site and read about pending legislation and how to contact your local representavtives.

https://community.hsus.org/campaign/FED_2006_PAWS

Here's some information on one of their current campaigns:
The Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS), introduced by Representatives Jim Gerlach (R-PA) and Sam Farr (D-CA) in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) in the U.S. Senate, strengthens existing law covering commercial breeding facilities by amending the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The PAWS legislation would require that any commercial breeder who sells more than six litters of dogs or cats, and produces more than 25 puppies or kittens, directly to the public in a year be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The bill also allows for public access to source records for animals bred overseas and imported into the United States, extends the temporary suspension period for facilities with AWA violations from 21 days to 60 days, and gives the USDA direct authority to apply for injunctions.

Some commercial breeders and organizations who profit from the high-volume sale of dogs and cats are using scare tactics to confuse caring people in the rescue community into taking a position against the PAWS legislation. These groups claim that if the bill passes anyone who rescues more than 25 dogs a year will need a federal license. This is not true. We hope those who work to rescue animals will not be fooled by these tactics. To oppose the PAWS bill is to oppose improvements in the treatment of animals at large-scale commercial breeding operations. The PAWS bill deals strictly with businesses who sell dogs and cats. Non-profit rescue groups who charge an adoption/donation fee are not selling animals.

Answer 5

Most state senators have a website & email address.
Stick with local government. If you want more info email me, I don't want to go into detail on here.

Answer 6

Spend the info on puppy mills. Do not by puppies from pet stores.

Answer 7

You *CAN'T*!!!!!

As long there is there is a MARKET -from the vast pool of IGNORANT & STUPID (there's a difference-ignorance is CURABLE!) & LAZY people- there'll be somebody eager & WAITING to FILL it!!! There's *WAY* too much *MONEY* involved.

***HOW*** can you jam BRAINS & ETHICS & RESPONSIBILITY into the average "boob-in-the-street"??? You CAN'T!!! It's the human condition.
sigh......
Any more stupid,'feel-good", "Big Brother knows best" CRAP legislation will ONLY hurt the GOOD/RESPONSIBLE dog-people!

Answer 8

contacting PETA