Op-Ed: Raising the bar for compassionate care in dog breeding
By Brian Fitzpatrick and Sara Amundson
The breeding of dogs in high-volume, barren, dirty, unsafe puppy mills is a heartache to all who love and care for animals. Fortunately, there’s something we can do. The neglect and mistreatment of tens of thousands of breeding mothers and their puppies at these facilities is a problem that beckons for action in Congress, and the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) is just the vehicle needed for reforms. This is why we’ve partnered up to work together in our joint mission of advancing the Puppy Protection Act (PPA) a practical proposal to address the serious gaps in standards of care established for dog breeding under the AWA by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Support OneGreenPlanet Being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please support us!
Support Us
A new bill, The Puppy Protection Act, was introduced into Congress that would protect commercial breeding dogs and amend the Animal Welfare Act. U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) led a bipartisan coalition to protect puppies and puppy mills.
“It’s crucial we stand up for animals both as individuals and as a society. That means strengthening important regulations under the Animal Welfare Act to meet this goal,” Rep. Fitzpatrick said. “As a member of the congressional Animal Protection Caucus, I’m committed to ensuring our government is doing its part to promote animal welfare.”
The New Puppy Protection Act Is Fighting to Better the Lives of Dogs in Puppy Mills People 4/28/2021
New legislation aimed at protecting dogs from harsh breeding conditions has officially been introduced.
Earlier this week, Sen. Richard Durbin introduced a bill The Puppy Protection Act that aims to improve various conditions for dogs in puppy mills, according to a blog post from the Humane Society of the United States.
Backed by other politicians, the Puppy Protection Act would amend the Animal Welfare Act and require that improvements be made by licensed dog breeders who sell their animals.
According to the Humane Society, these breeders are currently required to obtain a USDA license, undergo regular inspections and comply with standards of care defined in the Animal Welfare Act, but there are minimal standards in place, leaving dogs to endure less than ideal living conditions.
Getty
(Bloomberg) Senate Democrats are pushing for stricter oversight of puppy mills amid a pandemic-fueled increase in pet adoptions.
The lawmakers are calling for bigger cages, mandated exercise and socialization for dogs that are in the care of breeders. The so-called Puppy Protection Act would also require screenings by vets before breeding. The effort is being led by Dick Durbin of Illinois, the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate.
“As many Americans welcomed a dog into their family during the pandemic, we must ensure that the demand for pets is met with a commitment from breeders to raise dogs in humane conditions before they find their forever home,” Durbin said in a statement Tuesday.