This news is so disappointing. Looks like the two largest animal rescues in Minnesota have drawn a line in the sand yet again: Animal Ark is supporting one bill and AHS (Animal Humane Society) is supporting the other.
Can't animal rescue groups work together even for such an obvious common goal as eliminating animal cruelty in puppy mill breeding operations??
Who Is Behind Efforts to Kill Minnesota’s Puppy Mill Bill?
Posted by Mike Fry on February 27, 2011 at 11:30pm
Those who work on legislative efforts nationally and locally know that one of the most effective ways to kill a bill is to offer a competing alternative, thereby splitting the supporters of the cause, and giving opponents a rational excuse to vote down both bills. This is especially true if there is broad support for the original piece of proposed legislation.
This fact combined with news of competing bills to House File 388 and Senate File 384 being introduced in the Minnesota Legislature have left many people wondering, “who is trying to kill Minnesota’s puppy mill bill?”
The potential answers to that question get stranger if people look deeper into who is supporting the new competing legislation. It is a story that uncovers what could be either deliberate sabotage or incompetence within the animal welfare community.
The story begins a few years ago, when differing factions within the Minnesota animal welfare community were working on different approaches to regulating large-scale breeding operations in the state. One faction had been working for many years on one approach that had little support at the legislature and no support at all from those outside the animal welfare community. They had introduced bills repeatedly with absolutely no success at all.
Animal Ark had supported past efforts, but we realized a different approach needed to be taken. We began seeking input from other organizations, including small, responsible breeders, like the Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeder’s Association, sheriffs and veterinarians. The result was an interesting and widely supported new approach. It resulted in new language with broad support. But, a few animal welfare advocates clung to the old model.
When the Minnesota Legislature was approached with this new language, we were given a clear directive: get together with the animal welfare advocates working on other approaches, get on the same page, and deliver to the legislature a viable, single “compromise” bill. We did just that.
The process of getting agreement was fairly long, and somewhat painful for all parties involved. But we all together and succeeded.
The amended House File 253 in 2010 was the result of that challenging work. The new language was strong, tight and was supported by a remarkably broad spectrum of supporters. Organizations that testified in support of this new language last year included Animal Ark, Second Chance Animal Rescue, RAGOM, the Animal Humane Society, the Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeder’s Association, veterinarians and others.
Beyond that, the Board of Animal Health had produced a fiscal note that was very favorable to the language. The language got traction and quickly passed a couple of committees in the House. This was more success than any of its predecessors had ever seen.
In the end, after some dramatic twists and turns, an amendment version of House File 253 came within a handful of votes of passing in the House, thanks to the leadership of Representative John Benson, and others.
Believing in the language and the importance of collaboration, Representative Benson held a series of meetings with the small group of opponents to House File 253 over the interim. At these meetings, he asked for constructive input that would improve the language. None was offered.
As a result, he introduced House File 388 this year, identical language to the “compromise” language that was House File 253 in 2010. Immediately, a group of respected legislators signed on as co-authors. A companion bill was introduced in the Senate (Senate File 384) and immediately gained more sponsors.
Then, more momentum got going. A new Facebook page in support of the bills surged. A grass-roots effort of letter writing resulted in news coverage, letters to the editor and petitions being spread around the Internet. House File 388 and Senate File 384 were off to a strong start.
Then, something happened…
A little known web site (http://www.animalfolksmn.org) announced competing bills. (The House version of this competing set of bills, it is worth noting, was authored by Representative John Lesch, the same representative that tried for several years to ban a variety of dog breeds throughout the state of Minnesota.)
A private individual apparently authors the web site AnimalFolksMN.org. She claims to represent a “broad coalition” of organizations, but has continually refused to say who they are. She has reportedly worked with the Humane Society of the United States. However, an email received today from the President of HSUS, Wayne Pacelle, clearly states his organization has nothing to do with these competing bills. Furthermore, AnimalFolksMN.org does not appear to have a legal lobbying presence at the legislature.
So, the question remains: Who is AnimalFolksMN.org? Who are they representing? And why would they be working to sabotage the puppy mill bill?
We will continue to keep you posted as we learn more.
Showing posts with label puppy mills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label puppy mills. Show all posts
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Support MN Dog & Cat Breeder Bill
DOG AND CAT BREEDER BILL INTRODUCED
S.F. 462/H.F. 702
And
TAKE ACTION DAY – MARCH 1
SPEAK UP for Minnesota Dogs and Cats on Tuesday, March 1.
We have great news! The Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill has been introduced at the Minnesota State Legislature.
The bill number in the Minnesota Senate is S.F. 462, introduced by Senator Barb Goodwin. The bill number in the House of Representatives is H.F. 702, introduced by Representative John Lesch.
Now is the time to act. Your help is needed!
Join the Take Action Day on Tuesday, March 1
A statewide Take Action Day has been scheduled for this Tuesday, March 1, to educate Minnesota legislators about the need for regulation and inform them about S.F. 462/H.F. 702.
That means - on Tuesday, March 1 - we are asking Minnesotans from across the State to call, write or email your State Senator and State Representative and urge their support of this legislation.
Be sure to mention the bill numbers (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) and names of the chief authors (Senator Goodwin / Representative Lesch).
Please put March 1 on your calendar and be ready to call, write or email your legislators on that day. Plan to join the Take Action Day!
For ideas about what to say and for key highlights of the bills, see below.
WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SAY TO LEGISLATORS
Please contact YOUR State Senator and YOUR State Representative to urge their support of S.F. 462/H.F. 702, the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill.
Here's how to call, write or email:
If you don't know who your State Senator and State Representative are or how to reach them, go to MN District Finder. Just type in your address and it will tell you your political district and state legislators and list their contact information - http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/
State Senator
Call, write or email your State Senator. You can say, "As a constituent of yours (or Senator _________, if you reach an aide), I am contacting you (him/her) to urge support of the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, Senate File 462. This bill is authored by Senator Barb Goodwin. It will regulate the dog and cat breeding industry in Minnesota and help prevent inhumane breeding practices and conditions. I would also appreciate it if you would sign onto the bill as a co-author. Thank you."
State Representative
Also call, write or email your State Representative. You can say, "As a constituent of yours (or Representative _______________, if you reach an aide), I am contacting you (him/her) to urge support of the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, House File 702. This bill is authored by Representative John Lesch. It will regulate the dog and cat breeding industry in Minnesota and help prevent inhumane breeding practices and conditions. I would also appreciate it if you would sign onto the bill as a co-author. Thank you."
NOTE: If you call your legislators, you will likely speak with an aide who will relay your message.
ALSO: As in past years, multiple breeder bills have been introduced this session. To be clear when speaking with legislators and/or their aides, be sure to mention the bill numbers (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) and author names (Sen. Goodwin/Rep. Lesch).
You may also wish to mention some of the points below.
THE NEED FOR BREEDER REGULATION
The Situation
The problem is inhumane dog and cat breeding practices in Minnesota by unscrupulous or negligent breeders and a lack of oversight of this industry.
No State Laws
Minnesota has no state laws to license, inspect or regulate the dog and cat breeding industry.
Top Producers
Minnesota is among the top producers of puppies in the United States with some of the largest breeding kennels in the nation - housing 300, 600 or over 1,000 dogs and puppies. Kittens are also mass-produced in Minnesota.
Substandard and Deplorable Conditions
While many breeders in Minnesota act responsibly, there are unscrupulous or negligent breeders who have created deplorable breeding conditions. Adult dogs and cats live their entire lives in small, overcrowded cages and are bred repeatedly. Cages are often stacked, allowing feces and urine to fall onto the animals below. Animals may be malnourished from inadequate food and water, receive little of no veterinary care, are stressed from constant confinement and neglect, have fleas, worms, etc. Many have deformed paws, are severely matted, or are burned from sitting and standing in urine and feces. The animals are rarely, if at all, provided human interaction or socialization, resulting in behavioral problems (including aggression and anxiety).
Current "System" is not Working
The current "system" used in Minnesota to address animal neglect and cruelty is complaint-based - i.e., a person must see the inhumane conditions and report the cruelty or neglect to authorities; law enforcement may then decide to investigate and pursue a case; and a prosecutor may choose to take the case.
Animal anti-cruelty laws kick in after the cruelty occurs - if someone files a complaint and if action is taken. Regulation is preventative - allowing authorities to legally enter the property and inspect breeding facilities so conditions can be assessed and cruelty can be prevented before it occurs. Relying solely on reporting, cruelty investigations and prosecution is time-consuming and costly for local law enforcement, animal control, animal welfare organizations and the courts. Regulation is a more efficient use of resources.
The Solution
Breeder regulation will give the State of Minnesota the authority to:
• License - Require commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to be licensed
• Inspect and Enforce - Give legal authority to the Board of Animal Health to inspect commercial dog and cat breeding facilities and enforce existing State laws to ensure animal care standards are met
• Penalties - Impose civil, administrative and criminal penalties for those who violate the law
Additional highlights about the bill language are below.
Bill Highlights
The 2011 Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) is supported by a large coalition of humane societies, rescue groups, animal control, veterinarians, animal protection and advocacy organizations, and citizens.
The Coalition introduced the first breeder bill five years ago, when the issue of inhumane dog and cat breeding practices was not known or understood at the Capitol. Over the years that the Coalition has been working on the bill, huge strides have been made in educating legislators and the public – much of it due to all of your help and commitment.
The Bill - Changes and Improvements
Much of the language in the 2011 Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill is from last year's bill; however, specific improvements have been made to reflect new research, information and input. Some of the improvements made this year are noted below.
Lower licensing number
A key aspect to a breeder bill is the licensing number - i.e., how is a "commercial breeder" defined and who is required to obtain a license to operate? The 2011 MN Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill will license and regulate dog/cat breeders defined as: “a person, other than a hobby breeder, who possesses or has an ownership interest in animals and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale or for exchange in return for consideration, and who possesses ten or more adult intact animals and whose animals produce more than five total litters of puppies or kittens per year”
NOTE: Last year, the breeder licensing number was raised to 20 breeding animals as a compromise. This session and with this bill, the licensing number was lowered to 10 (protecting more animals), a decision supported by legislators, law enforcement, rescue groups, humane societies, animal control, veterinarians and others.
Strengthen care standards based on scientific research/input
Considerable studies by respected veterinarians have been conducted in regards to dogs and cats in population settings and what is required to ensure the animals are healthy - physically and psychologically. The Coalition has incorporated some of this insight into the bill language, such as:
Veterinary plan - A provision was included in S.F. 462/H.F. 702 that requires breeders to have a veterinary care plan developed in conjunction with a licensed veterinarian. This not only helps the animals but it provides guidance and support for the breeders.
Animal well-being - S.F. 462/H. F. 702 contains language that requires adequate staff to observe each animal daily in order to monitor health, well-being and temperament.
Strengthen fiscal options
As with last year's bill, authority for inspections and enforcement has been directed to the Board of Animal Health (BAH). In order to best utilize the inspector’s time (and address breeders who are compliant), S.F. 462/H.F. 702 provides:
Inspections - allows every other year inspections if a breeder has had two consecutive years of inspections with no violations.
Reinspection fee - allows the BAH to charge a reinspection fee if they have to continue to return (multiple visits in one year) to a facility that is out of compliance with state law.
Please join the TAKE ACTION DAY on Tuesday, March 1!
Call your State Senator and State Representative and ask them to support S.F. 462/H.F. 702.
Thank you for your commitment to the animals and taking action!
475 North Cleveland Avenue Suite 100B | St. Paul, MN 55104 US
S.F. 462/H.F. 702
And
TAKE ACTION DAY – MARCH 1
SPEAK UP for Minnesota Dogs and Cats on Tuesday, March 1.
We have great news! The Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill has been introduced at the Minnesota State Legislature.
The bill number in the Minnesota Senate is S.F. 462, introduced by Senator Barb Goodwin. The bill number in the House of Representatives is H.F. 702, introduced by Representative John Lesch.
Now is the time to act. Your help is needed!
Join the Take Action Day on Tuesday, March 1
A statewide Take Action Day has been scheduled for this Tuesday, March 1, to educate Minnesota legislators about the need for regulation and inform them about S.F. 462/H.F. 702.
That means - on Tuesday, March 1 - we are asking Minnesotans from across the State to call, write or email your State Senator and State Representative and urge their support of this legislation.
Be sure to mention the bill numbers (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) and names of the chief authors (Senator Goodwin / Representative Lesch).
Please put March 1 on your calendar and be ready to call, write or email your legislators on that day. Plan to join the Take Action Day!
For ideas about what to say and for key highlights of the bills, see below.
WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SAY TO LEGISLATORS
Please contact YOUR State Senator and YOUR State Representative to urge their support of S.F. 462/H.F. 702, the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill.
Here's how to call, write or email:
If you don't know who your State Senator and State Representative are or how to reach them, go to MN District Finder. Just type in your address and it will tell you your political district and state legislators and list their contact information - http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/
State Senator
Call, write or email your State Senator. You can say, "As a constituent of yours (or Senator _________, if you reach an aide), I am contacting you (him/her) to urge support of the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, Senate File 462. This bill is authored by Senator Barb Goodwin. It will regulate the dog and cat breeding industry in Minnesota and help prevent inhumane breeding practices and conditions. I would also appreciate it if you would sign onto the bill as a co-author. Thank you."
State Representative
Also call, write or email your State Representative. You can say, "As a constituent of yours (or Representative _______________, if you reach an aide), I am contacting you (him/her) to urge support of the Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill, House File 702. This bill is authored by Representative John Lesch. It will regulate the dog and cat breeding industry in Minnesota and help prevent inhumane breeding practices and conditions. I would also appreciate it if you would sign onto the bill as a co-author. Thank you."
NOTE: If you call your legislators, you will likely speak with an aide who will relay your message.
ALSO: As in past years, multiple breeder bills have been introduced this session. To be clear when speaking with legislators and/or their aides, be sure to mention the bill numbers (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) and author names (Sen. Goodwin/Rep. Lesch).
You may also wish to mention some of the points below.
THE NEED FOR BREEDER REGULATION
The Situation
The problem is inhumane dog and cat breeding practices in Minnesota by unscrupulous or negligent breeders and a lack of oversight of this industry.
No State Laws
Minnesota has no state laws to license, inspect or regulate the dog and cat breeding industry.
Top Producers
Minnesota is among the top producers of puppies in the United States with some of the largest breeding kennels in the nation - housing 300, 600 or over 1,000 dogs and puppies. Kittens are also mass-produced in Minnesota.
Substandard and Deplorable Conditions
While many breeders in Minnesota act responsibly, there are unscrupulous or negligent breeders who have created deplorable breeding conditions. Adult dogs and cats live their entire lives in small, overcrowded cages and are bred repeatedly. Cages are often stacked, allowing feces and urine to fall onto the animals below. Animals may be malnourished from inadequate food and water, receive little of no veterinary care, are stressed from constant confinement and neglect, have fleas, worms, etc. Many have deformed paws, are severely matted, or are burned from sitting and standing in urine and feces. The animals are rarely, if at all, provided human interaction or socialization, resulting in behavioral problems (including aggression and anxiety).
Current "System" is not Working
The current "system" used in Minnesota to address animal neglect and cruelty is complaint-based - i.e., a person must see the inhumane conditions and report the cruelty or neglect to authorities; law enforcement may then decide to investigate and pursue a case; and a prosecutor may choose to take the case.
Animal anti-cruelty laws kick in after the cruelty occurs - if someone files a complaint and if action is taken. Regulation is preventative - allowing authorities to legally enter the property and inspect breeding facilities so conditions can be assessed and cruelty can be prevented before it occurs. Relying solely on reporting, cruelty investigations and prosecution is time-consuming and costly for local law enforcement, animal control, animal welfare organizations and the courts. Regulation is a more efficient use of resources.
The Solution
Breeder regulation will give the State of Minnesota the authority to:
• License - Require commercial dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to be licensed
• Inspect and Enforce - Give legal authority to the Board of Animal Health to inspect commercial dog and cat breeding facilities and enforce existing State laws to ensure animal care standards are met
• Penalties - Impose civil, administrative and criminal penalties for those who violate the law
Additional highlights about the bill language are below.
Bill Highlights
The 2011 Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill (S.F. 462/H.F. 702) is supported by a large coalition of humane societies, rescue groups, animal control, veterinarians, animal protection and advocacy organizations, and citizens.
The Coalition introduced the first breeder bill five years ago, when the issue of inhumane dog and cat breeding practices was not known or understood at the Capitol. Over the years that the Coalition has been working on the bill, huge strides have been made in educating legislators and the public – much of it due to all of your help and commitment.
The Bill - Changes and Improvements
Much of the language in the 2011 Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill is from last year's bill; however, specific improvements have been made to reflect new research, information and input. Some of the improvements made this year are noted below.
Lower licensing number
A key aspect to a breeder bill is the licensing number - i.e., how is a "commercial breeder" defined and who is required to obtain a license to operate? The 2011 MN Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation bill will license and regulate dog/cat breeders defined as: “a person, other than a hobby breeder, who possesses or has an ownership interest in animals and is engaged in the business of breeding animals for sale or for exchange in return for consideration, and who possesses ten or more adult intact animals and whose animals produce more than five total litters of puppies or kittens per year”
NOTE: Last year, the breeder licensing number was raised to 20 breeding animals as a compromise. This session and with this bill, the licensing number was lowered to 10 (protecting more animals), a decision supported by legislators, law enforcement, rescue groups, humane societies, animal control, veterinarians and others.
Strengthen care standards based on scientific research/input
Considerable studies by respected veterinarians have been conducted in regards to dogs and cats in population settings and what is required to ensure the animals are healthy - physically and psychologically. The Coalition has incorporated some of this insight into the bill language, such as:
Veterinary plan - A provision was included in S.F. 462/H.F. 702 that requires breeders to have a veterinary care plan developed in conjunction with a licensed veterinarian. This not only helps the animals but it provides guidance and support for the breeders.
Animal well-being - S.F. 462/H. F. 702 contains language that requires adequate staff to observe each animal daily in order to monitor health, well-being and temperament.
Strengthen fiscal options
As with last year's bill, authority for inspections and enforcement has been directed to the Board of Animal Health (BAH). In order to best utilize the inspector’s time (and address breeders who are compliant), S.F. 462/H.F. 702 provides:
Inspections - allows every other year inspections if a breeder has had two consecutive years of inspections with no violations.
Reinspection fee - allows the BAH to charge a reinspection fee if they have to continue to return (multiple visits in one year) to a facility that is out of compliance with state law.
Please join the TAKE ACTION DAY on Tuesday, March 1!
Call your State Senator and State Representative and ask them to support S.F. 462/H.F. 702.
Thank you for your commitment to the animals and taking action!
475 North Cleveland Avenue Suite 100B | St. Paul, MN 55104 US
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Minnesota Puppy Mills
Minnesota Puppy Mills Again Making National News
For more information about this press release, contact Mike Fry at 651-772-8983 Ext. 99
January 13 – Animal Ark, a Minnesota-Based animal welfare organization announces the creation of a new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mnpuppymills for the purpose of raising awareness of the need to regulate large-scale breeders of puppies and kittens in the land of 10,000 lakes. One of the first posts on the page was to a newly released short-form documentary about Kathy Bauck, a notorious puppy mill operator from Minnesota. Bauck has been convicted of multiple counts of animal cruelty and torture.
The 17-minute film includes graphic undercover video captured by the Companion Animal Protection Society, the producers of the documentary. It also features interviews with animal welfare advocates and one prosecutor whose efforts resulted in convictions for several counts against Bauck of cruelty and torture.
The most serious charges against Bauck included her performing her own Cesarean Sections on her dogs without anesthesia. In one compelling piece of video, a veterinarian from Bauck’s hometown recounts a conversation he had with Allan Bauck, Kathy’s husband. The veterinarian says, relating to the C-Sections “I asked, ‘in other words you just tie them down and take the puppies out?!’ Bauck responded, ‘Well, if I have to, ya.’”
Another post to the new Facebook page included photos of health certificates of puppies being sold in New York pet stores as recently as September of 2010. The documents list Kathy Bauck as the breeder for the puppies. (Copies attached)
In 2009 Bauck lost her USDA license following her most recent conviction for cruelty and torture, meaning that it is illegal for her to sell puppies commercially to pet stores.
Another post at http://facebook.com/mnpuppymills is a link to a report by the USDA’s own Inspector General. The report is the result of an audit of the USDA’s inspection process. The report uncovered gaping holes in the agency’s inspection and enforcement practices.
Bauck is one of an estimated 400 large-scale commercial puppy mills in Minnesota. Surprisingly, the State of Minnesota provides for no regulation of these facilities. However, a bipartisan group of legislators are hoping to change that this year. Representatives Steve Smith (R) and John Benson (D) co-chaired a legislative workgroup that met with stakeholders over the summer for the purpose of preparing legislation to be introduced in 2011. http://facebook.com/mnpuppymills will provide updates and alerts relating to these efforts.
For more information about this press release, contact Mike Fry at 651-772-8983 Ext. 99
January 13 – Animal Ark, a Minnesota-Based animal welfare organization announces the creation of a new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/mnpuppymills for the purpose of raising awareness of the need to regulate large-scale breeders of puppies and kittens in the land of 10,000 lakes. One of the first posts on the page was to a newly released short-form documentary about Kathy Bauck, a notorious puppy mill operator from Minnesota. Bauck has been convicted of multiple counts of animal cruelty and torture.
The 17-minute film includes graphic undercover video captured by the Companion Animal Protection Society, the producers of the documentary. It also features interviews with animal welfare advocates and one prosecutor whose efforts resulted in convictions for several counts against Bauck of cruelty and torture.
The most serious charges against Bauck included her performing her own Cesarean Sections on her dogs without anesthesia. In one compelling piece of video, a veterinarian from Bauck’s hometown recounts a conversation he had with Allan Bauck, Kathy’s husband. The veterinarian says, relating to the C-Sections “I asked, ‘in other words you just tie them down and take the puppies out?!’ Bauck responded, ‘Well, if I have to, ya.’”
Another post to the new Facebook page included photos of health certificates of puppies being sold in New York pet stores as recently as September of 2010. The documents list Kathy Bauck as the breeder for the puppies. (Copies attached)
In 2009 Bauck lost her USDA license following her most recent conviction for cruelty and torture, meaning that it is illegal for her to sell puppies commercially to pet stores.
Another post at http://facebook.com/mnpuppymills is a link to a report by the USDA’s own Inspector General. The report is the result of an audit of the USDA’s inspection process. The report uncovered gaping holes in the agency’s inspection and enforcement practices.
Bauck is one of an estimated 400 large-scale commercial puppy mills in Minnesota. Surprisingly, the State of Minnesota provides for no regulation of these facilities. However, a bipartisan group of legislators are hoping to change that this year. Representatives Steve Smith (R) and John Benson (D) co-chaired a legislative workgroup that met with stakeholders over the summer for the purpose of preparing legislation to be introduced in 2011. http://facebook.com/mnpuppymills will provide updates and alerts relating to these efforts.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Animal Welfare inspection
FROM: Minnesota Humane Society [info@mnhumane.org]
In response to consumer complaints, media investigations and pressure from animal welfare organizations, the Inspector General conducted an audit of APHIS/USDA inspections of licensed breeding facilities. The audit was performed between 2006 & 2008, and the final report was released just this week.
The conclusions of the audit confirm what animal welfare organizations have long suspected. USDA inspectors are not adequately trained and are not enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. The audit report cites the following findings:
• The enforcement process was ineffective against problematic dealers. Education was the preferred action taken and no enforcement action was taken against violators.
• Violations were not cited or documented properly by inspectors to support enforcement actions.
• The monetary penalties assessed were not adequate to deter violators.
• The internet is a loop hole allowing an increasing number of large scale breeders to avoid inspections and these breeders are not being monitored to ensure the animals are being humanely treated.
APHIS/USDA has acknowledged the various problems raised in the audit report and is working to incorporate the recommendations of the Inspector General. Additionally, these findings could give leverage to the national legislation, Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), which if passed would require:
• All breeders selling more than 50 puppies per year to the general public be federally licensed and inspected.
• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes daily.
Help get the PUPS legislation passed. Please call your US Senator and Representative and urge them to vote in favor of PUPS. Below are links to access contact information for your US Senator and Representative.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/
In response to consumer complaints, media investigations and pressure from animal welfare organizations, the Inspector General conducted an audit of APHIS/USDA inspections of licensed breeding facilities. The audit was performed between 2006 & 2008, and the final report was released just this week.
The conclusions of the audit confirm what animal welfare organizations have long suspected. USDA inspectors are not adequately trained and are not enforcing the Animal Welfare Act. The audit report cites the following findings:• The enforcement process was ineffective against problematic dealers. Education was the preferred action taken and no enforcement action was taken against violators.
• Violations were not cited or documented properly by inspectors to support enforcement actions.
• The monetary penalties assessed were not adequate to deter violators.
• The internet is a loop hole allowing an increasing number of large scale breeders to avoid inspections and these breeders are not being monitored to ensure the animals are being humanely treated.
APHIS/USDA has acknowledged the various problems raised in the audit report and is working to incorporate the recommendations of the Inspector General. Additionally, these findings could give leverage to the national legislation, Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS), which if passed would require:• All breeders selling more than 50 puppies per year to the general public be federally licensed and inspected.
• Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes daily.
Help get the PUPS legislation passed. Please call your US Senator and Representative and urge them to vote in favor of PUPS. Below are links to access contact information for your US Senator and Representative. http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Government report on puppy mills
USDA fails to crack down on puppy mills, details horrific conditions and lax enforcement
By MARY CLARE JALONICK , Associated Press
Last update: May 25, 2010 - 11:51 AM
WASHINGTON - An internal government report says dogs are dying and living in horrific conditions due to lax government enforcement of large kennels known as puppy mills.
Investigators say the Department of Agriculture often ignores repeat violations, waives penalties and doesn't adequately document inhumane treatment of dogs. In one case cited by the department's inspector general, 27 dogs died at an Oklahoma breeding facility after inspectors had visited the facility several times and cited it for violations.
The review, conducted between 2006 and 2008, found that more than half of those who had already been cited for violations flouted the law again.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday that USDA takes the report seriously and will take immediate action.
By MARY CLARE JALONICK , Associated Press
Last update: May 25, 2010 - 11:51 AM
WASHINGTON - An internal government report says dogs are dying and living in horrific conditions due to lax government enforcement of large kennels known as puppy mills.
Investigators say the Department of Agriculture often ignores repeat violations, waives penalties and doesn't adequately document inhumane treatment of dogs. In one case cited by the department's inspector general, 27 dogs died at an Oklahoma breeding facility after inspectors had visited the facility several times and cited it for violations.
The review, conducted between 2006 and 2008, found that more than half of those who had already been cited for violations flouted the law again.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday that USDA takes the report seriously and will take immediate action.
Friday, May 14, 2010
McDuffy puppy mill closes in Morrison County, MN
Controversial dog-breeding business closes in Little Falls
By The Associated Press
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- A dog breeder who opened a 500-dog facility near Little Falls three years ago has apparently gone out of business.
The St. Cloud Times reports Gary McDuffee canceled his U.S. Department of Agriculture license on March 16, according to agency records. A neighbor who fought the kennel in court says she no longer hears dogs on the property, and a Morrison County official says it's no longer being used as a kennel.
There was speculation McDuffee was leaving the dog-breeding business last fall, when hundreds of his dogs were listed in auction ads in Missouri.
McDuffee declined to comment to the newspaper.
McDuffee opened his kennel in 2007 after receiving a permit to have up to 500 dogs. That prompted protests and a lawsuit.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
By The Associated Press
ST. CLOUD, Minn. -- A dog breeder who opened a 500-dog facility near Little Falls three years ago has apparently gone out of business.
The St. Cloud Times reports Gary McDuffee canceled his U.S. Department of Agriculture license on March 16, according to agency records. A neighbor who fought the kennel in court says she no longer hears dogs on the property, and a Morrison County official says it's no longer being used as a kennel.
There was speculation McDuffee was leaving the dog-breeding business last fall, when hundreds of his dogs were listed in auction ads in Missouri.
McDuffee declined to comment to the newspaper.
McDuffee opened his kennel in 2007 after receiving a permit to have up to 500 dogs. That prompted protests and a lawsuit.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Monday, April 26, 2010
MN House WILL vote on puppy mill regulation
Minnesota House WILL Vote on Puppy Mill Regulation - Urgent Action Needed
Contact your representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives and ask them to support the Benson Amendment to House File 2678
(Updated 4/26/2010)
After years of stalling, the Minnesota House of Representatives will finally have an opportunity to vote on puppy mill regulation. On Tuesday, April 27, House File 2678 will be heard on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives. When that happens, Representative John Benson will offer an amendment to that bill that will do some very important things, including:
• Close a loop hole currently being exploited by Minnesota puppy mills to avoid paying sales tax on the puppies they are selling;
• Generate at least $1.3 million in additional revenue for the State as a result of increased tax compliance;
• Ensure large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats are in compliance with existing cruelty laws in Minnesota;
• Help to ensure that sick animals, which can pose a risk to public health, are not being sold and shipped nation-wide from Minnesota commercial breeders.
To help ensure this important amendment is accepted, we need you to contact your representative at the Minnesota House of Representatives NOW and urge them to support the Benson amendment to House File 2678. It is long past time for the Minnesota Legislature to deal with this issue. More information can be found at the links on the right side of this page. The Benson Amendment is virtually identical in language to House File 253.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING ACTION!
In addition to contacting your representative, please share this page with your family and friends!
Related Links
Find Your Representative
The Finances of Regulation
Special Interests and Puppy Mills
An Open Letter to the Minnesota Legislature
Contact your representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives and ask them to support the Benson Amendment to House File 2678
(Updated 4/26/2010)
After years of stalling, the Minnesota House of Representatives will finally have an opportunity to vote on puppy mill regulation. On Tuesday, April 27, House File 2678 will be heard on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives. When that happens, Representative John Benson will offer an amendment to that bill that will do some very important things, including:
• Close a loop hole currently being exploited by Minnesota puppy mills to avoid paying sales tax on the puppies they are selling;
• Generate at least $1.3 million in additional revenue for the State as a result of increased tax compliance;
• Ensure large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats are in compliance with existing cruelty laws in Minnesota;
• Help to ensure that sick animals, which can pose a risk to public health, are not being sold and shipped nation-wide from Minnesota commercial breeders.
To help ensure this important amendment is accepted, we need you to contact your representative at the Minnesota House of Representatives NOW and urge them to support the Benson amendment to House File 2678. It is long past time for the Minnesota Legislature to deal with this issue. More information can be found at the links on the right side of this page. The Benson Amendment is virtually identical in language to House File 253.
THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR TAKING ACTION!
In addition to contacting your representative, please share this page with your family and friends!
Related Links
Find Your Representative
The Finances of Regulation
Special Interests and Puppy Mills
An Open Letter to the Minnesota Legislature
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Support regulation of Minnesota's puppy mills
Following is an open, published letter that Mike Fry wrote to the entire Minnesota Legislature.
My name is Mike Fry. I am the executive director of Animal Ark, one of Minnesota’s largest animal welfare organizations, with programs that operate throughout the state and beyond. Our large and growing membership includes citizens in every county in Minnesota. We also have members in 42 other states and 5 other countries. Our membership is politically diverse, including all kinds of perspectives from all political parties. Our members include animal rescuers and dog breeders as well as hog farmers and hunters.
We have been able to maintain this diverse membership because Animal Ark’s philosophy is moderate, centrist and mainstream. We are not fringe animal rights extremists like PETA or HSUS. We are your brothers and sisters and your neighbors. We are your constituents.
I am writing to you today to let you know that, based on the emails I am receiving, as well as comments to our blogs and news stories, our members are not happy with the Legislature’s handling of the puppy mill issue, which has been ongoing for several years. However, the concern of our members reached a critically high level this session.
In 2009 two different bills were offered in the House and Senate to accomplish the goal of regulating commercial breeders. It could be argued that both bills, when compared to bills being passed in other states, were relatively moderate in their approaches. However, because several of the small hobby breeders in Minnesota expressed concern over possible unintended consequences of one bill, Animal Ark worked with them and others to create a viable alternative.
The Legislature’s response to these two bills was clear. We were instructed to get our groups together and bring back compromise language. Not only was that goal accomplished, we brought more stakeholders to the table than was requested and together we drafted an outstanding compromise set of bills. Senate File 7, as amended this year, and House File 253 as amended in the House Ag committee last year, is that compromise language.
In spite of this, the House Ag Committee tabled the bill without voting on it. The Senate Ag Committee voted it down by a 5-7 vote, with some of the same senators who told the groups to get together and create compromise language now saying, in effect, that their compromise is not good enough.
This has left many Minnesotans who worked on or who supported these bills feeling like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. They have just delivered the broomstick of the Wicked Witch only to be told by the man behind the curtain that is not enough. Furthermore, “How dare they question the great and powerful Oz?!”
Adding to the sense that this should be fiction and not real life is the fact that over the interim two important bodies weighed in on the compromise language – the Board of Animal Health and the Department of Revenue. BAH completed a fiscal note, with input from DOR. The report was shocking to many.
The most compelling fact reported was that of 100 randomly selected commercial dog breeders in the state, 74 of them were not in compliance with Minnesota sales tax laws. That is a 74% noncompliance rate. Based on other research, the report projected the total loss of revenue to the state resulting from the tax cheating of commercial dog breeders to be in excess of $2 million annually. Furthermore the report predicted that the compromise bill language offered in SF 7 and HF 253 would help the state collect the majority of those funds - at least $1.3 million per year. But that is not all.
The report also projects the financial impact on regulated parties. Total fees for commercial dog breeders would amount to between $1 and $2 for each puppy sold. Given that these puppies sell for hundreds of dollars each it is easy to see these minimal costs could be easily passed on to the buyers, meaning that, fundamentally, the program would cost the regulated breeders virtually nothing.
These bills, it would seem, would create a win for all law-abiding Minnesotans. Responsible breeders, be they commercial or hobby breeders, would stay in business. Breeders that could not meet the minimal standards of our existing cruelty laws would be out of business, creating more business for responsible breeders. Additionally, the State would benefit financially. Animal Welfare advocates nation-wide would see fewer malnourished, unsocialized dog and cats that suffer from genetic abnormalities resulting from inbreeding. The only losers in the equation are those not paying their taxes and who are abusing animals.
In spite of these basic facts, Animal Ark members who have contacted their legislators are being given a host of excuses. “I’m not on that committee.” “We need 100% consensus in order to pass a bill.” “We need agreement from those that would be regulated in order to pass the bill.”
I read your responses and have to wonder, “are you kidding me?”
The excuses go on and on, and, frankly, do not address the concerns being communicated to you. Whether or not you sit on a committee, your constituents want you to proactively get involved in passing this needed legislation. If you are on a committee hearing the bill, they want you to understand the humane and fiscal implications. They want you to take action to solve these problems.
Expecting that we have 100% consensus is like asking Dorothy to get the Wicked Witch to turn herself in, or asking Minnesotans to become flying monkeys. The commercial breeders to be regulated by these proposed bills amount to about 400 Minnesotans. That is approximately 0.0000075% of your constituency.
Your constituents are speaking. Are you listening?
--
Mike Fry
Executive Director of Animal Ark
Co-Host of Animal Wise Radio
http://www.animalarkshelter.org
http://www.animalwiseradio.com
Animal Ark Main: (651) 772-8983
Mike Fry Direct: (651) 964-3140
Toll Free: (888) 668-0687 Ext 99
FAX: (651) 304-6038
My name is Mike Fry. I am the executive director of Animal Ark, one of Minnesota’s largest animal welfare organizations, with programs that operate throughout the state and beyond. Our large and growing membership includes citizens in every county in Minnesota. We also have members in 42 other states and 5 other countries. Our membership is politically diverse, including all kinds of perspectives from all political parties. Our members include animal rescuers and dog breeders as well as hog farmers and hunters.
We have been able to maintain this diverse membership because Animal Ark’s philosophy is moderate, centrist and mainstream. We are not fringe animal rights extremists like PETA or HSUS. We are your brothers and sisters and your neighbors. We are your constituents.
I am writing to you today to let you know that, based on the emails I am receiving, as well as comments to our blogs and news stories, our members are not happy with the Legislature’s handling of the puppy mill issue, which has been ongoing for several years. However, the concern of our members reached a critically high level this session.
In 2009 two different bills were offered in the House and Senate to accomplish the goal of regulating commercial breeders. It could be argued that both bills, when compared to bills being passed in other states, were relatively moderate in their approaches. However, because several of the small hobby breeders in Minnesota expressed concern over possible unintended consequences of one bill, Animal Ark worked with them and others to create a viable alternative.
The Legislature’s response to these two bills was clear. We were instructed to get our groups together and bring back compromise language. Not only was that goal accomplished, we brought more stakeholders to the table than was requested and together we drafted an outstanding compromise set of bills. Senate File 7, as amended this year, and House File 253 as amended in the House Ag committee last year, is that compromise language.
In spite of this, the House Ag Committee tabled the bill without voting on it. The Senate Ag Committee voted it down by a 5-7 vote, with some of the same senators who told the groups to get together and create compromise language now saying, in effect, that their compromise is not good enough.
This has left many Minnesotans who worked on or who supported these bills feeling like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. They have just delivered the broomstick of the Wicked Witch only to be told by the man behind the curtain that is not enough. Furthermore, “How dare they question the great and powerful Oz?!”
Adding to the sense that this should be fiction and not real life is the fact that over the interim two important bodies weighed in on the compromise language – the Board of Animal Health and the Department of Revenue. BAH completed a fiscal note, with input from DOR. The report was shocking to many.
The most compelling fact reported was that of 100 randomly selected commercial dog breeders in the state, 74 of them were not in compliance with Minnesota sales tax laws. That is a 74% noncompliance rate. Based on other research, the report projected the total loss of revenue to the state resulting from the tax cheating of commercial dog breeders to be in excess of $2 million annually. Furthermore the report predicted that the compromise bill language offered in SF 7 and HF 253 would help the state collect the majority of those funds - at least $1.3 million per year. But that is not all.
The report also projects the financial impact on regulated parties. Total fees for commercial dog breeders would amount to between $1 and $2 for each puppy sold. Given that these puppies sell for hundreds of dollars each it is easy to see these minimal costs could be easily passed on to the buyers, meaning that, fundamentally, the program would cost the regulated breeders virtually nothing.
These bills, it would seem, would create a win for all law-abiding Minnesotans. Responsible breeders, be they commercial or hobby breeders, would stay in business. Breeders that could not meet the minimal standards of our existing cruelty laws would be out of business, creating more business for responsible breeders. Additionally, the State would benefit financially. Animal Welfare advocates nation-wide would see fewer malnourished, unsocialized dog and cats that suffer from genetic abnormalities resulting from inbreeding. The only losers in the equation are those not paying their taxes and who are abusing animals.
In spite of these basic facts, Animal Ark members who have contacted their legislators are being given a host of excuses. “I’m not on that committee.” “We need 100% consensus in order to pass a bill.” “We need agreement from those that would be regulated in order to pass the bill.”
I read your responses and have to wonder, “are you kidding me?”
The excuses go on and on, and, frankly, do not address the concerns being communicated to you. Whether or not you sit on a committee, your constituents want you to proactively get involved in passing this needed legislation. If you are on a committee hearing the bill, they want you to understand the humane and fiscal implications. They want you to take action to solve these problems.
Expecting that we have 100% consensus is like asking Dorothy to get the Wicked Witch to turn herself in, or asking Minnesotans to become flying monkeys. The commercial breeders to be regulated by these proposed bills amount to about 400 Minnesotans. That is approximately 0.0000075% of your constituency.
Your constituents are speaking. Are you listening?
--
Mike Fry
Executive Director of Animal Ark
Co-Host of Animal Wise Radio
http://www.animalarkshelter.org
http://www.animalwiseradio.com
Animal Ark Main: (651) 772-8983
Mike Fry Direct: (651) 964-3140
Toll Free: (888) 668-0687 Ext 99
FAX: (651) 304-6038
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Sign the Petition to regulate MN Puppy Mills
Please help get signatures!
This petition will be delivered to Minnesota legislators early next week, while there is still time in the session to pass meaningful legislation to regulate puppy and kitten mills in our state.
Please help get signatures for this petition. Please email it, share it on Facebook and post it on your web sites.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ask-the-mn-legislature-to-finally-regulate-puppy-mills
petition overview | letter
Ask the MN Legislature to Regulate Puppy Mills
Target:Legislators in Minnesota
Sponsored by: Animal Ark and Animal Wise Radio
For several years, the Minnesota Legislature has been debating bills to regulate large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats. Several viable approaches have been offered. However, due to the influence of special interest groups, including those with severe conflicts of interest, legislators in our great state repeatedly either table or kill any attempts to regulate large-scale breeders.
In 2009 a viable bill was offered in the House, HF 253, that would regulate large-scale breeders in a balanced and responsible way.
We the undersigned ask the Minnesota Legislature to regulate puppy mills now.
For several years you have discussed humane and fiscal issues surrounding large-scale dog and cat breeders in the state. The issues are large and growing, and include severe violations of cruelty and tax laws. Yet, the legislature has done nothing.
News reports relating to Minnesota's puppy mills have been showing up all around the nation. At the same time, the Minnesota Department of Revenue has concluded that the overwhelming majority of these large-scale breeders are not paying required sales tax on the animals sold. This amounts to millions of dollars of lost revenue annually to the State.
Regulating these breeders would, therefore, resolve severe animal welfare issues at the same time it would help generate an additional $1.3 million (according to DOE) in revenue the State badly needs. Rather than doing the responsible thing, which would be to enact responsible regulation, the legislature has been bowing to unrelated special interest groups, like the NRA.
We are tired of the legislator giving special interest groups their way, at the expense of animal welfare and fiscal responsibility. We want you to do your jobs and act NOW to fix these problems.
For more information about the fiscal implications read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m2d23-Minnesota-Puppy-Mill-Bill-by-the-Numbers
For more information on the involvement of special interests in this issue, read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Senate-Ag-Committee-Lets-Special-Interests-Have-Their-Way-with-Puppies-and-KittensFor several years, the Minnesota Legislature has been debating bills to regulate large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats. Several viable approaches have been offered. However, due to the influence of special interest groups, including those with severe conflicts of interest, legislators in our great state repeatedly either table or kill any attempts to regulate large-scale breeders.
In 2009 a viable bill was offered in the House, HF 253, that would regulate large-scale breeders in a balanced and responsible way.
We the undersigned ask the Minnesota Legislature to regulate puppy mills now.
For several years you have discussed humane and fiscal issues surrounding large-scale dog and cat breeders in the state. The issues are large and growing, and include severe violations of cruelty and tax laws. Yet, the legislature has done nothing.
News reports relating to Minnesota's puppy mills have been showing up all around the nation. At the same time, the Minnesota Department of Revenue has concluded that the overwhelming majority of these large-scale breeders are not paying required sales tax on the animals sold. This amounts to millions of dollars of lost revenue annually to the State.
Regulating these breeders would, therefore, resolve severe animal welfare issues at the same time it would help generate an additional $1.3 million (according to DOE) in revenue the State badly needs. Rather than doing the responsible thing, which would be to enact responsible regulation, the legislature has been bowing to unrelated special interest groups, like the NRA.
We are tired of the legislator giving special interest groups their way, at the expense of animal welfare and fiscal responsibility. We want you to do your jobs and act NOW to fix these problems.
For more information about the fiscal implications read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m2d23-Minnesota-Puppy-Mill-Bill-by-the-Numbers
For more information on the involvement of special interests in this issue, read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Senate-Ag-Committee-Lets-Special-Interests-Have-Their-Way-with-Puppies-and-Kittens
This petition will be delivered to Minnesota legislators early next week, while there is still time in the session to pass meaningful legislation to regulate puppy and kitten mills in our state.
Please help get signatures for this petition. Please email it, share it on Facebook and post it on your web sites.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/ask-the-mn-legislature-to-finally-regulate-puppy-mills
petition overview | letter
Ask the MN Legislature to Regulate Puppy Mills
Target:Legislators in Minnesota
Sponsored by: Animal Ark and Animal Wise Radio
For several years, the Minnesota Legislature has been debating bills to regulate large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats. Several viable approaches have been offered. However, due to the influence of special interest groups, including those with severe conflicts of interest, legislators in our great state repeatedly either table or kill any attempts to regulate large-scale breeders.
In 2009 a viable bill was offered in the House, HF 253, that would regulate large-scale breeders in a balanced and responsible way.
We the undersigned ask the Minnesota Legislature to regulate puppy mills now.
For several years you have discussed humane and fiscal issues surrounding large-scale dog and cat breeders in the state. The issues are large and growing, and include severe violations of cruelty and tax laws. Yet, the legislature has done nothing.
News reports relating to Minnesota's puppy mills have been showing up all around the nation. At the same time, the Minnesota Department of Revenue has concluded that the overwhelming majority of these large-scale breeders are not paying required sales tax on the animals sold. This amounts to millions of dollars of lost revenue annually to the State.
Regulating these breeders would, therefore, resolve severe animal welfare issues at the same time it would help generate an additional $1.3 million (according to DOE) in revenue the State badly needs. Rather than doing the responsible thing, which would be to enact responsible regulation, the legislature has been bowing to unrelated special interest groups, like the NRA.
We are tired of the legislator giving special interest groups their way, at the expense of animal welfare and fiscal responsibility. We want you to do your jobs and act NOW to fix these problems.
For more information about the fiscal implications read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m2d23-Minnesota-Puppy-Mill-Bill-by-the-Numbers
For more information on the involvement of special interests in this issue, read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Senate-Ag-Committee-Lets-Special-Interests-Have-Their-Way-with-Puppies-and-KittensFor several years, the Minnesota Legislature has been debating bills to regulate large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cats. Several viable approaches have been offered. However, due to the influence of special interest groups, including those with severe conflicts of interest, legislators in our great state repeatedly either table or kill any attempts to regulate large-scale breeders.
In 2009 a viable bill was offered in the House, HF 253, that would regulate large-scale breeders in a balanced and responsible way.
We the undersigned ask the Minnesota Legislature to regulate puppy mills now.
For several years you have discussed humane and fiscal issues surrounding large-scale dog and cat breeders in the state. The issues are large and growing, and include severe violations of cruelty and tax laws. Yet, the legislature has done nothing.
News reports relating to Minnesota's puppy mills have been showing up all around the nation. At the same time, the Minnesota Department of Revenue has concluded that the overwhelming majority of these large-scale breeders are not paying required sales tax on the animals sold. This amounts to millions of dollars of lost revenue annually to the State.
Regulating these breeders would, therefore, resolve severe animal welfare issues at the same time it would help generate an additional $1.3 million (according to DOE) in revenue the State badly needs. Rather than doing the responsible thing, which would be to enact responsible regulation, the legislature has been bowing to unrelated special interest groups, like the NRA.
We are tired of the legislator giving special interest groups their way, at the expense of animal welfare and fiscal responsibility. We want you to do your jobs and act NOW to fix these problems.
For more information about the fiscal implications read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m2d23-Minnesota-Puppy-Mill-Bill-by-the-Numbers
For more information on the involvement of special interests in this issue, read this link:
http://www.examiner.com/x-39559-Minneapolis-Pets-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Senate-Ag-Committee-Lets-Special-Interests-Have-Their-Way-with-Puppies-and-Kittens
Monday, March 22, 2010
Puppy Mill bill could be saved for this session
FROM ANIMAL ARK OUTREACH:
Following the recent vote in the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee on Senate File 7, a large number of Minnesotans are growing impatient with the legislature, and increasingly concerned about the influence of various special interests in fighting the efforts to pass this urgently needed bill. The bill would:
1) Require large-scale commercial dog and cat breeders to be inspected annually to ensure compliance with existing animal cruelty laws.
2) Fund the inspection program via license fees to be paid by commercial breeders. These fees would amount to, according to a fiscal note created by the Board of Animal Health, about $1 to $2 per puppy sold - costs that would simply be passed on to the buyers of puppies.
3) Help the Department of Revenue collect an additional $1.3 million in sales tax revenue. This is demonstrated through a recent review of commercial dog breeders. 74% of those sampled were not paying the sales tax on the puppies sold as is required by law.
Though the bill was voted down in the Senate Ag Committee, there are still viable options for its passage this year. Your action is needed NOW to help make that happen.
The Minnesota Legislature needs to hear from you immediately.
What to do:
If you live in Minnesota:
Contact your legislators and ask that they work with Senate and House leadership to find a way to pass these bills, and without the undue influence of unrelated special interests. Tell them you are tired of them talking about this bill and failing to pass it. Tell them you are tired of the fiscal irresponsibility. Tell them the reason we are having such financial troubles in the state is because the legislature in general keeps giving the special interests what they want, as is clearly demonstrated in this case.
Contact the Speaker of the House and thank her for her strong leadership on this issue. Ask that she continue to find a way to move this bill this year.
Contact the Senate Majority Leader and ask that he work with the Speaker to do the same.
If you live outside of Minnesota:
Contact Minnesota legislators and tell them you are sick of them letting Minnesota Puppy Mill sell sick, neglected and abused dogs all over the country. Minnesota is one of the top states in the nation for puppy mills. We need all voices heard at the Minnesota Legislature NOW!
Everyone:
Share this story with your family and friends and ask that they do the same!
Visit the Animal Ark Online Community at: http://animalark.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Following the recent vote in the Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee on Senate File 7, a large number of Minnesotans are growing impatient with the legislature, and increasingly concerned about the influence of various special interests in fighting the efforts to pass this urgently needed bill. The bill would:
1) Require large-scale commercial dog and cat breeders to be inspected annually to ensure compliance with existing animal cruelty laws.
2) Fund the inspection program via license fees to be paid by commercial breeders. These fees would amount to, according to a fiscal note created by the Board of Animal Health, about $1 to $2 per puppy sold - costs that would simply be passed on to the buyers of puppies.
3) Help the Department of Revenue collect an additional $1.3 million in sales tax revenue. This is demonstrated through a recent review of commercial dog breeders. 74% of those sampled were not paying the sales tax on the puppies sold as is required by law.
Though the bill was voted down in the Senate Ag Committee, there are still viable options for its passage this year. Your action is needed NOW to help make that happen.
The Minnesota Legislature needs to hear from you immediately.
What to do:
If you live in Minnesota:
Contact your legislators and ask that they work with Senate and House leadership to find a way to pass these bills, and without the undue influence of unrelated special interests. Tell them you are tired of them talking about this bill and failing to pass it. Tell them you are tired of the fiscal irresponsibility. Tell them the reason we are having such financial troubles in the state is because the legislature in general keeps giving the special interests what they want, as is clearly demonstrated in this case.
Contact the Speaker of the House and thank her for her strong leadership on this issue. Ask that she continue to find a way to move this bill this year.
Contact the Senate Majority Leader and ask that he work with the Speaker to do the same.
If you live outside of Minnesota:
Contact Minnesota legislators and tell them you are sick of them letting Minnesota Puppy Mill sell sick, neglected and abused dogs all over the country. Minnesota is one of the top states in the nation for puppy mills. We need all voices heard at the Minnesota Legislature NOW!
Everyone:
Share this story with your family and friends and ask that they do the same!
Visit the Animal Ark Online Community at: http://animalark.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Friday, March 12, 2010
More on the MN puppy/kitten mill situation
Senate Ag Committee Lets Special Interests Have Their Way with Puppies and Kittens
March 12, 8:38 AM
Minneapolis Pets Examiner
Mike Fry
Large-scale, commercial breeders are common in Minnesota and unregulated.
Photo by CAPS
His most recent USDA inspection report reads like something out of a horror movie. “The building known as ‘Kyles building’ had a strong ammonia level during inspection. The inspectors eye were burning from the levels present…”
The report also cites violations for lack of veterinary care, inadequate indoor housing facilities, inadequate primary enclosures, grouping of incompatible animals, issues with the housing facilities in general and other problems.
In one report a Chihuahua suffered from untreated injuries so severe that she could not close her mouth.
In spite of the gross violations reported in his USDA inspection reports, Paul Haag, operator of Valley View Kennel, and member of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, lobbied, with support from the Farm Bureau, to kill Senate File 7 and House File 253, a. k. a. “the puppy mill bill”, adding support to the growing idea that special interests have taken over the Minnesota Legislature.
Haag was not alone in lobbying against the puppy mill bill. His compatriots included other puppy mills, Minnesota pork producers and the NRA. They worked together with members of the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee to shoot down the proposed legislation that would require inspections of commercial dog breeders.
Senate File 7 and House File 253 are relatively simple propositions. If passed into law, they would provide the state authority to inspect large-scale, commercial dog and cat breeding operations in order to verify compliance with current state animal cruelty laws. The inspections would be based on an existing inspection process the State already requires of nonprofit animal shelters.
The program would be paid for through licensing fees required of the commercial breeders, which, according to a fiscal note prepared by the Board of Animal Health, would amount to about $1 to $2 for each puppy these breeders sold. Furthermore, according the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the bill would help the State collect about $1.3 million dollars in sales tax that are currently going uncollected. A review of commercial breeders by the Department of Revenue found that the majority of them were not in compliance with Minnesota Sales Tax laws.
Minnesota is one of the top 10 states in the nation for puppy mills, in part because the Legislature has refused to regulate the industry.
“Minnesota is a safe haven for large-scale, abusive breeders,” said Marlene Foote, president and founder of Animal Ark, Minnesota’s largest no kill animal welfare organization. “In Minnesota, even a breeder convicted of animal abuse and torture can continue operating a puppy mill.”
Kathy Bauck, according to animal welfare advocates like Foote, is one such example.
Repeatedly charged and convicted of multiple counts of animal cruelty, animal torture and practicing veterinary medicine without a license the USDA finally filed a motion in 2009 to have Bauck’s federal breeding license revoked. In Minnesota, however, in spite of her criminal convictions, Bauck is still allowed by the State of Minnesota to continue breeding and selling dogs. No license is required.
For these and other reasons, Senate File 7 and House File 253 have received strong support from a growing number of small, responsible breeders, many of which believe the failure to regulate the breeding industry is unnecessarily giving all breeders a bad reputation. Representatives from the Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeders Association testified before both the House and Senate Ag Committees in support of the bills.
In spite of these facts, the special interests appear to be getting their way. During a Senate Ag Committee meeting held March 9, 2009, Senate File 7 was voted down by a 5 – 7 vote, with two members absent and one abstaining.
“The irony here is that nonprofit animal shelters are open to the public, and, therefore, operate in a relatively transparent way,” said Foote. “Yet the State of Minnesota and we believe that inspecting and licensing animal shelters is a good idea.”
“Puppy mills generally operate in secret, behind locked gates and fences where no one can really see what is going on. And, in spite of the growing evidence that there are a lot of corrupt commercial breeders, breaking a variety of laws, the Senate Agriculture Committee has decided once again to bow to the special interests and give commercial breeders a free pass.”
March 12, 8:38 AM
Minneapolis Pets Examiner
Mike Fry
Large-scale, commercial breeders are common in Minnesota and unregulated.
Photo by CAPSHis most recent USDA inspection report reads like something out of a horror movie. “The building known as ‘Kyles building’ had a strong ammonia level during inspection. The inspectors eye were burning from the levels present…”
The report also cites violations for lack of veterinary care, inadequate indoor housing facilities, inadequate primary enclosures, grouping of incompatible animals, issues with the housing facilities in general and other problems.
In one report a Chihuahua suffered from untreated injuries so severe that she could not close her mouth.
In spite of the gross violations reported in his USDA inspection reports, Paul Haag, operator of Valley View Kennel, and member of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, lobbied, with support from the Farm Bureau, to kill Senate File 7 and House File 253, a. k. a. “the puppy mill bill”, adding support to the growing idea that special interests have taken over the Minnesota Legislature.
Haag was not alone in lobbying against the puppy mill bill. His compatriots included other puppy mills, Minnesota pork producers and the NRA. They worked together with members of the Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee to shoot down the proposed legislation that would require inspections of commercial dog breeders.
Senate File 7 and House File 253 are relatively simple propositions. If passed into law, they would provide the state authority to inspect large-scale, commercial dog and cat breeding operations in order to verify compliance with current state animal cruelty laws. The inspections would be based on an existing inspection process the State already requires of nonprofit animal shelters.
The program would be paid for through licensing fees required of the commercial breeders, which, according to a fiscal note prepared by the Board of Animal Health, would amount to about $1 to $2 for each puppy these breeders sold. Furthermore, according the Minnesota Department of Revenue, the bill would help the State collect about $1.3 million dollars in sales tax that are currently going uncollected. A review of commercial breeders by the Department of Revenue found that the majority of them were not in compliance with Minnesota Sales Tax laws.
Minnesota is one of the top 10 states in the nation for puppy mills, in part because the Legislature has refused to regulate the industry.
“Minnesota is a safe haven for large-scale, abusive breeders,” said Marlene Foote, president and founder of Animal Ark, Minnesota’s largest no kill animal welfare organization. “In Minnesota, even a breeder convicted of animal abuse and torture can continue operating a puppy mill.”
Kathy Bauck, according to animal welfare advocates like Foote, is one such example.
Repeatedly charged and convicted of multiple counts of animal cruelty, animal torture and practicing veterinary medicine without a license the USDA finally filed a motion in 2009 to have Bauck’s federal breeding license revoked. In Minnesota, however, in spite of her criminal convictions, Bauck is still allowed by the State of Minnesota to continue breeding and selling dogs. No license is required.
For these and other reasons, Senate File 7 and House File 253 have received strong support from a growing number of small, responsible breeders, many of which believe the failure to regulate the breeding industry is unnecessarily giving all breeders a bad reputation. Representatives from the Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeders Association testified before both the House and Senate Ag Committees in support of the bills.
In spite of these facts, the special interests appear to be getting their way. During a Senate Ag Committee meeting held March 9, 2009, Senate File 7 was voted down by a 5 – 7 vote, with two members absent and one abstaining.
“The irony here is that nonprofit animal shelters are open to the public, and, therefore, operate in a relatively transparent way,” said Foote. “Yet the State of Minnesota and we believe that inspecting and licensing animal shelters is a good idea.”
“Puppy mills generally operate in secret, behind locked gates and fences where no one can really see what is going on. And, in spite of the growing evidence that there are a lot of corrupt commercial breeders, breaking a variety of laws, the Senate Agriculture Committee has decided once again to bow to the special interests and give commercial breeders a free pass.”
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
MN Puppy Mill bill did not pass again
Message from Animal Folks MN
Update March 2010
NEWS: SENATE FILE 7 DID NOT PASS
We have disappointing news to tell.
Yesterday (Tuesday, March 9), the MN Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill (Senate File 7) was heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee; however, it did not pass.
As you know, S.F. 7 and H.F. 253 were laid on the table ("put on hold") in their respective Agriculture Committees during the 2009 session. In order to move each bill along, we needed a majority vote in each Agriculture Committee to take the bill off the table and continue discussions.
We also needed to meet committee deadlines. (The first policy committee deadline in the Minnesota Legislature is this Friday, March 12. Bills must pass through all policy committees in either the House or Senate by this date.)
Because S.F. 7 did not pass the Senate Agriculture Committee, the committee deadlines cannot be met.
Time was running out
The lobbying team has worked hard meeting and talking with Agriculture Committee members in both the House and Senate trying to get hearings and secure the votes. Thousands of constituents (you) from all over Minnesota have also been calling, emailing and writing legislators and signing petitions of support.
The Chair of the House Agriculture Committee (Rep. Otremba) would not grant H.F. 253 a hearing until there was movement in the Senate. But the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee (Senator Vickerman) would not grant S.F. 7 a hearing.
So the lobbying team took different action, bypassing the normal way a bill is scheduled and given a hearing.
Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes, who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and was supportive of the bill, was approached and she agreed to make a motion yesterday (March 9) to move S.F. 7 off the table for a hearing. This motion passed, which then allowed the bill to be debated in Committee.
As the Committee Chair would not grant the bill a hearing, this motion allowed the bill to be heard.
The hearing
Senator Don Betzold, the author of S.F. 7, gave an overview of the bill. He did an excellent job, as too did Keith Streff (humane agent for the Animal Humane Society) who responded to questions from Committee members. The Chair did not allow for any public testimony.
One legislator was very supportive and expressed his reasons. Another legislator was in strong opposition and insisted "the system works as is." One legislator committed to voting yes prior to the meeting but then changed her vote. The Chair was not supportive.
When there were no more questions on the bill, a motion was made to vote yes or no on the bill. The Committee vote was 7 to 5 - opposed. The bill failed.
Following the vote, two legislators (who voted yes) expressed a clear desire that something needs to be done.
NOTE: For video coverage of the meeting, go to: Senate Agriculture Committee
(Senate File 7 is the last item discussed.)
Senate Agriculture Committee
There are 15 members on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Below are the member names (with emails and phone numbers) and how each voted.
Senator Jim Vickerman (Chair, District 22) 651-296-5650 - NO
Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes (Vice Chair, District 31) 651-296-5649 - YES
Senator Steve Dille (Ranking Minority Member, District 18) 651-296-4131 - NO
Senator Lisa A. Fobbe (District 16) 651-296-8075 - NO
Senator Joe Gimse (District 13) 651-296-3826 - NO
Senator David W. Hann (District 42) 651-296-1749 - PASS (didn't vote)
Senator Bill E. Ingebrigtsen (District 11) 651-297-8063 - NO
Senator Paul E. Koering (District 12) 651-296-4875 - NOT PRESENT
Senator Gary W. Kubly (District 20) 651-296-5094 - YES
Senator Keith Langseth (District 9) 651-296-3205 - YES
Senator Tony Lourey (District 8) 651-296-0293 - YES
Senator Steve Murphy (District 28) 651-296-4264 - YES
Senator Rod Skoe (District 2) 651-296-4196 - NOT PRESENT
Senator Dan Skogen (District 10) 651-296-5655 - NO
Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary (District 50) 651-296-4334 - NO
Every legislator who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee was lobbied - multiple times. Each member was (and is) fully aware of the details of the bill and has seen or heard about animal cruelty, consumer fraud, tax evasion, and other issues defining the problem.
As for the opposition, lobbyists for agricultural interests and for the larger breeders also showed up at the committee meeting, as did the NRA lobbyists. They worked hard lobbying committee members. Some small breeders, too, many of whom were apparently ignorant of the details of the bill, worked hard against it.
We will offer further details and explanations about the vote in the coming weeks through emails and posts on the Animal Folks MN website.
TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK
It's time to hold legislators accountable for their votes:
• For legislators who voted yes, please contact them and say thank you. They gave us support; we need to show them ours.
• For legislators who voted no, consider contacting them and voicing your disappointment (nicely, please) about their choice to vote no.
• Most importantly, please remember how these members voted when you vote during the next election. (Senator Vickerman, Senator Dille and Senator Murphy have announced they will not be running for re-election in 2010.)
YOUR VOICE WAS HEARD
Please know how incredibly important your efforts have been, and please don't stop. We won't.
The Minnesota Legislature, not just the Agriculture Committee, heard us. They know about the problem of inhumane dog and cat breeding and the need for regulation.
Petitions, emails, letters and calls in support of S.F. 7/ H.F. 253 have been submitted to Minnesota legislators by thousands of people throughout Minnesota.
The 10,000 goal for petitions was met. The response after our last email was overwhelming; the response at the Pet Expo was also extraordinary. With the help of Stop The Suffering, the Minnesota Humane Society, Minnesota Voters for Animal Protection and individual citizens from all over the State, over 10,000 names of supporters were collected and submitted to legislators, representing every House and Senate district.
This list is still valuable and useful. It gives us all a strong database and voice to use for future efforts. We will continue to build a well-informed, well-connected advocacy network that represents all areas of Minnesota. Please still continue to direct people to Animal Folks MN to learn more and build support.
THANK YOU to everyone for your commitment and hard work. You are all amazing.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP. This is the beginning of a movement, not the end. In the coming weeks and months, we'll notify you (through emails and on the Animal Folks MN website) about what you can do to help change the "system" for animal protection in Minnesota and help change attitudes about how animals are viewed and treated.
View video of one of the many puppy mills here in rural Minnesota.
Update March 2010
NEWS: SENATE FILE 7 DID NOT PASS
We have disappointing news to tell.
Yesterday (Tuesday, March 9), the MN Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill (Senate File 7) was heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee; however, it did not pass.
As you know, S.F. 7 and H.F. 253 were laid on the table ("put on hold") in their respective Agriculture Committees during the 2009 session. In order to move each bill along, we needed a majority vote in each Agriculture Committee to take the bill off the table and continue discussions.
We also needed to meet committee deadlines. (The first policy committee deadline in the Minnesota Legislature is this Friday, March 12. Bills must pass through all policy committees in either the House or Senate by this date.)
Because S.F. 7 did not pass the Senate Agriculture Committee, the committee deadlines cannot be met.
Time was running out
The lobbying team has worked hard meeting and talking with Agriculture Committee members in both the House and Senate trying to get hearings and secure the votes. Thousands of constituents (you) from all over Minnesota have also been calling, emailing and writing legislators and signing petitions of support.
The Chair of the House Agriculture Committee (Rep. Otremba) would not grant H.F. 253 a hearing until there was movement in the Senate. But the Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee (Senator Vickerman) would not grant S.F. 7 a hearing.
So the lobbying team took different action, bypassing the normal way a bill is scheduled and given a hearing.
Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes, who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee and was supportive of the bill, was approached and she agreed to make a motion yesterday (March 9) to move S.F. 7 off the table for a hearing. This motion passed, which then allowed the bill to be debated in Committee.
As the Committee Chair would not grant the bill a hearing, this motion allowed the bill to be heard.
The hearing
Senator Don Betzold, the author of S.F. 7, gave an overview of the bill. He did an excellent job, as too did Keith Streff (humane agent for the Animal Humane Society) who responded to questions from Committee members. The Chair did not allow for any public testimony.
One legislator was very supportive and expressed his reasons. Another legislator was in strong opposition and insisted "the system works as is." One legislator committed to voting yes prior to the meeting but then changed her vote. The Chair was not supportive.
When there were no more questions on the bill, a motion was made to vote yes or no on the bill. The Committee vote was 7 to 5 - opposed. The bill failed.
Following the vote, two legislators (who voted yes) expressed a clear desire that something needs to be done.
NOTE: For video coverage of the meeting, go to: Senate Agriculture Committee
(Senate File 7 is the last item discussed.)
Senate Agriculture Committee
There are 15 members on the Senate Agriculture Committee. Below are the member names (with emails and phone numbers) and how each voted.
Senator Jim Vickerman (Chair, District 22) 651-296-5650 - NO
Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes (Vice Chair, District 31) 651-296-5649 - YES
Senator Steve Dille (Ranking Minority Member, District 18) 651-296-4131 - NO
Senator Lisa A. Fobbe (District 16) 651-296-8075 - NO
Senator Joe Gimse (District 13) 651-296-3826 - NO
Senator David W. Hann (District 42) 651-296-1749 - PASS (didn't vote)
Senator Bill E. Ingebrigtsen (District 11) 651-297-8063 - NO
Senator Paul E. Koering (District 12) 651-296-4875 - NOT PRESENT
Senator Gary W. Kubly (District 20) 651-296-5094 - YES
Senator Keith Langseth (District 9) 651-296-3205 - YES
Senator Tony Lourey (District 8) 651-296-0293 - YES
Senator Steve Murphy (District 28) 651-296-4264 - YES
Senator Rod Skoe (District 2) 651-296-4196 - NOT PRESENT
Senator Dan Skogen (District 10) 651-296-5655 - NO
Senator Satveer S. Chaudhary (District 50) 651-296-4334 - NO
Every legislator who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee was lobbied - multiple times. Each member was (and is) fully aware of the details of the bill and has seen or heard about animal cruelty, consumer fraud, tax evasion, and other issues defining the problem.
As for the opposition, lobbyists for agricultural interests and for the larger breeders also showed up at the committee meeting, as did the NRA lobbyists. They worked hard lobbying committee members. Some small breeders, too, many of whom were apparently ignorant of the details of the bill, worked hard against it.
We will offer further details and explanations about the vote in the coming weeks through emails and posts on the Animal Folks MN website.
TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK
It's time to hold legislators accountable for their votes:
• For legislators who voted yes, please contact them and say thank you. They gave us support; we need to show them ours.
• For legislators who voted no, consider contacting them and voicing your disappointment (nicely, please) about their choice to vote no.
• Most importantly, please remember how these members voted when you vote during the next election. (Senator Vickerman, Senator Dille and Senator Murphy have announced they will not be running for re-election in 2010.)
YOUR VOICE WAS HEARD
Please know how incredibly important your efforts have been, and please don't stop. We won't.
The Minnesota Legislature, not just the Agriculture Committee, heard us. They know about the problem of inhumane dog and cat breeding and the need for regulation.
Petitions, emails, letters and calls in support of S.F. 7/ H.F. 253 have been submitted to Minnesota legislators by thousands of people throughout Minnesota.
The 10,000 goal for petitions was met. The response after our last email was overwhelming; the response at the Pet Expo was also extraordinary. With the help of Stop The Suffering, the Minnesota Humane Society, Minnesota Voters for Animal Protection and individual citizens from all over the State, over 10,000 names of supporters were collected and submitted to legislators, representing every House and Senate district.
This list is still valuable and useful. It gives us all a strong database and voice to use for future efforts. We will continue to build a well-informed, well-connected advocacy network that represents all areas of Minnesota. Please still continue to direct people to Animal Folks MN to learn more and build support.
THANK YOU to everyone for your commitment and hard work. You are all amazing.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP. This is the beginning of a movement, not the end. In the coming weeks and months, we'll notify you (through emails and on the Animal Folks MN website) about what you can do to help change the "system" for animal protection in Minnesota and help change attitudes about how animals are viewed and treated.
View video of one of the many puppy mills here in rural Minnesota.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Iowa passes puppy mill bill!!
Governor signs puppy mill bill as first dog looks on
by O. Kay Henderson on March 9, 2010
Governor Culver signs puppy mill bill as Buck watches.
Governor Chet Culver has signed a bill into law that immediately allows for state inspections of commercial dog kennels that draw public complaints.
Breeders who are raising four or more dogs would have to pay a new licensing fee and register with the state. Culver calls that a “seal of approval” which reputable breeders can present to families hoping to adopt a pet.
“Providing assurance to families that the pets they adopt are healthy, clean and have been raised humanely,” Culver said. According to Culver, the “overwhelming majority” of dog breeders, pet stores and animal shelters have “absolutely nothing to fear” from this legislation.
“But to any facility currently operating as a puppy mill or to those who raise companion animals in unhygienic and inhumane settings, now is the time for you to change course or pay the consequences,” Culver said.
Culver’s wife, Mari and his two children brought the family’s dog, Buck, to the bill signing. The family got Buck from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, which hosted today’s bill signing event. As the governor sat at a table to formally sign the so-called “puppy mill” bill into law, Buck put his paws up on the table and someone in the crowd suggested that the dog put his paw print on the bill alongside the governor’s handwritten signature.
Tom Colvin, executive director of the Animal Rescue League and president of the Iowa Federation of Humane Societies, called today’s bill signing a “fantastic” event for two-legged and four-legged Iowans. “What this bill is basically allowing us to do is to have Iowans employed by Iowa through the Iowa Department of Agriculture, upon complaint, get into the facilities of USDA federally-licensed facilities and ensure that they are not suffering because of inadequate food, water, shelter, veterinary care or grooming,” Colvin said.
Mary LaHay of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals called today’s bill signing ground-breaking. “A fabulous, fabulous thing to see happen to help these many, many dogs that are suffering so seriously,” LaHay said. Critics of the bill had argued the legislation would lead to efforts that restrict hunting and impose new requirements on agricultural operations.
by O. Kay Henderson on March 9, 2010
Governor Culver signs puppy mill bill as Buck watches.Governor Chet Culver has signed a bill into law that immediately allows for state inspections of commercial dog kennels that draw public complaints.
Breeders who are raising four or more dogs would have to pay a new licensing fee and register with the state. Culver calls that a “seal of approval” which reputable breeders can present to families hoping to adopt a pet.
“Providing assurance to families that the pets they adopt are healthy, clean and have been raised humanely,” Culver said. According to Culver, the “overwhelming majority” of dog breeders, pet stores and animal shelters have “absolutely nothing to fear” from this legislation.
“But to any facility currently operating as a puppy mill or to those who raise companion animals in unhygienic and inhumane settings, now is the time for you to change course or pay the consequences,” Culver said.
Culver’s wife, Mari and his two children brought the family’s dog, Buck, to the bill signing. The family got Buck from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, which hosted today’s bill signing event. As the governor sat at a table to formally sign the so-called “puppy mill” bill into law, Buck put his paws up on the table and someone in the crowd suggested that the dog put his paw print on the bill alongside the governor’s handwritten signature.
Tom Colvin, executive director of the Animal Rescue League and president of the Iowa Federation of Humane Societies, called today’s bill signing a “fantastic” event for two-legged and four-legged Iowans. “What this bill is basically allowing us to do is to have Iowans employed by Iowa through the Iowa Department of Agriculture, upon complaint, get into the facilities of USDA federally-licensed facilities and ensure that they are not suffering because of inadequate food, water, shelter, veterinary care or grooming,” Colvin said.
Mary LaHay of Iowa Voters for Companion Animals called today’s bill signing ground-breaking. “A fabulous, fabulous thing to see happen to help these many, many dogs that are suffering so seriously,” LaHay said. Critics of the bill had argued the legislation would lead to efforts that restrict hunting and impose new requirements on agricultural operations.
Time is critical for MN Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill
Reposted from the Pet Haven blog and Animal Humane Society Website:
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill is before the Minnesota Legislature. The bill will put in place licensing and inspection of dog and cat breeder facilities in Minnesota, bringing an end to inhumane breeding practices.
Currently, the bill is still “on the table” in the respective agriculture and veterans committees in both the Minnesota Senate and the House of Representatives. We need your continued support to help members of the committees understand the importance of the bill and to “call it off the table” for discussion.
Time is critical. The first policy committee deadline is next Friday, March 12. If we are not granted a hearing by that time, the bill will not pass this year.
You can make a difference with one phone call. Please call all of the following members on the committees (listed below) before noon on Monday and let him or her know you support S.F. 7/H.F. 253. If you live in one of these districts, please make certain your legislator knows that fact. To find your district and State legislators, go to: Minnesota District Finder.
MN Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee Members
State the bill number and the Senate author's name: S.F. 7 authored by Senator Don Betzold
Tony Lourey 651.296.0293
Lisa A. Fobbe 651.296.8075
David W. Hann 651.296.1749
Rod Skoe 651.296.4196
Dan Skogen 651.296.5655
House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee
State the bill number and the House author’s name: H.F. 253 authored by Representative Tom Tillberry
Mary Ellen Otremba 651.296.3201
Kent Eken 651.296.9918
Terry Morrow 651.296-8634
Dean Urdahl 651.296.4344
Now is the time to be a voice for animals.
Explain the importance of the bill and that it is a highly collaborative effort among many animal groups and volunteers, and the bill has a long list of supporting organizations and individuals—including you.
Talking points for your call
Educate them on what goes on in puppy and kitten mills
If you call this weekend, chances are you'll reach the legislator's voicemail. Please leave a message with your name and support of S.F. 7 (Betzold) or H.F. 253 (Tillberry).
Legislators are also hearing from breeders and others who oppose the bill. Your voice will make a difference. Don’t wait—call today!
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill is before the Minnesota Legislature. The bill will put in place licensing and inspection of dog and cat breeder facilities in Minnesota, bringing an end to inhumane breeding practices.
Currently, the bill is still “on the table” in the respective agriculture and veterans committees in both the Minnesota Senate and the House of Representatives. We need your continued support to help members of the committees understand the importance of the bill and to “call it off the table” for discussion.
Time is critical. The first policy committee deadline is next Friday, March 12. If we are not granted a hearing by that time, the bill will not pass this year.
You can make a difference with one phone call. Please call all of the following members on the committees (listed below) before noon on Monday and let him or her know you support S.F. 7/H.F. 253. If you live in one of these districts, please make certain your legislator knows that fact. To find your district and State legislators, go to: Minnesota District Finder.
MN Senate Agriculture and Veterans Committee Members
State the bill number and the Senate author's name: S.F. 7 authored by Senator Don Betzold
Tony Lourey 651.296.0293
Lisa A. Fobbe 651.296.8075
David W. Hann 651.296.1749
Rod Skoe 651.296.4196
Dan Skogen 651.296.5655
House Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee
State the bill number and the House author’s name: H.F. 253 authored by Representative Tom Tillberry
Mary Ellen Otremba 651.296.3201
Kent Eken 651.296.9918
Terry Morrow 651.296-8634
Dean Urdahl 651.296.4344
Now is the time to be a voice for animals.
Explain the importance of the bill and that it is a highly collaborative effort among many animal groups and volunteers, and the bill has a long list of supporting organizations and individuals—including you.
Talking points for your call
Educate them on what goes on in puppy and kitten mills
If you call this weekend, chances are you'll reach the legislator's voicemail. Please leave a message with your name and support of S.F. 7 (Betzold) or H.F. 253 (Tillberry).
Legislators are also hearing from breeders and others who oppose the bill. Your voice will make a difference. Don’t wait—call today!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Minnesota Puppy Mill Bill by the Numbers
Minnesota Puppy Mill Bill by the Numbers
Fiscal Note Gives State Financial Rationale for Regulating Commercial Breeders
by Mike Fry
We have all seen the graphic pictures of the cruelty taking place in Minnesota puppy and kitten mills. The images should provide enough rationale for the State to being regulating commercial breeders. However, a new report prepared by the Board of Animal Health with input from the Department of Revenue suggests it would also good business for Minnesota to do so.
After years animal welfare advocates lobbying the State to begin regulating large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cat, a new fiscal note relating to House File 253 (the "puppy mill bill"), was recently released. The conclusion of the report is that the State is losing money because it has not regulated this industry. At least $1.3 million per year in uncollected sales tax revenue to be exact.
Though the bill does not directly address tax issues, it is believed that it provides tools that could be used by the Department of Revenue to bring more dog and cat breeders into compliance with Minnesota sales tax laws.
Furthermore, the report, which was drafted at the request of the bill's author Representative Tillberry(DFL), states clearly that if the bill becomes law it will create a new program at the Board of Animal Health which will itself be budget-neutral and fully self-funding. Additionally, by doing a little simple math using the numbers in the fiscal note, it is easy to see that the fees charged to commercial breeders to pay for the program will have virtually no impact on their businesses.
By computing the typical fee for commercial breeders at different sizes and dividing it by the numbers of puppies produced each year, it is easy to see that the fees to pay for this program amount to between $1 and $2 per puppy or kitten sold, costs that will easily be passed on to the purchasers of those animals.
This new report clearly demonstrates the following points:
o The bill is budget-neutral, in that it is fully self-funding and requires no revenue from the State.
o The bill will help the State to generate an additional $1.3 million in tax revenue that is currently going uncollected.
o The inspection and licensing program put forward in the bill would result in no net cost to the breeders because the minimal $1 - $2 fee per puppy or kitten sold can easily be passed on to buyers.
Bill Status
In 2009, House File 253 and its companion bill, Senate File 7, were introduced in their respective houses. House File 253 was passed in the Public Safety and Civil Justice committees. It was then tabled (stalled) in the House Ag Committee. Senate File 7 was tabled in the Senate Ag Committee.
Take Action
Contact the members of these committees and ask that they pass House File 253 and Senate File 7. Because they have already had public hearings on these bills, additional hearings should not be necessary. Ask that they read the new fiscal note, and then do the right thing by passing the bills out of their committees.
Related Links
General MN Puppy Mill Info
House File 253
Fiscal Note
Representative Tillberry
Senator Betzold
House Ag Committee
Senate Ag Committee
Fiscal Note Gives State Financial Rationale for Regulating Commercial Breeders
by Mike Fry
We have all seen the graphic pictures of the cruelty taking place in Minnesota puppy and kitten mills. The images should provide enough rationale for the State to being regulating commercial breeders. However, a new report prepared by the Board of Animal Health with input from the Department of Revenue suggests it would also good business for Minnesota to do so.
After years animal welfare advocates lobbying the State to begin regulating large-scale, commercial breeders of dogs and cat, a new fiscal note relating to House File 253 (the "puppy mill bill"), was recently released. The conclusion of the report is that the State is losing money because it has not regulated this industry. At least $1.3 million per year in uncollected sales tax revenue to be exact.
Though the bill does not directly address tax issues, it is believed that it provides tools that could be used by the Department of Revenue to bring more dog and cat breeders into compliance with Minnesota sales tax laws.
Furthermore, the report, which was drafted at the request of the bill's author Representative Tillberry(DFL), states clearly that if the bill becomes law it will create a new program at the Board of Animal Health which will itself be budget-neutral and fully self-funding. Additionally, by doing a little simple math using the numbers in the fiscal note, it is easy to see that the fees charged to commercial breeders to pay for the program will have virtually no impact on their businesses.
By computing the typical fee for commercial breeders at different sizes and dividing it by the numbers of puppies produced each year, it is easy to see that the fees to pay for this program amount to between $1 and $2 per puppy or kitten sold, costs that will easily be passed on to the purchasers of those animals.
This new report clearly demonstrates the following points:
o The bill is budget-neutral, in that it is fully self-funding and requires no revenue from the State.
o The bill will help the State to generate an additional $1.3 million in tax revenue that is currently going uncollected.
o The inspection and licensing program put forward in the bill would result in no net cost to the breeders because the minimal $1 - $2 fee per puppy or kitten sold can easily be passed on to buyers.
Bill Status
In 2009, House File 253 and its companion bill, Senate File 7, were introduced in their respective houses. House File 253 was passed in the Public Safety and Civil Justice committees. It was then tabled (stalled) in the House Ag Committee. Senate File 7 was tabled in the Senate Ag Committee.
Take Action
Contact the members of these committees and ask that they pass House File 253 and Senate File 7. Because they have already had public hearings on these bills, additional hearings should not be necessary. Ask that they read the new fiscal note, and then do the right thing by passing the bills out of their committees.
Related Links
General MN Puppy Mill Info
House File 253
Fiscal Note
Representative Tillberry
Senator Betzold
House Ag Committee
Senate Ag Committee
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Minnesota Puppy/Kitten Mill Bill
Public Forum on Puppy/Kitten Mill Bill
Senator Don Betzold and Representative Tom Tillberry to discuss Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill at public forum
Where: AHS Auditorium 845 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley (map)
When: Sat, Feb 27th, 2010, 11am - 12pm
Are you interested in learning more about the effort to regulate dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to stop inhumane practices in the industry? Join us on Saturday, February 27, 2010, for a public information session on the Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, with Minnesota Senator Don Betzold and Minnesota Representative Tom Tillberry who authored and introduced the bill in the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives respectively.
Learn firsthand about the bill and its importance to the welfare of thousands of neglected animals in the State of Minnesota.
Understand how requiring licensing and inspections of breeding facilities in the state will protect animals from breeders engaging in inhumane breeding practices. Arm yourself with information on how you can be a voice for animals and let others know what they can do.
Reservations are not required, but seating is limited. For more information, please visit Animal Folks MN or email animaladvocates@animalhumanesociety.org .
Senator Don Betzold and Representative Tom Tillberry to discuss Puppy & Kitten Mill Bill at public forum
Where: AHS Auditorium 845 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley (map)
When: Sat, Feb 27th, 2010, 11am - 12pm
Are you interested in learning more about the effort to regulate dog and cat breeders in Minnesota to stop inhumane practices in the industry? Join us on Saturday, February 27, 2010, for a public information session on the Dog and Cat Breeder Bill (S.F. 7/H.F. 253), also known as the Puppy and Kitten Mill Bill, with Minnesota Senator Don Betzold and Minnesota Representative Tom Tillberry who authored and introduced the bill in the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives respectively.
Learn firsthand about the bill and its importance to the welfare of thousands of neglected animals in the State of Minnesota.
Understand how requiring licensing and inspections of breeding facilities in the state will protect animals from breeders engaging in inhumane breeding practices. Arm yourself with information on how you can be a voice for animals and let others know what they can do.
Reservations are not required, but seating is limited. For more information, please visit Animal Folks MN or email animaladvocates@animalhumanesociety.org .
Thursday, December 10, 2009
New law needed to control MN puppy mills
Breaking News: Federal Judge Terminates Kathy Bauck’s USDA License
Animal Welfare Advocates Express Concern for Several Hundred Dogs Remaining in Her Care
Kathy Bauck, a Minnesota-based dog breeder, is arguably one of the nation's most notorious puppy mill operators. For years, Bauck has been making headlines all around the United States. She has been accused of selling sick puppies, of misrepresenting her animals, and of practicing veterinary medicine without a licence. She has also been convicted multiple times of animal cruelty and animal torture.
Bauck’s most recent conviction included 4 counts of animal cruelty and torture – a verdict that was handed down in March of 2009. At that time, most Minnesotans believed that would be the end of Bauck’s operation. They were wrong. Bauck has continued to operate two businesses, “Pick of the Litter” and “Puppies on Wheels” ever since.
“Most people are shocked to find out that a puppy mill operator in Minnesota can be convicted of cruelty and torture of animals, and continue operating,” said Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark, Minnesota’s largest no kill animal welfare organization, and a nationally recognized expert on puppy mills.
“People think that a cruelty conviction would automatically put an operation like this out of business. That is simply not the case, because the State of Minnesota has no means whatsoever available to regulate puppy mills,” Fry said.
This week, a federal judge responded to a request for summary judgment to revoke Bauck’s USDA license. The USDA itself made that request. In its request to have Bauck’s license terminated, the USDA stated that Bauck and her family were “unfit” to operate a breeding operation. On December 2, the judge announced their decision, in favor of the USDA’s request, and allowing Bauck 10 days for appeal.
“The irony is that if the revocation of Bauck’s USDA license stands, she will still be able to keep her dogs,” said Dr. Linda Wolf a veterinarian who served as one of the key expert witnesses in the most recent animal cruelty case against Bauck.
“The USDA only regulates the sale of dogs to commercial sources, like pet shops, brokers and wholesalers. They have no say as to whether or not Bauck gets to keep her dogs,” Wolf added.
A strange, disconnected patchwork of laws allows Bauck to keep hundreds of breeding dogs without a USDA license and after having been convicted of animal cruelty and torture and of practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
“A key piece of legislation is missing from the regulatory and enforcement scheme in Minnesota,” said Fry. “There is no State law allowing intervention or enforcement at all.”
Fry adds that the judge could have ordered the confiscation of her dogs when she was convicted of animal cruelty and torture. However, because she – like most other large-scale puppy mills – lives in a very small rural county, taking this action would have been nearly impossible.
“During her career, Bauck has held up to 1,200 breeding dogs at one time, plus puppies,” said Fry. “State law requires that animals confiscated due to cruelty charges be impounded for a minimum of 10 days. If the puppy mill operator appeals, the impoundment period could drag on for months and cost the county millions of dollars.”
In other words, Fry says, the State of Minnesota, due to its failure to regulate the large-scale, commercial dog breeding industry, has allowed businesses to grow to a size where the counties simply cannot regulate them. Some counties have fixed this problem by enacting local ordinances that limit the number of breeding animals an operator may own. However, according to Fry, and a growing number of breeders, veterinarians and animal welfare advocates, that is simply not enough.
“We need a State-level law that provides for regulation and enforcement of this industry,” said Dr. Wolf.
Fry, Wolf and many others have been working for several years to draft and pass legislation that would close this gaping loophole in the animal welfare statutes. As a result, two companion bills were introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate last year. Senate File 7 and House File 253 would help the State to enforce existing animal welfare statutes, and would prevent people who have been convicted of animal cruelty and animal torture from operating puppy mills, something that seems pretty common-sense to most Minnesotans.
Last year, Senate File 7 and House File 253 made good progress moving through the legislature. After passing several committees, both bills landed in the Agriculture Committees in the House and Senate, where they are expected to receive hearings early in 2010.
“The little opposition to these bills that has been seen at the legislature has almost all come from the people in the Ag Industry,” said Fry. “So, while there is widespread support for this urgently needed legislation, we need supporters to show up and let their voices be heard at the legislature in 2010.”
In the meantime, animal welfare advocates are concerned with the plight of the dogs remaining on Bauck’s property.
“The termination of Bauck’s USDA license prevents her from selling dogs to her normal sales channels,” added Wolf. “Without the ability to sell the dogs, and to make money, her ability to care for several hundred dogs is seriously in question.”
According to estimates, there are several hundred dogs remaining on the property. If closed, it could be one of the largest puppy mill closures in US history. She has been in operation for approximately 20 years.
Animal Welfare Advocates Express Concern for Several Hundred Dogs Remaining in Her Care
Kathy Bauck, a Minnesota-based dog breeder, is arguably one of the nation's most notorious puppy mill operators. For years, Bauck has been making headlines all around the United States. She has been accused of selling sick puppies, of misrepresenting her animals, and of practicing veterinary medicine without a licence. She has also been convicted multiple times of animal cruelty and animal torture.
Bauck’s most recent conviction included 4 counts of animal cruelty and torture – a verdict that was handed down in March of 2009. At that time, most Minnesotans believed that would be the end of Bauck’s operation. They were wrong. Bauck has continued to operate two businesses, “Pick of the Litter” and “Puppies on Wheels” ever since.
“Most people are shocked to find out that a puppy mill operator in Minnesota can be convicted of cruelty and torture of animals, and continue operating,” said Mike Fry, Executive Director of Animal Ark, Minnesota’s largest no kill animal welfare organization, and a nationally recognized expert on puppy mills.
“People think that a cruelty conviction would automatically put an operation like this out of business. That is simply not the case, because the State of Minnesota has no means whatsoever available to regulate puppy mills,” Fry said.
This week, a federal judge responded to a request for summary judgment to revoke Bauck’s USDA license. The USDA itself made that request. In its request to have Bauck’s license terminated, the USDA stated that Bauck and her family were “unfit” to operate a breeding operation. On December 2, the judge announced their decision, in favor of the USDA’s request, and allowing Bauck 10 days for appeal.
“The irony is that if the revocation of Bauck’s USDA license stands, she will still be able to keep her dogs,” said Dr. Linda Wolf a veterinarian who served as one of the key expert witnesses in the most recent animal cruelty case against Bauck.
“The USDA only regulates the sale of dogs to commercial sources, like pet shops, brokers and wholesalers. They have no say as to whether or not Bauck gets to keep her dogs,” Wolf added.
A strange, disconnected patchwork of laws allows Bauck to keep hundreds of breeding dogs without a USDA license and after having been convicted of animal cruelty and torture and of practicing veterinary medicine without a license.
“A key piece of legislation is missing from the regulatory and enforcement scheme in Minnesota,” said Fry. “There is no State law allowing intervention or enforcement at all.”
Fry adds that the judge could have ordered the confiscation of her dogs when she was convicted of animal cruelty and torture. However, because she – like most other large-scale puppy mills – lives in a very small rural county, taking this action would have been nearly impossible.
“During her career, Bauck has held up to 1,200 breeding dogs at one time, plus puppies,” said Fry. “State law requires that animals confiscated due to cruelty charges be impounded for a minimum of 10 days. If the puppy mill operator appeals, the impoundment period could drag on for months and cost the county millions of dollars.”
In other words, Fry says, the State of Minnesota, due to its failure to regulate the large-scale, commercial dog breeding industry, has allowed businesses to grow to a size where the counties simply cannot regulate them. Some counties have fixed this problem by enacting local ordinances that limit the number of breeding animals an operator may own. However, according to Fry, and a growing number of breeders, veterinarians and animal welfare advocates, that is simply not enough.
“We need a State-level law that provides for regulation and enforcement of this industry,” said Dr. Wolf.
Fry, Wolf and many others have been working for several years to draft and pass legislation that would close this gaping loophole in the animal welfare statutes. As a result, two companion bills were introduced in the Minnesota House and Senate last year. Senate File 7 and House File 253 would help the State to enforce existing animal welfare statutes, and would prevent people who have been convicted of animal cruelty and animal torture from operating puppy mills, something that seems pretty common-sense to most Minnesotans.
Last year, Senate File 7 and House File 253 made good progress moving through the legislature. After passing several committees, both bills landed in the Agriculture Committees in the House and Senate, where they are expected to receive hearings early in 2010.
“The little opposition to these bills that has been seen at the legislature has almost all come from the people in the Ag Industry,” said Fry. “So, while there is widespread support for this urgently needed legislation, we need supporters to show up and let their voices be heard at the legislature in 2010.”
In the meantime, animal welfare advocates are concerned with the plight of the dogs remaining on Bauck’s property.
“The termination of Bauck’s USDA license prevents her from selling dogs to her normal sales channels,” added Wolf. “Without the ability to sell the dogs, and to make money, her ability to care for several hundred dogs is seriously in question.”
According to estimates, there are several hundred dogs remaining on the property. If closed, it could be one of the largest puppy mill closures in US history. She has been in operation for approximately 20 years.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Vets for puppy mills beware!
A veterinarian for a controversial Minnesota puppy mill has given up their license in order to avoid legal action by the Minnesota Veterinary Board. Minnesota Animal Welfare Advocates are suggesting the case should put other vets who support puppy mills on notice.
More information is available at Animal Ark's website.
More information is available at Animal Ark's website.
Friday, March 27, 2009
ABC TV Nightline on puppy mills TONIGHT
This Friday night, March 27, ABC's Nightline will be investigating puppy mills!
ABC Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and investigators from Nightline travel the byways and back roads of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - visiting numerous puppy mills and filming Main Line Animal Rescue's volunteers as they rescue breeding dogs and puppies from Lancaster County's notorious Amish commercial breeding facilities.
This promises to be a very special program. If you are involved in rescue, advocate on behalf of the millions of puppy mill dogs interned in our nation's commercial dog breeding facilities, or if you just simply love animals, you will not want to miss this.
Sharyn Alfonsi interviewed, on camera, an Amish breeder while touring his facility - a first for network television. With approximately 500 dogs housed on his property, this commercial breeder speaks openly about an industry cloaked in secrecy and suspicion - the cruel factory farming of man's best friend.
PLEASE tell your friends, your family, your coworkers - ABC Nightline investigates puppy mills - this Friday at 11:35 pm (Eastern Standard Time). Please take the time to forward this to all the rescues, shelters, and legislators in your area.
It has been almost one year since Oprah's puppy mill show aired. That program received the highest viewer response of any Oprah Show in years. Now we need to spread the word about this very special Nightline. Only by educating as many people as we can, will we be able to help these animals. And after you watch the program, please don't hesitate to contact ABC and Nightline to thank them for casting such a strong light on the plight of our nation's puppy mill dogs.
ABC Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and investigators from Nightline travel the byways and back roads of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania - visiting numerous puppy mills and filming Main Line Animal Rescue's volunteers as they rescue breeding dogs and puppies from Lancaster County's notorious Amish commercial breeding facilities.
This promises to be a very special program. If you are involved in rescue, advocate on behalf of the millions of puppy mill dogs interned in our nation's commercial dog breeding facilities, or if you just simply love animals, you will not want to miss this.
Sharyn Alfonsi interviewed, on camera, an Amish breeder while touring his facility - a first for network television. With approximately 500 dogs housed on his property, this commercial breeder speaks openly about an industry cloaked in secrecy and suspicion - the cruel factory farming of man's best friend.
PLEASE tell your friends, your family, your coworkers - ABC Nightline investigates puppy mills - this Friday at 11:35 pm (Eastern Standard Time). Please take the time to forward this to all the rescues, shelters, and legislators in your area.
It has been almost one year since Oprah's puppy mill show aired. That program received the highest viewer response of any Oprah Show in years. Now we need to spread the word about this very special Nightline. Only by educating as many people as we can, will we be able to help these animals. And after you watch the program, please don't hesitate to contact ABC and Nightline to thank them for casting such a strong light on the plight of our nation's puppy mill dogs.
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