Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3316

A new day for dogs: Pa. law targets puppy mills




HARRISBURG (AP) _ Sammy, a Shetland sheepdog, wouldn't touch his food, but instead retreated to a corner of the yard, paced in circles, and dug up and devoured mouthfuls of dirt — behavioral oddities that owner Linda Eroh later learned came from a lifetime of maltreatment Sammy endured as a "stud" in a large dog-breeding operation.

The 10 years of caged confinement Sammy endured would be illegal under a bill signed late Thursday by Gov. Ed Rendell. The governor, who owns two rescued golden retrievers, and dog advocates hope the new law will help Pennsylvania shed its reputation as the "puppy mill" capital of the East.

The Humane Society of the United States has counted Pennsylvania among a handful of states where lucrative, largely unregulated puppy mills are concentrated.

The issue caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey after a suburban Philadelphia rescue organization put up a billboard in Chicago begging her to do a show on dog breeder abuse. And the movement took on new momentum when, in August, operators of two eastern Pennsylvania kennels shot 80 dogs after being ordered to let veterinarians examine some of them.

The new law imposes strict standards on commercial kennels, including at least twice-a-year veterinary exams, larger cage sizes and exercise requirements.

"We've catapulted ourselves into having one of the best laws in the country," said Sarah Speed, the Humane Society's Pennsylvania state director.

At least three other states have passed crackdown measures this year. New laws enacted in Virginia and Louisiana limit the number of dogs that can be housed in kennels, and Arizona law enforcement officials were given the power to impose a $50 fine against anyone caught selling animals along public roads or in public parks in urban counties.

The new law Pennsylvania would target about 650 large-scale commercial breeders, or roughly one-quarter of the state's 2,600 licensed kennels, that sell any dogs to dealers and pet shops or traffic in at least 60 dogs per year. Violators would be subject to both criminal and civil penalties.

The law also gives dog wardens the authority to act on alleged violations, a power previously given only to police and humane officers. Also, only veterinarians will be allowed to euthanize dogs in commercial breeding kennels.

Rendell's administration had initially pushed in 2006 for regulatory changes. It abandoned the effort amid criticism that the mandates were too costly and applied a "one-size-fits-all" approach to home-based breeders and large commercial operations.

This year, Rendell pushed for a new law over the objections of farmers and dog breeders.

The cost of larger cage sizes and exercise areas could drive some kennels out of business, said Mark O'Neill, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

The new law is also stricter than federal inspection standards to which kennels are subjected, said Ken Brandt, lobbyist for the Pennsylvania Professional Dog Breeders' Association, which represents about 400 breeders.

"Quality breeders got shortchanged by the ones that have not been operating properly," Brandt said.

Winfrey gave the issue national exposure earlier this year in a show investigating abuses at puppy mills. Bill Smith, the founder of Main Line Animal Rescue in Chester Springs, said his organization paid about $10,000 to $12,000 for a billboard on a Chicago highway to attract her attention.

Since 2005, Smith's organization has waged a campaign against puppy mills using billboards along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

"This is a great step forward," Winfrey said in a statement Friday. "I applaud the Pennsylvania legislature for passing this bill and thank my viewers for making their voices heard."

Eroh, 49, of Douglassville, said the changes are long overdue. In the meantime, she said Sammy has come a long way from being the miserable, cowering creature she rescued two years ago after answering a classified ad from an Amish farmer that read: "10 year old sheltie, free to a good home."

"He's very strong, and he has personality plus," Eroh said. "He's making up for lost time."

__________________
American Leopard Hound
FNL Hanselman's Blu Pixie Dust

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2008
Location:
Posts: 29

one bad law leads to two!! Bed with the humane society and you will pay with your rights!!!!!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3316

Well if this one got through, you can be sure another one to take away some hunting previledges will soon hit the floor. I do agree that 'Puppy Mills' need to step up to the plate & treat their dogs & puppies better, I've been in some really awesome places & I've been a dogs version of hell. But this is going to far. I don't have to worry, I have 3 dogs & have pups every other year or so. But this will hit some good people, who really care about their dogs.

__________________
American Leopard Hound
FNL Hanselman's Blu Pixie Dust

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 4324

The spokesperson for that piece obviously knew NOTHING about dogs or puppymills. And there were NO revealing shots of actual puppymill interior conditions. There was a strange shot of a poodle in a SHOW CLIP on a circular wheel on the outside of a building. Oprah used the piece to promote HSUS & Wayne Pacelle, the President of HSUS & former VP of PETA. Remember, HSUS has assets of more the $200 million & the stated goal is to shut down ALL breeders nationwide (large or small) through legislation that creates impossible situations for ANYONE to own intact animals or to breed ANY dogs - be it only once or on a regular basis. HSUS also states a goal of eliminating HOUNDS & HUNTING!
Also remember that OPRAH IS FUNDING OBAMA & she also sued the BEEF industry in Texas. The stated goal of HSUS is to eliminate meat, fish, poultry, dairy & eggs from American menus. So Oprah - the wealthiest woman in this country can certainly help to destroy ALL of our dog activities.

__________________
SKY
___________________
Author of the novel "Follow Jennifer"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

What exactly are the requirements of this law????

I didn't take time to read every line on the post above because I'm not interested in opinions and sob stories. Just tell me what the law requires. Then I can decide if I support it or not.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 4324

Look up the "PUPS" bill - it's far worse than the old "PAWS" bill.

__________________
SKY
___________________
Author of the novel "Follow Jennifer"

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jul 2004
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1839

I don't like to see a lot of laws put in place taking freedom from people but I have to admit I have NEVER seen a place that makes a substantial portion of their income from selling dogs take good care of the dogs. They may keep them fed and watered and even in a clean kennel but the one's I've seen keep them in small cages with pups hanging off of them every time they come in heat. These dogs are not socialized to people at all. I'm not talking about hunting dogs or papered dogs I'm talking about the little lap dogs and weird mixes of dogs that have become so popular with people. Most don't have the dogs cared for by a vet. I see alot of Amish people mixed up in this kind of "puppy mills". This is JMO

__________________
Al Tarantella

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Not Yet
Location:
Posts: N/A

It seems the exact requirements of this law are very hard to find out but am I correct that the new law only affects those who sell 50 or more pups per year?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3316

Yes Jim

I spent 3 hrs. TRYING to read & understand the bill H2532 w/amendments H2525. It does state that anyone having or selling over 50 dogs a year is considered a 'dealer, breeder'. Seems I don't have to worry with only 3 & maybe a litter every other year. So yes, this bill does seem good, but what are they gonna do next? I did read in the bill about exceptions for hunting dogs, performance events, field trials etc. That some of the laws don't apply to those dogs if engaged in those events. Let's just hope they don't go sitting in their little offices & come up with something to affect us 'small' folk too.

__________________
American Leopard Hound
FNL Hanselman's Blu Pixie Dust

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2006
Location: PA
Posts: 661

The sad part about this is that if the PA Dog Wardens would have all done their jobs to start with under the old dog law, there would not be any reason to enact any new legislation.

__________________
Don't blame me - I voted for McCain/Palin!

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3316

Your right Dean & I don't see how their going to be able to canvas all of the state now, unless they hire a whole bunch of people & it will cost the tax payers more on top of it. I do agree that the 'puppy mills' need strict rules, but for folks like you & me, with 3-5 dogs, I don't think we have to worry much. The last one I was in, the whole place smelled like pine shavings, the puppies had exercise yards & about knocked you down trying to get to you to lick your face & be held. They were well socialized & the adults were taken very good care of. The breeder only raised 1 litter a year from her females & they weren'r under weight or in poor condition. I was impressed by it.

__________________
American Leopard Hound
FNL Hanselman's Blu Pixie Dust

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged