Internet sales of puppies created a loophole in breeding regulations established by the 1970 Animal Welfare Act. The loophole allowed puppy breeders who sell directly to the public to go unregulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Puppy breeders who sell to pet stores are required by federal law to be licensed and inspected. Breeders who sell directly to the public are able to keep consumers and inspectors away from their facilities. Dale Bartlett, a Humane Society spokesman on puppy breeding, said the Humane Society has received a large volume of complaints from consumers who unwittingly purchased a sick or genetically deficient puppy.
For the individual buyer the only answer may be to “go and see how the dogs are raised” said Bartlett. Internet-based sales where the breeder ships the puppy to the buyer gives the puppy’s new owner no opportunity to see the breeding facility and living conditions of the puppy’s parents. But neither does purchasing a puppy from a pet store, and “people who buy a dog in a pet store very, very rarely stop to think, ‘Where is this dog bred?’” said Bartlett.
Even for those breeding facilities the USDA was inspecting, it failed to adequately penalize breeders found violating the Animal Welfare Act. In May 2010 the USDA Office of the Inspector General found the inspection services’ Animal Care unit’s enforcement process was ineffective.
In May the USDA also announced it will crack down on commercial breeders conducting more inspections and imposing higher fines on repeat offenders.
The Humane Society reports that unregulated breeding facilities are not required to provide the dogs with exercise or time to socialize with other dogs. According to the Humane Society the dogs are often confined to small cages and receive little care. The conditions cause some puppies to catch diseases or grow up unhealthy.
In the last three years 15 states have considered legislation to inspect and regulate puppy breeding. Congress is considering regulating puppy breeders who sell directly to the public. The legislation would subject breeding operations selling more than 50 puppies per year to inspection and regulation by the USDA. The new legislation being considered in House and Senate committee targets commercial breeders who sell directly to consumers and online.
The federal law would require breeders who sell more than 50 dogs per year to the public to be federally licensed and inspected. It would also require commercial breeders to allow the dogs the opportunity to exercise 60 minutes every day on a surface safe for their paws and free of infestation by pests or vermin.
The American Kennel Club is still studying the legislation currently in Congress and did not yet wish to comment.
For the individual buyer the only answer may be to “go and see how the dogs are raised” said Bartlett. Internet-based sales where the breeder ships the puppy to the buyer gives the puppy’s new owner no opportunity to see the breeding facility and living conditions of the puppy’s parents. But neither does purchasing a puppy from a pet store, and “people who buy a dog in a pet store very, very rarely stop to think, ‘Where is this dog bred?’” said Bartlett.
Even for those breeding facilities the USDA was inspecting, it failed to adequately penalize breeders found violating the Animal Welfare Act. In May 2010 the USDA Office of the Inspector General found the inspection services’ Animal Care unit’s enforcement process was ineffective.
In May the USDA also announced it will crack down on commercial breeders conducting more inspections and imposing higher fines on repeat offenders.
The Humane Society reports that unregulated breeding facilities are not required to provide the dogs with exercise or time to socialize with other dogs. According to the Humane Society the dogs are often confined to small cages and receive little care. The conditions cause some puppies to catch diseases or grow up unhealthy.
In the last three years 15 states have considered legislation to inspect and regulate puppy breeding. Congress is considering regulating puppy breeders who sell directly to the public. The legislation would subject breeding operations selling more than 50 puppies per year to inspection and regulation by the USDA. The new legislation being considered in House and Senate committee targets commercial breeders who sell directly to consumers and online.
The federal law would require breeders who sell more than 50 dogs per year to the public to be federally licensed and inspected. It would also require commercial breeders to allow the dogs the opportunity to exercise 60 minutes every day on a surface safe for their paws and free of infestation by pests or vermin.
The American Kennel Club is still studying the legislation currently in Congress and did not yet wish to comment.
