HB 39 - Stop the Amish from Hurting Dogs for Profit

From S.P.A. Action Alert...

SUPPORT H.B. 39!

It takes an Amish farmer less than 5 minutes to "debark" one of his breeding dogs by hammering a steel rod down her throat - and breaking her jaw and shattering her back teeth. It takes 5 minutes for that same farmer/commercial breeder to cut off one of his dog's tail - in a filthy, dark barn without anesthesia. And it takes about the same amount of time for his thirteen year old son to tie the dog down and cut the puppies from her belly. Five minutes more to crop her ears using a pair of rusted hedge shears - the dog squirming and crying out in unbelievable pain.

So why is it taking Senator Stewart Greenleaf more than a week to decide that this is wrong?

When we called his office last week to ask why his Committee is sitting on H.B. 39, we were told by his aide that Senator Greenleaf is "reviewing" the bill. What's to review? Everyone on Capital Hill knows about this bill. It is the companion bill to H.B. 2525 that passed into law last fall. When ask, repeatedly, if Senator Greenleaf would support H.B. 39, his aide would would commit. This is surprising to us considering Senator Greenleaf not only toured Pennsylvania' s puppy mills with a reporter from the Inquirer in 1995, seeing firsthand the conditions these animals face, but he also coined the expression "Puppy Mill Capital of the East Coast" and expressed an urgent need for change. Well, Senator Greenleaf, here's your chance to bring about change and help these dogs!

H.B. 39 would make it illegal for anyone other than a licensed veterinarian to perform these procedures, or if it is already illegal for anyone but a licensed vet to perform the procedure, it will toughen the penalties.

Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote the bill out of their committee so it can finally go to the floor of the Senate for a vote. The bill passed the House unanimously, and passed the Senate Agricultural Committee unanimously two weeks ago (thank you members of the Ag Committee!). This bill is a crucial step toward protecting the dogs of Pennsylvania. Please email (or call) the below legislators and ask them to to support H.B. 39 and move it to the Senate floor. Important to note, Senator Greenleaf represents Montgomery County. MLAR covers Montgomery County and many of us live in Montgomery County (I know I do) so let your voices be heard!

Bill Smith
Main Line Animal Rescue

All email addresses below end in (@pasen.gov)

Stewart Greenleaf sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
717-787-6599 or call 215-657-7700

Mary Jo White mwhite@pasen.gov

Joseph Scarnati jscarnati@pasen.gov

Patrick Browne pbrowne@pasen.gov

Jane Earl jearl@pasen.gov

John Gordner jgordner@pasen.gov

Jane Clare Orie jorie@pasen.gov

Jeffrey Piccola jpiccola@pasen.gov

John Rafferty jrafferty@pasen.gov
(represents parts of Chester, Montgomery, Berks Counties)

All email addresses below end with @pasenate.com

Lisa Boscola boscola@pasenate.com

Jay Costa costa@pasenate.com

Wayne Fontana fontana@pasenate.com

Michael Stack stack@pasenate.com

Holmes County Ohio Exposed

The website www.holmescountyexposed.com recently launched to expose the puppy mill industry in Holmes County, Ohio.

The purpose for this site is to heighten public awareness of the activities in Holmes County, Ohio pertaining to the mistreatment of dogs and companion animals and their sale through "Dog Auctions".

Claims have been made by the puppy mill profliferators that the puppy business is a 9 Million Dollar per year industry for Holmes County. Yet when you look at the county statistics, this isn't reflected in published reports. Why? Not only are these "Millers" mistreating their animals... they are making a reported 9 Million Dollars per year at the dogs expense.

It's a booming business in Holmes County, Ohio and it's PUPPY MILL COUNTRY!

To learn more, visit www.holmescountyexposed.com.

Animal Protection Coalition Asks Court to Uphold New Pennsylvania Puppy Mill Law

HARRISBURG, Pa. (April 3, 2009) -Today, a coalition of humane organizations filed a "friend of the court" brief in a lawsuit brought by the Professional Dog Breeders Advisory Council ("PDBAC") challenging Pennsylvania's Act 119 of 2008.

The groups include The Humane Society of the United States, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Humane League of Lancaster County, Main Line Animal Rescue, Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network, The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse.

Act 119 amended Pennsylvania's Dog Law to require that puppy mills comply with basic humane requirements in the care of the dogs kept in their facilities.

Gov. Ed Rendell signed the legislation in October after a long campaign that generated national media attention. It was enacted to address the deplorable conditions present in Pennsylvania's numerous commercial dog-breeding operations, including filthy stacked wire cages where breeding dogs may spend their entire lives, total lack of exercise for the dogs, and inadequate or no veterinary care.

The Act addresses these problems by, among other things, creating new standards for cage size, eliminating wire flooring which damages dogs' feet, mandating exercise opportunities for the dogs, and requiring regular veterinary care. Raids of puppy mills last year - including one in late September that was reputedly the largest in state history - had shown the critical need for stronger regulation of less-than-reputable kennels. Pennsylvania has been tarnished with the reputation of being one of the worst puppy mill states in the nation.

The PDBAC claims that Act 119 infringes on its members' constitutional rights, and that commercial breeders should be immune from inspection of their facilities. In their brief to the court, the groups explain that the Constitution unquestionably permits the State to regulate this industry for the benefit of the dogs, and to inspect the facilities to ensure that the facilities are in compliance with the minimal requirements in the law.

Statements from the organizations filing the brief:

"Puppy mills have been a hidden industry in Pennsylvania for too long," said Kathleen Summers, director of the puppy mills campaign for The Humane Society of the United States. "Truly reputable breeders know that puppy mills give their fancy a black eye; they should stand up for Act 119 and the protections it provides for dogs."

"Pennsylvania's citizens and the state legislature spoke loudly and clearly last October," said Cori A. Menkin, senior director of legislative initiatives for the ASPCA. "We believe that there is no merit to the claims made by the PDBAC, and it is just a last ditch attempt at derailing these much-needed and long-overdue changes to Pennsylvania's Dog Law."

"This lawsuit brought by the Professional Dog Breeders Advisory Council to avoid complying with the new Dog Law is not a Constitutional argument, but a pathetic attempt to keep the status quo in commercial kennels," said Mary Jo McClain of the Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network.

"We are pleased to be part of this coalition supporting the enforcement of Act 119, a long overdue step towards eliminating cruel and inhumane breeding practices in Pennsylvania," said Joan E. Brown, president of Humane League of Lancaster County.

"MLAR is committed to upholding Act 119 against any and all actions by the commercial dog breeders in their attempts to weaken our new laws and allow the dogs in Pennsylvania's commercial breeding kennels to continue to suffer," said Bill Smith of Main Line Animal Rescue.

"Since its inception in 2002, NJCAPSA has tracked Pennsylvania's breeders due to almost half of New Jersey's pet shops purchase their puppy inventory from Pennsylvania," explains Libby Williams of New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse. "Sick puppies bred in Pennsylvania puppy mills adversely affect consumers in the tri-state area and beyond."

"The PSPCA investigates and prosecutes animal cruelty across the Commonwealth," says Beth Anne Smith-White, PSPCA's acting CEO. "We have, and will continue to, stand behind Act 119 as a reasonable and effective means of preventing animal cruelty in the large-scale breeding operations that flourish in our state."

Copies of the brief, as well as of PDBAC's Complaint, are available upon request.

Media Contacts:
Martin Montorfano/HSUS: 301-258-3152, mmontorfano@humanesociety.org
The Humane Society of the United States http://www.humanesociety.org/
ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) http://www.aspca.org/.
Pennsylvania Legislative Animal Network http://www.plan4animals.com/
The Humane League of Lancaster County http://www.humaneleague.co/
Main Line Animal Rescue http://www.mainlinerescue.com/
New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse http://www.njcapsa.org/
PSPCA (Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) http://www.pspca.org/

Saving the Puppy in the Window

(Greater Boston, MA) In 1989 when Deborah Howard noticed the cramped and unsanitary conditions at a Docktor Pet Center in Atlanta, one of more than 300 franchise locations, she became enraged. A tiny yellow Labrador puppy was pressing an open cut against the wire bars of its cage. As she held this puppy, she wondered about his origins. To her horror, Ms. Howard discovered out that almost all pet shop puppies come from “puppy mills,” commercial breeding facilities that mass produce dogs for resale. She knew she had no choice but to take action.

Every year, more than a half-million purebred puppies, destined for pet shops across the United States and Canada, are born in crowded and usually squalid conditions at Midwest, New York and Pennsylvania puppy mills. Unfortunately, these puppies become part of a society that routinely destroys millions of unwanted dogs and cats a year. The parents of these puppies spend their lives in wretched confinement, exposed to the elements, only to often encounter a cruel death at the end of their reproductive years.

At pet shops, puppies sleep on wire grates in small, poorly ventilated, and sometimes dirty cages. These puppies suffer from a plethora of illnesses and disorders as a result of inbreeding, inadequate shelter, dirty and overcrowded living conditions, transportation stress, exposure to random source animals, and improper veterinary care.

Many unknowing consumers cannot resist the cute puppy in the pet shop window of the local mall or shopping center. After purchasing the overpriced dog -- payment plans are often available -- they may then discover their puppy has a medical ailment that requires veterinary care. Pet shop warranties usually preclude reimbursement for veterinary expenses unless there is a state lemon law. The standard recourse for customers who have purchased a sick puppy is to return the puppy for credit toward another dog. Most customers, however, become emotionally attached to their puppies and will not return them. Tragically, some pet shop puppies may die or become so sick or aggressive they must be euthanized.

Ms. Howard contacted several national animal protections organizations, but none wanted to take on the pet shop issue. She decided that the best way to address this issue was through her public relations experience; she contacted “20/20” and discovered they had been thinking about doing a story on the pet shop/puppy mill issue but didn’t have the necessary documentation and video footage.

Steadfast and tenacious, she heard of a young man that had taken a job at one of the Docktor Pet Centers merely to help the animals. She provided him with a camcorder so that he could document conditions for the “20/20” expose. He also made copies of numerous store records. Through this groundbreaking news story, she me Robert Baker, then the foremost puppy mill investigator in the country. Mr. Baker is now a CAPS board member.

Ms. Howard also used her organizational skills obtained through years of working for political campaigns and causes, to organize pet shop protests the weekend before Christmas in 30 – 40 cities across the United States and Canada from 1990 to 1993. The producer at “20/20” even agreed to air an update story the night before the protests in 1991. The new CEO of Docktor Pet Centers claimed in his interview for this piece that the company did not buy from puppy mills; Mr. Baker’s footage proved otherwise.

Ms. Howard, a former radio news reporter, lawyer and PR professional, formed CAPS in 1990. The nonprofit became a 501(c)(3), in 1992. As a result of CAPS’ efforts, Docktor Pet Centers, Inc., who refused to do business without the sale of puppies, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February 1993.

Ms. Howard has generated publicity on the pet shop and puppy mill issue with the following media: CNN, “Dateline,” “20/20,” (three times) “Hard Copy,” Life, People, Reader’s Digest, Detroit Free Press, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tulsa World and numerous local television news stations and newspapers.

About:
The Companion Animal Protection Society is the only national nonprofit dedicated exclusively to protecting companion animals, CAPS' foremost concern is the abuse and suffering of pet shop and puppy mill dogs. Founded in 1992, CAPS actively addresses this issue through investigations, education, media relations, legislative involvement, puppy mill dog rescues, consumer assistance, and pet shop employee relations.

Ohio Puppy Mills

This is a FANTASTIC editorial that appeared in the Sunday, July 14, 2008 issue of The Columbus Dispatch. BRAVO!!!

FOR THE DOGS
Legislators should put end to Ohio's
national reputation as haven for puppy mills

Ohio lawmakers still have time to liberate the state from the shame of being the nation's No. 2 haven for puppy mills, where inbred, sick dogs are forced to produce litter after litter of inbred, sick puppies in miserable conditions.

Why House and Senate members have failed to act on bills to reasonably regulate dog breeding, introduced in each of the past two sessions, is a mystery.

Even an unsolicited letter of support in April from Ohio State University football coach Jim Tressel -- one of Ohio's prime celebrity endorsements, surely -- didn't sway them.

The current measures, House Bill 223 and Senate Bill 173, have languished since being introduced in May 2007.

Lawmakers, headed off on a long election-year break, still could pass these bills -- either in a special session before the November election or in the lame-duck session after it.

The proposed law would do nothing to impede anyone from breeding dogs under humane conditions.It certainly would inconvenience those who profit from misery, as they confine dogs in tiny, filthy cages, breeding them over and over, with little rest or veterinary care, and no social interaction with humans.

The law would create a division of the Department of Agriculture that would set minimum standards for living space, food, water, daylight, time out of cages and medical care. The rules would apply to kennels where nine or more dogs are bred per year. Those who buy and sell breeding dogs at auctions and sell them to pet stores would have to be licensed and would be required to keep records of their transactions.

Pet stores either would have to provide a veterinarian's certification for each dog sold, stating it is healthy, or offer customers a 21-day money-back guarantee for dogs that are deemed by the buyer's veterinarian to be diseased or injured.

Some legislators have opposed the bill out of a general dislike of government regulation of business, but such mindless adherence to this principle is harmful to consumers and downright brutal to animals. Beside the moral repugnance of the puppy-mill trade, leaving it essentially unregulated allows unethical breeders -- and there are lots of them -- to foist sick and badly bred puppies onto unsuspecting buyers. That doesn't promote good business in Ohio.

Those who oppose the bill because it would limit the puppy-mill industry that thrives particularly among the Amish in Holmes and Geauga counties should consider that the right to pursue a profit isn't a license to be cruel to animals.

Ohio, with more than 11,000 known breeders, is second only to Missouri in the number of puppy mills. Clearly, the state is tolerating an unsavory business that other states have seen fit to limit.

Ohio lawmakers should muzzle this awful business.

Bill to Protect Man’s Best Friend Becomes Law

Published April 23, 2008 on www.hsus.org

Virginia First in Nation to Limit the Number of Dogs Held in Abusive Puppy Mills

RICHMOND, Va. — In the aftermath of an investigation by The Humane Society of the United States into the Commonwealth's puppy mill industry, Virginia became the first state in the nation to limit the size of puppy mills by making it illegal to maintain more than 50 dogs over the age of one year.

The bill — H.B. 538, introduced by Del. Bobby Orrock (R-54th) — passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 91 to 6 and the Senate by 37 to 3. Gov. Tim Kaine made recommendations to the bill which was then approved by the General Assembly during its veto session. This effort, led by Teresa Dockery of Bristol and Kathy Strouse of the Virginia Animal Control Association, has incredible support from Virginia's many animal welfare activists, law enforcement, pet owners and humane organizations. Its historic provision capping the total number of dogs a commercial breeder can produce annually will help address the growing puppy mill crisis recently showcased on national televsion.

"Puppy mills abuse dogs routinely, and having these facilities licensed and inspected to ensure compliance with animal care laws is an important first step to ensuring that dogs used for breeding are treated humanely," said Stephanie Shain, The HSUS' director of outreach for companion animals. "We are grateful to state lawmakers and Governor Kaine for passing this important policy reform to protect man's best friend. Dogs should be treated like a part of the family, not like a cash crop."

With passage of the new law, commercial dog breeders will be required to:

• maintain no more than 50 dogs over the age of one year at one time, unless approved by local ordinance after a public hearing;
• obtain a local business license;
• breed female dogs between the ages of 18 months and 8 years only;
• obtain annual certification by a licensed veterinarian that the dog is in suitable health for breeding;
• cooperate with inspections by animal control officers to ensure compliance with state and federal animal care laws;
• maintain records of animal sales, purchases, breeding history and veterinary care.
  Commercial breeders that violate any of these provisions are guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by 12 months in jail or a $2,500 fine. The bill also addresses pet stores as part of the puppy mill pipeline by requiring that they purchase dogs from dealers or persons who are properly registered and licensed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

A five-month undercover investigation by The HSUS last year revealed a substantial puppy mill industry in Virginia that was virtually unregulated and often in violation of state and federal laws for humane care. Among the breeding operations visited in the Commonwealth, investigators found breeding dogs and puppies living in cramped, filthy cages, caked in feces, in urine-soaked trailers and in ramshackle kennels without basic sanitation, clean water, veterinary care or even the most primitive protection from the elements.

The HSUS investigation also resulted in what is thought to be the largest puppy mill rescue in U.S. history. Prompted by that investigation, officials in Carroll County negotiated the surrender of almost 900 dogs from one large-scale breeder in Hillsville last November. The HSUS helped coordinate the multi-agency rescue operation in rural Southeastern Virginia that placed rescued dogs in animal shelters across the Eastern seaboard.

Virginia is one of many states considering puppy mill bills this legislative session to pass a law. Besides working with state legislatures to improve the regulation of puppy mills, The HSUS is working at the federal level to have Congress to ban both Internet sales that escape regulation through a loophole in current law, and imports of young dogs from foreign puppy mills.

*****

The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 10.5 million Americans, or one of every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty — On the web at humanesociety.org.

Ohio Puppy Mill Bill Needs Your Support

This is a very important issue that our State Representatives need to act on. We need your support.

Please pass along this information to others you know in Ohio so that they can also show support to ban the horrible conditions that exist in puppy mills.

Please take a moment to read the note below from my friend and fellow rescuer Kellie DiFrischia:

Dear Dog Friends,

Hello! The dogs in Ohio puppy mills need your help.

As you may know, The Puppy Mill Bill (Substitute House Bill #223, Senate Bill #173) has been in the Ohio Senate and House for several years now. It seems we are stalled and sometimes relegated to the back burner for other pressing issues.

We need to alert members of the Senate to resoundingly know we want this bill to pass as soon as possible. Don’t allow the dogs to continue to live in the deplorable conditions that give Ohio the reputation it has as a major producer of puppy mill dogs!

We need your State Senator to hear directly from you. Let this be the last winter the dogs and puppies live in squalor conditions under OUR WATCH!

We also want Governor Strickland to know how important The Puppy Mill Bill is to millions of dog people in Ohio.

Please ask them to vote the bill out of the Senate as soon as possible.

We have written, revised and worked out all the details of this bill. Ohio can finally begin to rid itself of the reputation we have for the puppy mills with the worst conditions in the entire country.

If you have a personal puppy mill story, please send it or use the note below.

Thank you for taking the time to help Ohio 's most defenseless dogs.

To read about the bill or see pictures from deplorable mills in Ohio, visit www.ColumbusDogConnection.com.

For the Dogs,

Kellie

PS Please send this to anyone who cares about dogs. We need to have a strong voice for the dogs forgotten in high volume kennels.

Kellie's Suggested Letter:

Dear Legislator,

The Puppy Mill Bill (Substitute House Bill #223, Senate Bill #173) has had testimony in both the House and Senate.

It is been re-written to please breeders, veterinarians, dog wardens and rescue organizations. Fees have been lowered, fingerprinting has been removed. We have a superior piece of legislation that will finally bring an end to the brutality, neglect and abuse seen in Puppy Mills in Ohio . Soon, a dog bred in Ohio will have a badge of honor instead of a mark of shame that the pup could have come from an Ohio Puppy Mill.

Please do what you can do to pass The Puppy Mill Bill as quickly as possible. The dogs have suffered long enough in a billion dollar business that is not regulated in Ohio.

Respectfully,
YOUR NAME