Lawmakers need to address puppy mills

Puppy mills are facilities that supply pet stores with dogs and/or sell dogs on the Internet. Well-meaning animal lovers are supporting a system that condemns the parents of those puppies to a life of abuse and deprivation.

These breeding dogs spend their entire lives in small cages and are continuously bred. They have no human companionship and little hope of becoming part of a family. Unlike their offspring, they receive little or no veterinary care, no exercise and never have a treat or toy. After they are considered “used up,” they are either killed, abandoned or sold.

 Puppy mills are legal in Indiana, but a lack of state regulations and limited oversight makes our state an especially attractive location for these commercial operations. Mills that supply pet stores must be licensed by the USDA, however.
Investigations by animal welfare groups have shown repeatedly that a majority of these mills provide minimal care, and those that sell directly to the public or over the Internet don’t even have to register with the USDA.

Because of the lack of statewide regulation or registration, it’s difficult to gauge exactly how many breeding facilities operate in Indiana. And it is this lack of oversight that makes our state especially attractive to those facilities. The number of USDA licensed breeders in the state increased from 32 in 1999 to 80 in 2007. Who knows how many unlicensed breeders there are?

Indiana can do better for our canine friends. Hoosiers should insist that our lawmakers address this situation by requiring licenses, better standards and regular inspections for anybody who sells animals on a regular basis, even for those who claim they are not breeders.
 
Harold R. Wilson
Corydon, Ind.