Source: https://www.animallaw.info/article/dont-buy-doggy-window-ending-cycle-perpetuates-commercial-breeding-regulation-retail-pet
Timestamp: 2019-04-18 23:01:11+00:00

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This Note discusses the problems with legislation and legal barriers created to battle the problems puppy mills pose to dogs bred in the United States. It then considers the applicability of legislation aimed at dealing with puppy mills at the retail level as a possible cure to the inadequacies of American regulation. This Note discusses the need for uniform regulation that goes to the heart of what sustains puppy mills, the supply and demand created by retail in the pet industry, using the model of legislation introduced in Australia, the NSW Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill.
II. Puppy Mills: Why Are They a Problem? ................................... .
A. How Puppy Mills Came Into Existence ..................................... .
B. The Consequences of Commercial Breeding on Dogs ........................ .
III. United States Puppy Mill Regulations .................................. .
A. The USDA and the Animal Welfare Act ..................................... .
1. Plagued Enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act .......................... .
2. A Proposed Amendment to the Animal Welfare Act: The Puppy Uniform Protection Statute .................................................................................................................... .
B. State Laws Against Puppy Mills ........................................... .
IV. Regulation of Puppy Mills Starting at the Root of the Problem: The Commercial Breeding of Dogs .................................................................................................................. .
A. The NSW Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill .............................. .
B. The Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill as a Model for Effective Regulation of Commercial Breeding in the United States ............................................................................................................. .
The puppy mill industry itself has become a concern of the animal rights community and has spurred a large amount of discussion and advocacy for legislation throughout the United States. [FN7] This Note will discuss the problems with legislation and legal barriers created to battle the problems puppy mills pose to dogs bred in the United States. It will then consider the applicability of legislation aimed at dealing with puppy mills at the retail level as a possible cure to the inadequacies of American regulation. This Note will discuss the need for uniform regulation that goes to the heart of what sustains puppy mills, the supply and demand created by retail in the pet industry, using the model of legislation *503 introduced in Australia, the NSW Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill. [FN8] Before discussing legislation and its implementation for the puppy mill problem, we must first discuss what puppy mills are, how they developed, and what problems they pose.
II. Puppy Mills: Why Are They a Problem ?
While the PUPS bill and the AKC do not consider the damage that over-breeding does to the animals living in commercial breeding facilities and the cycle that consumers perpetuate, the bill does leave room open for state laws that have requirements greater than those in the Animal Welfare Act. [FN80] As such, state laws seem to be an effective way of adding to the restrictions on puppy mills that the PUPS bill has introduced.
The reality is that for many farmers, dogs are their most valuable “crop,” meaning that the main problem surrounding puppy mill regulation is based on economics. [FN108] Commercial breeders, or “farmers,” seek to breed dogs at the lowest cost possible; it is costly for breeders to comply with rules regarding the care of the animals they produce, since spending more money for care of animals results *514 in a lower profit per animal once they are sold. [FN109] Regulation regarding the commercial breeding of dogs has been hard to pass in many states, and those states that have passed laws have not altogether eradicated commercial breeding, but only put restraints on it. In addition, state laws that do address commercial breeding are inconsistent in definition and enforcement from other states trying to do the same. Furthermore, the states that have lower degrees of regulation on commercial breeding provide a friendly home for puppy mill owners to operate their business without interference of the law.
As we consider the problems that puppy mills pose as a whole, from how they came into existence to the state and federal regulations that try to deal with them, the cycle perpetuated by the demand of the pet industry is a constant aspect of the commercial breeding business that has yet to be broken. So, how do we eliminate the inhumane practices of commercial breeding seen in puppy mills throughout the United States? We break the cycle by eradicating the demand.
By allowing recognized breeders who adhere to standard, humane breeding practices to continue to operate pursuant to the mandates of the legislation the American standard of free market sale and enterprise can be maintained while allowing for more humane treatment of the animals produced for sale. Pet stores will not have to close down, but rather, concentrate solely upon selling supplies for cats and dogs rather than the animals themselves--a practice which many pet stores already employ. Breeders will not need to stop breeding, but simply adhere to the legislative requirements based upon proper and humane breeding practices.
*517 There are numerous benefits to this sort of legislation. By making the sale of animals in pet stores illegal: (1) breeders will need to adhere to proper breeding standards in order to make a profit; (2) pet consumers will be required to seek out a breeder and consider adoption before “impulse-buying”; and (3) shelters will benefit from being able to place homeless animals in adoptive homes effectively, working with the pet industry. [FN129] Pet stores that want to have dogs in their stores will be able to work with local pet shelters and adoption agencies to provide for in-store adoption and home placement for homeless animals. While these adoptions will not bring in revenue for the store based on the actual sale of an animal, it will create patronage from customers who found the family pet in the store as well as provide a community service by helping reduce the number of homeless and unwanted pets crowding shelters.
Eradicating inhumane commercial breeding practices with legislation similar to the Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill is not without its limitations. In fact, it may be plagued with the many problems faced by current federal and state regulations on commercial breeding. Funding and the proper means of implementation are always key issues. Legislation that removes the sale of animals from pet shops may be more successful because it is a highly visible industry within communities. Thus, it will be evident if a pet store is selling animals that are not associated with pet-shelter adoption. By making it illegal to sell animals in pet stores, it will help effectuate regulation of the commercial breeding industry by exposing it to the community. Non-compliant pet stores that continue to sell animals will be visible to the public, making identification of non-compliant facilities a simple task.
Finances are going to be a major roadblock in implementing regulation like the Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill. While legislation is a key component of fixing the problems of commercial breeding, it must be enforced. Enforcement *518 requires funding, and it is hard to get funding if the public is unwilling to support it. Thus, the success of this sort of legislation is highly dependant upon public awareness of puppy mills and the problems they pose, in addition to advocacy for effective regulatory legislation.
At least some of the funding for continued regulation of the commercial breeding industry may be included in the legislation itself. The state may be able to address funding issues associated with the legislation by requiring a licensing fee for all pet stores and recognized breeders. This extra means of funding can be used to effectuate the legislation and could provide inspections of premises to ensure compliance with the regulatory laws. As a result, the mandatory licensing fee can alleviate at least some of the financial burden it creates.
While public funding is necessary to adequately enforce any regulation of the commercial breeding industry, support for regulation can be fostered by making more of the public aware of the problems it poses. This is an important step in gaining critical support for legislation eradicating the commercial breeding industry. Although Americans may not be willing to undertake the financial burden legislation modeled after the Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill, introducing it in state legislatures would not be futile. It can have the effect of opening up more dialogue regarding commercial breeding and, thus, set the stage for more public to support and even demand for legislation dealing with the industry as people become aware of the cruelty the sale of puppy mill dogs perpetuates.
The inhumane treatment of dogs bred in puppy mills is an issue yet to be adequately tackled in the United States, and will continue to be a problem until the proper funding and public awareness of the cruelty of commercial breeding is *519 achieved. The NSW Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill provides Americans with model legislation that goes at commercial breeding from what created it from the start--the pet industry demand for a large supply of puppies to sell to an animal-loving public. Pursuing legislation that attacks the cycle that perpetuates puppy mills requires the financial means and public dedication to attack commercial breeding head-on. However, for thirty-nine percent of Americans who own dogs and consider them a part of their family, the least we can do to ensure the humane treatment of man's best friend is to speak out, educate the public, and pursue legislation that adequately eradicates the existence of puppy mills.
[FNa1] . J.D. Candidate, Drake University Law School, 2010.
[FN1] . U.S. Pet Ownership Statistics, The Humane Soc'y of the U.S. (Mar. 17, 2008), http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/pet_overpopulation_ and_ownership_statistics/us_pet_ownership_statistics.html.
[FN3] . Puppy Mills: Dogs Abused for the Pet Trade, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=45 (last visited Oct. 19, 2009).
[FN4] . See Presidential Purebred Pups Are a White House Tradition , Am. Kennel Club News , July 2, 2008, http://www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_ id=3541 (describing the tradition of presidents and the purebred pets they have brought to the White House).
[FN5] . Jana Kohl, A Rare Breed of Love 3-4 (2008); Joseph Lubinski, comment, The Cow Says Moo, the Duck Says Quack, and the Dog Says Vote! The Use of the Initiative to Promote Animal Protection , 74 U. Colo. L. Rev. 1109, 1149 (2003).
[FN6] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 57; Inhumane Conditions of Puppy Mills in National Spotlight , The Humane Soc'y of the U.S. , Aug. 22, 2006, http:// www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/puppy_mills_in_national_ spotlight.htm 1 [hereinafter Inhumane Conditions of Puppy Mills in National Spotlight ]; What's a Puppy Mill?, Best Friends Animal Soc'y, http:// network.bestfriends.org/campaigns/puppymills/media/p/133453.aspx (last visited Oct. 19, 2009) [hereinafter What's a Puppy Mill?].
[FN7] . See generally State Puppy Mill Laws, Humane Soc'y of the U.S., http://www.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/legislation/puppy-mill-laws-chart.pdf (last visited Oct. 19, 2009) [hereinafter State Puppy Mill Laws] (outlining puppy mill laws that have been enacted throughout the United States).
[FN8] . See infra §§ II, IV.
[FN9] . Lubinski, supra note 5, at 1149.
[FN11] . Kohl , supra note 5, at 3; Adam J. Fumarola, With Best Friends Like Us Who Needs Enemies? The Phenomenon of the Puppy Mill, the Failure of Legal Regimes to Manage It, and the Positive Prospects of Animal Rights , 6 Buff. Envtl. L.J. 253, 260 (1999).
[FN12] . Inhumane Conditions of Puppy Mills in National Spotlight, supra note 6.
[FN13] . Puppy Mill Perils: 250 Dogs and Puppies Rescued from Filthy Kennel , The Humane Soc'y of the U.S. , Aug. 23, 2007, http://www.hsus.org/pets/pets_ related_news_and_events/puppy_mill_perils_250_dogs_and_puppies_rescued_from_ filthy_kennel.html.
[FN14] . See Samantha Mortlock, Standing On New Ground: Underenforcement of Animal Protection Laws Causes Competitive Injury to Complying Entities , 32 Vt. L. Rev. 273, 274 (2007).
[FN15] . Fumarola, supra note 11, at 263.
[FN16] . Id. at 262.
[FN21] . Puppy Buying Tips, Humane Soc'y of the U.S., Mar. 26, 2009, http:// stoppuppymills.org/puppy_buying_tips.html.
[FN22] . What's a Puppy Mill?, supra note 6.
[FN24] . Id. ; Robin Tierney, How Responsible Breeders Differ From Backyard Breeders and Pet Shops , The Partnership for Animal Welfare , Nov. 20, 2008, http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_breedersandpetshops.php.
[FN25] . Fumarola, supra note 11, at 260; see also People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, supra note 3.
[FN26] . See Frequently Asked Questions, Humane Soc'y of the U.S., Mar. 26, 2009, http://www.stoppuppymills.org/frequently_asked_questions.html [hereinafter Frequently Asked Questions] (explaining the burden that dogs rescued from puppy mills put on animal shelters and veterinary costs to pet owners).
[FN27] . Humane Soc'y of the U.S., HSUS Pet Overpopulation Estimates, July 7, 2008, http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/pet_overpopulation_ and_ownership_statistics/hsus_pet_overpopulation_estimates.html.
[FN28] . See id. (indicating that each year 3-4 million cats and dogs in shelters are euthanized and that six to eight million are adopted).
[FN29] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 56.
[FN30] . Tierney, supra note 24.
[FN31] . Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26.
[FN32] . What's a Puppy Mill?, supra note 6.
[FN33] . See infra § III.
[FN34] . What's a Puppy Mill?, supra note 6.
[FN35] . Tierney, supra note 24.
[FN36] . What's a Puppy Mill?, supra note 6.
[FN37] . See generally State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7; Inhumane Conditions of Puppy Mills in National Spotlight, supra note 6.
[FN38] . Kohl , supra note 5, at 57.
[FN39] . Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26.
[FN40] . Mariann Sullivan, The Animal Welfare Act--What's That? , 79 N.Y. St. B.J. 17, 18 (2007); Id.
[FN41] . Sullivan, supra note 40, at 19.
[FN42] . See generally State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7.
[FN44] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2131 (2009).
[FN45] . Sullivan, supra note 40 at 19.
[FN46] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2132(f).
[FN47] . Sullivan, supra note 40, at 18; Companion Animals, U.S. Dep't of Agric., http://awic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=3&tax_ level=1&tax_subject=181 (last visited Oct. 19, 2009).
[FN48] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2143(a).
[FN50] . Tierney, supra note 24.
[FN51] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2146(a).
[FN53] . Sullivan, supra note 40, at 19.
[FN55] . Id. at 19-20.
[FN56] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 2146(b), 2149(b), 2149(d).
[FN57] . Animal Welfare Act, 7 U.S.C. §§ 2149(b), 2149 (d).
[FN58] . Report of the Committee on Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York Regarding Its Recommendation to Amend the Animal Welfare Act , 9 Animal L. 345, 347 (2003) [hereinafter Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals ]; see also Sullivan, supra note 40, at 20-21.
[FN59] . Legal Issues Pertaining to Animals, supra note 58, at 346-47.
[FN60] . Id. at 347.
[FN62] . Id. at 348-49.
[FN63] . Id. at 348.
[FN65] . See id. at 347-49.
[FN66] . See H.R. 6949, 110th Cong. (2008); S. 3519, 110th Cong. (2008).
[FN67] . See H.R. 6949, 110th Cong. § 2 (2008); S. 3519, 110th Cong. § 2 (2008); 7 U.S.C. § 2133 (2008).
[FN68] . H.R. 6949, 110th Cong. § 2 (2008); S. 3519, 110th Cong. § 2 (2008).
[FN69] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 59 (indicating the AKC's usual opposition to puppy mill legislation); Federal Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Crack Down on Abusive Puppy Mills , The Humane Soc'y of the U.S. , Sept. 19, 2008, http:// www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/federal_puppy_mill_bill_ 091908.html; Puppy Uniform Protection Statute (PUPS) Legislation Introduced in US Congress , Am. Kennel Club News , Sept. 25, 2008, http:// www.akc.org/news/index.cfm?article_id=3611 [hereinafter Am. Kennel Club News ].
[FN70] . See People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, supra note 3 (explaining the millions of dollars the AKC receives each year from breeders who pay AKC licensing fees).
[FN71] . Am. Kennel Club News , supra note 69.
[FN72] . What's a Puppy Mill?, supra note 6.
[FN73] . Kohl , supra note 5, at 7-8; Humane Soc'y of the U.S., Puppy Mill Survivor Inspires Mission, New Book , Aug. 11, 2008, http:// www.hsus.org/pets/pets_related_news_and_events/puppy_mill_survivor_inspires_ book_053008.html.
[FN74] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 7-8.
[FN75] . Id. at 9.
[FN76] . Id. at 7-8.
[FN79] . See id. at 59 (referring to the cycle of puppy mills and its perpetuation by buyers). See generally H.R. 6949, 110th Cong. (2008); S. 3519, 110th Cong. (2008).
[FN80] . H.R. 6949, 110th Cong. § 3 (2008); S. 3519, 110th Cong. § 3 (2008).
[FN81] . See generally State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7.
[FN82] . See generally id.
[FN83] . See Humane Soc'y Legislative Fund, 2008 State Legislation Pertaining to Puppy Mills, http://www.hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2008-puppy-mill-bills-chart-for-web.pdf (last visited Oct. 19, 2009).
[FN84] . See id. (providing a description of different puppy mill bills introduced in 2008).
[FN86] . See State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7.
[FN88] . Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 140 §§ 136(a), 137(a) (2008).
[FN89] . Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 35-80-102, 35-80-106 (2008).
[FN90] . Va. Code Ann. §§ 3.1-796.66, 3.1-796.71 (2008).
[FN91] . Iowa Code §§ 162.2, 162.8, 162.12 (2009).
[FN92] . R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-19-2 (2008).
[FN93] . See generally State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7.
[FN94] . See Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26 (indicating that, depending on where it is located, “operating a commercial breeding kennel may not be illegal”).
[FN95] . See Humane Soc'y Legislative Fund, supra note 83 (many of the laws on this list have remained unenacted in committee or have been “killed” while sitting in committee).
[FN96] . See generally Kohl , supra note 5, at 58 (explaining that the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act set forth only minimum standards of animal care); State Puppy Mill Laws, supra note 7.
[FN97] . See, e.g. , S.F. 2293, 82d Gen. Assem., Reg. Sess. (Iowa 2008) (restricting the amount of litters a commercial breeder can produce); H.F. 2469, 85th Sess. (Minn. 2007) (proposing standards in care, licensing, and inspection of commercial dog and cat breeders, as well as penalties for and seizure of animals for not complying with regulation); H.B. 518, 2008 Reg. Sess. (Ky. 2008) (regulating the sale of animals in pet stores); H.B. 3192, 51st Leg., 2d Sess. (Okla. 2008) (providing for regulation of commercial breeders through licensing requirements and related enforcement mechanisms); H.B. 2914, 105th Gen. Assemb., Reg. Sess. (Tenn. 2008) (extending the licensing process for commercial breeders); S. 341, 2008 Gen. Assem. (Vt. 2008) (regulating dog breeders by imposing minimum requirements); H.B. 2511, 60th Leg., 2008 Reg. Sess. (Wash. 2008) (creating a list of information breeders must disclose upon the sale of a dog, as well as making it illegal to sell a dog with obvious sickness or disease).
[FN98] . See An Act to Amend the Animal Welfare Laws, 2009 Me. Legis. Serv. Ch. 343 (West 2009).
[FN99] . Va. Code Ann. §§ 3.1-796.66-3.1-796.72 (2008).
[FN100] . Va. Code Ann. § 3.1-796.66 (2008).
[FN101] . See Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26.
[FN102] . See supra § III (discussing problems with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act).
[FN103] . See Int'l Soc'y for Animal Rights, Dog Overpopulation and Puppy Mills, http://www.isaronline.org/f/Dog_Overpopulation_and_Puppy_Mills.pdf (last visited Oct. 19, 2009) (indicating the large concentration of puppy mills throughout the Midwest and Great Plains regions of the United States); see also supra § III.
[FN104] . See, e.g. , Iowa Code §§ 162.1-162.18 (2008) (requiring licensing for “commercial breeders” and creating minimum guidelines concerning the feeding, watering, cleaning, and shelter provided to animals at the facility); Pa. Stat. Ann. §§ 21.21-21.30 (West 2008) (enforcing licensing for breeders depending on the number of dogs and enforcing sanitary and humane conditions); W. Va. Code § 19-20-3 (2008) (requiring a registration fee for kennels; places “wherein dogs are bred, kept, boarded or sold as a commercial venture for profit” but providing no additional requirements for these facilities).
[FN105] . See Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26.
[FN106] . See Stephen K. Otto, Animal Legal Defense Fund, 2007 Animal Protection Laws Rankings 3 (2007), http://www.aldf.org/downloads/591_ 2007staterankingsreport.pdf.
[FN107] . See Frequently Asked Questions, supra note 26.
[FN108] . Puppies Are Biodegradable, Definition: What Is a Puppy Mill?, http://web.archive.org/web/20070709013137/http:// www.puppiesarebiodegradable.com/define.html (last visited Oct 19, 2009).
[FN109] . See Mortlock, supra note 14, at 274.
[FN110] . See supra § III.
[FN113] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 57; Mortlock, supra note 14 at 274.
[FN114] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 57.
[FN115] . Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill 2008 (NSW).
[FN116] . See generally id.
[FN117] . Id. at pt. 2 div. 1.
[FN118] . Id. at pt. 2 div. 2.
[FN120] . Id. at pt. 4.
[FN121] . See Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, Parliament of N.S.W., Legislative Assembly Minister's Agreement in Principle Speech: Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill 2008 (Nov. 14, 2008).
[FN127] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 64-65; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, supra note 3 (explaining the thousands of dogs the AKC registers each year from breeders who pay AKC licensing fees).
[FN128] . Kohl , supra note 5, at 64-65.
[FN129] . See Moore, supra note 121 (explaining “the aim ... of puppy farms ... is to mass-produce cute ... puppies to get more impulse sales in pet shops”).
[FN130] . See supra § III (referring to the difficulty in implementing state and federal laws dealing with commercial breeding because of lack of enforcement, funding, and personnel).
[FN131] . See Kohl , supra note 5, at 60 (discussing the use of public education as a means of decreasing the demand for commercially bred dogs).

References: § 2131
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 § 2143
 § 2146
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 § 2133
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