A Law Against Puppy Mills and Backyard Breeders

Doggie07

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#1
Let's say you're a lawmaker for a state and you want to create a law that will decrease or make it harder for puppy mills and backyard breeders in your state. What would be in your law? Here is mine:

-All Breeders must register:
All dog breeders would have to be registered, whether with AKC, SV, CKC, FCI, etc.
-All breeders must have kennel inspections:
Kennel inspections can be done by AKC and other registries or by people or an organization that is qualified.
-All breeding dogs and stock must be inspected:
Random inspections of breeding dogs and stock to see if they are healthy and fit.
-To be a licensed breeder, a breeder must have either graduated from breeding classes or been mentored by a breeder
This is to make sure breeders actually know what they are doing and what they are producing and etc.

What cha think?
 

JennSLK

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#2
Nope. Im not letting people randomly come into my home. Not going to happen. Ever.

Besides, I could have 30+ breeding dogs, and as long as they are healthy and fit then you couldnt do a thing about it.
 

Dekka

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#3
Well you would stop the breeding of JRTs then, as they keep their own registry.

I don't want random checks just so I can have a litter every 4 years! I am too busy with life. And what if I have an old dog that I don't intend to breed?

My law:

All dogs sold or given away MUST be microchipped.
The microchip must have the breeders info permanently on the chip (owners go second)
Any dog surrendered to a shelter/rescue will be scanned.
Breeders will have the choice to either come get the dog or pay for the dog's stay at the shelter/rescue till it is adopted.
 

NicoleLJ

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#4
Well you would stop the breeding of JRTs then, as they keep their own registry.

I don't want random checks just so I can have a litter every 4 years! I am too busy with life. And what if I have an old dog that I don't intend to breed?

My law:

All dogs sold or given away MUST be microchipped.
The microchip must have the breeders info permanently on the chip (owners go second)
Any dog surrendered to a shelter/rescue will be scanned.
Breeders will have the choice to either come get the dog or pay for the dog's stay at the shelter/rescue till it is adopted.
I really like this.
 

Doggie07

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#5
Nope. Im not letting people randomly come into my home. Not going to happen. Ever.

Besides, I could have 30+ breeding dogs, and as long as they are healthy and fit then you couldnt do a thing about it.
Okay, if a law went into effect, they'd probably limit the amount of breeding dogs or stock.
 
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#6
I know you mean well, Doggie, but that's a scary thought you've posted there. There are already enough laws in place to more than cover the problem. They're unenforced and unenforceable. Laws like you're proposing will only affect people like Dekka -- disastrously.

Frankly, just my personal opinion of course, but judging from the state of so many AKC breeds, the AKC is one of the LAST groups I'd want to see in charge of overseeing breeding. Some of the other registries are approaching that level as well. Registries are rife with politics, favoritism and nepotism. In many cases, I'd far rather have a dog from someone who keeps their own lines and stays true to their breed than someone with a wall full of titles.
 

JennSLK

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#7
Okay, if a law went into effect, they'd probably limit the amount of breeding dogs or stock.
OK, what about co owns? I love Foxfire dobermans personal. However they probably own 30+ dogs. Most are co owned, but technically they own them. Tons of breeders co breed a litter, but just in name only. Would that count? Ect...

I like what Dekka said.
 
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#8
UKC? Field Dog Studbook? (Pointers).

Why would the AKC license me if I want to breed dogs outside the AKC system? Why would they want to restrict breeders if they already make money off of puppymill registrations (granted, many of those are going to different "registries").
 

elegy

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#9
many puppy mills are inspected. their stock is inspected. it is ok that they are treated like livestock, that they only have numbers not names, that they never see the inside of a home or the outside of a cage. these are registered, licensed breeders.

registrations and licensing don't fix the problem.

i like dekka's idea, personally.
 

Lolas Dad

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#10
If I were a lawmaker for a state I would outlaw puppy shops. I'd also make it mandatory that if anyone wanted to own a dog they they take a class on responsible dog ownership and they would be required to attend a class on puppy mills and back yard breeders. With the dog license fees I'd setup a fund to reward people for turning in puppy mills and back yard breeders.

I'd also make it mandatory for all dogs to be spayed or neutered unless they could prove they were show dogs and if they wanted to breed them I'd setup laws that they had to have their dogs genetically tested. If the results were not good then the dog would need to be fixed. For anyone that could not afford spaying and neutering they would be able to get it done for free. I'd also make a law where a veterinarian would have to do a certain number of free spays and neuters a year.

Any dogs taken from a puppy mill or back yard breeder would be put up for adoption and would be spayed or neutered.

What it comes down to is cutting the supply through educating the public and making them more responsible.

Also if you did have a puppy mill or were a back yard breeder you would be forfeiting all your property such as your home and cars along with all your dogs and you would never be allowed to own another animal again or be in possession of one. That means that you could not even walk a neighbors dog.
 

Aleron

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#11
I find it scary that more and more people think that "something needs to be done about dog breeding". It's as though public opinion is that dog breeding is inherently wrong. I don't think it should be illegal to breed, buy or sell dogs though. I don't think it should be illegal for people to own intact animals, regardless as to if they are show dogs or not. I certainly don't think that people should have to give up their rights to breed dogs.

The terms "puppy mill" and "backyard breeder" have no real definition. They are labels used in a derogatory manner if one doesn't agree with a breeder's practices. They carry a great emotional weight now thanks to the Animal Rights propaganda. I hear people accused of being "puppy mills" or "backyard breeders" all the time. There isn't a breeder out there that someone doesn't think could or should be doing things differently.
 

Dekka

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#12
If I were a lawmaker for a state I would outlaw puppy shops. I'd also make it mandatory that if anyone wanted to own a dog they they take a class on responsible dog ownership and they would be required to attend a class on puppy mills and back yard breeders. With the dog license fees I'd setup a fund to reward people for turning in puppy mills and back yard breeders.

I'd also make it mandatory for all dogs to be spayed or neutered unless they could prove they were show dogs and if they wanted to breed them I'd setup laws that they had to have their dogs genetically tested. If the results were not good then the dog would need to be fixed. For anyone that could not afford spaying and neutering they would be able to get it done for free. I'd also make a law where a veterinarian would have to do a certain number of free spays and neuters a year.

Any dogs taken from a puppy mill or back yard breeder would be put up for adoption and would be spayed or neutered.

What it comes down to is cutting the supply through educating the public and making them more responsible.

Also if you did have a puppy mill or were a back yard breeder you would be forfeiting all your property such as your home and cars along with all your dogs and you would never be allowed to own another animal again or be in possession of one. That means that you could not even walk a neighbors dog.
YIKES!!!! If that came into law I would move the next day!! What a scary scary idea, it treats breeders as potential criminals and forces people do s/n vs enforcing responsibility.

Aleron>> I agree. I run into people who think breeding is bad, they have been so brainwashed that the problem is ALL dog breeding vs people who breed irresponsibly. (and I have met show breeders who's dogs end up in shelters, who don't take pups back etc... its not just pet breeders that do it)

That is why I like my idea. No one is forced to s/n, not breed, no one looses their house :eek: If you breed unleathy or bad tempered dogs you will end up paying, but breeders are not villified. It also solves the problem of underfunded shelters and rescues not having enough money to help dogs.
 

Lolas Dad

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#13
YIKES!!!! If that came into law I would move the next day!! What a scary scary idea, it treats breeders as potential criminals and forces people do s/n vs enforcing responsibility.
How does that treat a responsible breeder as a criminal?. If you re-read my post I said anyone who wanted to breed their dog would have to have them genetically tested. If the results came back negative then they would be required to spay and neuter them. It seems to me that it would cut down on bad breeding. A responsible breeder however is one that already have the breeding pair genetically tested. A responsible breeder already is not breeding every heat cycle. If a person cannot be a responsible breeder and they feel the need to breed then perhaps they should be moving the next day.

The only reason why we have bad breeders and puppy mills to begin with is because of greed. It surely is not anything to do with a lacking supply.
 
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#14
Personally I don't want anything done.

we have laws to protect dogs and the conditions they're kept in. Enforce those.

as far as the limiting of breeding and all the restrictions put on people? about all those things do is make criminals out of good people. The real bad guys don't care. They don't care about interacting with their animals, they don't care about feeding, watering, leashing, keeping contained, keeping from having puppies, keeping them from getting hit in the road, running off, barking all day tied to a chain, or much of anything.

The rest of us take care of animals because we love them and it's the "right" thing to do. I'd dare anybody to try and prove to anybody else my dogs aren't cared for, well balanced, very well trained and happy.

I'll be damned if I want to give any of the know nothings the power to tell me what I have to do with my dogs. What registry I have to use, how I have to identify them with chips or not, how big my water bowl needs to be, or what I have to do with them every day. I'm not a criminal, so NO you can't come into my house whenever you want to take a look around. I dont' need to be told how I can keep them, if they need to be spayed.neutered or not, or how many vet visits I need to make a year.

People need to mind their own business. Take care of your own and quit trying to legislate everyone else's life. We've got more laws now than ever before and people keep doing the same things they've done forever.

Some people get dogs for 50 bucks out of the paper and love them for their entire lives. Who are you to tell them they need to go to a breeder of YOUR choice to get one at a price they aren't willing to spend?

I certainly don't chose to give those types my money or business. But that is MY CHOICE. Not yours, and I'd like to keep it that way and afford the same opportunity to everyone else to make their own choices.
 
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#15
The problem is that people who are bound and determined to skirt the law will find the loopholes. Need a mentor to breed dogs? Anyone can call themselves a mentor. In the current economy what government at any level is going to commit funds to investigating whether people are telling the truth or whether the "class" they took was legitimate? And taking away people's homes and cars? Really? Puppy mills are a problem but that's pretty unreasonable.

I think Dekka's idea is brilliant. Very KISS. Want to breed tons of dogs? Fine, but here are the consequences -- it hits irresponsible people who are only in it for the money right in the pocketbook, and responsible breeders are generally already willing to take their pups/dogs back anyway so it doesn't unnecessarily burden them.
 
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#16
Lolas Dad, your entire post is so frightening I would be joinging Dekka on her trip so fast heads would spin, but I'm just going comment on this part.

I'd also make it mandatory for all dogs to be spayed or neutered unless they could prove they were show dogs and if they wanted to breed them I'd setup laws that they had to have their dogs genetically tested. If the results were not good then the dog would need to be fixed. .
I'm not altering my dogs. Period. Regardless of breeding quality they are keeping all their parts because I find that to be healthier for my dogs.

And seriously? Show dogs? Working dogs don't get to reproduce? What about sport dogs? You're only qualified to keep your testicles or uterus if you are prancing around a show ring? So that rancher that has his ACD's working daily on his farm can't breed because they don't show in conformation? And that's not even covering how exactly this would pan out of people with dogs that aren't recognized like my breed Australian Koolie or people breeding working mixes

What genetic tests need to be done? Just check everything on every single dog? Who then decides if the results are good enough to breed?

And I never quite understood where all these broken dogs are coming from that need to be fixed so badly

RTH's post was fabulous like they always are, agreed with every part

we have laws to protect dogs and the conditions they're kept in. Enforce those.
Especially this

People need to mind their own business. Take care of your own and quit trying to legislate everyone else's life. We've got more laws now than ever before and people keep doing the same things they've done forever.
And THIS
 

Dekka

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#18
Personally I don't want anything done.

we have laws to protect dogs and the conditions they're kept in. Enforce those.

as far as the limiting of breeding and all the restrictions put on people? about all those things do is make criminals out of good people. The real bad guys don't care. They don't care about interacting with their animals, they don't care about feeding, watering, leashing, keeping contained, keeping from having puppies, keeping them from getting hit in the road, running off, barking all day tied to a chain, or much of anything.

The rest of us take care of animals because we love them and it's the "right" thing to do. I'd dare anybody to try and prove to anybody else my dogs aren't cared for, well balanced, very well trained and happy.

I'll be damned if I want to give any of the know nothings the power to tell me what I have to do with my dogs. What registry I have to use, how I have to identify them with chips or not, how big my water bowl needs to be, or what I have to do with them every day. I'm not a criminal, so NO you can't come into my house whenever you want to take a look around. I dont' need to be told how I can keep them, if they need to be spayed.neutered or not, or how many vet visits I need to make a year.

People need to mind their own business. Take care of your own and quit trying to legislate everyone else's life. We've got more laws now than ever before and people keep doing the same things they've done forever.

Some people get dogs for 50 bucks out of the paper and love them for their entire lives. Who are you to tell them they need to go to a breeder of YOUR choice to get one at a price they aren't willing to spend?

I certainly don't chose to give those types my money or business. But that is MY CHOICE. Not yours, and I'd like to keep it that way and afford the same opportunity to everyone else to make their own choices.
I agree to a point. But there are is a huge pet over population in the US and a large one here. I don't want to legislate how people breed, or who can breed, or if people should fix their pets. I think anyone who wants to breed and is willing to be responsible shouldn't be penalized. Working, pet, or show.. dont' care.

I DO think you should be responsible for your product, just like any other 'manufacturer'. If your product becomes a burden on society then you should have to pay to mitigate that burden.

Lola> ok as a breeder what if I don't want to fix dogs? What if I want to let people buy dogs and let them grow up intact? What if I don't want to show? Why genetic tests? You do realize most things don't have tests yet right?

Your heart is in the right place, but you would only hurt small breeders like me, where as those who don't care about laws would still do it, and big mills with lawyers and such will find loop holes.
 

Sit Stay

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#19
It's a good thought, but unfortunately things get kind of cloudy in areas like this. What about breeds of dogs that aren't CKC or AKC recognized? Many dogs just have their own breed registry, and some breeders who have breeds who are recognized by the big kennel clubs chose not to register their dogs in them as they don't like the direction they're going.

I very much agree with Dekka and Linds.
 

Picklepaige

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#20
I honestly don't know. I don't think their should be any kind of spaying/neutering laws. It doesn't do anything, for one thing, and there are plenty of reasons to keep a dog intact other than breeding or showing.

But I do think *something* should be done. Maybe you can "mind your own business," but dogs are my passion, and I care about ALL dogs, not just my own.
 

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