| |
What about the American Kennel Club (AKC)?
Often we think if a puppy is
registered by the AKC it must be fine. What
does registered mean, anyway? The AKC is a
registration body. Based on the honor system,
it merely provides a certificate which says
according to the breeder’s paperwork, the puppy is
“registered”. In fact, any puppy born to
registered parents—no matter what their
condition—can be registered. The AKC receives
a fee for each puppy registered. Therefore,
puppy mill litters provide the AKC with a
significant percentage of its revenue.
|
There ought to be a law
Well, there is sort of. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is charged with
enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). The USDA
requires a license only for facilities that sell
wholesale to dealers/brokers or directly to pet stores.
Of course, with fewer than 100 inspectors
nationwide
who are responsible not only for thousands of puppy
mills, but also zoos, circuses, laboratories, and
animals transported via commercial airlines, you can
imagine how infrequently puppy mills are inspected.
Puppy mills and backyard breeders who sell directly to
the public, are not required to be licensed.
Thousands of puppy mills avoid licensing issues by using
the internet to sell directly to the public. If
ever the phrase “caveat emptor” (buyer
beware) applies, it is in the
purchasing of animals over the internet. Seventeen
states, including Minnesota, have enacted “puppy lemon
laws” to provide some relief in those instances where
sick animals have been purchased. Unfortunately, these
laws are seldom used and often ineffective.
|
 |
|
In Minnesota, the law stipulates that
“a dog or cat can be declared unfit
for sale within 10 days, and up to one year for
congenital or hereditary defects.” The
consumer can get a refund, make an exchange, and be
reimbursed for veterinary expenses up to the cost of
the animal. As you can imagine, most people
choose to keep their puppy and try to save it rather
than returning it to the seller who will likely
destroy it. Of course, if the puppy dies,
people usually decide against getting another puppy
from the same seller for fear they may encounter
similar problems.
Does Minnesota have puppy mills?
Most of us are shocked to learn Minnesota ranks among
the top 10 puppy mill states. While there are
states with many more puppy mills than Minnesota, we
have the dubious distinction of having some of the
largest kennels in the nation. Three Minnesota
puppy mills house more than 1,000 dogs each. Now
another large puppy mill is about to open here in
Minnesota. Unfortunately, a license was granted to
a breeder in Belle Prairie Township, Morrison County, MN
who plans to house 600 dogs. Despite protests from
neighbors, animal welfare groups, and people across the
nation, dogs have already been brought in. Due to
potential noise problems, the breeder plans to debark
some of these dogs. The horror of this can be hard
to fathom. While there is a surgical procedure for
debarking dogs, it is not uncommon to have a pipe shoved
down a puppy mill dog’s throat to accomplish this.
|
<
back | More > |
|
|
