Jump to content
BC Boards

H.R. 3484 Puppy Protection Act


Gary M
 Share

Recommended Posts

While I laud the sentiment behind the Puppy Protection Act and the desires of those that support it, I must also say that I am 100% opposed to its passage.

 

Before the flamers begin, give me a chance to enumerate why I would not support this bill.

 

1) It will never work as intended. I have yet to see where the passage of this kind of legislation has ever had a positive effect towards its desired outcome. Typically, the problem gets worse with federal intervention. Federal wars on drugs, illegal guns, poverty, illiteracy, illegal immigration, etc, etc, etc have done little but raise the cost of running the government, therefore our taxes with little results.

 

2) We already have state and local laws to prosecute those that are inhumane towards their animals. See number 1 above. If they (those which the law seeks to go after) are humane in their treatment, just overbreed for whatever reason, I can see the dollar signs in the eyes of the lawyers defending the right of a person to use their property (which is what animals are under the law) as they see fit and numerous lawsuits related to the "taking" clause in the Constitution. A breed registry, which is a private concern, could make rules that say they would not register more than 1 litter per year from the same bitch or breeder, and that would be their right.

 

3) Would the burden of enforcement fall on already stressed city, county and state agencies or would there be a new PMEA (Puppy Management Enforcement Agency). For the most part, the state and local humane authorities already know where the abusers and mills are. It is a matter of proving willfull neglect, or having the financial means to prosecute. If they seize 25 or 200 dogs from a BYB or puppy mill, where do the finances come from to support the animals until they are placed or pay the cost for euthanasia for those that are not. Many of these seized animals are in dire need of veterinary care, which again is not cheap. Rather then create a new or enlarge an existing federal bureaucracy, the money would be better spent passing it down to the existing state and local departments.

 

4) By driving the worst of the offenders "underground" and away from registries that can keep track of breeding habits (even though right now they do little to nothing about it), there will be an influx of non-registered pups whose existence will be made even more miserable (if thats possible) as the offenders spend even less trackable cash on food, treatment and shelter and save more for lawyers in the event they are caught and actually prosecuted. (I know this seems a contadiction with #2, I did not say I had all the answers)

 

Some of you know my stance on breeding and the AKC from the Agility thread where in my reply to another poster, I (not her as some suggested) raised the issue of the legislation and the AKC. Please read it if you don't before saying that I am nothing but an apologist for the breeders. I just dont think this is anything other than a feel good proposal. Just like 30,000 gun laws did not stop 2 Detroit police officers from being killed in a routine traffic stop, this legislation won't deter breeding abuse at the hands of those who seek to profit from the misery of our beloved friends and companions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

---"...this legislation won't deter breeding abuse at the hands of those who seek to profit from the misery of our beloved friends and companions."---

 

I know one way that the oversupply and puppy mill breeders would be hampered.

 

Get all the possible money those humane associations get, millions a year in donations and start a catchy, nationally in scope well thought out compaign to SHAME those that breed many dogs, those that breed indiscriminately, those that buy from them and showcase the terrible killing that goes on in shelters.

 

Not wanting to shock you, but to go to help in a shelter and to have to start matching "lost dog" cards to the dogs in there past 10AM, or you have to walk over dead dogs and cats all over if any earlier, is hard on the toughest soul. Dogs you petted the day before...

Not even talking about what those shelter employees feel, that have to "do the deed" on so many every day, day after day...

 

I can't believe that our society is letting such happen and think that if it was more common knowledge, how such is reflecting so poorly on our species, it would go a long way to be corrected.

 

I honestly don't think that most people are aware of that and they contribute by, without thought, buying dogs when they don't really want one, just the idea of owning one seemed good at that time.

 

Those people will then have second thoughts about if and where to buy, be properly informed consumers and so we won't have that revolving door of so many dogs that later are abandoned when clueless people realize that they really didn't want to live with a dog.

 

People that breed will have to be very sure that they have excellent reasons to do so and the general public, consumers, will not keep considering dogs an accessory to their lives, as so many do today.

 

How many times do I hear "we moved to a house with a yard, so now we could have a dog but don't have time (barks/digs/etc.) for it, so here it is, you find it a good home".

Not that all don't love their dogs, they do, but not enough to get them to fit in their lives.

 

More forethought would be a big help in curbing the demand and especially the demand that buys the puppy mill and backyard breeders dogs and so dry up their "business".

 

Yes, the AKC should be a big part of that, as they are a big part of dogdom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Enforcement will fall on "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA)" inspectors who are already inspecting the licensed facilities. Non-compliance will lead to fines and/or loss of their license. These can all be found in the Animal Welfare Act published on the web.

 

Enactment of any restrictions on money making operations can eventually lead to black markets; is that a good reason to not enact laws? With out suck laws Al Capone would never have been prosecuted and incarcerated. Black marketeers do not report their earnings to the IRS.

 

"...inhumane towards their animals...." HR 3484 adds a new legal definition to acceptable treatment of a specific animal that does not already exist. Without it lawyers can argue that breeding more frequently and earlier is not inhumane to the animal. Once a law like this is passed, and ruled on by the Courts (either by taking the case or refusing to hear the case) there is a new standard by which to judge humane treatment.

 

"....I can see the dollar signs in the eyes of the lawyers defending the right of a person to use their property..." This would ultimately be a decision for the Courts; does the US government have the right to restrict the owners use of property? It already does this in many ways; for example zoning laws which restrict the use of property.

 

Mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Baby's Dad,

 

I thought Mark's post in this thread answered your objections fully and persuasively. Just for everyone's info, the Puppy Protection Act, which was the subject of this thread, and which the AKC campaigned vigorously to oppose, would have prohibited licensed dealers and exhibitors from breeding a bitch before she is a year old, and from breeding her to whelp more than three times in any 24-month period. That's all it would have done. It would not have expanded the class of persons regulated as dealers, which the pending PAWS bill would do, and therefore questions about where the enforcement resources will come from are much more valid with respect to PAWS, since PAWS would expand the number of dealers to be regulated.

 

It does bother me that the majority of politicians in Washington are happy to increase the work federal agencies must do while decreasing the resources available to them to do it with. I see that as a separate and broader issue, however, and not a reason to object to legislation that is truly important and worthwhile.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...