Puppy Mills

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) applauds the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) newly proposed rule calling for greater federal oversight of puppy mills and online dog sales. The rule would, for the first time in history, require commercial breeders who sell their puppies directly to the public to be licensed and inspected by the USDA.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®,  Best Friends Animal Society, The Humane Society of the United States, Humane Society Legislative Fund, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, and a member of the social change platform Change.org together have gathered approximately 350,000 letters and signatures from concerned citizens, the last of which were hand-delivered today to the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in support of the agency’s efforts to regulate unlicensed puppy mills.

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is urging North Carolina legislators to enact legislation to regulate commercial dog breeding facilities in the state. Currently, 35 states, including neighboring Virginia and Tennessee, have laws regulating breeders, but North Carolina is not one of them. This means North Carolina puppy mills are not required to be licensed and inspected, and there are no laws setting minimum standards for the way they treat their dogs.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today commends U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and David Vitter (R-La.) as well as Reps.

Madison, N.J.—The ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced the opening of the ASPCA Behavioral Rehabilitation Center at St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center in Madison, N.J., the first-ever facility dedicated strictly to providing behavioral rehabilitation to canine victims of cruelty, such as those confiscated from puppy mills and hoarding cases. The Center’s findings will be the basis of a research study that will be shared with shelters and rescue groups across the country.

Animal welfare advocates including North Carolina Voters for Animal Welfare, Susie’s Law, the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), Humane Society of Charlotte, SPCA of Wake County, United Animal Coalition and The Humane Society of the United States applaud Rep. Jason Saine, R- 97, for introducing a bill to ensure that dogs are treated humanely in commercial breeding facilities.

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) applauds Vermont legislators for passing H. 50, a measure that will give officials the tools they need to enforce laws protecting breeding dogs and the puppies they produce by providing clear definitions and eliminating current legal loopholes. H. 50, which previously passed the House unanimously, passed the Senate yesterday, and now awaits Gov. Peter Shumlin's signature.

NEW YORK–The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) applauds West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin for signing two important measures to protect dogs in the state's commercial breeding facilities and establish a spay/neuter program to reduce animal overpopulation and homelessness.

NEW YORK— The ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) commended Gov. Jerry Brown yesterday for signing AB 1809, which requires out-of-state animal dealers who sell dogs to California consumers or retailers to submit health certificates to county health departments.  Previously, California was one of only two states that did not require dogs to be both inspected and issued health certificates upon entry into the state. Sponsored by Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego), AB 1809 will go into effect on January 1, 2015.