Puppy Mill legislation is finally becoming popular in multiple states. However, it’s either non-existant or not strong enough in too many states. This reality hit me over the head this weekend when I went to volunteer at The Humane Society of Charlotte.

Last week, the Humane Society  of Charlotte rescued more than 20 dogs from a nearby puppy mill. They were mostly toy breeds- shih-tzus, scottish terriers and so forth. Some of them are in foster care and some of them are at the shelter. While I was there cleaning cages today, I snapped these pictures:

Pardon the poor lighting and the bars. I couldn’t open the cages. They’re very cute dogs. They’re a little skittish and not used to human contact (hence the way they moved away when I opened the cage doors). They were very matted and most of them had to be given buzz cuts : ). I hope they all find homes soon. If anyone lives in the Charlotte area, feel free to stop by the Humane Society and check these guys out. They’re very sweet, but they need a patient owner. Preferably one who doesn’t have small children.

There was a bill in the N.C. State Senate a few months ago that would regulate commercial breeders and target puppy mills. It failed for the second year in a row. Why? Pork producers in the state. I wish I was kidding. The spokesperson for the N.C. Pork Council is quoted in the article saying that they’re not opposed to the bill itself so much, but they’re worried about the main backers of the bill…The United States Humane Society. She says, “We’re very worried about this powerful, very wealthy animal rights organization.” Even though the bill targets commercial dog breeders, the spokesperson said they believe the Humane Society’s end goal is to “ban meat production for human consumption.” Obviously, this would start by making sure that dogs are treated and bred humanely. She does cite some legislation that targets meat production, mostly the treatment of the animals (making sure they have space to lie down, etc). However, they have nothing to do with this bill.

You can read the bill here. It basically defines a commercial breeder as anyone who owns at least 15 female dogs of breeding age and 30 or more puppies for the purpose of selling them. It basically states that the dogs have to be in clean conditions, exercised daily and so forth. It established a standard that all breeders would have to adhere to. It also requires the animals to see a veterinarian regularly. It also sets up punishments for commercial breeders who fail to get a license or meet the standards set up by the bill.

The Humane Society estimates that there are roughly 300 puppy mills in the state. I was reminded of this today when I saw the puppies we rescued. Hopefully this legislation passes next year. Regardless of the Pork Council’s perceived threats, we cannot continue to allow people to treat dogs this way.

Until there is legislation you can help to stop puppy mills by not giving them money. Puppy mills often sell to dog stores, so the best way to make sure you’re not supporting them is to adopt from a shelter, get a dog through a rescue league or find a reputable breeder.