The Humane Society of The United States Looks to Leash Puppy Mills

At the most basic level dogs need food, water, exercise and social interaction. Puppy mills rob young dogs of the quality of life they deserve by turning dogs into a commodity. The Humane Society recognizes mass breeding operations as inhumane and capitalistic and has started to demand legislature to hold the puppy mill industry accountable for the mistreatment of animals.

Currently, The Animal Welfare Act( The AWA) allows online commercial breeders to avoid licensing, regualtion and inspection.

The Humane Society website outlines, The PUPS Act (Puppy Uniform Protection Statute, S. 3424), and the following as proposed requirements for all commercial breeders:

"The legislation will close the loophole in the AWA that allows thousands of commercial breeders to go unregulated. It will require the following changes to the AWA:

* All dog breeders who sell more than 50 puppies per year directly to the public will be federally licensed and inspected.
* Dogs at commercial breeding facilities must be given the opportunity to exercise for 60 minutes a day.
* The bill will not affect small breeders and hobby breeders who sell fewer than 50 dogs per year directly to the public, but is crafted to cover only large commercial breeding facilities."

To read the full Humane Society Press release,Federal Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Crack Down on Abusive Puppy Mills visit: http://www.humanesociety.org/news/press_releases/2010/05/federal_puppy_mill_bill_052510.html