Mar 6, 2007 11:25 pm US/Central
New Effort To Shut Down Puppy Mills In Minnesota
by Lisa Kiava
(WCCO)
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Supporters of the bill say consumers often don't know if the pet they bought was bred in dirty conditions. (File)
CBS
A new effort in the state capitol aims to shut down abusive puppy mills.
Dogs, overcrowded, matted with feces, underfed, that don't get enough vet care -- all signs that are typical of what this investigator frequently sees.
"Even today, I'm still not used to it. And the public -- who has never seen it -- would be appalled by it," said Keith Streff a Humane Society Officer.
Streff investigates complaints for the humane society in Golden Valley. It's not uncommon for him to visit a different dog breeder every week that has sub-standard care.
"We try and police them the best we can ... within the legislative language and obviously those (rules) are weak," said Streff.
Streff is advising legislators who are crafting a new law. It would regulate any operation that's breeding six dogs or more. Those breeders would need a license and could receive a yearly inspection.
"We would be licensing the breeders, they would have to pay a liscensing fee. The money would be used for people doing inspecting," said Sen. Don Betzold.
The American Kennel Club opposes the bill. It describes such regulations as ineffective and said the rules would be costly and burden too many responsible breeders.
Streff said the new law isn't trying to shut down breeding operations, just the ones that are mistreating pets.
"The audience ... is those individulas that are raising dogs for the highest possible profit margin, at the lowest level of care standards," said Streff.
Supporters of the bill say consumers often don't know if the pet they bought was bred in dirty conditions.
Those puppies can later develop behavior or health problems.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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