Curbing the Puppy Trade

Sunday, Dec. 04, 2005 By ANITA HAMILTON
CARETAKER: Breeder Sam McDonald favors the new regulations
PETER MURPHY FOR TIME
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But breeders say such efforts unfairly tarnish those who do treat their dogs well. Ken Brandt, a lobbyist for the Pennsylvania Professional Pet Breeders Association, complains that the activists won't be satisfied until all large breeders are shut down. "If we built the biggest kennel in the world, with carpet on the floor and a fireplace for the dogs, animal-rights people would say, 'Can't you make it bigger?'"

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Such arguments don't persuade U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. Santorum, who has a German shepherd named Schatzie, has long advocated stricter animal-care laws, which regulate the basic food, shelter and air quality that wholesalers must provide for animals. He says his state's dubious distinction as the "Puppy-Mill Capital of the East" is part of what motivates him to press for change. In May, he introduced the federal Pet Animal Welfare Statute (PAWS), which would require anyone who sells more than 25 dogs a year to comply with the same inspections as large-scale wholesalers, who are regulated by the Animal Welfare Act. Inspectors measure the size of kennels or cages and make sure the living conditions are safe, clean and climate-controlled. Under PAWS, violators could face suspensions for as much as 60 days instead of the current 21-day maximum.

Even though Santorum has widespread support for PAWS among groups like the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Humane Society, there is a rift in the vast community of dog fanciers. Some believe that even midsize dog-breeding operations need regulation, and others are worried that those breeders, who pride themselves on the quality of the dogs they raise, often in their homes, would be put out of business.

That division over PAWS is especially obvious inside the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.), which registers nearly a million purebred dogs each year. The organization officially supports the bill, but many of its member clubs do not. Sam McDonald, an A.K.C. member in Chester Springs, Pa., says he thinks the legislation is fair because "if someone has more than 25 dogs, then there needs to be someone checking out what is going on."

But Margaret Crothers, an A.K.C. member in neighboring Lancaster, who raises Labrador retrievers, says the extra paperwork and inspections would be a nuisance for the "good breeders who are very conscientious." She argues that existing puppy lemon laws in 17 states, which require sellers to refund buyers of diseased dogs, along with local anticruelty statutes, provide enough protection.

Of course, there is another way to scale down puppy mills: cut back on the demand for the dogs grown in them. Adopting dogs from local shelters--a quarter of which are purebreds--would save some of the estimated 3 million dogs that are euthanized each year, and could result in a happy outcome for all involved.

BUYER BEWARE Here's how to make sure that your new puppy is happy and healthy

> SHOP AT A SHELTER Local shelters frequently have purebred dogs, like this rescued miniature pinscher, left, and ensure that all animals have had their shots and were checked by a veterinarian.

> DON'T BUY ONLINE It's smart to research the type of dog you want on the Web (at a site like akc.org) But to guarantee that you're getting the pet you expect, always visit the seller directly.