It has been just over 2 years since the city of New York passed a law restricting pet stores to selling only dogs obtained from breeders licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture or from shelters/rescues.
Yesterday the Second Circuit – one of the most important appellate courts in the country – upheld that ruling.
BREAKING: Today, the USDA re-posted some of the animal welfare data that had been removed from their website on February…
Posted by The Humane Society of the United States – Puppy Mills Campaign on Friday, February 24, 2017
The law prohibits pet stores from sourcing dogs from middlemen brokers who conceal their origin. In addition to holding a USDA license, breeders who hope to sell their puppies to pet stores are also required to have a solid record of compliance with the Animal Welfare Act.
John Goodwin, director of the puppy mills campaign for The Humane Society of the United States, in the January Rolling…
Posted by Puppy Mill Free Arizona on Friday, January 6, 2017
The federal court found that the law advanced important local interests to reduce animal abuse and decrease the number of dogs dying in shelters. Breeders and pet store owners claim that it places unlawful burdens on out-of-state business transactions, but the court declared that claim unfounded. In a statement, the Second Circuit stated:
“The law was passed to address a tangle of problems surrounding the companion animal business—including irresponsible breeding of animals destined for the City market, their subsequent sale to unwitting consumers, and an overpopulation of unwanted animals,”
The puppy mill dogs need your voice today! We must keep up the pressure on the USDA over the sudden removal of animal…
Posted by The Humane Society of the United States – Puppy Mills Campaign on Monday, February 13, 2017
It’s an important victory in the fight to end cruel and inhumane breeding practices, but it is dependent on the USDA database of Animal Welfare Act violations in order to function. The recent USDA decision to block public and local law enforcement access to the online database will certainly impede the enforcement of the New York law, and others like it around the country.
A similar law has been on the books in Palm Beach County, Florida for about a year, yet a recent Humane Society investigation found that several pet stores in the area have continued to buy puppies from breeders with serious animal welfare violations. It also discovered that some stores failed to comply with disclosure laws requiring that they inform potential buyers where their puppies came from.
These types of laws are difficult enough to enforce. Now, without access to the USDA database of animal welfare inspections, it will be virtually impossible. The Humane Society of the United States continues to push the USDA to restore its records, as well as fight for the rights of all animals.
We can all do our part by calling the USDA and asking them to replace pet breeder inspection reports on their website ASAP! The good news is that similar laws restricting the sale of puppy mill dogs and encouraging rescue and adoption are popping up all over the country from California to New Jersey, saving countless lives.
H/T to HumaneSociety.org
Featured Images via Facebook/The Humane Society of the United States – Puppy Mill Campaign
