Joined
·
1,672 Posts
Nichole,
Thanks to your post I went to the USDA site and found it very interesting. www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/awlicreg.html
In a nutshell, they monitor and enforce the Animal Rights Act. Licensing runs $30-$750, depending upon the volume of the operation. Breeders who sell directly to the public are exempt but I couldn't determine in my brief overview if that was exempt from registration or exempt from licensing. The USDA makes periodic unannounced visits to inspect that all regulations regarding care and feeding and housing are met.
I would bet that operations like Hollybelle wouldn't even make it to the radar screen if they were licensed and/or registered with USDA. Like many government departments they probably just don't have enough inspectors to make the rounds of the Hollybelles. There certainly seems to be holes in the process large enough for the puppymills to walk through upright!
ANOTHER OPINION ONLY: We cannot expect and depend upon Government to do everything for us! We must do what we believe is right and we must be effective in what we do. Regulation only goes so far as evidenced by the Hollybelle fiasco. (I shouldn't say that because she only got 6 dogs classified as her pets returned to her. The others are not being returned to her, only designated as her property to sell) So it is not a fiasco YET. But is just shows how far regulations can go and we must work from the consumer/business side to shut these puppymills down and the least of us can do the most by not purchasing from pet stores who purchase from puppymills. I used Maltese as an example in my earlier post because our forum is fairly breed specific and we are out in public with our furbabies which makes us pretty noticable and we attract attention. This gives us an automatic public forum to educate, illuminate and further protect these animals. The word Maltese can be exchanged for Beagle, Yorkie, etc.
My point is that, imagine this, EVERYONE on this forum pledges not to purchase from pet stores or puppymills and to make a brief statement to the public at every reasonable opportunity about the pet store/puppymill connection. Then, other breed specific forums learn about and also take the pledge. If you break the pledge you are forbidden from posting your furbabies picture.
A ripple that travels across the sea can start with a single stone thrown into that sea.
Thanks to your post I went to the USDA site and found it very interesting. www.aphis.usda.gov/ac/awlicreg.html
In a nutshell, they monitor and enforce the Animal Rights Act. Licensing runs $30-$750, depending upon the volume of the operation. Breeders who sell directly to the public are exempt but I couldn't determine in my brief overview if that was exempt from registration or exempt from licensing. The USDA makes periodic unannounced visits to inspect that all regulations regarding care and feeding and housing are met.
I would bet that operations like Hollybelle wouldn't even make it to the radar screen if they were licensed and/or registered with USDA. Like many government departments they probably just don't have enough inspectors to make the rounds of the Hollybelles. There certainly seems to be holes in the process large enough for the puppymills to walk through upright!
ANOTHER OPINION ONLY: We cannot expect and depend upon Government to do everything for us! We must do what we believe is right and we must be effective in what we do. Regulation only goes so far as evidenced by the Hollybelle fiasco. (I shouldn't say that because she only got 6 dogs classified as her pets returned to her. The others are not being returned to her, only designated as her property to sell) So it is not a fiasco YET. But is just shows how far regulations can go and we must work from the consumer/business side to shut these puppymills down and the least of us can do the most by not purchasing from pet stores who purchase from puppymills. I used Maltese as an example in my earlier post because our forum is fairly breed specific and we are out in public with our furbabies which makes us pretty noticable and we attract attention. This gives us an automatic public forum to educate, illuminate and further protect these animals. The word Maltese can be exchanged for Beagle, Yorkie, etc.
My point is that, imagine this, EVERYONE on this forum pledges not to purchase from pet stores or puppymills and to make a brief statement to the public at every reasonable opportunity about the pet store/puppymill connection. Then, other breed specific forums learn about and also take the pledge. If you break the pledge you are forbidden from posting your furbabies picture.
