Breeders Say Puppy Mill Regulation Bill Will Put Them Out Of Business

Pet breeders across the state are up in arms over a new law that will take effect January 1. The new rules are aimed at making puppy mills more humane, but breeders say there's no way they can meet all the demands proposed by the state.

Thursday, December 9th 2010, 11:02 pm

By: News 9


Rusty Surette, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Pet breeders across the state are up in arms over a new law that will take effect January 1. The new rules are aimed at making puppy mills more humane, but breeders say there's no way they can meet all the demands proposed by the state.

Oklahoma's new Board of Commercial Pet Breeders is in charge of writing the new rules for puppy mills, but before the rules are finalized the board asked for public input at a meeting Thursday night.

"It's not going to work. The rules you have written will not work. All that these rules will do is act to put all these people out of business," said one speaker.

And that's the message a few hundred pet breeders wanted to get across. They feel Oklahoma's crackdown on puppy and cat mills is unconstitutional and does more harm than good.

Critics of the new law say kennel operators are being forced to dump animals because they can't comply with the rules. Some want out of the business all together simply because the fees and demands are too much.

One speaker asked everyone at the meeting if their kennel will meet the rules and regulations to stand up. Not one person stood up.

Proponents say the Commercial Pet Breeders Act is aimed at cleaning up the bad mills, but legit operators say it targets them too and if they go out of business, others will also a hit.

"This is not just our lives. But this is everybody, like they said the vets, the feed store. I spend $2,000 a month on the top quality dog food. That's $2,000 a month they're not going to be making here in Oklahoma," said one breeder.

The law requires basic necessities like food and clean water, adequate shelter and veterinary care.

Breeders must also pay for fees and be licensed. They must also get a sales tax permit so the Oklahoma Tax Commission can track their sales.

Violations will result in a misdemeanor and fine. The rules only apply to breeders who own 11 or more breeding females.

The chairman of the Pet Breeders Board said the concerns and suggestions mentioned at the meeting will be taken into consideration as the committee continues to hammer out the final revisions of the new law.

The biggest concern is the cost of all these new fees and licenses.

Read the Commercial Pet Breeders Act, which goes into law January 1.

More: Puppy Mill Regulation Bill Signed into Law

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