The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a number of responsibilities and authorities, among them the oversight of dog breeders, often referred to as “puppy mills.” Certainly, there are humane and reputable breeders, who care for the animals they breed as well as their offspring, and do their best to ensure the puppies they sell are healthy for when they go off to their new owners.
But in far too many cases, these puppy mills are true mills–factories–where animals are cruelly abused and neglected, getting little or no health care, underfed, sick, in pain, confined in cages too small to even stand or turn, with pups being sent off to their new families with terrible, even fatal illnesses.
Named after a Golden Retriever (“Goldie”) who suffered extreme neglect and died at a “USDA-licensed” puppy mill in Iowa where she was known only as No. 142, the Goldie’s Act law will require the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide lifesaving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect.
I’ve generally opposed breeders, even good ones, because I know that there are millions of homeless dogs in shelters, thousands of whom are killed each day because the shelters ostensibly “run out of space.” And that’s because humans, far too often, selfishly insist on owning purebred dogs (who may not in fact be) or specific breeds, and simply ignore of the plight of so many beautiful angels suffering in shelters.
But until now, even I didn’t know how corrupt the USDA is, not just in ignoring its job to regulate and oversee breeders, but even corruptly covering up horrific crimes of animal cruelty: “Yet, days after the DOJ negotiated surrender of the [4000] beagles [from a USDA-licensed business, Envigo, where the USDA documented horrific cruelty during “routine inspections” over several months, including dead dogs, starving dogs, dogs in dangerous conditions, and dogs in need of veterinary care], the USDA renewed the company’s license for another year, and a shocking new report from Reuters revealed that senior USDA leaders went to great lengths to cover up both Envigo’s [cruel and horrific] treatment of the dogs, and the agency’s own refusal to protect the animals.”
TELL YOUR LAWMAKERS: Pass “Goldie’s Act,” protect the puppies, mommies, and daddies, and HOLD THE USDA ACCOUNTABLE!
On Monday evening January 13, 2020, the Township Council of Old Bridge, NJ heard a presentation from two gentlemen who are opening a Petland pet store in the township. Their presentation, complete with story boards and photos, extolled the “wonderful, humane and sanitary” conditions under which the breeders from which they’d source animals operate. They cited the approval of these “fine” breeders by the USDA and verified by inspections. Their descriptions of these breeders sounded as though the animals were living in the Ritz Carlton.
Well, they’re not.
And moments later, a virtual parade of public speakers testified that these breeders are in fact, inhumane prisons where animals are treated with unbelievable and painful cruelty, used as virtual machines to pump out puppies that are then sold to the unsuspecting public for hundreds or thousands of dollars.
To their credit, many of the opposing speakers said they assumed positive intent on the art of the proprietors, and that they not only did not oppose the opening of the store, but supported it. What they opposed was allowing the store to sell puppies that would almost certainly come from these cruel and inhumane breeders. Several said that they felt that the proprietors have been duped. We must agree. And this must not be allowed to go forward.
If you want to learn more about these cruel, greedy and inhumane breeders, take a gander here.
More contact information to express your opposition will soon be posted.