TAKE ACTION in MD Now: Stop Puppy Mills/ Rob's letter to MD Legislators

A sickly dog in a filthy, typical puppy mill

On March 29, there was a hearing on a bill to combat puppy mills.HB 1662 proposes banning the sale of commercially bred dogs and cats in retail pet stores in Maryland. This is an historic event—no similar legislation has ever made it this far in Maryland.  So, I wrote to all of the MD Senators to urge them to support it: 

Please support HB 1662. As someone who has worked in Dachshund and Weimaraner rescue for 10 years, I've rescued dogs from the vile conditions of puppy mills. Puppy mills need to be stopped and HB 1662 proposes banning the sale of commercially bred dogs and cats in retail pet stores in Maryland. People who want a breed can go to reputable breeders. Please stop this third party sale of pets. They have the same emotions, feelings and intelligence of young human children and no living thing should endure suffering. 

Thank you.  - Rob 

TAKE ACTION NOW IN MARYLAND MARCH 31: HB 1662 is now in the Senate Finance Committee. Please contact them to voice your support for this bill. We are also requesting that you contact your Senators because once it moves out of the Finance Committee it can move quickly to the floor of the Senate for a vote.

WHAT IS A PUPPY MILL? A puppy mill is an inhumane, commercial dog-breeding facility in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits.

What is The HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE U.S.  doing about puppy mills?

The HSUS takes a stand against puppy mills on all possible levels, including supporting legislative changes, conducting investigations and litigation, and promoting public awareness and education. The HSUS also works with local authorities when called upon to help shut down the most abusive puppy mills.

typical puppy mill cage conditions

What about anti-cruelty laws? Don't those affect puppy mills?

Although all 50 states have anti-cruelty laws intended to prevent neglect and mistreatment of dogs, most large-scale breeding facilities continue to operate in ways that mock these laws.  In many cases, dogs in puppy mills are kept in physically and emotionally damaging conditions under which an individual pet dog would never be allowed to suffer. Anti-cruelty laws are seldom applied to puppy mills as long as the animals have the rudimentary basics of shelter, food, and water. Puppy mill dogs are often treated as agricultural "crops" and not as pets. (THIS IS RIDICULOUS) 

For more information about Puppy Mills from the U.S. Humane Society:
http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/puppy_mills/qa/puppy_mill_FAQs.html?credit=web_id80597225#definition