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dog-breeding facility in which the health of the dogs is disregarded in order to maintain a low overhead and maximize profits. Therefore, a breeding operation with a large number of dogs is not necessarily a puppy mill. Some states have a permitting or licensing procedure for large-scale breeding facilities. Puppy mills use many methods to sell their dogs to the public. Some puppy mills sell to pet stores, who then resell the puppies. Others sell to brokers, who purchase large numbers of puppies and then resell them to pet stores. However, many of the puppy mills you will encounter sell directly to the public through the internet, ads in local papers or flea markets. Which laws apply in puppy mill cases? Puppy mills are subject to the same cruelty laws as individual owners. The care of the animals is at issue here, not the number of animals. However, your jurisdiction might have additional laws that apply to these operations. Here is how other governing bodies address puppy mills: • The USDA: The USDA has oversight of large-scale breeding operations if the dogs are sold to a pet store or a broker. It recently added a rule for breeders that sell puppies to the public sight unseen using the internet, mail or phone. However, the USDA does not have jurisdiction over breeders who have fewer than five breeding females and/or who sell directly to the public face-to-face, including those who sell at flea markets. It is important to note that the USDA does not have jurisdiction over state cruelty laws, and you are obligated to enforce violations of your state’s cruelty code even if the USDA has licensed the breeder. • The state department of agriculture: Several states have a licensing procedure through the state department of agriculture that requires large-scale breeding operations to adhere to certain standards of care in order to maintain 58 The Humane Society of the United States clean and safe conditions for the welfare of the dogs. These laws are designed to protect the health of the animals, the public and the environment. In the bestcase scenario, law enforcement works hand in hand with the department of agriculture to address cruelty and other violations in these operations. Many counties, cities and towns also have ordinances that address dog breeding kennels. A few states also stipulate a maximum number of dogs that can be kept at a single commercial breeding facility. In Louisiana, a breeder may not maintain more than 75 breeding dogs at a facility. In Virginia, Oregon and Washington, the limit is 50 breeding dogs. Specialized considerations These violations are commonly seen in puppy mill cases: • Failure to provide proper shelter • Failure to provide sanitary living conditions • Failure to provide veterinary care • Failure to provide clean or sufficient food and/or water • Failure to provide adequate space (i.e., enough space that animals can turn around and lie down in a natural position) • Failure to maintain the animal in such a way as to prevent unnecessary pain and/ or suffering, including failing to provide adequate protection from harsh weather or allowing conditions such as excessive matting, severely overgrown toenails and other basic neglect that causes pain and discomfort to the animal The most common violation in commercial breeding facilities where cruelty exists is the failure to provide required veterinary care. Animals often have automatic feeders and waterers, which might ensure that they’re getting a supply of food and water, but often the most basic general care is neglected. These dogs may be infected with internal and external parasites, have sores on their feet from the wire mesh flooring often Specialized cases


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