Puppy Mill Reform Bill Passes!

A few weeks ago we were watching an episode of Oprah (it's true). The focus was partly on puppy mills and the terrible conditions in which dogs are made to suffer under. Oprah was reaching out asking for help, especially for help changing law in PA. In PA, among other things, it's legal for puppy mill owners to kill their dogs in inhumane ways. This summer a PA puppy mill owner executed 70 dogs after an wardens required him to have them examined by a vet (link to story click here). There is no legal recourse what-so-ever. A terrible tragedy.

Because of the outcry from people around the globe there is good news in PA. See below...

ASPCA - PA: Governor Rendell of PA signed HB 2525 into law the night of Thursday, October 9. There is expected to be a bill-signing ceremony sometime next week.



The puppy mill reform bill, in a landslide vote of 49 to 1. Because there were amendments, the bill had to return to the House of Representatives for concurrence, but the House acted swiftly, passing the final version by a vote of 183 to 7 at around 7:00 P.M. Rep. Art Hershey, an outspoken foe of HB 2525, excused himself from voting at the last minute.

HB 2525 doubles the cage space required for dogs in Pennsylvania’s commercial breeding facilities, prohibits wire flooring and the stacking of cages, mandates exercise for all dogs, orders that ALL dogs receive veterinary care every six months, and requires that animals be humanely euthanized by licensed veterinarians. This legislation will have an enormously positive impact on the lives of tens of thousands of dogs in Pennsylvania’s puppy mills.

Governor Ed Rendell is expected to sign HB 2525 into law before the end of October. The rules regarding euthanasia will go into effect immediately—meaning that it will no longer be legal for people to shoot their own dogs in Pennsylvania.

Find out more here: ASPCA - Puppy Mill Reform Bill Passes!