Reading Kim Evans' letter in Tuesday's paper you would think HB1468 was a needed and wonderful bill. I would encourage every dog owner and lover to go online and read this bill and think about it. It is more than a puppy mill bill. Go to gov.com, click on State & Local, Indiana, general assembly, Bills & Resolutions. Put in 1468 and read the dark print which shows what they are changing. HSUS is not your local humane shelters.
The general population may not know that to sell to a broker or pet shop you have to be USDA inspected. They have rules and regulations in place on housing, etc. that have to be met. They are in the kennels once a year. They can take care of abuse. Also, if selling AKC puppies, a AKC rep will visit your kennel every year. If there is neglect or abuse, they can pull papers and reports.
Look under regulation 7 (2). This could affect you, your children or grandchildren who want one litter of puppies. Most breeds can or will have a litter of five. You would be considered a pet dealer with a lot of regulations.
Microchips required on all puppies. Might be a good idea, but do you want to be told you have to have it done?
Animal activists are always talking about secrecy. Vets recommend not letting people walk through your kennels because of the disease factor. This is general in most livestock operations.
This bill is advocating breeding practices that are beyond what vets have said is OK. If you don't have healthy, well-fed dogs, they are like any other animal, they will not produce, gain, lay or milk as good. In this case, you won't have nice, good-looking puppies that people will love.
Kennels are a legitimate business. If a kennel is set up for more than 30 and can take care of them, either through owner or hired workers, is it really right to be limiting them on how many they can have?
Just as there are good parents and bad, there will always be some that do not take care of them just as we would. This is the real world. You do not penalize everyone for a very few.
