Oklahoma is not OK!!!

Puppy mills are a hidden secret across all of Oklahoma. Found in garages in Oklahoma County, in boarded up trailers in Tulsa County and in all rural portions of our state, small cages filled with dogs that often live in darkness and filth are a growing problem in OK.

This problem is on the rise here, and the implications of it are growing. Without legislation that regulates high volume dog breeders, Oklahoma’s problems will grow.

Responding to serious violations of humane laws, consumer complaints stemming from genetically flawed puppies, and concerns about zoonotic health issues (diseases that may be transmitted from animals to people), other states have enacted high volume breeder legislation. And many breeders that were unable to meet these regulations elsewhere simply flocked to Oklahoma.

The number of licensed high volume breeders in Oklahoma has increased by over 70% since 2000; the number of unlicensed (or clandestine) breeders has grown even faster and is estimated to be in the thousands.

Puppy mills are high volume dog breeders that cross the line of greed, operating in conditions of filth and with little to no regard for the health or safety of the animals they use. “Spent,” dogs are consigned at the growing number of dog auctions in our state.

Contrary to what many claim, most high volume breeders oppose increasing mandatory humane standards. For example, the AKC and other registries successfully opposed changes to the USDA regulations which would have created mandatory, ‘exercise,’ time periods for dogs in these facilities.  Allowing the dogs out of their cages for brief periods of time would have been an enormous quality of life issue for these pets. 

This issue is growing and without state regulations of all facilities that transact over 25 dogs, cats, kittens or puppies in a year, the tragedies will continue to grow.