The Pet Quality Assurance Act
What is was...and what happened?
The Pet Quality Assurance Act (PQA) was a piece of legislation introduced in the 2009 session of the Oklahoma legislature by Rep. Lee Denney, DVM (R-Cushing) in order to address the horrific and growing unregulated puppy trade in Oklahoma.
The PQA (or House Bill 1332) would have mandated that all facilities breeding, selling, transferring or adopting out over 25 dogs, cats, kittens or puppies in a year meet, at a minimum, USDA standards for care, facilities and record keeping.
For those who are not familiar with these standards of care, under USDA regulations, a dog must have a cage which is at least 6 inches longer and taller than the dog itself. And it can remain in that cage for life. A cat must have at least a cage of twelve inches by 18 inches, with some additional inches while she is nursing kittens.
Under the minimal USDA standards, cleanliness is mandated and there must be veterinary records as well.
Oklahoma has over 12 percent of all USDA licensed dog dealers in the US. However, USDA licensing is mandated only for breeders who sell their puppies to another entity to then be resold, such as to a broker to be sold to a pet store. If the breeder sells directly to the public, in Oklahoma they do not have to comply with any regulations at all.
When the animals are no longer used by the breeder, in Oklahoma they are usually abandoned, shot or sold at auction for a few dollars to be used for one more litter or for dog fighting bait. A very few leave the auctions to go to rescue.
Oklahoma is currently the only state to have a large number of federally licensed high volume breeders to have no state regulations in place; this invites those that cannot meet the standards in their own states to come here.
There were no mandates proposed beyond the minimum USDA standards, yet the dog breeding industry along with some unscrupulous, “rescue organizations,” opposed the regulations vehemently. False information was quickly circulated which claimed that the bill would prohibit dog shows, would make it illegal for people to drive with a dog in their car and one person even circulated rumors that it would become legal for police to enter the homes of pet owners to take away their dogs. Out-of-state breeding entities turned to cyber-terrorism, deliberately circulating rumors intended to stop the passage of laws to protect dogs used in puppy mills at any costs.
Why do we need it?
Puppy mills, fraudulent rescue organizations and those collecting and reselling dogs for fighting and more operate with impunity in Oklahoma. Consumers are often heartbroken to find that the unvaccinated puppy they purchased for thousands of dollars was shipped to them with parvo or distemper. They are faced with paying up to thousands of dollars or losing their new puppy. Hundreds of dogs and cats have been removed from fraudulent rescue organizations during the last five years.
Instead of passing regulations like other high volume breeder states, Oklahoma has allowed horrific cruelty to be addressed by local law enforcement after the animals are dying instead of preventing it through basic regulations.
Instead of paying taxes as a business, Oklahoma dog breeders evade taxes, licensing and reasonable care of their animals.
Who opposed it?
The American Kennel Club (AKC) opposed having Oklahoma breeders comply with the minimal USDA standards of care, the American Canine Association (ACA) President, Bob Yarnall flew to Oklahoma to lobby against the bill and the Oklahoma Pet Professionals opposed the bill. One airline sent a representative to Oklahoma to meet with representatives to discuss the impact on puppy shipments (Oklahoma has the second and third highest puppy shipping points in the world).
Some poor quality rescue organizations also fought desperately to stop the bill, claiming that compliance with these minimal standards would close down their rescue facilities. Oklahoma Animal Interests Alliance opposed the bill while distributing information that explained that they oppose the passage of any animal welfare laws at all.
As the largest state housing clandestine (unlicensed breeders), those who have an interest in keeping an, “outlaw state,” in the Midwest saw our basic regulations as a call to arms and they are listed above.
What happened?
The PQA passed the Oklahoma house by a margin of 74 to 26; it then passed the Oklahoma senate by 14 to 5. And with overwhelming support from Oklahomans, the bill went into a conference committee where it died because some legislators refused to sign it out of committee in the final week of the session.
What can you do?
Please send a warm thank you to Representative Lee Denney, DVM, for her unwavering commitment to this issue, and for her compassion for the dogs and cats that languish in tiny cages and covered with filth, waiting for someone to care. Dr Denney is a hero to those involved in the effort to stop the cruelty of puppy mills.
Contact Dr. Denney at: leedenney@okhouse.gov or leave her a personal message of thanks at: 405-557-7304.
Please contact Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry at:
http://www.gov.ok.gov/message.php
Please contact Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach at:
2800 N. Lincoln Blvd,
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Phone (405)521-3864
FAX (405)522-4912
Please contact the committee members (listed below) to let them know that if they were one of the senators who signed the bill in the conference, you appreciate their support and that you consider this a very important issue. If not, you hope they will reconsider the way this makes Oklahoma appear across the rest of the nation. It has not been possible to date to find out who signed and who refused. Please tell them know that it is tragic for Oklahoma to be unwilling to protect the unfortunate dogs that are used for years and years in high volume breeding kennels.
What to say:
Dear…….
I am appalled to learn that Oklahoma lacks state regulations of high volume breeding kennels commonly called puppy mills. There is no way to prevent the cruelty that is a part of this industry without basic regulations and it is vital for consumers to understand that they are taking a big risk by buying a pet from a breeder in Oklahoma.
Please support regulations of high volume dog dealers and rescues that mirror the regulations throughout the nation.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Senator Mike Johnson – Chair (405) 521-5592 johnsonm@oksenate.gov
Senator David Myers – Vice Chair (405) 521-5628 ingraham@oksenate.gov
Senator Patrick Anderson (405) 521-5630 anderson@oksenate.gov
Senator Randy Bass (405) 521-5567 bass@oksenate.gov
Senator Brian Bingman (405) 521-5528 bingman@oksenate.gov
Senator Randy Brogdon (405) 521-5566 brogdon@oksenate.gov
Senator Kenneth Corn (405) 521-5576 cochran@oksenate.gov
Senator Brian Crain (405) 521-5620 crain@oksenate.gov
Senator Johnnie Crutchfield (405) 521-5607 bigger@oksenate.gov
Senator Mary Easley (405) 521-5590 easley@oksenate.gov
Senator John Ford(405) 521-5634 fordj@oksenate.gov
Senator Jay Paul Gumm (405) 521-5586 gumm@oksenate.gov
Senator James Halligan (405) 521.5572 halligan@oksenate.gov
Senator Ron Justice (405) 521-5537 justice@oksenate.gov
Senator Charlie Laster (405) 521-5539 laster@oksenate.gov
Senator Debbe Leftwich (405) 521-5557 holland@oksenate.gov
Senator Richard Lerblance (405) 521-5604 lerblance@oksenate.gov
Senator Mike Mazzei (405) 521-5675 mazzei@oksenate.gov
Senator Susan Paddack(405) 521-5541 paddack@oksenate.gov
Senator Jim Reynolds(405) 521-5522 reynolds@oksenate.gov
Senator Gary Stanislawski (405) 521-5624 stanislawski@oksenate.gov
Senator Anthony Sykes (405) 521-5569 lewis@oksenate.gov
Senator Jim Wilson(405) 521-5574 wilson@oksenate.gov
Senator Glenn Coffee – Ex Officio (405) 521-5799 coffee@oksenate.gov
Senator Todd Lamb – Ex Officio(405) 521-5632 lamb@oksenate.gov