A State by State Comparison
Arkansas
Population: 2,779,154
361 Class A dealers, 34 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: No license required; no inspections
Covered Operations: None specified
Agency Charged with Oversight: None specified
Coverage Information: None specified
Iowa
Population: 2,966,334
412 Class A dealers, 67 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: License required ($30 fee for boarding kennel; $40 fee for commercial kennel, public auction, commercial breeder; $50 fee for pet shop; $100 fee for dealer); no inspections
Covered Operations: Pet shop, commercial kennel, public auction, dealer, commercial breeder, boarding kennel
Agency Charged with Oversight: Animal Warden
Exemptions: Federally-licensed facilities need only apply for a certificate of registration ($20 fee) and are not subject to any other rules
Coverage Information: Sanitation, space, structure, nutrition
Kansas
Population: 2,744,687
426 Class A dealers, 73 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: License required (Up to $75 fee for hobby breeder/kennel operator; Up to $150 fee for federally-licensed facility; Up to $300 fee for all others); inspections to be conducted
Covered Operations: Animal distributor, pet shop, pound or animal shelter, hobby breeder, research facility, kennel operator, animal breeder, retail breeder
Agency Charged with Oversight: Livestock Commissioner appointed by Kansas animal health board
Exemptions: Federally-licensed facilities need only follow USDA rules on animal care
Coverage Information: Sanitation, space, structure, nutrition, humane care
Missouri
Population: 5,800,310
1556 Class A dealers, 166 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: License required ($100 to $500 fee; animal shelters and pounds exempt from fee); inspections to be conducted
Covered Operations: Animal shelter, pound or dog pound, boarding kennel, commercial kennel, contract kennel, pet shop, exhibition facility (other than a limited show or exhibit), dealer, or commercial breeder, non-profit organizations
Agency Charged with Oversight: Animal Welfare Official/State Veterinarian
Exemptions: Persons engaged in breeding dogs and cats who harbor three or less intact females, or a hobby or show breeder.
Coverage Information: Sanitation, ventilation, nutrition
Missouri laws cover both for- and non-profit operations that deal with animals. Reviews of enforcement practices in Missouri have revealed major problems.
A 2001 audit by the State Auditor of Missouri revealed corruption, listing "spotty state inspections with few sanctions; appearance of conflicts of interests of top management; state inspections less thorough than federal inspections; and lax program performance measures." The report explains, “State program officials would rather 'encourage' breeders to improve, rather than issue sanctions. This philosophy means inspectors often tell breeders about violations rather than recording or fining them. Such a practice leaves the program little paper trail to track violations and breeders little incentive to correct problems.”
Additionally, the report noted, "The program coordinator and an inspector, both responsible for monitoring Missouri's breeding industry, were former commercial breeders. They are still involved in the industry through their wives, who now run their former businesses."
Nebraska
Population: 1,758,787
163 Class A dealers, 13 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: License required ($150 fee); inspections to be conducted
Covered Operations: Commercial breeder, dealer, boarding kennel, animal control facility, animal shelter, pet shop
Agency Charged with Oversight: State Veterinarian, Bureau of Animal Industry, Nebraska Department of Agriculture Oklahoma
Exemptions: A person who owns or harbors three or fewer unaltered dogs or cats for breeding purposes; a person who sells, exchanges, or leases thirty or less dogs or cats in a twelve-month period if all such dogs or cats are sold, exchanged, or leased to a final owner rather than for later retail sale or brokered trading.
Coverage Information: Sanitation, veterinary care, space, structure, shelter, temperature, nutrition, humane care and handling, exercise, socialization, transport
Ohio
Population: 11,464,042
160 Class A dealers, 40 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: Registration required ($10 fee, which can be raised by individual counties); no inspections
Covered Operations: Kennel - defined as a person, partnership, firm, company, or corporation professionally engaged in the business of breeding dogs for hunting or for sale
Agency Charged with Oversight: County Auditor
Coverage Information: None specified
Oklahoma
Population: 3,547,884
659 Class A dealers, 62 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: No license required; no inspections
Covered Operations: None specified
Agency Charged with Oversight: None specified
Coverage Information: None specified
Pennsylvania
Population: 12,429,616
171 Class A dealers, 49 Class B dealers
Licensing & Inspections: License required (Breeding kennel: $75 fee for up to 50 dogs,
$200 fee for 51-100 dogs, $300 fee for 101-150 dogs, $400 fee for 151+ dogs;
Boarding kennel: $100 fee for up to 10 dogs, $150 fee for 11-25 dogs, $250 fee for 26+ dogs;
Nonprofit: $25 fee); inspections to be conducted
Covered Operations: Any person who keeps or operates a breeding kennel,
boarding kennel or nonprofit kennel; dogs only
Agency Charged with Oversight: Department of Agriculture
Coverage Information: Sanitation, humane care