Pet Quality Assurance Law…
What, Why, How?

Many Oklahomans believe that regulation of dog dealing facilities is vital. These facilities are virtually unregulated; cruelty and neglect cases abound. The number of dog dealing/breeding facilities is on the increase, having roughly doubled in the last five years. Oklahoma has the second highest number of breeders/dealers in the nation, with a total of 721 combined.

Additionally, most high volume small animal cruelty cases in the last two years involved locations that call themselves, “rescue organizations,” in addition to being dog breeders/dealers. Unsound animals, consumer fraud, charities fraud, and animal neglect occur in connection with these cases.

Comprehensive oversight regulations must be created and placed with an agency that is certified in law enforcement. It is extremely difficult to get law enforcement involved in animal cruelty cases, especially in rural areas. Staffing shortages, a lack of information, local politics and more, create a quagmire that precludes enforcement in rural areas. Oklahoma is staffed at 54% of the national average for staffing of rural law enforcement. Additional regulations that require local law enforcement would be unenforceable.

WHAT?

Often called, “puppy mills,” some high volume dog breeders churn out puppies for retail markets in conditions appalling to most Oklahomans. Many avoid veterinarians. Dogs with serious genetic faults are used for breeding, resulting in heartbreak for consumers.

As high volume dog producers elsewhere have been forced to change their habits, many have come to Oklahoma, the only state with a large number of these facilities with no state regulations. Since 1999, the number of licensed USDA facilities has roughly doubled here. Some dog breeders operate in clean facilities, provide exercise and proper care for the dogs, and remain in compliance with federal laws if required to do so. Unfortunately, many do not.

The USDA licenses Class A breeders and Class B dog dealers, both of which sell dogs wholesale. Class A breeders produce the animals that they sell. Class B dealers may produce the animals they sell or procure “random source,” dogs. Class B is connected with pet theft and theft by deception nationwide. The USDA does not regulate facilities that produce dogs for direct sales to the public, regardless of the number of animals they own or produce. Although according to the USDA, breeders/dealers producing animals to sell wholesale (for third party sales) are to be USDA registered, no effort is made to locate unregistered facilities. If not proven to sell wholesale, even with over 100 breeding dogs, these facilities are unregulated.

WHY?

Without state regulations, the growth of these facilities will remain unchecked; Oklahoma will continue to provide a Mecca to dog breeders, both good and bad, both licensed and unlicensed. Many facilities affect the communities they are in. While some provide jobs and revenue, others are a source of continuous complaints. State agencies and most humane organizations report a growing number of complaints involving high volume breeders, or “puppy mills.”

We support regulations that are created to be able to handle the comprehensive issues involved in this problem.

• Inspection officers must be certified in law enforcement
• Inspection officers must be charged with protection of consumers, not producers
• In other states, inspectors who are also dog breeders have lead to disastrous consequences for the inspection process. We want inspectors with no vested interest in any facility, and who have not held a breeder or dealer license during the previous five years, nor does/ has anyone in their immediate household

According to the US Department of Justice, sheriff’s departments in Oklahoma are operating at half the number of officers as compared to the remainder of the US. Many portions of the state, including those with the greatest number of high volume breeders, will be unable to have this legislation enforced.

A lack of regulation promotes fraud. Some facilities advertise that they are receiving agencies, or “rescue” organizations, in order to obtain more dogs. These bogus organizations conduct theft of pets as well as funds through deception. Yet, without regulations in place, no agency may assist the public or help people get their pets back if they realize they were duped.

Facilities with large numbers of animals that were removed by humane organizations, or seized by the courts, during the last two years, have included breeding facilities which were either unlicensed, had been denied their USDA licenses or had withdrawn their USDA application for licensure. The total number between three facilities that were featured in the news totaled 399 dogs, (212, 130 and 57 dogs respectively). Two of those had also advertised themselves as “rescue” organizations, seeking monetary or in-kind donations for their alleged goals in addition to receiving dogs that were relinquished by people who genuinely believed the animals would go into good care.

The lack of regulation has created a “dog soup” whereby dog dealers, breeders, and bogus rescue organizations contribute to ongoing, large-scale animal neglect cases that often continue for years. Regulations covering facilities that obtain dogs to resell, including breeders, dealers and private rescue organizations, are needed in Oklahoma. The issues involve neglect, cruelty, and fraud, and the regulatory agency should include staff that are certified in law enforcement in Oklahoma.

Currently, those breeders/dealers who maintain high quality facilities compete with those who use school busses or sheds to house animals that are bred continuously until unable to produce puppies. The lack of regulation provides a competitive edge for breeders who are on the bottom rung of the ladder.
Bogus organizations claiming to be rescuing animals take donations from legitimate non-profit efforts, often victimizing animals and the community in the process.

We need to support high quality breeders, and animal rescue facilities that are created to meet the expectations of the public that supports them through regulations that support good practices.