URGENT: Puppy Mill Legislation is in danger

URGENT:  Puppy Mill Legislation is in danger 

Help us support a great start to making sure all dogs and puppies are safe and properly cared for in Oklahoma.

Information is provided to us by Ruth Steinberger

Puppy mills in rural Oklahoma have worked hard to make themselves into a symbol of the struggle to, “do what we want,” and be left alone.  This is a pretty odd twist, but diverting the puppy mill issue away from solid facts can well serve an industry that relies on secrecy and misinformation to keep both dogs and consumers in the dark.  

Oklahoma puppy mills are not something to be proud of. Dogs and puppies have starved, ammonia scalded their eyes to the point of blindness and some froze to death in outdoor facilities; yet high volume breeders cry foul at the notion of basic puppy mill regulations which are consistent with other puppy producing states.    

Please read these portions of the proposed regulations and then contact the ag committee members listed on the bottom of this site and tell them to please pass the proposed rules so Oklahoma can move past this sad chapter.
Puppy Mill type breeders are getting a number of bills introduced to amend or repeal SB 1712 or the rules of SB 1712.  As long as amendments and consideration of additional legislation continues, it will stop the forward progress being made on addressing the publicly known sub-standard dog breeding problem in the state ofOklahoma.  Please go to our volunteer web site under “Speak Up For Pet Rights” tab and learn more of what you can do to “speak for those who cannot speak for themselves”.  Here are some bills that have already been introduced to amend or repeal SB 1712: 

•  
  • SB 637: Senator Wyrick: disapproves SB 1712 rules
  •  
  • SB 773: Senator Fields: amends SB 1712 rules, exempts USDA breeders from fees, puts final rule approval under the Department of Agriculture
  •  
  • SB 15: Senator Brecheen: repeals SB 1712
  •  
  • SB 128 Senator Schulz: exempts sporting dogs and working dogs from regulation under SB 1712 

Basics of the Proposed Regulations

These are the basic requirements asked by SB 1712 that puppy mills do not want to abide by: 
532: 15-2-1.  Food and water requirements; storage of food
(a) Water.    Commercial pet breeders shall provide access to potable water to pets as often as necessary to ensure their health and well-being.  Commercial pet breeders that do not provide pets constant access to water shall offer water to pets at least three times daily for at least 1 hour each time…
(b) Feeding.  Commercial pet breeders shall feed pets at least once each day…
(c) Food and water receptacles.  Commercial pet breeders shall use food and water receptacles to deliver food and water to pets…  (they cannot throw the dog food on the floor any longer)

532:15-2-2.  Housing facilities
(a) General.  Commercial pet breeders shall house pets in housing facilities that at all times keep the pets dry, protect pets from exposure to the elements, extreme weather conditions, or hazards that could endanger the pets…
(b) Cover, shade, and temperatures.  Commercial pet breeders shall house animals in housing facilities that shelter pets from direct sunlight and extreme heat.  Exterior housing facilities shall include shaded or covered areas large enough to fit all pets simultaneously…Commercial pet breeders shall not keep pets in an exterior or sheltered housing facility when the temperature in the facility falls below 50 °F (10 °C) unless the pets are acclimated to lower temperatures, and can withstand such temperatures without stress and discomfort,

532: 15-2-3.  Primary enclosures 
(a) Size requirements for dogs.
(1) Commercial pet breeders may house up to six dogs who have been removed from their whelping box in the same primary enclosure,   primary enclosure must provide at least the following amount of square feet of floor space:
(A) For an enclosure containing one dog, the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; divided the product by 144, times 2.  Mathematically, the space the commercial pet breeder must provide for the first dog equals 2 × [(length of dog in inches + 6) × (length of dog in inches + 6)/144].
(B) For an enclosure containing two dogs, the mathematical square of the sum of the length of the dog in inches (measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail) plus 6 inches; divided the product by 144, times 3.  Mathematically, the space the commercial pet breeder must provide for the first dog equals 3 × [(length of dog in inches + 6) × (length of dog in inches + 6)/144].
(C) For an enclosure containing three dogs…

532:15-2-4. Waste removal and sanitization 
(a) Generally.  Commercial pet breeders shall sanitize at least once every week…
(b) Waste Removal.  Commercial pet breeders shall remove excreta, discarded food, and any type of waste daily from all surfaces that pets may reach…

Food for Thought

Puppy mills are not about agriculture… they are a way that some people can make a living keeping animals in filth while they evade taxes.  
From hairdressing to plumbing, businesses operate within the framework of regulations that protect the public while also protecting the business from those who would operate in a manner so substandard that no good player could compete any longer.   The breeders who claim to be reputable should know this; if they are as reputable as they say they would welcome rules which send the low-budget competition packing out of town.  Either they are foolishly defending their competition or are actually defending substandard practices on their own behalf.
Yes, puppy mill operators along with a few legislators have framed the right to operate a puppy mill right up there with defending the constitution; this charade plays out at the expense of the public, Oklahoma’s taxpayers and dogs which currently lack the meager safeguards laid out in the proposed Oklahoma Commercial Pet Breeders regulations.

Now, You Can Speak for Those who cannot Speak for Themselves

Here is your chance to help ensure SB 1712 and its proposed rules move forward by contacting both your legislators, as well as the senators on the Agricultural Committee.
Let them know by either calling or emailing to please help Oklahoma move forward by ending the inhumane treatment of puppy mills.  Click here to find your legislators.  Their decisions are based on what they hear from the public – so speak up for our pet’s rights for fair treatment.  Don’t wait, express your support before the Agricultural committee meeting on Monday.
Please post this on your Facebook and Twitter status to help us spread the word on how everyone can “speak for those who cannot speak for themselves”.

Learn what a Puppy Mill and Speak up for the Pets!!

Tulsa SPCA newest video of a couple of puppy mill breeder rescues.  Music by Chris Gormley & Daylight for Deadeyes, this is a great theme speaks for the pets on this video.  Reasons to support SB 1712.
2 Works For You reports on Puppy Mills: Breeders flood local rescue groups with dogs.
Tulsa World reports on how SB 1712 is being targeted - Don't Let This Happen:  Pet Breeder Act Targeted.

Oklahoma Poll: Puppy mill law supported 

Tulsa World writes:  Oklahoma Poll:  Puppy Mill supported.  Now show our support by calling or emailing your legislator.
Puppy Mill rescue earlier in 2010: Several Dogs Rescued from Mistreatment at Dog Breeding Facility
Follow us on Tulsa SPCA FaceBook, Tulsa SPCA Blog and TSPCA Twitter by linking through our Links Section.  

Agriculture Committee Members and Contact Information

Senator Eddie Fields - Chair 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 514B Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5581 efields@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Becky Welch Senator Ron Justice 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 423 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5537 justice@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Linda Terrill Senator Mark Allen 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 415 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5576 allen@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Suzanne Earnest Senator Patrick Anderson 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 417A Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5630 anderson@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Kathie Gasaway  Senator Don Barrington 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 515 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405.521.5563 barrington@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Sandra Shelton Senator Randy Bass 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 528B Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5567 bass@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Donna Ambler Senator Jerry Ellis 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 535 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405.521.5614 ellis@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Jean McCurley Senator Tom Ivester 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 529A Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5545 ivester@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Pam McLerran   Senator David Myers 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 519 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 405.521.5628 ingraham@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Betsy Ingraham  Senator Frank Simpson 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 513B Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5607 simpson@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Glenda Colbert  Senator Anthony Sykes 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 426 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5569 lewis@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Tonya Lewis  Senator Charles Wyrick 2300 N. Lincoln Blvd., Rm. 521 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 (405) 521-5561 wyrick@oksenate.gov Executive Assistant: Linda Bostick