Our Nation has a Puppy Mill Problem

And So Does Washington State!

Some local pet sales stores import animals into WA from out-of-state breeders because Washington law has effectively made the business of commercial breeding unprofitable. The Animal Welfare Act is a Federal Law that has been ineffective in controlling the suffering that takes place in these large commercial kennels. The US Department of Agriculture is tasked to inspect facilities and enforce the rules, but they have been woefully negligent in this duty. The current administration is actively encouraging their inspectors to overlook violations and not report them and has blocked access to inspection reports on the USDA website.

We know that allowing problem puppy mills to operate can have far-reaching and devastating consequences, not only for the animals but also for humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have documented links between puppy mill breeding and disease outbreaks caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria traced to numerous commercial dog-breeding facilities.