http://www.adba.cc/p_pdetails.asp?fpid=55&pg=55 - Page 1

has anybody read this or acted on this has anybody wrote to the nessesary people to stop this

I am aware of the pending legislation that comes and goes. The goal of this bill was to enfore some kind of rules and minimum standards on puppy mills, but it still a very bad bill. Most states currently have rules already in place to deal with the puppy mills, yet typically do nothing until an animal rights group becomes aware of a bad situation and starts complaining to the authorities. One would think that USDA inspectors have better things to do than visit and hassle hobby breeders or truely professional kennels. We should just enforce the laws that we already have as far as animal cruelty is concerned. I know Senator Blanche Lincoln and she is from a major puppy mill state-Arkansas. One would think that she has more important pending legislation than this type of bill. I have not personally spoken to her about it, but will try to do so before I leave the state this summer. I will soon move to Tennessee where there are kennel rules as far as exercise pen size, etc. per dog. I can easily comply with that because my lockdown pens are larger than the minimum size required for an exercise pen. The only advantage to being USDA certified has to do with the taxes paid on food and veterinary care of the breeding stock. Yes, the rules applied to dog kennels are many, and some are just dumb. I have dealt with a weird dog law in the county of the Arkansas where I currently reside. If you have more than six (6) dogs on the premises then you must register with the sheriff. This was aimed at pit bull fighters, so why in the hell is a GSD (or Beagle, Labrador Retriever) affected? Dumb, dumb, dumb. If you examine this subject matter at this USDA link: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/pubs/awlicreg.html then you will see the current regulations. Since I do not sell to brokers or pet stores, then it appears that I am exempt from USDA licensing requirements. There is a section that classifies the definition of a hobby breeder as interpreted by the USDA. I firmly believe in an animal's rights to a safe and healthy environment, but as your post provides, there are those do-gooders who want to make even a hobby breeder's life a living hell. Bob-O