Oklahoma Takes A Stand Against Puppy Mills

By The Associated Press
Published: April 22, 2009
The Oklahoma Senate easily passed a bill to regulate puppy mills on Tuesday, despite heavy criticism that the measure lacked teeth and penalized good breeders.
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The vote was 30-16 for the bill, which puts the state Agriculture Department in charge of puppy mill regulation.
Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, said the bill only affects "good breeders" who are registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will do nothing to crack down on illegal puppy mills located in remote areas.
"It isn't going to hit the mark," he said. "I would encourage you to vote against this. It is a paper tiger. It won't do anything. It's just going to make some folks feel good."
"You've got nothing in here that deals with enforcement," said Sen. Johnnie Crutchfield, D-Ardmore.
Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, objected to a political maneuver cutting off amendments to the bill. He said the bill needed due process provisions to protect legitimate dog breeders.
Sen. Jerry Ellis, D-Valliant, acknowledged there are cases of animal abuse in Oklahoma, but added: "Will House Bill 1332 stop this? Absolutely not - not any more than we can stop child abuse."
"This is an example of unnecessary government regulation," Ellis said.
The bill was introduced by Rep. Lee Denny, R-Cushing, a veterinarian. It would require licensing of animal breeders who sell 35 or more cats or dogs a year.
It would be the first time the cat and dog breeding industry has been subject to state regulation.
Sen. Cliff Brannan, R-Oklahoma City, said he will take the concerns of senators to a joint conference committee, which will write the final version of the bill.
Brannan said he was not an animal rights activist and the bill "just basically sets minimum standards for dogs and cats."