The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has officially adopted new rules to crack down on e-puppy mills - commercial breeders that sell dogs over the Internet. These new rules will offer welfare protections to dogs and cats sold as pets directly to consumers via the Internet, mail, or by phone.
USDA's new regulations will help regulate puppy mills that have ignored federal laws on how they raise and care for their animals. Many puppy mills have skirted the law by selling over the Internet since USDA previously only regulated breeders selling their puppies to pet stores. Numerous investigations and exposes of inhumane Internet sellers have resulted in this new rule change. USDA will now require dog breeders to either open their kennels to the public for inspection or become regulated by USDA and subject their breeding operations to inspection by federal inspectors. For too long, many breeders have sold puppies without the public ever being able to visit and see the conditions in which their new puppy was raised. This cloak of darkness too often allowed puppy mills to operate inhumane breeding facilities with impunity.
This new rule to regulate all large commercial dog breeders regardless of how they sell their puppies is certainly welcome news. It is heartening to learn that USDA is also seeking the needed funds to enforce humane standards of care in puppy mills that sell over the Internet so as not to dilute its enforcement efforts on wholesale commercial dog breeders.
Thanks to those who submitted comments to USDA is support of these new rules. Your letters and emails really do make a difference!
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