Ohio has become a haven for disreputable puppy mill operators and our lax state kennel license law is to blame. Ohioans now have an opportunity to relieve the suffering of thousands and thousands of dogs. Concerned members of our communities simply need to ask our State Representative and Senator to support Ohio House Bill 606 and Senate Bill 342, commonly known as the Ohio puppy mill bill.
This proposed legislation will establish minimum operating standards for kennels. Kennel owners will be required to have insurance or buy an inexpensive, easily obtainable bond, to cover the cost of any needed dog care. The cost for enforcement will be paid through establishment of reasonable kennel licensing fees, as opposed to the current kennel license law, which places this burden on taxpayers.
Conditions in Ohio puppy mills include exposure to direct sun, extreme cold, wind and rain. Stacked cage systems can be worse, with excrement from dogs in upper cages falling down on dogs below. Cages are tiny, with some too small for the dog to even turn around. Poorly maintained cages are the norm, sometimes resulting in tremendous suffering ' such as in cases where wire becomes imbedded in dogs' flesh. Behavioral problems become ingrained in puppies raised this way, unable to escape from the build-up of fur, feces, spilled food and mold often allowed to accumulate in cage bottoms.
Please help stop this animal cruelty by contacting our Ohio legislators to let them know we want these dogs spared the bitter cold of another winter.
Ask our legislators to request immediate hearings, and to vote for HB 606 and SB 342, so Governor Taft can sign this legislation into law before Christmas.Katie Davis writes from Athens.
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Letter to the Editor
