LOL...I am not any good at tennis! So tossing your way my friend...
I am in agreement with you Patti. I do not like nor stomach the mass production of pets. 100, 400, 650, yes that is alot. We really don't like to hear our "pets" being produced in this manner.
What is reality though is businesses have a right to do this as long as they follow the current standards of care. Fine and jail the abusers of those rules but do not limit or take away the right to operate the business regardless of how large or small. Can you imagine if we limited the dairy industry to only possessing 50 milking cows each? We think milk prices are too high now! Whether a dairy producer owns 50 or 500 does not change the fact how the cows are kept. The dairy producer has rules to follow and they are also inspected. The violators are punished and fined but limits are not set unless its by acreage. You may ask why I am comparing cows to pets, can you honestly assign less emotion to the upkeep and care of either animal when we are discussing rights, ethical treatment and standards? Take a good look how cattle, dairy cows are kept and see if you would adjust your consumption knowing how they are treated. That is stepping into PETA territory for sure.
If a business follows the rules why should they be required to set limits in a free market society? You are asking the goverment to step in and restrict production in a business.
*** You asked,"So, if YOU were asked to sit down and write the changes YOU thought were fair, what would you suggest?"
1-Honestly, enforce the rules currently on the books. Provide staffing and support, and funds to inspect the current violators, kennels and mass producers.
2-Review the current standards of care and Animal Welfare Act. With each state trying to develope its "OWN" set of standards we need to establish a guide that is the same for everyone. An animal in Oregon and one in Texas should be cared for by the same standards. Too many folks out their providing their own view on what ethical care is for an animal.Alot of emotion is very evident in the Bills being proposed into legistlation in every state.
3-Cities have current rules and ordinances addressing the number of pets that can be kept in a residence. LOL...care to guess how many "hobby breeders" exceed that limit of 4 which is pretty standard? It really is about the care of the animal and the sanitation with the property and household. Having 10 dogs in a home makes a big mess in the backyard. If your city can write you a ticket for your grass being too long they can sure write you a ticket for having too many animals exceeding the ordinance. Enforce the current rules.
4-Increase the frequency of inspections to large facilities. In a food service operation that has population that with greater risk of harm is routinely surveyed more than the gas station who fries corndogs daily.
Just some ideas so far.
As for the limits proposed in this Bill, any intact female over 6 months of age and breedable requires an "intact permit" at $300 each. The license comes into play when you are breeding 10, 50 or more. They are two different situations.
**** You stated,"But, I do strongly feel there needs to be some limits, to at least try to do away with the commercial large scale breeders. We have all discussed how they are ONLY in it for the money, not health, not quality, not for well socialized puppies. Once cannot have well socialized puppies when raised in that kind of environment. The greed for producing on a large commercial scale came about with the internet, where you can advertise and claim anything."*****
We can't limit or legistlate ethics. As long as there is a demand for this product(pets) businesses will produce them.
*****You stated, "Sure, in past years there were many "large" kennels in purebred dogs. But I would be willing to bet that none had 100, 500 or more dogs. And they all produced what they did because they also showed."
Patti, take a good look at the Department of Agriculture's license list for kennels. It still happens today and I can think of a few labrador breeders who have over 100 dogs. It's all about supply and demand. If they are following the rules, you may not hear about them. We can't always use the addage that because someone shows, they are (ethical, care for their dogs, reproduce quality, have dogs that resemble the standard)insert statement. It's too easy to fall into that trap.
No easy answer I am afraid without us losing some of our rights. The question would be better to ask if we are ready to let that happen?
