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Congressmen Doyle and English Call for an End to Abusive Animal Dealers
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – July 10, 2006 –U.S. Representatives Mike Doyle (PA-14) and Phil English (PA-3) called for passage of H.R. 5229, the Pet Safety and Protection Act, in a press conference today at the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Class B dealers across this country violate the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act every day and cause needless suffering for thousands of dogs and cats – many of whom were once beloved family pets,” Congressman Doyle said today. “Class B dealers starve, beat, and kill these animals – and they deserve to be shut down.”
“In the shadowy world of Class B dog and cat dealers, an animal’s life can be harsh and unrelenting. Animals may suffer from crowded and unsanitary conditions, extreme temperatures, poor food, and insufficient water,” Congressman English observed. “For these reasons, I have worked with Congressman Doyle, the Animal Welfare Institute, and the Humane Society of the United States to introduce legislation that will help put an end to these obscene abuses once and for all.”
The Pet Safety and Protection Act would prohibit the use of dogs and cats procured from Class B animal dealers for research. Its goal is to prevent family pets whose owners may be attempting to locate them from being sold for laboratory experiments and research.
Currently, there are two types of animal dealers licensed by the USDA – Class A or “purpose-bred” dealers and Class B or “random source” dealers. Class A dealers are highly regulated businesses that raise their own animals. Class B dealers, in contrast, routinely buy dogs and cats from a vast network of suppliers with murky backgrounds. Many of these suppliers obtain dogs and cats they sell to Class B dealers by stealing them – or by responding to “free to good home” advertisements and posing as concerned pet owners willing to provide a good home to a family pet. Class B dealers pay suppliers for each animal, creating enough of a financial incentive that a number of individuals steal pet dogs and cats from owners’ properties and falsify records to keep their true origins unknown.
In addition, some Class B dealers have unofficial relationships with pounds, shelters, or “humane societies” to buy surplus animals. Although the law requires any stray animal to be held for at least 5 days at such facilities, it does not prevent pets from being kept out of sight, or transported to an out-of-state location for this time period, making it impossible for concerned pet owners to locate a beloved pet.
There are currently 15 Class B dealers that are licensed to sell dogs and cats for experimentation. Four of them are currently under investigation. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is charged with the enormous task of inspecting Class B dealers, but doesn’t have nearly enough staff to oversee the individuals who supply them.
The HBO documentary “Dealing Dogs” recently illustrated the illegal and inhumane trade in stray animals and family pets, as well as the neglect and outright cruelty with which some Class B dealers treat these animals. This film contains disturbing video footage collected by an undercover investigator from Last Chance for Animals who worked in several Class B dealers’ facilities. Among the abuses documented in this film are overcrowded cages, rotten food, food contaminated with feces, frozen drinking water, dogs with serious untreated injuries and diseases, and live dogs caged with the carcasses of dead dogs. In addition, this investigation documented the beating, strangulation, and shooting of dogs by Class B dealers.
"Pets are part of our families, not tools to be stolen or obtained deceptively for research experiments," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The Humane Society of the United States. "Two-thirds of American households have pets, and thanks to the leadership of Rep. Doyle and Rep. English, we hope those families can have the peace of mind that their pets will be safe from cruel scams."
“Brutal treatment of animals, fraudulent record-keeping, illegal acquisition of animals and exploitation of loopholes within existing law are the modus operandi of random source dog and cat dealers. This legislation should be embraced by all, as it will protect beloved companion animals from experimentation, demonstrate integrity on behalf of the research industry and save taxpayer dollars,” added Cathy Liss, President of the Animal Welfare Institute. “We applaud the leadership of Congressman Doyle and Congressman English in seeking to close a loophole in the current law that permits millions of dollars to be made through the illegal supply of dogs and cats for experimental purposes.”
“Congressmen English and I are deeply committed to enacting this important legislation,” Congressman Doyle said. “We’re confident that once America’s pet owners know about this disturbing situation, they’ll support it, too.”
“It is my hope that this bill continues to attract bipartisan support and win quick adoption in the Congress,” Congressman English added. “The Pet Safety and Protection Act is a simple approach with a solid solution that will help protect the welfare of our family pets.”
More information about the documentary “Dealing Dogs” can be found at http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/dealingdogs/index.html.
More information about H.R. 5229, the Pet Safety and Protection Act, can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HR05229:@@@L&summ2=m&.
Information about the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society can be found at http://www.wpahumane.com/.
Information about the Humane Society of the United States can be found at http://www.hsus.org
Information about the Animal Welfare Institute can be found at http://www.awionline.org/.
Information about Last Chance for Animals can be found at http://www.lcanimal.org/
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