Tell Congress to crack down on abusive puppy mills

At puppy mills across the country, mother dogs are crammed into small wire cages, stacked on top of each other, breeding litter after litter. They get no exercise, socialization, rest between breeding cycles, or human interaction. They often live in their own urine and feces, and the wire flooring injures their paws. 

Many of these large-scale commercial dog breeders do not even have to meet the bare minimum standards of the federal Animal Welfare Act, because they sell puppies directly to consumers over the Internet. But the U.S. Congress is considering the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety Act, known as the "PUPS Act," to close this massive loophole in federal law and help to crack down on the worst puppy mill abuses.   

Will you take a moment today to contact your federal legislators and ask them to co-sponsor the PUPS Act? Click here to take action. It's simple and only takes a minute.

This important federal legislation—introduced by Senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and David Vitter, R-La., and Representatives Jim Gerlach, R-Pa., Sam Farr, D-Calif., Bill Young, R-Fla., and Lois Capps, D-Calif.—would also require that dogs used for breeding be provided daily exercise. Breeding dogs can be kept at puppy mills for 10 or 12 years before they are "spent," and shouldn’t they at least be able to get out of their cages and stretch their legs?

It’s time to make sure that we have common-sense standards for the protection of dogs. By taking action today and contacting your federal lawmakers, you can make your voice heard and stand up for these animals who so desperately need our help.

Dogs should be treated like family pets, not like a cash crop. Will you do your part to help end the cruelty that thousands of dogs face every day in puppy mills? 
Thanks for all you do for animals.

Sincerely,



Mike Markarian
President
Humane Society Legislative Fund

Pet tips for April 20, 2011

1.      Walks are good for your dog…and you, too!

2.      Remember that a dog cannot adjust to temperature changes as easily as you can. Instead of putting on or removing a sweater, a dog must regulate temperature changes internally.

3.      There is no mistaking a physically and mentally healthy dog, especially one that is stimulated by an active environment.

4.      Both praise and discipline must immediately follow a specific behavior: A dog will always associated praise and discipline with its most recent behavior.