California leaders must shut down the puppy mill pipeline into the state | Opinion
Puppy mills are a breeding ground for cruelty — where dogs are kept in cramped, filthy conditions with little to no veterinary care, socialization or quality of life. Too often, puppies from these facilities arrive in California homes sick and traumatized, leaving families with heartbreak and high veterinary bills.
California has been a leader in protecting animals and consumers by banning the sale of puppy mill dogs in pet stores. Unfortunately, the industry has adapted, and puppy mills shut out from the retail market are still using deceptive websites or middlemen — known as brokers — to import puppies into California.
In response, Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park, authored Assembly Bill 519 which aims to close this loophole by banning sales of puppies by “brokers,” putting a stop to predatory middlemen.
Under this bill, Californians will still be able to buy a pet directly from a breeder or adopt from an animal shelter or rescue organization. AB 519 would support responsible breeders who sell puppies directly to families, while preventing the puppy mill pipeline from using its deceptive techniques to ship sick, cruelly bred puppies into the state and profit off of unknowing consumers.
When using a third-party broker, there is no way for families to verify the information provided prior to the sale, creating uncertainty about the health and breed of the dog. Responsible breeders meet their customers in person and allow consumers to see where the puppy was born and reared, review medical history and meet the puppy’s parents and littermates. These precautions protect both the dogs and families.
Expanding existing law to include third-party sellers is critical to ensure that bad actors cannot profit from cruelty. AB 519 has already passed the Assembly with broad bipartisan support.
AB 519 is part of a three-bill package aimed at increasing transparency in pet sales and closing the remaining channels of the puppy mill pipeline. The two companion bills, Assembly Bill 506, authored by Assemblymember Steve Bennett, D-Ventura, and Senate Bill 312, authored by Sen. Thomas Umberg, D-Santa Ana, have passed their houses of origin and are a step away from floor votes in the second house, en route to the governor’s desk.
California has the chance and the responsibility to stop brokers from shipping cruelly bred puppies into our community, taking business from local breeders, straining shelters and deceiving well-intended families.
Julianna Tetlow is senior director of government relations for the San Diego Humane Society. Brittany Benesi is senior legislative director of the Western Division for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.