Political Quotes

“it might come as a surprise to some to learn that dog breeders who sell animals directly to consumers over the internet are not subject to any Federal regulation. Under the Animal Welfare Act, wholesale dog dealers have to have a Federal license and are subject to U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection. Wholesale dog dealers typically sell their puppies to retail pet stores. But the law exempts any ``retail pet store'' from the same licensing and inspection requirements, because there was a day when you bought a dog either from a licensed breeder or from a store, who bought their dogs from a licensed breeder. While it is not defined in statute, the exemption for retail pet stores has been interpreted to mean any outlet that sells dogs directly to the public. With the advent of the internet, many people buy puppies and dogs from breeders that are not licensed. There are plenty of responsible breeders across the country who care about and take great pains to properly look after the dogs in their care. But this statutory loophole leaves the door wide open for unscrupulous and negligent commercial dog breeders. Today, I am reintroducing the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety, or PUPS, Act with my colleague Senator Vitter. The PUPS Act would require breeders who sell more than 50 dogs a year directly to the public to obtain a license from the USDA.…”