A bill that would establish routine inspections of pet stores, commercial dog breeders and brokers, and certain animal rescue operations was given the go-ahead by senators last week, but lawmakers continued to pursue funding issues.
Local elected officials opposed provisions in the bill that would take away local control. The bill would override ordinances in 21 communities across the state that prohibit stores from selling pets from breeders.
Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle) said she drafted the bill to raise standards of care and combat unethical breeding practices.
“I think we're probably going to hear that House Bill 1412 could inadvertently lead to the establishment of puppy mills. But it's important to clarify that this bill is actually anti-puppy mills. is important,” Baird said. “…What this bill is trying to do is reset the standards for the state.”
Cities like Indianapolis, Carmel and Columbus have passed retail pet bans, but that demand has simply shifted to “unregulated areas of Indiana,” Baird said.
One lawmaker said he believed those cities would not have sought such a ban under the bill's stricter standards. The senators also added a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for operators who knowingly or intentionally fail to register with the Indiana Animal Health Commission.
supporting testimony
The bill attracted a group of pet store owners, many of them affiliated with Petland, the nation's largest chain of stores that sell puppies and other pets, and a small number of Amish breeders.
Lori Wilson, vice president of sales for Uncle Bill's Pet Center, said the bill would “make Indiana a great place to get your favorite convenience animals with healthy genetics.” Deaf,” he said.
“If someone is against House Bill 1412, you should ask why. Why would someone be against regulations and standards to raise quality puppies that people want?” Wilson said. Ta. “It makes no sense to take away a regulated business and force consumers into the black market to get puppies.”
“Generations before us deserved that label because they didn't do things right,” said John Troyer, an Amish puppy breeder in Topeka, but he doesn't like that reputation. He says he plans to change it.
He said his fellow members of the Amish community have received death threats for reporting violations of animal welfare laws.
“I'm dedicated to making a difference in animal welfare,” Troyer said. “We encourage you to vote ‘yes’ because we will be dealing with these bad actors behind the scenes and this will help us eliminate them.”
testimony is against
But some members of the public criticized the commissioners for not addressing the funding, saying the state commission did not have enough staff to carry out the additional duties. Lawmakers have also failed to invest in a statewide spay/neuter program.
Cathi Eagen, founder and director of the CanINE Express Transport Project, said she has transported more than 13,000 dogs from shelters in south-central Indiana to other states due to pet overpopulation. Contrary to committee members' comments, she said there is a whole range of breeds and many are considered purebred.
“We all know that breeders and pet stores are not routinely inspected. Don't expect us to believe that,” Eagen said.
Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control Director Amy Jo Sites said some parts of the bill are unenforceable, such as requiring consumers to spay or neuter recently purchased animals, and the state already has He said it was mandatory but could not be achieved. There is a shortage of veterinarians.
Additionally, she said breeders often put purebred animals in shelters as soon as the mothers were too old to breed, sometimes for dogs that lived only a few years.
Columbus City Council member-at-large Tom Dell has decided to ban the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits, even though the city only sells them due to concerns about unscrupulous breeders. He said he did.
“You're taking away local control. You're telling us what we can and can't do. Voters asked us to do something and we responded. I We didn't build it on our own,” Dell said. “A lot of what's in this bill makes sense for some industries out there, but when you take control away from us, you don't even give local residents a voice.”
Sarah Simpson, General Counsel for the Animal Health Board, said the Animal Health Board already has a voluntary register of animal shelters with high adoption rates. In 2023, the board used $25,000 in dedicated funds to conduct 15 inspections of breeders and brokers, all of which were conducted in new or relocated facilities, she said.
“If you look at the inspection section (of the bill), it gives our board the discretion to determine the frequency. There is no required amount,” Simpson said, but the bill does not require either Did not testify.
He said there are four animal health experts who will conduct inspections across the state “if we have enough funding,” but officials do not currently know how many pet stores there are in Indiana. Stated.
“Without a fee at this point, it's kind of an unknown,” Simpson said. “Going forward, if there is a fee to support that ($25,000) dedicated fund, that will be done by our staff.”
Lawmakers did not rule out revising funding next year, but did not commit.
The bill passed on a 6-2 vote and was sent to the full Senate for further consideration.
