Join With the AKC to Protect Responsible Small Breeders and Stop USDA's Overreaching Regulations!

Under the proposed regulations, breeders or others who sell a puppy sight unseen, by any means including online, by mail or by telephone, would now be regulated in accordance with USDA standards, if you own more than four "breeding females" of any of the listed species, including dogs and cats. The effect of these proposed regulations would be to take away the public’s opportunity to obtain puppies from those breeders, who in many cases have dedicated their lives to breeding for health, breed type and temperament.

As the leader and expert in breeding and maintaining dogs for more than a century, the AKC supports responsible breeders and dog owners through its educational and inspections programs. As the only purebred dog registry with a care and conditions of dogs policy – which we have recently enhanced to create a comprehensive policy for the welfare of all dogs – more than 55,000 inspections have been conducted since 2000. We know through experience that regardless of the number of dogs owned or the manner in which breeders interact with potential puppy buyers, a “one size fits all” breeder regulation is unfair and unenforceable.

LOL I'm sorry, but the very wording of this means ANYONE who sells over the internet means they did intend this as a catch-all. While they may not be FOCUSED on cracking down on people like yourself or me, they will have the power to do so if this happens. Remember though, it's not just pertaining to cats and dogs, but any animal, including livestock.

What gets me about all of this is they are claiming that all of these people are being sold sick dogs over the internet. These puppies are supposed to be certified healthy by a veterinarian before being flown, and while I have not shipped a pup when I have inquired I know for Pennsylvania it is 10 day limit from the time the pup is vet checked and certified until they are put on a plane.

Well, I haven’t examined the USDA’s definition of retail yet, so I have no comment on whether or not the definition is good or not.

However, I would argue that I don’t want to be under anyone’s umbrella, particularly the USDA. I don’t think that being “shielded” from the USDA previously for generations is a bad thing. Nearly anything that the Federal government gets it hands on turns sour sooner or later. This sort of regulation is precisly what should be left to the state and local authorities. There are existing regulations at Federal, state and local levels that can deal with whatever perceived problem these new regulations are purported to solve. Uniform regulations for ALL dog breeding at any scale at the Federal/National level is ridiculous, and is just a solution looking for a problem.

If this goes into effect, hobby/small breeders will disappear (or go underground), and so will most of the breeds that benefit from this sort of breeding style. And it will happen sooner than anyone thinks...

Happy to meet you! Every state needs organizations like this. God Willing, as pet owners become better informed, more & more will get involved.
Make no mistake: those “donations” they collect “to help homeless & abused animals” (& of which, animals in need see less than 2%) don’t just go to pay for their fat salaries & “expenses” or their glossy, full color mass mailings & “free gifts”- It goes straight into the pockets of many of those ‘well meaning but misinformed’ politicians.
Where are the politicians who will stop this scam? It’s fraud.

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