Durbin Introduces Bill That Regulates Internet Puppy Sales

By Soyoung Kwak in News on Apr 2, 2011 5:45PM

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin loves puppies, and we can't fault the man for standing up for puppy rights: Sen. Durbin has introduced a bill that requires breeders who sell more than 50 dogs a year to be licensed as well as undergo inspections to make sure that the dogs they are selling receive proper care until they are sold.

Although there are a great number of commercial breeders who do an excellent job of taking care of animals before they are sold, there are also less-than-responsible breeders who keep puppies in dismal conditions before selling them. Additionally, Sen. Durbin has cited that because online sales of puppies have been outpacing the sales of puppies in retail stores, there is more of a reason to modify the law in order to reflect this change:

The Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety - PUPS - Act ... would bring direct-to-buyer dog breeders into the regulatory framework that will require them to meet the basic standards for shelter, care and exercise, the release said. "The media regularly reports stories about dogs rescued from substandard facilities - where dogs are housed in stacked wire cages and seriously ill dogs are routinely denied access to veterinary care," Durbin said. "Online dog sales have contributed to the rise of these disturbing cases. My bipartisan bill requires breeders who sell more than 50 dogs a year directly to the public to obtain a license from the USDA and ensures that the dogs receive proper care."

This is certainly a positive step in improving the rights of puppies in the care of commercial breeders. Sen. Durbin introduced the PUPS Act on Thursday and the bill is cosponsored by Senator David Vitter from Louisiana.