Rep. Pridemore Flip Flops on the Dog Sellers Law

This  first photo of a female cocker spaniel and her puppies was taken in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin.

The second photo of the Dachshund was taken in Dunn County,Wisconsin. You can see that the wire cages are suspended from above so that the waste falls through. It is not uncommon for a dog's foot to slip through the wire and become severely injured. These dogs are not given even basic veterinary care.

The third photo shows a wire cage being heated by a kerosene lamp. This is in Vernon County, Wisconsin.

I want to make sure that my readers understand one thing very clearly. These cages are not temporary housing. These dogs are not in here for a few hours or a few days or a few weeks or a few months. These dogs can be in these wire cages for years. No exercise, no socialization, no veterinary care. Of course the puppies get out of the cages when they are shipped to pet stores around the country for sale - but the ones that remain behind, the breeding dogs,  are the victims.

Act 90 was passed in Wisconsin in 2009 to alleviate the horrendous conditions that these dogs are enduring. It requires licensing and regulations for every person or organization that sells or attempts to sell 25 dogs a year or more. This includes breeders, pet stores, rescues and shelters. The bill passed unanimously through every committee and the house and the Senate. It was signed into law in December 2009.

The rules of the new law took eighteen months to hash out and the rule-making committee was made up of all facets of the industry. The rules are fair. They require that dogs must have exercise and socialization and basic health requirements.

Don Pridemore, Republican, Representative of Hartford Wisconsin has introduced a bill that would raise the threshold level to 100 dogs. In plain language that means that anybody that sells less than 100 dogs per year is considered a hobby breeder and can raise their dogs in the horrific conditions shown above. Rep. Pridemore was a co-sponsor of the original bill, and like I said it was unanimously passed.

He has now flip-flopped and changed his mind.

So far, the rules aren't being disputed - just the number of dogs.

There is much more reading about Wisconsin's puppy mills in this excellent article from January 2009 called Puppy Hell. This is happening here - in Wisconsin. It is not some obscure place that we can shut a blind eye to.

If you are fine with this - do nothing. But if you are appalled that a) the will of Wisconsin voters is being ignored and b) that Wisconsin dog breeders are allowed to mass-produce puppies in these sorts of conditions:  then please write or email your legislator to ask them to not support Rep. Pridemore's bill. Click on this link to find out who represents you.

Thank you to Frank Schemberger, a man who has spent many years tirelessly working to expose the cruel conditions of Wisconsin puppy mills,  for the photos.