Managing Large Scale Companion Animal Breeding at the Local Level

Humane Society of Schuyler County

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Humane Society of Schuyler County Mission • Prevent animal cruelty

• Provide quality care for homeless animals

• Eliminate pet overpopulation

• Promote responsible pet ownership

• Help the community to develop humane principles toward all animals

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Accomplishments • 2014 marks 27 years incorporated as a Humane Society in Schuyler County. • Spayed and neutered over 10,000 animals since 2000. - County funds spay/neuter program with $4,000/yr • Placed over 1,800 animals in forever homes. • Controlled numerous feral cat colonies. • Assumed management of Schuyler County Animal Shelter in August, 2009. • Purchased facilities to support HSSC operations.

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Agenda • Abuses of companion animal breeding - Dog fighting - Animal hoarding - Puppy mills • Impact - Economic - Environmental • Existing legislation • What can be done at local level?

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Dog Fighting

• Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act makes dog fighting illegal in NYS. • Large-scale breeding of fighting dogs

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Animal Hoarding

• More than the typical number of companion animals • Inability to provide minimal standards of nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care. • Neglect often results in starvation, illness and death. • Denial of inability to provide minimum care. • Often considered a form of mental illness. • Can be combination hoarder/breeder.

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Puppy Mills

• A puppy mill, or puppy farm, is a large-scale breeding facility that mass-produces puppies for sale. • Dogs and puppies are housed in overcrowded, filthy and inhumane conditions with inadequate shelter or care and little socialization. • Dogs are sold to pet stores, direct and via internet. • Dogs are often ill, have physical deformities and suffer from serious medical conditions. • There are an estimated 4000+ puppy mills in the United States alone, producing more than half a million puppies a year.

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Typical Puppy Mill

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Economic Impact

• Do not contribute to state spay/neuter fund but do contribute to overpopulation • Over 75% of large-scale breeding facilities do not pay sales tax. • No licensing revenue; USDA Class A kennels are exempt. • Negative impact on tourism • Negative community image

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Impact on tourism

• Lancaster, PA, once known as a bucolic tourist destination is now known as the Puppy Mill Capital of the Northeast • Much stricter laws went into effect in 2008 • Number of commercial kennels plummeted from 303 in 2009 to 111 today

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Tourism and Agriculture Are The Finger Lakes’ Largest Sources of Income

• Tourism in Schuyler County brings in $30 million annually. • Tourism in the Finger Lakes generates one of the largest sources of income. • Cannot afford to jeopardize with a negative image

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Economic Impact

• Cost of closing down a facility - Providing shelter for seized animals - County personnel (e.g., ACO, public health, sheriff’s office, etc.) - Local animal welfare organizations (daily care, staffing, medical bills) - Town and county judicial costs

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Environmental Impact

• Risk of disease transmission through waste management practices (parasites, bacteria and viruses) • CDC zoonotic diseases can be spread from dogs to humans (e.g., toxoplasmosis, giardia, E. coli). • Both soil and water contamination

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Known and Proposed Puppy Mills

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Federal and State Laws Have Been Inadequate • Animal Welfare Act (1966) - 100 USDA inspectors for ~9,000 licensed facilities - NYS legislation . 12 Animal Health Inspectors in state . Local inspector’s region includes 8 counties • Internet and flea market sales are not regulated at all. • Legislation to effect change must be at local level.

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Known and Proposed Puppy Mills

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Recent New York State Law Provides Local Rule To Municipalities

• A.740-A/S.3753-A signed this month by Governor Cuomo • Municipalities can now regulate pet trade – formerly controlled by NYS Department of Agriculture • Protects owners of dogs and cats raised in safe and healthy manner • Municipalities can enact local laws that are more stringent than Article 26A of Ag and Markets Law • HSSC is reviewing specifics of the law and will make a recommendation for local legislation

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