The puppy mills are all set to be banned in New York. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the law, which would bar pet retailers from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits. The new law will not affect at-home breeders who sell animals born and raised on their property.
New York is not the first state to ban puppy mills. California was the first state to pass this law in 2017. Maryland also brought out this law in 2020, followed by Illinois in 2021.
What Are Puppy Mills?
A puppy mill is commonly referred to as a commercial dog breeding facility. It is a common name for all the pet (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) breeding spaces that are characterized by quick breeding and poor conditions.
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According to the Humane Society, over 2,00,000 dogs are kept solely for breeding purposes in active USDA-licensed puppy mills throughout the United States. Each year, 2 million puppies sold in the U.S. originate from puppy mills.
Why Are They Banned?
Hochul said,” Dogs, cats, and rabbits across New York deserve loving homes and humane treatment.” Sen. Michael Gianaris also condemned the puppy mill industries that treat animals like commodities, and most of the pet stores buy animals raised in puppy mills.
Pet advocacy groups have been demanding a full shutdown of the factories that breed, raise and sell animals for profit. They have long argued that animals are raised in inhumane conditions before they are shipped off to stores. Hochul said that banning pet stores from selling pets will help protect animal welfare and clamp down on abusive wholesale breeders.
What Is The Reaction Of The People?
The Print reports, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ CEO, Matt Bershadker said, “it was a historic win for both animals and consumers. By ending the sale of cruelly bred puppy mill dogs in state pet shops, New York is shutting down the pipeline that enables retail sellers and commercial breeders to profit from unconscionable brutality.”
Pet retailers argue that this law will be a death sentence for the business. Pet shops posit that the law will do nothing to shut down out-of-state breeders or increase their standards of care. It would result in the closures of dozens of pet stores in New York.
President of People United to Protect Pet Integrity, a coalition of pet store owners in New York, Jessica Selmer, called the law careless and counterproductive. She demanded that the governor considers remedies to the pitfalls of the bill.
In the world of commodification, nobody actually cares about lives. Ultimately, it is the profit that matters. Even animals are not spared by the greed of humans. The primary question arises- Will this law really help invoke humane feelings in humans?
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: Hindustan Times, The Print, WION
Find the blogger: Katyayani Joshi
This post is tagged under: animal cruelty, animals, puppy mills, ban, New York, pet farms, commodification, unhygienic, breeding, commercial, pet stores, pet retailers, law, dogs, cats, rabbits, poor conditions, quick breeding, California, Maryland, Illinois
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