Legislators Looking At Puppy Mills

Recent puppy mill raids in Brunswick and Jones Counties have prompted more discussion at the General Assembly about the need for legislation to regulate commercial breeders. About half of all states have such measures in place. Mondy Lamb from the the SPCA of Wake County says large breeding operations are escaping through a loophole in the Animal Welfare Act. She says North Carolina regulates every other entity that houses large numbers of dogs.

Mondy Lamb: They regulate kennels; they regulate private and public animal shelters; they even regulate class B dealers that sell animals to research labs. The only entity they don't regulate are people that make a profit off breeding many animals at one time.

Lamb says some have suggested writing the definition of a puppy mill into the current statute. Hobby breeders, though, have pushed back, arguing they don't want anyone regulating what they do. The SPCA of Wake County took in almost 40 of the dogs rescued in the Brunswick County raid. Many were caked in filth and covered with fleas. Lamb says they're being rehabilitated and medically evaluated. They should be ready for adoption within a few weeks.