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My opinion: I believe all shelters should be required to follow the same rules, as anyone else caring for animals. I would be suspect of any group that wants to exempt themselves.
I don't think a reputable shelter would have any problem. There are a few horror stories out there of so-called shelters out there that are really more like hoarding situations. Also a woman near me in Illinois who ran a shelter recently had a lot of very sick and emaciated animals seized from her. The problem with the USDA is, they don't have nearly the resources to inspect the breeders and facilities their in charge of now. For a breeder to say they're approved by them is basically meaningless.
I think it should fall on the state to regulate since each have different regulations. But a minimum standard is necessary and only helps the animals. If a shelter/rescue is afraid of meeting basic safety and heath standards, there's probably a reason and it's propbably not to the benefit of the animals.
I think it should fall on the state to regulate since each have different regulations. But a minimum standard is necessary and only helps the animals. If a shelter/rescue is afraid of meeting basic safety and heath standards, there's probably a reason and it's propbably not to the benefit of the animals.
The problem is finding the puppymill. Most are on back roads in the woods at least around here. Even the ones that are visited by the USDA only regulate what they see as far as clean and water/food. They don't see how the dogs are treated once they leave, over bred, inter bred and taken away from the mother too soon.
If the USDA vists once a year I would be really surprised since they are always saying how they are understaffed.
Most shelters are at a capacity level where they already have to get inspections from the USDA. I have mixed feelings overall because in my previous state the state office would issue permits as long as you could pay and to out of state kennels that they could never inspect. After a lot of investigation, I found that one of their top employees was a BYB who did not have a license. She stated that she bred less than the minimum amount required by permit and was allowed to bypass getting a permit. My faith in the entire system is a bit jaded. Unless the entire system if overhauled, and there are enough inspectors, I guess to me it doesn't really matter. I have a feeling that story in SC? or was it NC? Where the animal control officers shot dogs to death and threw them in the landfill instead of using humane euthanasia like usually is the protocol has just dampened my spirit.
I think that it would be more effective to have a rating system similar to restaurants. You walk in and the score has to be posted and news agencies report the results. Show the statistics of how many animals are euthanized, how they are, and what training the employees have. The animal control we got our mutt from years ago had Parvo outbreaks, rats and mice eating away at the telephone wires, and getting into the food. It took the city it is based in nearly five years to shut down the facility to do a remodel and get rid of the pest problems.
I think there definitely needs to be over sight. We have none here. The 'county' admins are supposed to be watching over them, but it's so corrupt here that they refuse to even look at the evidence that's been provided for them showing abuse and neglect. The question is who's going to over see them? And who will over see that person(s) to make sure they're doing their job? After living here for a while, I've gotten to the point that I don't trust anyone anymore. Guess I'm very jaded.
but on the flip side, have a rescue that is inspected and they find heath and safety violations, and i bet you will have some emotional uproar about the poor resuce being hounded and violated by the evil governement inspectors.
It won't be about the poor suffering animals it will be all about the poor harrassed rescue. There will be fund drives and letter writing campaighs to overturn these inspection. BUT, a year later those suffering animals will be found in misserable state or dead and those same people who were holding candlelight vigils to overturn the laws will now be screaming for the heads of governement because they should have done something.
I seriously dought have the people care about the animals, they care about the fight!
Interesting topic. Unfortunately, in a sense it really makes no difference who they inspect. One of the largest problems with the USDA inspections is that although they are responsible for inspections of commercial kennel facilities, they have no enforcement arm. No matter how bad a situation is (yes- even with puppy mills) all they can do is write a report and submit it to local law enforcement for action. They have no authority for any actual enforcement no matter how bad their findings are. Thats why the same puppy mills are written up over and over again! Rather than stretching their limited scope and resources even farther, I'd prefer legislation that expands funding to include enforcement capabilities based on their findings and then add to their inspection responsibilities.
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