Michelle Riley/Humane World for Animals

Stand with us to encourage the USDA to protect dogs in puppy mills!

Imagine a dog forced to live day-to-day in a cold, barren cage without the opportunity to get outside and run, or a mother dog forced to breed repeatedly, just so someone can make a profit. That’s the reality for many dogs bred in facilities throughout the United States because current U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations only provide bare-minimum standards of care for the tens of thousands of dogs living there.

There’s reason to be hopeful for a brighter future for these and so many other dogs. USDA is starting an official process that could lead to reforms, but they need to hear from you that the welfare of these dogs is important. Please sign this letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, letting her know that you support improvements to the minimum standards for the care of breeding female dogs along with requiring that commercial dog breeding facilities provide exercise and socialization. We need you to stand with us to let USDA know it’s past time to make the lives of these dogs better.

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Dear Secretary Rollins,

I appreciate your stated commitment to cracking down on puppy mills throughout the United States, and the agency’s request for information related to care needed for breeding females, as well as the exercise and socialization needed to ensure that dogs in USDA-regulated facilities are provided with sufficient care.  

As an American, I care deeply about America’s dogs and want to ensure that every single dog raised in a USDA-regulated puppy mill has the chance to lead a healthy life. I urge you to consider the information submitted to the agency and take steps to quickly update your agency’s regulations to improve the standards of care for dogs, which are long overdue. 

Instead of being alone stacked in wire cages with no room to run and play, these dogs need better housing, exercise, enrichment and interactions with humans. At a minimum, USDA should require that breeding females be physically examined by a licensed veterinarian prior to each attempted breeding to ensure they are healthy and fit for pregnancy. The agency should also significantly increase minimum enclosure space requirements. In addition, each breeding dog should have daily access to an exercise run during daylight hours to promote physical and behavioral health.  

Current federal standards fall short of these basic expectations. Breeding female dogs are only required to receive a veterinary exam once per year, even though states with large commercial breeding industries, including Missouri and Ohio, already require the requested number of exams, demonstrating that stronger standards are both reasonable and achievable. Existing enclosure requirements also allow dogs to spend their entire lives in cages only six inches longer and six inches taller than their bodies, which does not allow normal movement or comfort. Without appropriate space and regular access to exercise, dogs are at increased risk of physical deterioration and behavioral distress. Strengthening these standards is necessary to ensure that USDA regulations reflect scientifically based animal welfare standards and humane care.  

I appreciate your stated commitment to making this happen and I stand ready to support USDA in requiring that regulated facilities have a higher standard of care.

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