4/26/2009
This guest column was written by Sarah J. Hayes, president of the Indiana Alliance of Animal Welfare and Control Organizations and CEO of the MCHA.  Article can be found in the Times Mail and Herald-Times.

The heated debate about Indiana and its black spot of an “industry” — puppy mills — has caused one of the most knockdown drag out battles the statehouse has seen. How could something as straight forward as the unquestionable, mass inhumane treatment of man’s best friend cause such divide, mudslinging and defense of the practice from some legislators?

The circling of the troops and unlikely allies of the opposition include the National Rifle Association, American Kennel Club and the Indiana Farm Bureau, walking hand-in-hand with some of Indiana’s most notorious puppy millers and some of our legislators. This is clearly when ethics, moral obligation and commonsense have left the building.

In addition to being a hub for puppy mills, Indiana shamelessly ranks among the top states in the nation regarding overpopulation of companion animals. Our animal shelters struggle on a daily basis to save and rehome as many animals as they possibly can with limited resources.

Shelters are either privately funded nonprofit organizations or municipal animal shelters funded by tax dollars. In just five municipal shelters in Indiana — Kokomo, Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, New Albany and Bloomington — 55,000 animals are processed annually at a cost to taxpayers of approximately $8 million dollars. These are only five organizations out of literally hundreds of rescue groups and shelters in our state working to save lives and help the voiceless.

While shelters struggle to do the right thing and correct many of society’s indiscretions, puppy mills in Indiana are mass producing poorly bred puppies, capitalizing on the affection for cute puppies and often laughing, tax-free all the way to the bank.

State Representatives Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, and Jackie Walorski, R-Lakeville, introduced HB1486 with Reps. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, and Gerald Torr, R-Carmel, as co-sponsors, taking action and doing the right thing to stop this senseless practice in our communities.

HB1468 provided hope for the unchecked and abundant abuses of puppy mills and overpopulation crisis by proposing basic standards of care and a cap on the number of animals housed in a breeding facility. Some puppy mills have 700 or more breeding dogs repeatedly reproducing multiple times a year well into their senior years, sending thousands of ill-bred dogs into a saturated market. HB1468 is basic, reasonable and supported by the vast majority of Indiana voters and professionals in the animal welfare field.

As this battle has hit catastrophic proportions, we have seen Sen. Brent Steele, R-Bedford, and his band of brothers working diligently to strip HB1468 of literally everything that would help curb the blatant animal cruelty inherent in puppy mills and our overpopulation crisis.

To add further insult to these actions, Steele also added language to the bill that would take away the rights of local municipalities to enact stricter local ordinances. Several counties in Indiana would have their already stronger ordinances revoked and lose their ability to do better by the animals.

If actions speak louder than words, it is obvious that these individuals are working for the continued abuse of animals in Indiana. Spin it as they may, little effort has to be made to read the message between the lines.

Inflicting undo harm and exploitation of man’s defenseless best friend is morally and ethically wrong. The vast majority of our society holds itself to a higher standard. Indiana legislators should not be working to protect the animal abusers and conversely should be acting to build a better Indiana that includes the humane treatment of our animal companions. Animal abusers and puppy mills add no value to the character and reputation of our state.

The Indiana Legislature must act to pass HB1468 in its original form as passed by overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives and reject the opposition’s unjust, inhumane and uncalled for political maneuvering at the expense of thousands of innocent animals. They have suffered enough by the mistakes and misdeeds of the humans they look to for comfort and safety.

Contact your legislators today and ask them to support HB1468 in its original context as passed through the House of Representatives. The voters of Indiana are and must continue to demand more.

Concerned citizens can locate their representatives and senators at: http://www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/index.jsp?currentPage=gotoIndex.