Breeding facilities would be regulated
By Lee Bergquist and Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel
Madison — The Assembly voted, 96-0, to approve legislation on Tuesday that would regulate large-scale canine breeding facilities known as “puppy mills.”
Wisconsin is one of the few states with virtually no regulation or an inspection program for the humane care of dogs or their offspring, according to backers of the legislation. The state also lacks regulatory authority in many cases to shut down puppy mills, they say.
The legislation would provide regulations, set standards and require licensing by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection for breeders who sell 25 or more dogs during a year.
“This will have a significant impact on elevating the standard of care for puppy mills,” said Ellen Clark, interim executive director of the Wisconsin Humane Society in Milwaukee.
The measure moves to the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee on Wednesday, and then to the Senate. Both houses are controlled by Democrats, and the regulations are supported by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle.
While the bill initially was seen as a vehicle to crack down on puppy mills, Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire), the bill’s sponsor, said the regulations will bring important standards to legitimate breeding facilities, too.
Wisconsin’s lack of regulation has helped make the state a magnet for puppy mills, according to supporters of the legislation. But Clark said that because the mills aren’t regulated, it’s unclear how many of the facilities are operating in the state.
Some operations are very large. In 2008, the Wisconsin Humane Society bought and closed one of the largest dog breeding facilities in the nation. At the time of the acquisition of the Puppy Haven Kennel in Markesan, the kennel held about 1,600 dogs.
Clark said the vast majority of the dogs suffered medical problems. Still, the organization was able to find homes for 97% of the animals. The remaining dogs – afflicted with maladies ranging from cancerous tumors to extensive social problems – were euthanized.
Puppy Haven sold about 3,000 dogs a year. Breeds included pugs, beagles, poodles, miniature schnauzers, Shih Tzus, American Eskimos, Yorkshire terriers and mixes known as “designer breeds.”
Also Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that bans phosphorus from household automatic dishwashing liquid. The measure, which has already passed the Assembly, now goes to the governor for signing.
The law would not go into effect until July 1 to give time for retailers to sell their current inventories. Phosphorus is a source of algae blooms that can kill fish and harm the ecosystem of water bodies.
In April, Gov. Jim Doyle signed legislation that bans phosphorus from fertilizer, as well. Wisconsin first banned phosphorus from laundry detergent in 1979, then lifted the ban until it was reinstituted in 1984.
In other legislative business Tuesday:
• The Assembly approved a bill on a voice vote that would set state academic standards for teaching students about the risks of different mortgages and the causes of home foreclosures.
• The Senate passed a bill that would mandate that the state’s academic standards include instruction on labor history and the collective bargaining process. The measure passed 20-12 and now heads to Doyle.
• The Senate approved a bill to bar the Coleman Lake Club in northern Wisconsin from keeping its property closed to the public if it enters a program that defers property taxes for forested areas.
A state program provides a tax break for landowners who agree to a sustainable tree-cutting plan and keep much of their property open to the public.
Landowners are allowed to close 160 acres to the public.
The hunting club in Marinette County has more than 8,000 acres. It has formed 56 companies that each own 160 acres and those companies have applied to enter the tax program, which would keep the entire 8,000 acres private.
The bill would require all of it to remain open to the public. It passed 23-9 and now heads to the Assembly.