Breaking News: L.A. Passes Puppy Mill Law

It looks like Los Angeles County didn’t want to wait for a national or statewide puppy mill law to go into effect. On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance to protect animals raised by breeders or kept in pet stores.

According to Daily News Wire Services, the law was introduced by Supervisor Michael Antonovich, “an animal lover who presents a dog or cat for adoption at virtually every board meeting he attends.”

The ordinance is an amendment to Title 10 – the code relating to the licensing of animals and animal facilities, and the care and breeding of animals.

The new ordinance will require breeders to:

Only breed dogs that are at least 12 months old.
Keep puppies in their possession until they are at least 8 weeks old.
Place pregnant dogs in separate living quarters at least three days before they give birth.
Provide nesting boxes for mother dogs and their puppies.

The new rules also make sure all puppies are microchipped or tattooed when they turn four months old.

And pet shops will be required to inform potential pet owners where the puppies in their store come from.

The Board of Supervisors apparently had some disagreements about limiting the number of dogs a breeder could own, so they came up with this compromise.

Breeders will be limited to housing 50 unspayed or unneutered dogs unless they can prove to county officials they can properly care for more.

Those breeders will be mandated to keep stricter medical records, have staff at the facility 18 hours a day and be subject to more frequent inspections, at their own cost.

Title 10 currently requires breeders to provide “structurally sound” housing that is clean and sanitary, enclosures with solid bottoms, wholesome food, accessible clean water and proper grooming for the dogs.

It also states no animal shall be left unattended for more than 12 consecutive hours, requires veterinary care, humane treatment and exercise.

Even with the amendments L.A.’s Title 10 is far from perfect. However it covers most of the same regulations as Missouri’s Proposition B that was passed by the voters last November.

That law is being hacked apart by legislators and breeder associations’ who complain how its restrictions will inhibit their livelihood.

To read the complete ordinance – Click Here

CALL TO ACTION: Don’t Let Missouri Puppy Mills Thrive, Keep Prop B in Place

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Caro M.

5:41AM PDT on Apr 3, 2012

Puppy mills are a disgrace!

send a green star

Luciane S.

5:31PM PDT on Mar 25, 2012

I say "NO MORE PUPPY MILLS". Period.

Lyn N.

11:41PM PDT on Sep 20, 2011

There is no way in hell that animal investigators can keep track of all the breeders out there. There should be NO MORE breeding of any animal that would be a companion animal for at least 5 yrs. The shelters are more than overflowing with pups and kittens and rabbits that were bred for a profit and only after did the so-called breeders realize that they couldn't keep up with caring for all the animals they had the right way.

Just spay/neuter? Even then there will always be animals used and abused by the soulless that live among us.

Val G.

8:40PM PDT on Jul 18, 2011

Feel the same way as Nicky M.!!!
Thank you Sharon.

Sheri S.

7:49PM PDT on Jul 18, 2011

Fortunately or unfortunately, LA County is part of the state of CA which is part of the USA. Upon reflection, What I am trying to say is that they have as much obligation to protect their animals, as they do the people. Since they seem to have a problem protecting their citizens, I'm not surprised they are not able to protect the animals.

Gypsy W.

10:40PM PDT on Jun 19, 2011

Well at least they're taking the first step in the right direction, but they still need to get rid of puppy mills forever!

Deb G.

9:18PM PDT on Jun 17, 2011

It's not perfect, still too much breeding, but at least they are acknowledging the problem and attemtping to address the issue, unlike the state in which I live.

10:18AM PDT on Jun 11, 2011

Still too much breeding. Just shut them down altogether.

beverly g.

5:08PM PDT on May 28, 2011

i agree with Shelley Smith totally. shut them down. these people are users of animals. Sort it proply . poor animals are suffering.

Sue G.

6:26PM PDT on May 24, 2011

Just close down all puppy mills and ban pet shops from selling animals. Never mind farting about with this bill and that bill. Just put all these greedy people out of business. Why aren't we demanding that this needs to be done to eradicate the the overpopulation of animals? Why are people so thick that they even buy an animal? GO TO THE SHELTERS PEOPLE AND SAVE A LIFE!