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Give Pets a Second Chance: Get Rid of Class B Dealers

36 comments Give Pets a Second Chance: Get Rid of Class B Dealers

Unfortunately, there are some situations where pet owners can no longer continue to care for their animals. While owners may try their best to give their pets a second chance at having a forever home, they may be unwittingly putting them in situations where they can become the victims of Class B dealers.

Class B dealers are animal brokers who find and sell dogs and cats to schools and research institutions for a profit. Their methods of acquisition range from going to shelters, answering classified ads, and in some cases stealing pets who are left unattended outside. Class B dealers also buy animals from “bunchers,” who collect animals from random sources.

Class B dealers are regulated by the USDA and are responsible for following guidelines of care outlined by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). However, even the AWA only requires minimal care standards and there have been multiple violations where animals suffer with no food, water or veterinary care, among other issues, and there is little or no accountability.

“Currently, over half of the Class B Dealers selling random source animals to research labs are under investigation by the USDA for allegedly failing to comply with the law,” according to the ASPCA.

The Pet Safety and Protection Act, sponsored by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA), has been proposed to amend the AWA in order to ensure that animals used in research are obtained legally.

According to the ASPCA, if the Pet Safety and Protection Act is passed, the AWA would be amended so that the only people who would be allowed to sell dogs and cats to research facilities would be:

  • Dealers who have bred and raised the animals.
  • Publicly owned pounds or shelters that obtained the animals from their legal owners.
  • A person donating a dog or cat whom they have bred and raised, or owned for at least one year.

These categories of people are already allowed to sell to research. The Pet Safety and Protection Act would not change that or give them more rights than they currently have. This bill would eliminate Class B dealers and take away any incentive for others to illegally source animals for a profit.

While this may not help the thousands of animals who are legally obtained for research purposes, it will help animals like Cruella from unnecessary pain and suffering. 

Send a letter to your representatives through the ASPCA asking them to support the Pet Safety and Protection Act. 

 

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36 comments

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5:36AM PDT on Apr 3, 2012

Shut them down!

8:19AM PDT on Mar 25, 2012

we need harsher punishments for animal abusers!

5:34AM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

thank you

5:30AM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

NO ANIMALS,THE RESEARCH IS FOR HUMANS,USE HUMANS

3:21AM PDT on Mar 24, 2012

"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men."
-- Leonardo Da Vinci

7:36PM PDT on Aug 1, 2011

No cats, dogs, primates, or rabbits should be used in research.
In fact no animals should be used. There are better ways that can be used without the atrocities practiced on animals. Research results from animals do not translate to humans.

10:22AM PDT on Aug 1, 2011

Anyone with a heart will take these articles and plights of the poor animals seriously.....sign petitions and leave comments.........speak out

6:49AM PDT on Aug 1, 2011

They should stop this altogether.

8:05PM PDT on Jul 31, 2011

Only in the most extremely ungent research cases should any animals be ussed.

3:22PM PDT on Jul 31, 2011

Yeah, I agree w.the other posters here- why support a bill that still allows the experimentation to go on, at all,,,? We needs bills that prohibit animal experimentation completely!

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