I personally don't think this is going to effect most reputible hobby breeders. I have read the debates on here and I get it but these rules are mostly going to effect large scale breeders, byb's, silver breeders and puppy mills the most. Some type of regulation is going to happen regardless and the more you push the harder the activists are going to push back and they are loaded with money. We could end up with something way more restrictive in the end. The wording of the original post is so oblique that it's obvious that it's meant to instill fear. I would much rather donate money to canine medical research. Just my opinion and not wishing to debate this further unless some new pertinent information comes to light.

This bill will affect anyone with 4 or more intact bitches. The law does not exclude puppies or retired bitches. I would say that affects a good portion of hobby breeders.

Really??!?! Anybody with more than 4 bitches (actually any specie females) is affected by this rule. Either because you have to get a license or because you won't be able to ship a puppy even if it is only 1 puppy every 10 years. This rule does not affect large puppy mills because those are already licensed.

With all due respect, you are clueless...

Yes really. I do not ship puppies, have never shipped a puppy and all the reputable hobby breeders that I know do not ship puppies. The silver breeder a few blocks from me ships almost all her of puppies though.

With all due respect, you are the one that's clueless if you believe what you wrote!

....and we'll be safe right? So since you are so ethical and so elitist in your thought, let me get this straight, no reputable breeder ships their puppies? Yup you truly are clueless.

Not only do reputable breeders ship, those who have rarer breeds ship to other breeders or show homes ALL the time. It's your clueless mentality and narrow view of the world that makes you think that because you are so wonderful and reputable that the rules won't hurt you. That's just wonderful, sweet, you are so exceptional. For the rest of us, we would prefer to keep our right to ship when "we" feel it is right for "us". These rules take that right away from us and force us to comply with regulations that aren't right for "us". But that's ok it *may* stop your silver breeder friend from shipping her puppies.........smh. Get a clue and mark my words, "It won't stop here". It will only stop when NO ONE is allowed to breed any more.

So true

I never said that a breeder that ships puppies isn't reputable, LOL. I said all of the reputable hobby breeders that I know don't ship. Actually I don't personally know any BYB's or the silver breeder. I have no problems with a breeder wanting to ship but I have no need to.

FWIW, Leader Dogs for the Blind will not ship a puppy to an out of state puppy raiser, they must pick them up and drive them back. They also drive some of their puppies several states away to a prison for inmates to raise.

It's just the way you come off, your mentality, your way of thinking. Just because *you* personally do not know of any reputable breeder who ships puppies, doesn't mean that *reputable* breeders can't or do not ship puppies. This is *your* closed/narrow minded way of thinking that is wrong. Reputable breeders can and do ship puppies from time to time. Obviously *you* thought shipping puppies is wrong and that NO reputable breeder you know would do such a thing or you wouldn't have bothered to respond.

I don't agree with silver breeders, doodle breeders or commercial breeders, but I do respect their right to breed as long as they take care of their dogs. In this day and age of very active Animal Rights Groups who work behind the scenes of the USDA and are instrumental in writing and infiltrating this organization to end all breeding, we cannot afford to dictate who can and can not breed dogs or even breed animals for that matter. Like it or not, we are in the fight of our lives to retain *our* rights to breed our dogs as *we* like and as *we* see fit. Trying to tell others how they should or shouldn't breed is not going to preserve *your* rights to breed.

I've said this once and I'll say it again, when I read through letter after letter to APHIS regarding these proposed rules, I had a hard time disguising between the animal rights supporters and breeders as they said they wanted to shut down those "blankety blank breeders" yet let *me* still breed. You must remember to those writing, presenting, supporting and lobbying for such laws, ALL breeders to them are those "blankety, blank" breeders and ALL breeders must be stopped!

I know reputable breeders ship and that's their prerogative, no one is telling them they can't ship anymore or breed. If I ever find myself in a position where I wanted to ship a puppy I wouldn't have a problem with following the proper procedure.

You want the right to breed as you like and as you see fit? How do I know you aren't like the silver breeder near me (on a lot, in town) that had over 70 dogs (includes 2 litters) IN HER HOUSE!

You have your opinion and I have mine and nobody can predict the future. Fear tactics are being used (similar to what animal activist groups do) to pressure all breeders to financially support a cause that will have little effect on the majority of breeders. This law addresses shipping not your right to breed.

Dear Nada, This law covers much more than shipping. As stated before, if you have 4 or more intact bitches (again, no distinction between older bitches that you are not breeding or puppies that you are running on), this law will affect you. It opens your home to be inspected by the USDA and having your home conform to guidelines that are impossible for the average home to meet. If you don't want to contribute money then don't, however, you are doing harm by stating your opinion as a fact regarding this law when you are quite wrong.

ANYTHING that restricts our rights, affects us all. I have said this before and it needs to be said again. Our rights are being chipped away little by little by little. This seemingly small inconvenience is but a tiny step in a grand plan to take away our rights. Unless we stop this now, more steps will follow.

This says it all.

No, this law doesn't affect me because I don't ship.

"It opens your home to be inspected by the USDA and having your home conform to guidelines that are impossible for the average home to meet."

Such as??? I'm a hobby breeder not a large scale breeder, my dogs live in my home. If I were to apply for a license, what guidelines specifically are you referring to that will be impossible for the average home to meet?

I respect your opinion and it's well stated but it's conjecture to presume that this is part of a grand plan to take away our rights. One must pick their battles and I will save my resources for something that's more intrusive to breeding. I don't want to be regulated either but irresponsible people shipping live animals has caused this change.

You can check out the AKC web site. All the information is listed there.

....under a rock if you haven't realized that the Animal Rights Extremists want to END ALL BREEDING *PERIOD*. The way they are going about this is to 1) vilify breeders by showing photos of dogs in substandard conditions. Whether or not they are from a bad breeder, hoarder or were staged doesn't matter. The public viewing the photos become emotional at the sight and they will say whatever it takes to turn the public against breeders. 2) introduce laws that make it more expensive and more restrictive to breed dogs.

Believe what you want, but those who fight these laws and work with others who are in the know, know the true agenda of the animal rights movement. It does include exterminating ALL breeders. Scapegoating other types of breeders, blaming the bad ones for these new laws is naive and just burying your head in the sand. Truly is clueless. To the people who are introducing these laws and pushing for more and more legislation do NOT make any distinction between different types of breeders. To them we are all the same, that substandard hate slur used against all breeders regardless of quantity or quality. Your holier than thou attitude means NOTHING to them. They just want you and everyone else to STOP. They will do everything in their power and whatever their money can buy. With millions in their war chest and the way they've turned the public against breeders, I say it's a fight WE can't afford to just sit back and wait until it affects *us*. Just because it doesn't affect you *now*, doesn't mean it won't affect you in the future.

Just remember, "First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me."~Martin Niemöller

Nada,

I see why you don't oppose to this rule. Here is why you should not like this rule:

- You must get a license if you keep in your property more than 4 female animals that are capable of breeding (That includes any intact bitches, cats, rabbits, hamsters, etc.)

AND

1 Ship at least 1 puppy ever. A lot of breeders do not ship, so that's why they think they are exempt from this rule, or
2 Sale at least 1 dog that was not born and raised in your property. Everybody has bought a puppy, or got a puppy as a stud fee payment or part of payment for another dog that didn't work out and decided to place it in a forever home, or
3 sale or buy any animal parts, they never mentioned it, but that might include semen.

If you meet any of these criteria, you fall into a commercial category and you must keep ALL your animals in a building that complies the USDA requirements:

Sterile-able floors and walls (that is tile, stainless steel, or vinyl; no bare concrete or wood, no bedding or dog houses. Everything must be completely sterile.
There is a criteria about space for each dog. Which is reasonable.
Separate room for pregnant females and puppies that meet the sterile criteria. The puppies must be kept in these sterile spaces with no bedding or toys or anything but the floor, walls and the food/water stainless steel plates. No more puppies in your living room or Kitchen.
You can't keep your pet dog in your home and the breeding dogs in the "commercial" building. All areas where the animals roam, must be washable and able to be disinfected with chlorine or hot steam. That includes your home if you want to keep dogs with you.

They can inspect your property unannounced any time they feel like it during business hours. If you are not home, you get a $$$ fine that will increase as you repeat until they revoke your license.

Record keeping is long and tedious. For example, every time you go for a walk, you must record it in a log. Every show, vet visit, family visits, must be in a log for every dog and kept for at least 1 year.

The list is long, but at the end you would have to choose between having a 100% commercial kennel or having pets in your home.

Do you care now???