What are the current laws?

Animal Welfare Act - 1966 - The Animal Welfare Act was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 and is the only federal law that regulates the treatment of animals in commercial and scientific endeavors and provides the minimum coverage allowed.

 

 However, it does not specifically mention any detailed protections for the animals. 

 

The Act gives authority to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to inspect facilities.

 

 

In the rescue world there is a standard Rescuer’s Creed that, when rescuing any dog or cat from a bad situation, we are making a commitment to right the wrongs of past abuses this animal has experienced. As a community, We believe it is our job to right these wrongs and hold animal abuse perpetrators accountable. We must provide higher standards of care. If our communities knew what truly went on in some of these rescue operations, they would be shocked and horrified. Making big profits through high volumes and providing little to no care to the animals is not rescue. 

 Trafficking, DISEASE, over population and warehousing to name a few. Pet stores are not the problem. Colorado does not have puppy mills. Puppy trafficking, backyard breeders, dogs purchased over the internet from irresponsible breeders, these are the issues Colorado faces.

From 2017-2020, about 30k imported puppies came through online sales. Current CVI requirements are lax and useless. Between 2017 and 2020, 136,962 animals have been imported into Colorado from other states. Currently, there are more imported dogs in shelters than native Colorado dogs. 

Just because individuals call themselves a rescue does not mean they are benevolent organization bringing in safe healthy animals into Colorado or caring for these animals properly.

1. From 2017 - 2020, Colorado consumers bought from Colorado pet stores or adopted from Colorado rescues a total of more than 162,000 dogs and puppies.

2. Less than 20% of these dogs and puppies were from Colorado pet stores.

3. During that same four-year period, Colorado consumers bought from Colorado pet stores or adopted from Colorado rescues a total of nearly 99,000 puppies.

4. Only 30% of these puppies were from Colorado pet stores.

5. Because of the rise in retail rescue, in 2020 alone:

a. Dogs and puppies sold by pet stores represented less than 15% of the total bought by or adopted by Colorado consumers.

b. Puppies sold by pet stores as a % of the total was 22%.

6. Puppy trafficking in Colorado must be addressed. Our Standards of care, quality of care, violations records, giving back in our communities as benevolent organizations and working with rescue partners is what rescue work is about. It is a community of like-minded individuals coming together to rescue and care for the most vulnerable, our loved companions. We have some amazing rescue/shelter partnerships being developed that are serving our consumers and our companion animals. Pet stores and puppy mills(unethical breeders) are not the issues Colorado has. We have an animal trafficking issues where animals and consumers are harmed. We say no more political agendas on the backs of our companion animals. Let’s look to factual data. Let’s support our small, amazing rescuers doing amazing work in Colorado and deal with the trafficking and organizations that exempt from spay and neutering.. Most importantly let’s stop WAREHOUSING ANIMALS sitting hidden away in facilities suffering mentally. (Let’s encourage our Colorado breeders to place their breeding dogs in loving homes after breeding.) Let's set limits on how many times a dog can be breed.) When they need to be retired. 

PS we do not support purchasing puppies at pet stores or from back yard Breeders. We do support responsible hobby and licensed breeders. We do not support internet purchases; they are the worst way to obtain your companion animal. “NO INTERNET PURCHASES. 

 

#coloradopolitics