Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Pet Animal Welfare Statute, PAWS, along with my colleague, Senator SANTORUM.

For more than three decades, Congress has given the responsibility of ensuring minimum standards of humane care and treatment of animals to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, under the Animal Welfare Act, AWA.

The current guidelines within the AWA do not go far enough to protect puppies at large breeding facilities; they merely ensure the provision of water and food, and that is inadequate. The AWA has been largely ineffective because of weak enforcement procedures and limited resources. Another severe limitation of the current AWA is that it does not regulate overseas breeders who submit their animals to deplorable conditions before exporting them to the United States, leaving many imported animals with diseases and behavioral disorders. PAWS strengthens the AWA to better control the practices of puppy breeding in large facilities, addresses cruel puppy treatment and places stricter regulations on overseas breeders.

In large breeding facilities, puppies are often kept in cramped, dirty cages; sometimes stacked on top of each other; exposed to the elements in extreme cold and heat; forced to breed too frequently; and deprived of adequate food, water, veterinary care, and any semblance of loving contact. In fact, current law allows many of these breeders to evade all federal oversight.

This inhumane treatment has a direct bearing on the physical and mental health of dogs in these facilities. Often, after these puppies join a family, they turn out to have serious health and behavioral problems that cause them pain, cause their owners great distress, and require expensive medical care.

I believe PAWS will address these problems by filling gaps in the current law and encouraging stronger enforcement by USDA to crack down on chronic violators. The bill also applies to cats.

PAWS requires that any commercial hreeder who sells seven or more litters of dogs or cats directly to the public in a year must be licensed by the USDA. The statute also allows the USDA to obtain the identity of breeders, a measure that would help the USDA to address inhumane treatment. PAWS extends the suspension period for facilities with AWA violations from 21 days to 60 days and provides the USDA with direct authority to apply for injunctions.

I've heard from many of my constituents in Illinois who are deeply concerned about the puppy mill problem and want this legislation enacted. PAWS is supported by national organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States, the American Kennel Club, Doris Day Animal League, and the Animal Welfare Institute.

I am pleased that we have obtained additional funds for USDA to improve its enforcement of the AWA. This piece of legislation will complement those ongoing efforts by strengthening USDA's authority to crack down on the bad actors.

PAWS will ensure that any commercial dog breeder licensed by the Federal Government is meeting basic humane standards of care. We owe at least this much to the animals that have earned the title ``man's best friend.'' This safety net for dogs and cats will protect pets and the consumers who care about them against the poor treatment practices of the worst dealers: the ones who provide no interaction; the ones who violate industry norms against over-breeding; the ones who repeatedly violate the law governing humane care. The good dealers, however, should be recognized for the value they bring to pet lovers everywhere.

Currently, the good dealers suffer at the hands of the bad ones, the ones who give the industry a bad reputation. This bill will help draw a clear distinction in favor of the good dealers. I thank my colleagues for their attention to this issue, and I urge their support for the Pet Animal Welfare Statute.

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