Editor’s note: This column ran as a pro-con with another column that argued against House Bill 1011.
With lots of walking trails and dog-friendly spots, Colorado has a reputation for being one of the most dog-friendly states in the country; however, it may be surprising to learn that in our state, it is still legal to sell puppy mill dogs. A new state bill () aims to fix this by finally ending our state鈥檚 participation in the horrific puppy mill pipeline.
The ASPCA has rescued thousands of dogs from puppy mills, and as a veterinarian, I have seen firsthand the impact that cruel breeding has on dogs. Puppies sold in pet stores or online come from puppy mills, where dogs are housed in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions without veterinary care, adequate food or water, or socialization. Breeding dogs spend most of their lives in dark, cramped cages where they produce litter after litter. Diseases spread easily, and the focus on producing a high volume of puppies means dogs are bred even when they are sick or suffer from genetic disorders that can be passed down to their puppies.
A pipeline of middlemen, or 鈥渂rokers,鈥� then ships thousands of these puppies from out-of-state puppy mills to stores and online retailers, where they are marketed as high-quality dogs from hand-picked breeders. In addition to sky-high price tags and unanticipated veterinary bills, families deal with the emotional toll of caring for a sick or behaviorally challenged dog.
According to an ASPCA survey, the majority of Colorado voters are already aware that many pet stores acquire puppies from commercial breeding facilities, and 82% support a statewide policy that would end the sale of puppy mill puppies at pet stores and through brokers. Twenty-six municipalities in Colorado have already adopted ordinances to keep the puppy mill industry out of their communities, but without a statewide law, these businesses can simply move to the next county, continuing to exploit both consumers and dogs.
鈥� sponsored by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Rep. Karen McCormick, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez 鈥� would address this issue by ending the sale of puppies through third-party brokers and retail stores, to better reflect the values of Coloradans. This legislation also ensures that Coloradans looking to bring a dog into the family can still choose to adopt from a local shelter or rescue organization or buy directly from a responsible breeder.
States across the U.S. have enacted similar laws to protect their communities, and ending the sale of pets by pet stores is proven to curb puppy mill sales. Additionally, the pet industry鈥檚 own data shows that pet stores that do not sell pets are more profitable than those that do. In fact, the overwhelming majority of pet businesses in Colorado and nationally 鈥� including both large chains and independent stores 鈥� do not sell puppies, focusing instead on selling food and other products, or offering services such as grooming, boarding, and training. They also partner with local shelters and rescues to hold adoption events.
As one of the most dog-friendly states, Colorado must update its laws to ensure our state鈥檚 love for dogs is not being taken advantage of by the puppy mill industry and its deceptive tactics. Please join me in urging the Colorado General Assembly to continue the momentum of this bill by passing聽HB26-1011聽to protect animals and stop the puppy mill pipeline from profiting off of our community.
Elise Gingrich, DVM, is the senior director of Shelter Medicine for the ASPCA.
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