In response to Dan and Deb Beer of Syracuse, who stated, "If this bill is concerned with the limiting the number of unwanted dogs and cats in Indiana, why not provide a legitimate solution like offering free pet sterilization statewide?" Why should that expense be on the state? Why instead don't "responsible" breeders have all animals they sell as "pet quality" versus "show quality" sterilized prior to sale to prevent anyone from breeding less than show quality?
A reputable breeder should know the show standards for any breed it sells and able to judge that animal by 4-6 weeks well before that animal should be sold. I work at an animal hospital and I know for a fact that certain "reputable" breeders are breeding dogs with congenital diseases. If you are truly looking out for the well-being of animals and their prospective new owners, why take the risk of breeding these animals with congenital diseases and instead have them sterilized and put up for adoption, not sale, and educate the prospective purchasers that this animal has a congenital disease.
I think breeders with such a mass amount of dogs should take a tour of an animal shelter and ask themselves, "How am I contributing to this?" I don't think anyone should be able to look at more than even 20 dogs in a breeders kennel as an acceptable amount. Even if you have hundreds of volunteers and workers, why add to the rapidly increasing number of animals in America that are homeless or dying in shelters, including purebred dogs? Three to four breeding dogs is sufficient enough for responsible breeders.
You say that bill 1468 "exempts all animal shelters, humane societies, and rescues from its rules." That's because the rescues etc. are cleaning up the mess from irresponsible owners and breeders alike. There is more of a growing need for humane societies and rescues (who I might add do require sterilization) especially now with the nonsense idea of designer breeds.
In conclusion, I would like to point out it doesn't matter how many employees or volunteers you have, if you have more than 30 or 20 dogs you are breeding (or more than you can love on in your house comfortably every day), you are a puppy mill.
