WASHINGTON-The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Last Chance for Animals (LCA), and the Society of Animal Protection Legislation (SAPL) are holding a lunch briefing today for Members of Congress and staff on H.R. 5229, the Pet Safety and Protection Act, introduced in April by Reps. Phil English (R-PA/3 rd) and Mike Doyle (D-PA/14 th).
The legislation prohibits the sale of random source dogs and cats by "Class B" dealers to research facilities. Dealers in random source animals have a long history of corrupt activity, including stealing pets and deceptively responding to "free to a good home" ads before selling the animals for experimentation.
"Pete," an investigator for LCA who conducted a 6-month-long undercover operation at the premises of the Arkansas Class B dealer C.C. Baird, will be speaking at the briefing. The investigation is the subject of the HBO documentary, Dealing Dogs, which chronicles Pete as he goes undercover inside the Martin Creek Kennels. A 20-minute condensed version of the documentary will be shown at the briefing.
The legislation would prohibit the sale of random source dogs and cats by "Class B" dealers, who not only have a history of procuring pets using unscrupulous methods, but also of inhumane treatment of animals housed on their premises prior to being transported to animal research laboratories. The bill is a companion to S. 451, introduced by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and the subject has been exposed to a nationwide audience through the broadcast of Dealing Dogs.
"We are grateful to Representatives Doyle and English and Senator Akaka for demanding action to stop the theft and abuse of pets to supply animals to research laboratories, often for invasive, painful, and lethal experiments," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
"If the research industry truly wishes to ensure illegally acquired pets are not sold to laboratories, it should join us in supporting this measure," said Cathy Liss, legislative director for the Society for Animal Protective Legislation.
Random source Class B dealers are licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to sell animals to research facilities. Such dealers purchase or acquire the animals from random sources, such as auctions, trade days, flea markets, or "bunchers" - individuals who round up dogs and cats from questionable sources including stolen pets and animals advertised in "free to a good home" ads in newspapers or on the Internet. The random source "system" makes it difficult for USDA to enforce regulations regarding the true source of each animal.
Dealing Dogs exposed the reality of the intense abuse and suffering of hundreds of dogs at Martin Creek Kennels. The undercover investigation by LCA, a Los Angeles-based organization, revealed a world of despair for animals caught in the clutches of the country's most notorious Class B dealer and the unacceptable lack of adequate oversight and regulation of such facilities.
While the subject of that film, C.C. Baird, has been shut down due to the efforts of LCA and the subsequent investigation by state and federal authorities, there are still 10 random source Class B dog and cat dealers in the United States that deal live animals, of which four are currently under investigation by the USDA.
The Pet Safety and Protection Act amends the Animal Welfare Act to prohibit random source dogs and cats from being sold to laboratories and prevents stray animals, who may be lost family pets, from being sold to laboratories. The bill would continue to permit breeders to supply dogs and cats to labs, as well as permit research facilities to breed animals for their own use or to supply others. The legislation would also continue to allow registered public pounds or shelters that receive animals relinquished by their owners (with consent) to in turn provide those animals to research facilities if they choose.
For more information on Class B dealers and on animals used in research, go to www.hsus.org.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection, and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
