PETITION TARGET: Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Confined to cramped cages, denied exercise and socialization, and repeatedly bred for profit, dogs in puppy mills often endure lives of severe neglect and suffering.
Now, a newly introduced federal bill known as the Puppy Protection Act aims to strengthen protections for dogs in breeding facilities by mandating larger enclosures, ensuring regular opportunities for exercise and social interaction, and limiting how often dogs can be bred.
“Because we care for our pets so much, we want a commitment from breeders to raise their dogs in humane conditions before they find their forever home,” said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, who introduced the legislation.
If enacted, S. 4437/H.R. 2253 would require dogs to have enclosures tall enough to stand fully upright, more floor space proportionate to their size, and housing that does not involve cages stacked on top of each other.
The legislation would also ensure dogs receive at least 30 minutes of social interaction each day, provide dogs over 12 weeks old with unrestricted access to an outdoor exercise area, and limit breeding to no more than two litters in any 18-month period or six litters over a dog’s lifetime.
While this measure would not end the inherently cruel practice of dog breeding altogether, it would mark an important step toward reducing the suffering of countless dogs who are repeatedly bred for profit and too often denied adequate space, exercise, companionship, and humane treatment.
Sign our petition urging U.S. legislators to support this bill and help protect dogs in breeding facilities from needless suffering.
