Michigan Humane has first-hand experience with the damage done to people and pets by irresponsible commercial breeders who put profits over animal welfare. Commonly referred to as puppy mills, these commercial breeders are subject to licensure and regulation by the USDA under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) if they have more than four breeding females and sell puppies sight unseen through retail stores and online. Unfortunately, the animal care standards set by the AWA are very minimal, and enforcement of even those lax standards has been severely lacking.
One way to combat puppy mills is to reduce the number of retail outlets available to them. Hundreds of cities nationally, including 12 in Michigan, have passed ordinances prohibiting pet stores from selling dogs and cats (and sometimes other species). On January 28, Detroit joined that growing list of cities when Detroit City Council unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting Detroit pet shops from selling dogs and cats. The ordinance explicitly allows pet shops to partner with animal welfare organizations to offer pets for adoption. As there are currently no pet shops in Detroit selling dogs and cats, this was a preventative measure and will ensure that the puppy mill pipeline will not have any retail outlets in Detroit.
Michigan Humane supported the Detroit ordinance and previously supported humane pet shop ordinances in Royal Oak and St. Clair Shores. This work on the local level is possible because in the 2017-18 legislative session, Michigan Humane successfully worked with other advocates to defeat two bills that would have made it easier for puppy mills to sell puppies through retail pet stores. Those bills, which were vetoed by Governor Snyder, would have – among other things – prevented local governments from enacting ordinances prohibiting the retail sale of animals.
Nine states have enacted statewide bans on the retail sale of dogs and cats. A Michigan bill was introduced in the 2023-24 session that would have prohibited the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits. Michigan Humane supported the bill, but unfortunately, it did not pass.
The humane pet shop statutes and ordinances are working to reduce demand for commercially bred puppies, and an estimated 32,000 fewer breeding dogs are being kept in USDA-licensed facilities than there were 10 years ago. However, to truly solve the puppy mill problem, the low animal welfare standards that apply to commercial breeders and the poor enforcement of the standards that do exist must be addressed.
In an effort to address the root cause of the problem, Michigan Humane has worked at the state and federal level to pass legislation that would improve standards of care and enforcement of those standards for animals in commercial breeding facilities. In the 2015-16 Michigan legislative session, Michigan Humane drafted and worked to introduce and pass legislation regulating large-scale dog breeders and requiring them to register with MDARD. On the federal level, Michigan Humane has worked with the ASPCA to support Goldie’s Act, a bill that would amend the AWA to improve enforcement. While there was potential for Goldie’s Act to be included in the 2024 Farm Bill, Congress was unable to pass a new Farm Bill in 2024, and the 2018 Farm Bill has been extended through September 30, 2025.
Michigan Humane is committed to fighting puppy mills on the local, state, and federal level and promoting the humane acquisition of companion animals in collaboration with like-minded organizations, stakeholders, and supporters. We are going to keep working to improve animal welfare and create a more humane community while serving as a voice for the animals through advocacy. Together, we can continue to make a difference in animals’ lives. If you know someone who you think would be interested in this information, please forward this to them and encourage them to sign up for our Legislative Action Network.