New Federal Focus on Dog Fighting and Puppy Mills

In a surprising move, the US Departments of Agriculture, Justice, Health and Human Services, and Homeland Security jointly announced the creation of a “coordinated effort to crackdown on chronic dog welfare violators” with a focus on dog fighting and Animal Welfare Act (AWA) violations at puppy mills. As part of this effort, the DOJ is scheduling an Animal Welfare Summit to train federal prosecutors and agents and creating an Animal Welfare Executive Strategy Committee to develop strategy for prosecutions nationwide, among other steps. With respect to puppy mills, AWI has repeatedly called for the USDA and the DOJ to exercise their full authority to alleviate the animal suffering caused by licensed dog breeders who persistently and egregiously violate the AWA’s minimum standards of care. On paper, at least, this multidepartmental effort signals an unprecedented level of attention and commitment of resources to a pair of significant animal welfare issues. Hopefully, it will germinate concerted, coordinated efforts to end both a vicious underground bloodsport and the legal cover—via continued licensing—granted to breeders who openly flout the law.

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