Puppy mills taking center stage in Iowa House this week

A bill intended to crack down on so-called “puppy mills” or inhumane conditions in animal breeding facilities is scheduled to be considered this week in the Iowa House.

The measure would allow state inspectors to respond to specific complaints against a federally licensed facility. Those inspectors could check to see if an animal is suffering or has adverse health effects because of lack of food, water, sanitation, shelter or grooming.

Animal welfare groups have complained that federally licensed facilities have not been held accountable when poor living conditions for dogs have been discovered.

Advocate Mary LaHay, who has been pushing for a new state law, said it can take the U.S. Department of Agriculture years to get something done.

“We need more local, immediate options for dealing with these situations,” LaHay said.

She said some dogs at the worst facilities spend their entire lives in cramped cages and are denied veterinary care and human companionship. Others are emaciated because of a lack of food, she said. Dogs are bred every heat cycle until their bodies wear out, when some breeders shoot them, she said.

Rep. Jim Lykam, D-Davenport, has been a champion of the legislation in the House in recent years. He called the bill coming up for debate a compromise between breeders and animal rights groups.

“We came a long way from last year,” he said.

The bill sets out new fees for many facilities to help pay for a state inspector with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Rep. Annette Sweeney, R-Alden, thinks the problem lies with unlicensed breeders, and that is who the state should go after, not legitimate licensed breeders.

“We have good breeders in our state,” she said.

Sweeney worries the legislation could burden the Iowa agriculture department and said the USDA needs to step up and do its job.

In other legislative action this week:

• A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday on House Study Bill 702, which would entitle public-sector unions to reimbursement for services provided to non-members in some instances. The hearing will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the House chamber. Those wishing to speak at the hearing can sign up with the Legislative Information Office at 515-281-5129.
• The Senate is scheduled to debate Senate File 2179 requiring that all passengers under the age of 18 use a seat belt or child restraint system regardless of their seating position. Motorists who violate the requirement would face a possible $25 fine. Exceptions are made for school buses and motorcycles or when a child in a back seat is not restrained because all of a vehicle's seat belts are in use.