Congressman Deutch (FL-21) has cosponsored H.R. 847, the Puppy Uniform Protection and Safety (PUPS) Act.

Under present law, there is a lack of enforcement regarding online puppy breeders. Due to loopholes, these breeders are able to avoid regulation and often ignore certain safety inspections due to their online presence. This leads to many instances where dogs are forced to live in substandard facilities and are subjected to unethical treatment and poor living conditions. Laws are in place to make sure living conditions are safe for puppies while they live in breeding facilities, however loopholes must be closed in order to maximize these laws’ effectiveness and enforcement. This bill would force all breeders who sell 50 or more dogs to the public to obtain a license from the USDA and undergo regular inspections. This would force all large-scale breeders, both local and online, to ensure proper breeding conditions are met.

To read more about H.R. 847, click here.