The American Kennel Club (AKC), the world’s largest purebred dog registry, has been under fire for failing to protect dogs from horrific abuses at large-scale commercial breeding facilities, commonly referred to as “puppy mills.” Although the majority of AKC members are smaller, high-quality breeders, the organization has been giving in to pressure from puppy mill breeders, and has actively opposed over 80 bills and proposals in the last five years that would have ensured humane standards for large-scale commercial breeders. The AKC must reverse its course in order to ensure that innocent dogs aren’t suffering at the hands of callous puppy mill breeders.
Shockingly, some puppy mill breeders charged with animal cruelty passed AKC inspections, clearly demonstrating the organization’s reluctance to take a stand against these irresponsible breeders. In the late 1990s, large-scale, commercial dog breeding facilities threatened to boycott the AKC registry and since then, it has dedicated significant resources to fight against laws that would regulate those facilities.
Examples of regulations the AKC asked its supporters to oppose in 2012 include laws in several states that would have forced puppy producers to comply with basic animal care standards, legislation in three states that would have prohibited debarking for non-medical purposes, an ordinance in Tennessee that would have prevented dogs from being left in hot cars, and a Louisiana bill that would have banned breeding facilities from keeping dogs in stacked wire cages.
http://forcechange.com/26508/dont-let-the-american-kennel-club-pander-to-puppy-mill-interests/
