This is a hopeful example of how non-partisan scientists can map better ways forward for everyone.
Some of the people she’d met were involved in legislative lobbying, and they were trying to write welfare standards for Indiana’s commercial breeders to follow.
In the continuing battle over what is, and is not, a “puppy mill,” they wanted somebody with a strong research background to set a baseline standard, somebody who would actually bring objectivity to the breeder-activist conflict without being on one side or the other.
In other words, they wanted Croney help to figure out not only appropriate enclosure sizes, but also requirements for socialization and enrichment activities—stimulation she knew the dogs desperately needed.
“The most horrifying thing I learned was that some of these people weren’t doing what I’d like to see, not because they didn’t care or only wanted money, but because nobody had ever told them,” she says. “As it turned out, they didn’t know any different, and no one would help them.”
If only there was a national certification organization that pro-actively ensured breeder education and handling standards. One which not only managed to stage hundreds of regional ‘dog shows’ across the country each year but also used a small fraction of its income to also inspect large breeding operations…
Maybe we could call in the Kennel Club of America! The KCA!
I’m glad to hear that there are ethical commerical breeders out there. That said, there are just so damn many dogs languishing in shelters, that I don’t think I could bring myself to buy from a breeder instead of adopting.