Chloe’s Bill- IL puppy mill legislation proposal

A Cocker Spaniel named Chloe inspired Illinois legislation intended to regulate commercial dog breeders and is the namesake of the bill. Chloe is the sole survivor of her litter that was seized from an unlicensed breeding facility. The conditions in which Chloe and her siblings lived were deplorable. There were dozens of wire cages stacked upon each other. The pups were infested with fleas, soaked in urine, caked in feces and suffering from internal parasites. The legislation is intended to crackdown on puppy mills that do not have the animal’s best interest at heart.

If passed, the bill would mandate the following:
*Licensing for those who intend to sell the offspring of three or more females.
*Ban anyone with felony animal cruelty convictions from obtaining a dog breeding license.
*Require breeders and pet stores to provide buyers with a dog’s full medical history.
*Require breeders and pet store owners to provide facts about the responsibilities of dog ownership and the benefits of spaying, neutering.
*Require breeders to regularly sanitize their operation to protect dogs from injury and disease along with prohibiting wire flooring. The facilities must provide proper ventilation, cooling and heating as well.
*Creation of a Dog Breeder License Act where no more than 20 dogs are allowed in a breeding facility that have not been spayed or neutered.

Penalties would range from fines to animal seizure along with license revocation.

Opponents to the bill believe that mom and pop breeders who raise litters in their home would be hurt by the bill. Surprisingly, the Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association calls the bill misguided. Their fear is that the bill would result in a spike of sales from out of state puppy mills. Yet, The Humane Society of United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are supporting the bill.