The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has welcomed the introduction of a Bill by Senators Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, Connecticut) and Rick Scott (Republican, Florida) to address the “abject failure” of the US Department of Agriculture to enforce the Animal Welfare Act and crack down on animal suffering in federally licensed facilities, including so-called puppy mills.
Named Goldie’s Act for a Golden Retriever that was left to suffer and die at a USDA-licensed breeder’s facility in Iowa, the Bill requires the USDA to conduct more frequent and meaningful inspections, provide life-saving intervention for suffering animals, issue penalties for violations, and communicate with local law enforcement to address cruelty and neglect, the society said in a press release.
A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives last year by a bipartisan team of lawmakers that included Representatives Nicole Malliotakis (R, New York), Mike Quigley (D, Illinois), Brian Fitzpatrick (R, Pennsylvania), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D, Ill), Chris Smith (R, New Jersey), and Zach Nunn (R, Iowa).
“Goldie’s Act, named after a dog who endured months of suffering under the USDA’s watch and tragically died in an Iowa puppy mill, will prevent thousands of other vulnerable dogs from meeting the same tragic and unacceptable fate,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA president and chief executive officer. “We urge Congress to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill to ensure the USDA fulfils its responsibility under the law—and to taxpayers—to protect dogs bred and warehoused for the pet trade.”
The society said Goldie’s Act would restore ‘welfare’ to the Animal Welfare Act to fix USDA policies that have failed animals. The bipartisan legislation has also garnered support from nearly 150 animal welfare, law enforcement, and shelter organizations, and received attention during Secretary Tom Vilsack’s recent appearance before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, when Congressman Nunn raised the urgent need to pass Goldie’s Act, the press release said.
According to the release, Senator Blumenthal said the new law gives the USDA “the tools and resources needed to hold abusers accountable and to protect innocent animals. Neglect and mistreatment have no place in our society, and I am proud to introduce this legislation to uphold the health and safety of animals and to keep them out of harm’s way.”
Senator Scott added, “Puppy mills are cruel and inhumane and I am proud to team up with Sen Blumenthal to introduce Goldie’s Act to crack down on these despicable operations. This bill will strengthen existing law and provide greater clarity and coordination with law enforcement to hold people who are cruel to animals accountable for their crimes with stronger civil penalties. I urge our colleagues to support this bill to better protect our four-legged friends.”
Nancy Blaney, director of government affairs for the Animal Welfare Institute, said, “AWI is grateful to Senators Blumenthal and Scott for introducing Goldie’s Act to ensure comprehensive inspections of entities licensed under the Animal Welfare Act as well as confiscations of animals found to be suffering. For too long USDA has not been taking seriously its responsibilities to the animals it is charged with protecting; Goldie’s Act will make the inspection process work for the animals.”
“Though the Animal Welfare Act is intended to protect animals, there are too many loopholes and gaps in enforcement that allow licensees to rack up violations while animal abuse and neglect continues unaddressed,” said Alicia Prygoski, strategic legislative affairs manager for the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “Goldie’s Act will close loopholes and hold USDA licensees accountable so that other animals do not have to suffer the same tragic fate that Goldie did.”
The puppy mill where Goldie died was operated by Daniel Gingerich, a USDA-licensed breeder who racked up nearly 200 violations at multiple properties across Iowa, the ASPCA release said. Despite observing these violations—including dogs that were sick and dying from injuries and disease, dogs housed in cages that were too small for them to even turn around, and dogs standing in waste—the Department of Agriculture continued to permit Gingerich to breed and sell dogs, the society said, and never confiscated any dogs nor levied any penalties.
Eventually, the US Department of Justice stepped in, with support from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and the ASPCA, and rescued more than 500 dogs from horrific conditions, the society said. But the Animal Care Division of the Department of Agriculture, instead of punishing those who failed to act in the case, gave cash awards to 17 staff members, rewarding their poor performance, the ASPCA said.
Months after the Gingerich case, more than 4,000 beagles were rescued from another USDA-licensed business, Envigo, where the department documented horrific cruelty during “routine inspections” over several months, including dead dogs, starving dogs, dogs in dangerous conditions, and dogs in need of veterinary care. Yet, days after the Department of Justice negotiated the surrender of the beagles, the Department of Agriculture renewed the company’s licence for another year, the ASPCA said. The society said a “shocking” report from Reuters revealed that senior USDA leaders went to great lengths to cover up both Envigo’s treatment of dogs and the agency’s own refusal to protect the animals.
A new ASPCA report analyzing the USDA’s own data for 2023 showed that the department documented over 1,000 violations at more than 400 commercial dog dealers but only took action against four dog dealers. Moreover, a history of violations had no impact on a facility’s ability to have its licence renewed.
This is the situation in the USA, where laws, agencies and budgets are in place to check malpractices. In India, rules are in place to regulate dog breeding, according to a paper published by an alumnus of Jindal Global Law School, New Delhi. But as anyone who has been in the market for a pedigree pup can easily find out, they are observed more in the breach.
For instance, the rules state, according to the paper, that only normal, healthy bitches that have reached their eighteenth month should be bred and no bitch should be exploited to produce litters in two consecutive breeding seasons. But only conscientious breeders care for these rules. For the rest, there is no regulation. Most state animal welfare boards, which are the regulating authorities, lack the budgets and personnel required for the task. Their primary focus remains milch and meat animals and poultry.
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first animal welfare organization to be established in North America, and is a leading voice for vulnerable animals. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters, the society is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the USA.
