Pet Leadership Council Supports Uniform Breeder Standards

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The member organizations of the Pet Leadership Council took steps forward in the effort to create uniform new breeder standards that are designed to protect animals and raise the standards of care.

According to a report this week in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), animal welfare supporters are getting behind efforts to develop the new standards in concert with the USDA, something the pet industry strongly supports.

Bob Vetere, CEO of the American Pet Products Association and a founding member of the PLC, issued the following statement in response to the JAVMA report: “It is tremendously gratifying to see organizations working together to protect and enhance the lives of pets through the development of common standards—standards that will at long last give consumers assurances that the puppies they purchase for their families come from reputable breeders who always put the interests of the animals first. The Pet Leadership Council is committed to helping to advance these efforts to establish standards, including those being led by Purdue University.”

“Unfortunately, in the absence of rigorous breeder standards, pet store owners in several states are dealing with local ordinances banning the retail sale of dogs, a misguided effort to stop puppy mill production,” said Vetere. “All that does is put those owners, along with good, quality breeders, out of business and eliminates consumer choice and has virtually no impact on puppy mills. It’s time we focus our efforts instead on implementing uniform breeder standards and we applaud all those who are working hard to make it happen. The PLC is committed to being part of the solution.”