Due to the incredible response I received from last week’s column about my family’s puppy cuddling excursion, I thought a follow-up was in order. It doesn’t surprise me; in fact I anticipated some response given the animal rights buzz that arose with a recent visiting circus and new pet store in town.

Although the subject of my column wasn’t endorsing the purchase of pure breeds from pet stores, it seemed to raise a few issues on the ethical treatment of animals. Readers were concerned with the horrific reality of puppy mills, the dog and cat over-population problem, and upholding free enterprise. I thank my readers for emailing me their views on the subject and opening a discussion.
As always, I welcome and look forward to hearing from you always.

Puppy mills as they are known are commercial kennels licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture. These businesses mass-produce puppies for sale to individuals or pet stores throughout the country. That is not to say pets that are sold in all pet stores come from puppy mills; local breeders also supply dogs and cats for sale in pet stores. So, which pet stores sell puppy mill dogs? Back tracking a puppy from a retail store to its specific birth place can be nearly impossible.
Patricia Anderson, a reader wrote to tell me the USDA, who is charged with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) which oversees commercial kennels, is woefully understaffed.

Anderson says “Most enforcement actions they have taken have completely lacked any punch. What is worse, hundreds of kennels which claim to sell puppies not through brokers but directly to the public via newspaper ads and the internet currently do not fall under the protection of the AWA at all.”

Another reader reminded me that perhaps spay and neutering laws could be one solution to the over-crowding problem. Nancy Yarmac wants us to remember there are many forgotten dogs in the rescues and pounds that need homes too. “Our overpopulation problem is tiny compared to Albuquerque, but they have at least started in the right direction, with much more stringent animal laws.”

It is not against the law to open a pet store in Rio Rancho and yes, customers are purchasing pets from them. There are rules and codes these stores must adhere to and Code Enforcement, the entity within the Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety oversees those codes. If anyone, at any given time witnesses abuse or neglect of a dog or cat, they are encouraged to contact Code Enforcement.

To get a legislative perspective on the pet store issue, I recently sat down with Marilyn Salzman, District 6 City Councilor. She is an animal lover and the current owner of one adopted kitten from Rio Rancho animal control and one stray dog. “I’ve never bought a pure bred,” she says as she recounts all the names of the pets she has owned over the years. "The stray happened to be a pure bred Rottweiler.”

According to Ms. Salzman, “there are four pet stores in Rio Rancho, plus Animal Control and Watermelon Mountain Ranch have pet adoptions. I don't believe as a city councilor I can regulate the choices that people have because it is legal. The public can make up its own mind as to how it wants to proceed. I don't believe we can stand in the way of free enterprise.”

The bottom line is there is a pet for everyone and it is your choice from where you purchase it.
Quote of the Week: "I’m gonna buy me a dog ’cause I need a friend now,"- the Monkees.
Jennifer Huard’s column appears each Thursday. She welcomes your emails at jhuard@abqjournal.com.