Bill to hurt Amish dog breeders

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A Youngstown lawmaker
co-sponsored a bill
increasing regulation of
dog breeding kennels.

By MARC KOVAC

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

WOOSTER — Amish residents who breed dogs in Holmes County sell millions of dollars' worth of puppies each year, according to one professional breeder.

The sales provide supplemental income for some households and is a major money source for others.

"This is huge. This is not just a backyard thing," said Ervin Raber, an Amish breeder from the Millersburg area. "We've got a lot of young people that have borrowed money and built homes based on the income from this industry."

Passing legislation that would create additional state registration requirements and extensive care standards for such operations likely will force many in the community to quit, Raber told lawmakers Thursday during a committee hearing at the Statehouse. "It will probably put 80 percent or better of our people out of business."

Raber was one of of 100-plus people, many representing communities in Holmes County and beyond, who packed two committee hearings rooms to show their opposition to proposed legislation increasing the regulation of dog-breeding kennels.

House Bill 223 is co-sponsored by Rep. Bob Hagan of Youngstown, D-60th, and Rep. Jim Hughes, a Republican from the Columbus area.

A companion bill is making its way through the Senate.

The House bill outlines about two dozen standards of animal care, increases state regulation and licensing of dog breeding kennels, and includes provisions for license denials, suspensions and revocations and penalties.

Proponents state the regulations are needed to reduce inhumane treatment of dogs.

The House committee hearing offered one of the first opportunities for opponents to speak out about the proposed legislation. More than a half-dozen speakers said the bill would put undue burdens on dog breeders who properly care for their animals.

"We oppose legislation that harms responsible breeders with baseless edicts about dog housing and care, legislation that ignores input from breeders who would be regulated, requires criminal background investigations, burdens breeders with high costs, and fails to protect the rights of those who are accused of breaking the law," said Norma Woolf, who spoke on behalf of a dog owners group from southwestern Ohio.

She added that current regulations are adequate to deal with substandard breeding practices.

Holmes County Commissioner Joe Miller said the legislation would have a devastating effect on the area's 400-plus kennel operators.

"It will shut down many of the kennels currently operated in Holmes County," he said. "We're a small community, a small county ... The people don't ask for anything from the government. All they want is an opportunity. The people work hard and play by the rules. We kindly ask that you do not deny them that opportunity."

Reagan Tetreault, who is Holmes County's deputy dog warden, said parts of the bill included provisions that would improve dog care, cage size, sunlight and heating requirements, for example.

"Those are great improvements that need to be made," she said. 'But I think this bill takes it a little bit over the top and is punishing those who are already doing a good job."

mkovac@dixcom.com

Friday, October 12, 2007