Sick Puppies Abusing Dogs in Iowa with No End in Sight

Iowa is a state that is known to be very lax where animal rights and protections are concerned. As the Quad-City Times reported recently, "Iowa has the third-most puppy mills in the country with 10. In total, Iowa has 260 licensed dog breeding facilities" and with it, groups trying to effect change in Iowa run up against pro-agriculture legislators who are unsympathetic and worse.

Again according to the Q-C Times:

"When the Animal Rescue League of Iowa proposed amendments to the state law that seeks to protect dogs and cats, Illinois law was their guide.

The amendments approved this year by the Iowa Senate would have increased penalties for crimes that sicken most Iowans. For those convicted more than once of abuse or neglect of a dog or cat, causing serious injury or death, the penalty would increase from an aggravated misdemeanor to the more serious class D felony.

For torturing a companion animal, a felony charge automatically would result. A second offense of torture would lead to a more serious felony.

But the bill didn't make it to the Iowa House. It was hijacked by House leadership and the powerful agriculture lobby."

In yesterday's The Daily Nonpareil, it was reported that a Council Bluff's area man was arrested and change with "36 counts of animal neglect — a simple misdemeanor — and four counts of animal neglect as a serious misdemeanor" when his breeding and training business was  reported to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office. When officers arrived on the scene, their investigation revealed that at least 4 dogs were dead, the facilities were covered in feces and urine, and many of the dogs were malnourished. A total of 25 dogs and 13 puppies were removed and sheltered.

The owner of the kennel was released on a $20,000 bond. Each simple misdemeanor carries the possible sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $625. Each serious misdemeanor charge carries the possible sentence of up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $1,875.

This is the latest case in Iowa, it won't be the last. It is time for Iowa legislators to improve the inspection process and levy more severe charges against poor operators such as this one.

Get to Know Your Food Source

My wife and I thought that buying our eggs "cage free" was a more humane choice. Turns out, we may have been deluding ourselves. A story from care2.com describes the conditions that even these so-called "humane" practices permit.

Both battery and free-range hens come from hatcheries, where after chicks are sexed in both industries all the males are destroyed. Additionally they all undergo debeaking and force molting, where they’re starved for about two weeks to trick their bodies into starting another egg laying cycle.

One investigation by Jewel Johnson of a cage-free farm resulted in her discovery of what the lives of 10,000 cage free hens were really like.

“The floor under my feet was cement, and the building was freezing cold with no heat in early April. I couldn’t see much for hens at all down the shed…it was just too dark. All I could see was black, all I could hear was crying of hens, all I could smell was ammonia – it was a cold, black cement hell,” she said.

Thankfully in the Iowa City area there are a number of egg sources that don't treat their chickens this way. My best advice now is "buyer beware", buy locally and get to know your food producer.

Loebsack on Humane Treatment of Animals

From Rep. Dave Loebsack who will celebrate his 55th birthday on December 23rd.

"Animals deserve humane treatment and exploiting or killing our animals whether it be for entertainment or other purposes needs to be addressed. Animal fighting is a coldhearted and malicious activity that is linked to numerous other public safety concerns. It is important that we stop animal fighting and protect these animals through legislation in order to promote public safety as well as encourage animal welfare.

H.R. 137, the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2007, will update our current animal cruelty laws by recognizing Animal Fighting as a cruel act punishable by felony charges. The bill will also enhance our public safety by extending these punishments to those who attempt to use interstate and foreign commerce to engage in such inhumane and vicious activities. As an illegitimate interstate industry, animal fighting requires the involvement of the government at the federal level to curb such appalling behavior. The "Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act" represents a positive step in this direction which is why I voted in favor of, and strongly supported, this legislation recently. The President signed this legislation into law on May 3, 2007.

H.R. 3327, the Federal Dog Protection Act will further the mission of H.R. 137 by increasing the amount of regulation and activities deemed unlawful in regard to dog fighting. This legislation is currently being considered by the House Judiciary Committee. Thank you again for contacting me about this important issue. I encourage you to visit my website at www.loebsack.house.gov and sign up for my e-newsletters to stay informed of the work I'm doing in Congress. I am proud to serve Iowa's 2nd District, and I am committed to working hard for you. "