Dear Representative Coursey, I am a licensed veterinarian in Florida, license number VM2143. I grew up in Indiana and graduated from Purdue University in 1976 with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. Through many years of experience, I have learned a few things. Early in my practice, I dissociated myself from working with any pet shops as I could not in good conscience give a health certificate to any pet who was ill or had congenital defects. Many of these animals came from puppy mills or backyard breeders., and they were registered by the AKC. I quickly learned that AKC registration had little to do with the actual condition and overall health of the pet. The AKC says they inspect some kennels but provide no documentation of inspection reports. They charge the breeder $20 per puppy and derive their income from registration fees. Anyone can call themselves a breeder.. All it takes to start out is one male dog and one female dog. It’s not nationally regulated. I saw several backyard breeders who chronically neglected their animals. The AKC has challenged animal abuse legislation in at least 35 states. With Internet websites including Craig’s list, it is very easy for a puppy mill to ship a puppy to a local pet shop. The general public assumes that it has come from a clean environment and has come from a healthy background. I believe these AKC breeders to be deliberately deceptive.The US Humane Society has done an expose of the AKC, and the Today Show on NBC has gone undercover to show the cruelty and abuse that AKC “accredited” puppy mills condone and perpetuate. Only about 3% of the AKC’s income goes to actually helping dogs in disaster situations or in educating the public. I have also known some good, ethical breeders who registered their dogs with the AKC. If you want to know if a breeder is ethical, ask a veterinarian, not a mouthpiece of the AKC. We have no conflict of interest, and have taken this oath: THE VETERINARIAN’S OATH Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of animal health, and the advancement of medical knowledge. I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence. I have personally known Dee and Phil Robertson for 30 years. I was their veterinarian when they lived in Ft. Lauderdale. You could not find better people or more dedicated, responsible pet owners anywhere. Dee has worked tirelessly for the past two years to bring Kentucky out of the bottom tier of US states regarding domestic pet abuse. I know that she has done due diligence in research. She has also bent over backwards not to alienate houndsmen and hunters. As a veterinarian, I find it absolutely shocking that in Kentucky it is illegal for the veterinarian to report animal abuse. That is truly shameful. I don’t have any ill will towards hunters. in fact I have patched up several hunting dogs. The most memorable of these was “Brownie”, a dog who was semi-disemboweled while hunting wild hogs in the everglades. He lived! And I did not blame the owner or report him. In my opinion, dogs like to hunt, and there are risks involved. I do believe that they deserve to be well cared for and receive regular veterinary care, the same as any pet. I therefore beg you NOT to affiliate yourself with the AKC or allow them any input in legislation regarding animal welfare in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. I have included a link from the HSUS, but must add that I do not agree 100% with their policies and especially the high salary of their CEO, Wayne Pacelle. I have always urged my clients and friends to support their local humane organizations. Please see the following links: hsus.typepad/wayne/2013/05/today-show-puppy-mills-akc.html nytimes/2013/02/10/sports/many-animal-lovers-now-see-american-kennel-club-as-an-outlier.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Respectfully yours, Lisa Rozgony DVM
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 01:43:41 +0000
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