Florida's Voice News by Amber Jo Cooper

U.S. Reps. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Deborah Ross, D-N.C., introduced bipartisan legislation to crack down on puppy mills Thursday.

The legislation named the “Petfax Act” would require those who sell pets to provide a “Petfax” report detailing the conditions in which the animal was bred and raised, as well as the animal’s health history.

The bill would also create stricter criteria for obtaining and maintaining licenses to sell pets and ensure that only “legitimate and responsible” sellers are allowed to operate in the industry.

This legislation would not affect mom-and-pop dog breeders and only applies to those with five or more female breeding animals.

“Whenever you buy a car, it usually comes with a detailed ‘Carfax’ report detailing the vehicle history, such as owner maintenance, accidents, and overall condition. Adopting a pet should be no different,” Buchanan said.  

Buchanan said cracking down on these “unsanitary and inhumane puppy mills” is an “essential step in ensuring a safe and healthy future in the animal buying process.”

According to the Humane Society, there are at least 10,000 puppy mills in the United States.