Exposing the Dark Truth: California's Underground Puppy Market and the Fight for Goldie's Act

In a recent KQED Forum, Lesley McClurg talked with Los Angeles Times investigative reporters Melody Gutierrez and Alene Tchekmedyian. Their work shed a light to an unsettling truth about the underground puppies market in California. The depth of this issue goes beyond legislation shortcomings in a single state and demands a more national level approach.

Puppy mills—the commercial high volume dog breeders—operate under a license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This agency is supposed to monitor the activity of these breeders to protect the animals from physical and psychological harm and suffering. In several occasions the USDA turned a blind eye to animal suffering in this puppy mills.  

Goldie’s Act (U.S. H.R. 1788/S. 4033) requires the USDA to raise the minimum requirements in their annual inspection of their licensees, confiscate animals suffering and impose higher monetary penalties for violators.

Please take a moment to visit American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) website to read more about Golden Retriever #142 and urge your members of Congress to support the Goldie’s Act.