Dogs bred in puppy mills are often raised in inhumane conditions and sold at auction. The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions is gathering signatures to put a ballot initiative banning the practice before the state legislature.

Many readers are aware of the puppy mill problem in Ohio, where over 11,000 dogs spend their entire lives in small crates strictly for the purpose of breeding and generating income for those who view them only as a cash crop. Daily they suffer, with little or no vet care, no air conditioning, no heat, and often not enough food and water.

Yet many are not aware that at the dog auctions in Farmerstown, Ohio, these dogs are bought and sold in the same manner as livestock. The auctions are the economic engine for the continued sale of these poor animals to pet shops (as has been seen in various TV and newspaper reports) and to each other – the puppy-millers themselves – for the sole purpose of keeping the "breeding stock" and the money flowing in. Many buyers and sellers who attend this auction have long-standing, repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act and/or have been convicted of animal cruelty.

Ohio has no law preventing these auctions, and breeders come from out of state to buy and sell their "wares." The proposed "puppy mill bill" currently under consideration in the Statehouse (Ohio Senate Bill 95) does not include a provision to ban these Auctions which serve neither reputable breeders or "man's best friend" but rather only these large commercial facilities.     

The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions, of which I am part, is spearheading a new, citizen-backed ballot initiative – The Ohio Dog Auctions Act. The measure (similar in language to Pennsylvania's Statute 459-603) will establish a statute to the Ohio Dog Law making it illegal for anyone to auction or raffle a dog in Ohio. It also would prohibit bringing dogs into the state for sale or trade that were acquired by auction or raffle elsewhere.

As one of many registered voters across the state involved in collecting a minimum of 120,700 signatures by December 1, 2010 so that we may put the proposed law before the Legislature in January 2011, I am asking  all readers for their support. Signatures and volunteer petitioners  are needed to make this initiative a reality in Ohio. For more information on how you can help the campaign to ban Ohio dog auctions, please visit www.BanOhioDogAuctions.com.

Those who wish to download a petition to be signed and mailed in, along with instructions go to:

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/companion-animal-breeding/article/1080

For more information on Ohio's horrific puppy mills, see www.holmescountyexposed.com.

For the sake of the dogs so many of us love, and as a member of Best Friends Animal Society Network, I ask you to join us!

Doc Wheeler lives in Bay Village.