My View: Animals must be ensured humane care - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL

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• By Lisa Fowler-Kobylewski
  Posted Jan. 10, 2015 @ 3:00 pm

  Boone County residents should be aware of the Dog Breeder and Boarder text amendments that have been proposed in Boone County. The purpose of these ordinances is to update and strengthen terminology regarding the humane care of animals kept in confined spaces for breeding purposes and boarding purposes.

  The end goal of these amendments is to prevent puppy mills from being allowed to operate within the county and to do more to help ensure humane care for animals within its boarders.

  Every business must keep pace with society’s evolution. Companion animals have created a business market that results in U.S. citizens spending more than $50 billion a year on animal care and products for their pets.

  Society now views these animals as members of the family and expects them to be treated as such. With this in mind, the days of cramming animals into tiny cages with little food and water and next to no veterinary care for the purpose of pure profit has come to an end.

 

Society will no longer tolerate this behavior as it comes to light in our towns and cities. Reputable breeding and boarding businesses should welcome the opportunity to show how much these animals
are truly valued by them, and how much your business means to them, by taking all measures to ensure their facilities meet any newly required standards of care for these companion animals. Those who protest may be found highly suspect.

Animal welfare organizations and humane groups all across the country are standing with citizens to develop common sense text that fits expectations of today’s humane standards. We as a society are realizing that the Animal Welfare Act and the Illinois Humane Care for Animals Act, as well as county ordinances, are written with a broad stroke and allow for too much individual interpretation, making it difficult to enforce these laws.

The goal of these amendments is to strengthen the language and clarify today’s expectations of humane care. This will improve the quality of life for these breeding animals and animals kept in boarding, and make enforcement of these local ordinances easier.

These amendments will also protect human health and consumers who purchase these animals, as stricter standards will do more to prevent illness and disease associated with consistently confined breeding operations.

The first attempt to pass these amendments failed, as I believe misconceptions regarding their purpose fueled huge breeding industry push back. However these amendments do not seek to put reputable breeders or boarders out of business, but instead hold them to the same standards of quality improvements we expect every other business to make if they are to succeed.

Boone County has made headlines with its Christiansen and Lettier Kennels being identified in “101 Puppy Mills, A Sampling of Problem Puppy Mills in the United States” by the Humane Society of the United States.

Page 2 of 2 - The county doesn’t need any more bad press. In light of this, the Boone County Board and Chairman Bob Walberg have appointed a group of individuals to an advisory committee to help better shape the amendments for the county. This group of individuals will be tasked with creating the language that determines how these breeding animals are treated and how healthy the puppy that you purchase truly is.

Please take an interest in this topic as it directly reflects on your community and its growth and progress. Tell your county board representatives that you only want reputable businesses operating within your county. Attend a county meeting of the advisory committee and listen to the discussion. Better yet, take any opportunity to become a part of it yourself.

Your county is judged on many factors, including its treatment of animals. Businesses in the county are considered the company you keep. Don’t let those who allow cruelty define your county!

Lisa Fowler-Kobylewski is a Boone County resident.

My View: Animals must be ensured humane care - Opinion - Rockford Register Star - Rockford, IL