AUGUSTA – A bill to encourage ethical dog breeding and discourage puppy mills through a special task force has been passed by the Legislature.

The bill requires the Maine Department of Agriculture to establish a working group to redefine breeding kennels, and review the laws and regulations that apply.

“This is a unique opportunity to bring all the stakeholders together, which has never been done before,” Norma Worley, director of Maine’s Animal Welfare Division, said Monday.

The new law requires the task force to include representatives of groups such as veterinarians, the Humane Society of the United States, dog and kennel clubs, animal control officers and dog breeders. The group will submit a report by Jan. 15, 2009, to the Agriculture Committee on any needed changes to current law.

Katie Lisnik of the Maine Chapter of the Humane Society of the United States said, “I think this is a very positive step, which will allow collaboration by groups who may not have worked well together in the past. Now these groups are uniting with a common goal – to protect good breeders while putting an end to abusive puppy mill-type situations.”

The bill underwent a metamorphosis in the Agriculture Committee after Maine dog breeders testified that, as originally proposed, it was intrusive and unnecessary. They said that legitimate, caring breeders were going to be hurt by regulations aimed at unethical puppy mills.

The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Benjamin Pratt, D-Eddington, who said he was pleased with the compromise of creating a task force.

“I believe that by bringing the dog breeding community and the state together, we can both support the 99 percent of caring, ethical and honest breeders in our state and shine a bright light on those few individuals who would bring a bad name to the industry,” said Pratt in a prepared statement.

Pratt said he brought the bill forward after hearing concerns regarding a few high-profile seizures of animals from puppy mills, as well as complaints from dog owners who have unknowingly purchased sick dogs that came from such facilities.

Pratt said that the bill is meant to protect and ensure the safe breeding of dogs in the state, but it is also a consumer protection bill.

“Dogs raised in puppy mills often require serious and expensive medical treatment, and have shortened life spans,” he said.

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