In the next few weeks, New York State has the chance to make history and strike a major blow to the cruel and deceptive puppy mill industry by passing the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill.
This legislation to end the retail sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits in New York pet stores already passed in the State Senate (S.1130, Gianaris) with overwhelming bipartisan support in early May, but we still need the State Assembly to pass its companion bill (A.4283, Rosenthal) to end New York’s participation in the puppy mill pipeline once and for all.
To help us get this bill across the finish line, legendary actress Edie Falco has teamed up with the ASPCA to lead a group of 18 New York-based celebrities including Andy Cohen, Brooke Shields and Sir Patrick Stewart urging lawmakers to pass the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill in an open letter [PDF]. This is a cause close to Edie’s heart—she is a proud mom to rescue dog Sami, who spent the early years of her life as a breeding dog in a puppy mill.
If you live in New York, please join us and these celebrity animal advocates in speaking out against puppy mill cruelty by taking the following actions this week:
Day 1 – TODAY! Help spread the word by sharing this page with FIVE FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN NEW YORK and urging them to take action with us!
Day 2 – Tuesday, May 25: Are you on Twitter? Use this easy tool to tag your NY assemblymember in a tweet about the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill—and include picture of yourself and your pet, along with the hashtag #puppymillpipeline, to get their attention.
Day 3 – Wednesday, May 26: Call your NY assemblymember at (518) 455-4100 to ask them to pass A.4283! Open up our handy call script here.
Day 4 – Thursday, May 27: Visit our Advocacy Center to send your assemblymember a quick email in support of the Puppy Mill Pipeline bill.
Day 5 – Friday, May 28: Share one of these custom cards on social media and educate other New Yorkers about the puppy mill pipeline! Include the link aspca.org/nopuppymills in your written message, if possible.
More about puppy mills and New York’s Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill
New York State has more puppy-selling pet stores than any other state in the country. Those puppies are sourced largely from out-of-state commercial breeding facilities (a.k.a. puppy mills) that produce puppies as quickly and cheaply as possible at the expense of the animals’ health and well-being.
Puppy mills can be licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and in full compliance with the federal Animal Welfare Act, but still keep animals in deplorable conditions (like small wire cages) and deny them grooming, socialization and adequate veterinary care. Dogs are bred at every opportunity while infection and genetic diseases proliferate. These breeding facilities keep their practices quiet, using a network of middlemen to ship puppies to stores in states like New York, where puppies are then sold to unsuspecting consumers as healthy, high-quality puppies from responsible breeders.
It’s an industry that relies on deception and profits from cruelty—but together, we have the power to change it.
By passing the Puppy Mill Pipeline Bill (A.4283/S.1130), New York would end its participation in this cycle and significantly impact the profitability of the puppy mill industry. Now that the New York State Senate has passed this bill, we are halfway to victory, but we still need your help to keep this legislation moving! The State Assembly must also pass this bill for it to be sent to the Governor and become law.
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
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