Congress Weighing Puppy Petting Law

April 11 -- If Dickens wrote for dogs, he would have described in tragic detail the worst of the "puppy mills" — cramped cages caked in excrement, dogs bred repeatedly with no respite and lonesome puppies denied contact before being shipped to the pet store.

After gunning for puppy mills for years, animal welfare groups helped pass in the U.S. Senate this session the "Puppy Protection Act," which would set new standards for commercial breeders if it becomes law.

But dog breeders are gnashing their teeth over the provision, saying it intrudes unnecessarily in dog breeding and threatens not just "puppy mills" but hundreds of thousands of purebred dog fanciers who raise animals in their homes.

Now being negotiated in conference committee with members of the U.S. House, the bill — a provision of the farm bill — would require better socialization of puppies and prohibit breeding female dogs before 1 year of age and more frequently than three times in any two-year period.

The bill doesn't specifically define "socialization of puppies" but could require minimum levels of contact — such as petting and play — with other dogs and people.

The measure would also create a "three strikes" provision that would strip licenses from chronic animal welfare violators.

The American Kennel Club opposes the legislation, saying the federal government has no place controlling the breeding of domestic animals. "The decision on whether and when to breed should be made by owners, not the federal government," the AKC says in a statement.

But animal welfare groups, including the Humane Society of the United States and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, say the legislation provides much-needed teeth for existing law, which in their view does not adequately address over-breeding of females and lack of socialization at puppy mills.

The bill's supporters say it is in serious jeopardy from rural congressmen who are typically unfriendly to animal welfare legislation.