Indiana Pet/ Breeder Laws

Pet Laws : Indiana :

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We feel that you can be best educated if we tell you what laws Indiana does not have.
1. Dog Breeders: Indiana has no laws that pertain to dog breeders and therefore, most go totally unregulated.

2. Pet Stores: Pet stores are also not regulated by Indiana law.

3. Selling Puppies: The only law that regulates the sale of puppies is a small clause within a law that is primarily written to protect the spread of disease within livestock. In short, it states puppies can not be sold before the age of 8 weeks.

4. Animal Cruelty/Neglect: Indiana law states that a person who "recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally abandons or neglects the animal commits cruelty to an animal." To a layman this may sound pretty vague, in the sense that it could be used to convict puppy mill owners. To prosecutors throughout the state, however, the vagueness is a hindrance and makes it virtually impossible to ever convict a dog breeder of animal abuse or neglect. The explanation is quite simple, puppy mills are in business to make money. Could they "recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally" abuse their dogs if those dogs are their livelihood? What many of us think are abusive situations, such as confining dogs to small wire cages, breeding them every six months, and neglecting to provide the most basic of veterinary needs, are just "smart business practices" in the puppy mill industry. Even federal law allows for cruel confinement, and a prosecutor would have a hard time proving cruelty the way Indiana statutes are written.

5. Disclosure Laws: This is a topic that few people think about and even fewer people can comprehend. Indiana has no disclosure laws, and therefore, when a customer buys a puppy, the seller is not required to tell them anything about the breeder of that puppy, not even the name! Indiana pet stores are notorious for providing either no information, or very limited information about their breeders. Because of this, the customer is never able to understand the origin of their puppy, and more importantly, the cruel living conditions to which their puppy's parents are subjected.

6. Lemon Laws: Many states have enacted "puppy lemon laws" to protect consumers when they purchase sick puppies. Indiana has no such laws.
It is because of Indiana's lack of laws that puppy mills thrive in the state. PetShopPuppies, Inc. is a non profit, 501(c)(3) organization, and therefore we are prohibited from lobbying. We can, however, support or oppose legislation and most certainly encourage citizens of Indiana to get involved with their state and local officials to change the laws in Indiana. The 2009 legislative session is showing promise of some important changes in the state, but we can't be reliant on others to get the job done. Our nation is facing some of its toughest challenges in decades, and animal laws will be very low on the agenda for the elected officials in the state. Remember, law-makers work for you, and state and federal organizations are already working against any changes in Indiana. Your voice must be heard, and to do this, you must know and communicate with your elected officials.