USDA WANTS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC IN THE DARK
ABOUT PUPPY MILLS
In an effort to shield from public scrutiny those who abuse and neglect their animals, the USDA has been refusing to post inspection reports of commercial dog breeders on its website for public viewing. USDA has argued that such inspection reports can still be obtained by making a formal request for them under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Yet, when these documents are requested, all of the pertinent information is redacted – blacked out (see above).
Instead of addressing abuses in the industry and initiating effective enforcement measures to ensure the health and welfare of dogs in commercial breeding operations across the country, USDA has chosen to cover-up the industry’s wrong-doings. USDA is doing so in an effort to present a false narrative of commercial dog breeding in the U. S. for the sole purpose of protecting the economic interest of substandard dog breeders.
One USDA official candidly admitted that the Agency “lost its most effective deterrent” when it purged inspection reports from its website.
