Senate Passes Puppy Mill Bill

The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A bill to regulate puppy mills has passed the Oklahoma Senate over arguments it lacks teeth and penalizes good breeders.

The vote was 30-16 for the measure, which puts the state Department of Agriculture in charge of regulating puppy mills.

Sen. Jay Paul Gumm says the bill misses the mark because it has no funding to increase the number of agriculture regulators needed to find puppy mills in secluded areas.

Gumm says it only affects legitimate breeders who already are registered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sen. Cliff Brannan, the measure's Senate sponsor, says he will try to address those concerns in a conference committee before the bill comes up for final legislative approval.