More pet breeder drama

The drama seems to have no end with the agency in charge of enforcing Oklahoma’s pet breeding law. The Board of Commercial Pet Breeders was formed by the Legislature two years ago. The board has gotten off to a rocky start — its first executive director quit in September, just as inspectors were to begin enforcing pet breeding laws. His replacement quit two weeks after being hired in December. Now the Legislature wants to eliminate the board and turn its duties over to the state Agriculture, Food and Forestry Department. A House committee gave unanimous support to the idea this week. Rep. Brian Renegar, D-McAlester, who wrote the legislation creating the rules for the board, says many breeders are “scared to death” of the board and that more breeders will be open to licensing by the agriculture agency. The board’s chairman says it has made good strides and should be left as is. We’re for whatever reduces the number of puppy and kitten mills in our state, which is why the board was formed in the first place.

Dog rescued from puppy mill. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

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