Durbin, Other Dems Want USDA To Restore Public Reports On Puppy Mills
CHICAGO (CBS) -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is one of 18 Democratic senators asking the Trump administration to restore puppy mill records on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website.
About 10 days ago, the USDA abruptly removed inspection reports about the treatment of animals at dog breeding facilities, research labs, and zoos.
The department said it did that because of privacy laws, after conducting a comprehensive review.
Now, a group of 18 Democratic senators - including Senator Durbin - has sent the USDA a letter, asking that the reports be put back online.
The department has said that information is still available, but it must be requested under the Freedom of Information Act. The senators' letter said that could take months or years.
Seven states have laws that require pet stores to get puppies from breeders with good USDA inspection records; information that might be hard to come by now. Illinois, by the way, is not one of those seven.