New bill aims to make Minnesota pet breeders' inspection information available to the public
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is backing a bill they say boosts transparency of cat and dog breeders' track record in the state.
Under current law, information related to any inspections, violations or license issues is considered private data. This proposal would require the Board of Animal Health to make that information available to the public, as is the case for data about shelters; supporters say it's a double standard that breeders don't have to follow those same disclosure rules.
Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth, said in a news conference Wednesday that state inspectors issued 47 violations to licensed breeders in the last five years, but Minnesotans are prevented from learning about who was cited and for what reason.
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"This is an opportunity to help consumers make informed decisions about the pets that they're bringing into their homes," she said. "And we know that when families bring a pet into their home, that it's a significant emotional and financial investment."
The original proposal required the Board of Animal Health to post online inspection reports dating back three years for each breeder and how many animals were sold in the previous calendar year. An amendment tacked on in a Senate committee Wednesday scaled that back to just publishing the names of the breeders, though Minnesotans would still be able to access the other information upon request.
In 2014, the legislature approved a law licensing commercial dog and cat breeders to protect the well-being of the animals. But that law made the data at issue private, and it's stayed that way ever since.
The Minnesota Pet Breeders Association is opposed to the measure. In a letter to the Senate agriculture committee, the group said it would "violate the spirit of the commercial breeder law."
It wrote that the data should remain private.
"This bill would be a great disservice to the public by inviting individuals and groups opposed to pet breeding or animal ownership to interfere with professional and hobbyist breeders who are raising happy, healthy puppies in the manner required by law," the letter said.
