By Associated Press
Oklahoma City, OK – Oklahoma House passes puppy mill bill
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma House has passed legislation to create a voluntary program for registering and inspecting breeders of puppies and kittens in the state.
The House voted 63-30 for the measure Monday. It now goes to the Senate, where a similar pet-breeding bill is pending on the Senate floor.
The author of the House measure, Rep. Lee Denney of Cushing, says it would help assure that Oklahoma-bred pets are healthy by allowing breeders to voluntarily open their operations for inspection.
Denney says Oklahoma is the nation's second-largest exporter of puppies, behind Missouri.
The program would cost about $400,000 a year. Denney says money is not available this year and it could be several years before the program is funded.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.