SICK PUPPIES

A bill authored by state Sen. Christine Kehoe aimed at curbing the smuggling of sick puppies from Mexico into the United States has passed both houses and now sits on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk awaiting a signature. He has until Oct. 9 to sign or veto the bill.

On July 7, 2004, CityBeat's John R. Lamb, now an aide to City Councilmember Donna Frye, broke the sad story of Mexican puppy smugglers and the unknowing buyers who take their purchases home, only to see them turn ill and, more likely than not, die of parvovirus, distemper and other doggie diseases. CityBeat's story, along with a report from the Los Angeles Times, published three weeks later, was cited in the bill as reason for action.

Advertising in newspaper classifieds, sellers arrange to meet with interested buyers in parking lots of grocery stores and gas stations and unload the small dogs for a few hundred dollars each. The unsuspecting buyers leave, only to discover how sick their new friends are once they get home-and the people who sold it to them are long gone.

The puppies are often 3 to 4 weeks old, rather than 8 weeks, as advertised.

If signed, the bill would make it illegal to sell puppies younger than 8 weeks old in California unless given approval from a licensed veterinarian. The bill does not target buyers who may not be aware of the puppy's age.

“This is both an animal-cruelty and a consumer-protection issue,” said Kehoe in a written statement provided to CityBeat. “Many people unknowingly purchase puppies that are too young and should still be nursing. Puppies younger than 8 weeks need special care. Selling them before they are ready to separate from their mothers puts them at risk of contagious diseases, and exposes the new owners to both an emotional and financial loss.

“SB 914 will halt this practice and ensure that people who wish to purchase a puppy are protected from unscrupulous sellers.”

Though it's already illegal to sell sick puppies without telling the purchaser, often times it's hard to tell if the puppy is healthy or not just by looking at it, a spokesperson for the San Diego Humane Society said. The bill would give animal-abuse organizations another tool to combat sick puppy peddling, allowing them to seize dogs based on their age, which is easier to spot.

Opposed to the bill are hunting organizations like the California Sportsman's Lobby, which hold that puppies are routinely bought at 7 weeks old-an age that allows the puppy to adapt to new surroundings and bond with its owner.