To Rita,

I have heard rumors that the Humane Society for Companion Animals sells animals to research. But I have no proof of that.

However, Minnesota does have on its books a law often referred to as "pound seizure" which requires that municipal impound facilities make animals available for research. So I believe it very possible for them to be selling animals to research to comply with MN state law. (HSCA serves as an impound center for some surrounding cities).

If they are selling to research, that is not something I support. Nor do I think they would have to. Many years ago, the City of Minneapolis openly defied the law and refused to sell dogs and cats from Animal Control to a research lab.

Because the research labs did not want a lot of neg press, they quietly went away.

In my years of working with St. Paul Animal Control, I am unaware of them selling any animals to research. So if a local humane shelter is doing so, that would be pretty bad.

D. Ayala - Yes! Please feel free to use this article any way you see fit. Animal Ark believes, with all our hearts, that educating people about all the various aspects of pet overpopulation are very important to solving this huge problem. Please use any resources on our web site for that goal. That is, to a large degree, what our web site is all about.

Debra Vogt brings up another interesting point about the cruelty statues in Minnesota.

I believe there is some confusion in the minds of many people (myself included!) about the cruelty laws in Minnesota. One account of them is posted on the Animal Legal and Historical Center. I have gotten different accounts from different people. In fact, I just got an email from one of the people primarily responsible for writing the language in the current statute. She has a bit of a different take on the meaning of the current law.

Maybe, if we are lucky, we can get her to say a few words about it.

When you watch Animal Precinct on Animal Planet you will see SPCA officers picking up neglected and abused animals, then filing charges against the owners. I have never understood how you can get charges pressed against a pet owner for cruelty, yet the largest amount of cruelty, neglect and pain is inflicted on dogs in commercial breeding facilites and there is nothing to be done about it.

Great article Mike Fry something is terribly amiss when a governmental agency proclaims it doesn't have "resources" to enforce laws yet continues to allow expansion of an industry that it says it does not have the resources to regulate.

This is not just a Minnesota problem it is a nationwide problem as these puppymills everywhere continue to churn out sick defective animals that wind up in shelters and city pounds across the country.

Every american taxpayer should be outraged that we are spending 2 billion a year to shelter, kill and dispose of unwanted pets and that the major contributors to this problem are puppymills sanctioned by the USDA.

This money could be better spent on healthcare for those without insurance, elderly who cannot afford the high cost of drugs, more law-enforcement officers..the list goes on.

With your permission I would like to download your commentary and send it along with my own letter to my Governor, Senators and Representatives, I urge every citizen in this nation to do the same.

This is so stupid it is hard to believe! If the USDA is too incompetent, then the State of Minnesota needs to do something to regulate this industry in our state. It is sad that Minnesota is in papers all over the country because we are one of the top states for puppy mills.