Victory! Utah Bill That Could Have Seen Puppy Mills Move to the State is Halted
The legislation, which would have restricted regulations on businesses that exploit animals, has been halted thanks to strong opposition from advocates, including the Species Unite community.
After outrage and protests by animal rights groups, a new bill that would allow animal welfare protections in Utah to be stripped away has been defeated.
HB 476 “Local Agricultural Regulations on Animal Enterprises and Working Animals”, sponsored by farmer and rancher Rep. Joel Ferry, had been fast-tracked through Utah’s legislature. The bill moved over to the Senate for consideration on the very same day the Utah House of Representatives passed the bill, with campaigners calling the move “strategic” because of worries “about the public attention.”
The bill intended to stop local governments from “prohibiting or effectively prohibiting” the operation of an “animal enterprise”. In short, the bill would have allowed any business in Utah that sells or uses animal or animal products for profit to be completely unregulated. This would apply to a wide range of industries that use animals, including puppy mills, pet stores, factory farms, rodeos, circuses, and animal experimentation. Campaigners were particularly concerned that the bill would lead to an increase in puppy mills across the state as it would end local laws prohibiting them.
But thanks to the protests and voices of animal advocates, the bill was defeated. Last Thursday, around 50 protesters led by the Humane Society of Utah gathered at the state Capitol to speak out against the bill, encouraging powerful media attention and further public opposition.
The Species Unite community also came together to speak out against the bill, with our supporters in Utah reaching out to their representatives urging them to oppose the bill when it reached the Senate floor. Thousands more engaged with, shared, and amplified our content criticizing the proposal, helping to raise awareness and build momentum to stop the terrifying bill in its tracks.
“We are delighted to see that the bill has been defeated. States should be introducing legislation that increases and upholds protection for animals, not pandering to the corporate greed of others,” said Santina Polsky, campaigns and development coordinator at Species Unite. “We’re incredibly grateful to the Species Unite community - particularly our supporters in Utah - for speaking against this would-be disastrous bill.”
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The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.