New ASPCA Poll Reveals Colorado Voters Overwhelmingly Support Legislation to End the Sale of Puppy Mill Puppies in the State

DENVER, CO - The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) today announced the results of a new poll conducted by Keating Research, Inc. that revealed 82 percent of registered Colorado voters support a statewide policy that would end the sale of puppy mill puppies at pet stores. Additionally, 82 percent of respondents said they would also support a state law ending the sale of puppies through brokers and middlemen, including online sales, while ensuring individuals can still purchase puppies directly from breeders or adopt from shelters and rescues.

There is overwhelming support for these policies from all parties and across the state, including in rural counties, suggesting strong public approval for legislation that was introduced today- HB26-1011, sponsored by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Rep. Karen McCormick, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez. If passed, HB26-1011 would end the sale of puppies by third-party brokers and retail stores.

"Over 26 localities in Colorado have already taken action to prevent pet stores from selling cruelly bred dogs in their community, and this poll shows that Colorado voters want to see these critical protections extended statewide," said Sabrina Pacha, ASPCA director of state legislation for the Mountain West region. "The ASPCA commends House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Representative Karen McCormick, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez, for their leadership on HB26-1011, and we urge the Colorado General Assembly to pass this legislation to stop cruel commercial breeders from profiting off our state's consumers."

"We have heard from an overwhelming majority of Coloradans that it is time to put an end to the sale of puppies bred in the cruel conditions of puppy mills," said HouseMajority Leader Monica Duran. "That's why I am bringing forward HB26-1011 to help put an end to the horrific ways in which dogs are bred in puppy mills and to protect our consumers from the highly deceptive practices that the puppy mill industry utilizes to sell cruelly bred dogs. It's long overdue that we address this unregulated, inhumane practice that prioritizes profit over the well being of their animals and our Colorado consumers."

"Colorado consumers are being significantly harmed by the deceptive practices puppy mills rely on to sell cruelly bred dogs to an unsuspecting public, often paying thousands of dollars for a dog they believe was responsibly bred and healthy, only to have to pay more in veterinary bills when health issues arise," said Senate Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez. "HB26-1011 is responding to the overwhelming majority of Coloradans asking us to put an end to this deception and to instead support responsible breeders and local animal shelters and rescues."

"As a veterinarian, I've been a direct witness to the consequences of the puppy mill supply of dogs across multiple states," said Karen McCormick, state representative and chair of the House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee. "Too often, these dogs deal with physical and behavioral health issues due to the poor and inhumane breeding practices of puppy mills and the unsuspecting people who purchase these dogs then carry an unfair financial burden of treating these issues. Numerous cities across Colorado have taken the step to stop the sale of these animals as have other states across the nation - it is time for our entire state to join them in curbing the puppy mill pipeline. This is a policy I have supported my entire professional life, and I am proud to be sponsoring this with Majority Leader Monica Duran and Majority Leader Robert Rodriguez."

The majority of Colorado voters (64 percent) are already aware that pet stores acquire puppies from commercial breeding facilities that produce large numbers of puppies in cruel conditions, prioritizing profit over the wellbeing of the animals. These out-of-state puppy mill breeders then ship their puppies into Colorado through a pipeline of middlemen, called brokers, who buy high volumes of puppies and resell them to pet stores, enabling retailers to misrepresent and blur the reality of where their animals come from. This process exploits animals and consumers, who are often unprepared for the sky-high veterinary bills and the crushing heartbreak that can occur when sick pets are purchased unknowingly.

Currently, there is no comprehensive statewide law that addresses third-party sellers selling puppy mill puppies in Colorado. HB26-1011 would protect consumers and pets by ending the sale of dogs and cats through third-party sellers, specifically retail stores and brokers, while still ensuring that consumers can work directly with responsible breeders or adopt from a shelter or rescue, making it harder for unregulated actors to perpetuate a deceptive market for puppy mill dogs.

For more information about the ASPCA's poll, please contact Molly Grodahl at [email protected] or 646-891-9527. To learn more about the ASPCA's efforts to end the puppy mill pipeline or join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.