State commission deciding if breeder licensing program should stay or go

HOUSTON - "25 percent of the animals that go through our shelter system are purebred," said Tena Lundquist Faust, Co-President of Houston PetSet. "Anybody that wants a purebred can find it in the shelter system. There's no reason to continue to breed animals in this state."

But let's face it, breeders are not going to stop. Currently, breeders must have a license.

"It gives them some parameters they have to work in and some checks and balances," said Fort Bend Precinct Three Constable Wayne Thompson.

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The Sunset Commission is made up of lawmakers that routinely look at state programs to see if they are needed and, if needed, do changes need to be made.

"I believe and I know many other law enforcement executives believe this program needs to be in place and probably be strengthened," Thompson said. "If it was to go away, it would place an additional burden on law enforcement agencies."

Many non-profits, like Houston PetSet, say the program is needed.

"We already euthanize 100,000 animals in the state of Texas anyway," Lundquist-Faust said. "There's no reason for us to not regulate breeders.

"We should be preventing cruelty before it occurs and that's the entire goal behind this making sure that those who are breeding their animals are doing so with the bare minimum of standards," said Eric Holiday with the Texas Humane Legislation Network or THLN.

The network hopes to get lawmakers to strengthen the existing breeder licensing program.

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"The current law requires the breeder to have 11 breeding females or selling 20 animals per year," Holiday said.

THLN is working to get rid of the 20 animal per year requirement for a breeder and lower the breeding female number of 11 to just 5.

"Without this law, it's kind of like the Wild, Wild West," Lundquist-Faust said. "We need this law in place to protect consumers from sick animals."

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