By MEGGIE. I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A proposed bill to regulate commercial dog breeders is under close watch at the Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH), as the Hoosier legislation may pose challenges for the state’s sole animal health regulatory agency, according to State Veterinarian Bret Marsh.

Most commonly referred to as puppy mill ban legislation, “if the taxpayers pass this type of legislation and BOAH is asked to regulate, this will create a completely new program for us,” said BOAH Legislative Director Gary Haines during the agency’s quarterly meeting on April 16.

“The real question we need to ask is what is a commercial dog breeder,” said Marsh. “We really have no idea how many commercial breeders there are – there could be 800 or upwards of 3,000. If there are 1,500, then only 80 are even regulated by the USDA. Let’s figure this out first.”

The USDA regulates breeders who sell puppies to pet stores or dogs that are used for research purposes.

Haines cited one of the key reasons for the development of the puppy mill legislation as the number of neglect cases has been increasing and people are becoming more aware of the issue.
According to Marsh, BOAH is considering the consequences of the legislation if passed. For instance, BOAH may charge a fee that enables registration of the breeders and subsequate regulation of those registered.

“This is a huge job, I’m not sure we can take this all on,” said Marsh, who hinted that it may force the agency to create an entirely new division dedicated to monitoring and regulating commercial dog breeders. And with a reduced new budget as result of a total state budgetary cut from Gov. Mitch Daniels., this may pose additional challenges for BOAH.

In addition to the discussion on the puppy mill legislation, Tim Bartlett also provided an update on the much-controversial CEM or contagious equine metritis outbreak in equine in Kentucky, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. “We have witnessed CEM outbreaks in our own state and across the nation – the good news is that we feel like we have things under control here in Indiana,” said Bartlett.

Bartlett shared that out of the four potential affected stallions in Indiana, only three tested positive and all horses were quarantined.
“Along with Kentucky, we began testing immediately for CEM in all stallions and mares connected to the infected horse,” said Bartlett, who added that 40 mares were tested and treated with only partial cost passed along to the producer.

He noted that the main cause of the CEM outbreak and spread to mares is likely improper biosecurity procedures connected to collection of the stallions.

“Those affected are facing extreme devastation – one farm had a stallion that bred over 200 mares in 2008, this year he expects no more than 20 mares,” Bartlett said. “I appreciate the patience of breeders and horse owners – it’s been very difficult for them.”
Bartlett added that recently three more horses have tested positive for CEM in Wisconsin and Illinois; however the traces have not been reported yet.

A special presenter to the BOAH meeting was Greg Preston, director for Indiana USDA-NASS.

Preston shared some interesting data from the 2007 Ag Census relevant specifically to the Indiana livestock industry including an 86 percent increase in pigeons or squab inventory and a growth of goat operations from 2,190 in 2002 to 3,385. Also, the number of meat goats has increased from 27,601 animals in ’02 to 47,090 in ’07.

“Horses and ponies declined from 2002 with 14,500 horses to 12,254 in 2007,” said Preston, who added that the 2007 data noted very little change in cattle, sheep and swine inventories.

Preston said that many people expected the aquaculture industry to make a big splash in the 2007 Ag Census.

“Well that definitely wasn’t the case, we saw a serious decline in catfish and noted a total inventory of fish to 1.6 million – a lot less than what people expected,” he said.

Some county rankings include Jasper County leading in corn, Elkhart leading in goats, LaGrange leading in horses, Dubois leading in turkey and LaGrange also leading in turkeys.
Preston also described an increase in organic farms, doubling in number from 2002.

Hot areas include Bloomington and northeast and northwest Indiana likely supplying the hubs of Chicago and Ft. Wayne farmers’ markets.

Shining a positive light on the agriculture industry, Denise Derrer, public information director for BOAH, discussed the agency’s involvement in Boiler Vet Camp.

In its second year, Boiler Vet Camp reviewed more than 200 applications to invite only 50 seventh and eighth graders from across the state of Indiana to Purdue University’s School of Veterinariry Medicine.

Once at the camp, junior high students learn the ins and outs of being a vet student, animal health, disease treatment and biosecurity precautions. Next year, the University will introduce a special session created specifically for ninth and tenth graders.