On puppies and politics

It's hard to lobby when you can't even stand up:

The American Kennel Club, among other groups who profit from commercial breeders, was outspoken against it. The bill didn’t pass.

Hunting and agricultural groups say the Humane Society's true goal is to outlaw hunting and farming. They've told lawmakers cracking down on puppy mills could be the first step toward that.

You want a legitimate slippery-slope example? How about a legislative body that has become so afraid of offending campaign contributors that they won't even discuss protecting puppies from cruel treatment.

This year, Vaughan is sponsoring a bill that addresses animal neglect called Chamberlin’s Law, which was named for a dog that was tied up for months by its High Point owners without food or water. But legislative leaders have put it on hold.

"I was asked to pull it back because of all the attention it was getting in the committee," said Senate Rules chairman Tom Apodaca. "Most people favored it, but there were some groups who were scared it might go too far and affect their ability to do legitimate business."

That's real funny, Tom. You've had legislation that not just some, but many groups were opposed to, and you totally ignored those voices and went full steam ahead. Your situational restraint would be humorous if so many helpless animals weren't suffering and dying as they struggle to climb the ladder to "pet" status.