AP
Indianapolis — State lawmakers from the House and Senate have reached a compromise on a proposal to regulate large-scale dog breeding operations.
Democratic Rep. Linda Lawson of Hammond hopes lawmakers will vote on the compromise proposal before the legislative session ends at midnight Wednesday. She says the bill would allow the state to crack down on so-called “puppy mills.”
The compromise would toughen animal abuse laws and require commercial dog breeders to register with the state. The bill would require breeders to offer dogs daily exercise and set minimum standards of care for the animals.
Under the proposal, cities and counties couldn’t enact tougher local animal ordinances after Dec. 31. Communities that already have tougher standards or those that pass new ordinances this year would be allowed to keep their stricter rules.
