Andrea Rosebrock 
Now this is what I call excellent new for dogs in Virginia!! A bill that will crack down on both puppy mills and dog fighting passed! I spoke about it at the end of January and it looks like although it may have just squeaked by the House of Delegates to a 9-8 vote, there were no problems in the General Assembly. Now if more states would just get the ball rolling and push it through the live of so many dogs could be saved and improved. Humane treatment is a bare minimum of standard but to many dogs in these puppy mill environments, even a that bare minimum would be a tremendous improvement!
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) It was a good day for dogs at the General Assembly.
Without debate, the House of Delegates passed bills on Tuesday cracking down on dogfighting and so-called puppy mills.
The dogfighting bill makes it easier for authorities to investigate people who engage in the blood sport. The measure was prompted, at least in part, by the Michael Vick dogfighting case. The suspended Atlanta Falcons star is serving 23 months for a federal dogfighting conspiracy.
The bill applies to all forms of animal fighting and makes cockfighting a felony for the first time in Virginia. The vote was 93-2.
The puppy-mill measure passed 91-6. It would regulate and license large commercial dog breeders, whose operations would be subject to inspection by animal control officials. (WJZ)
Way overdue but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
Hopefully this helps. Some of these laws end up not being as effective as they were set out to be.
This is very encouraging news. If only the other states would get on the ball with this.
It would be wonderful if we could get all the states to have felony punishments for animal cruelty as well.