Outdoor Playtime for Puppies Should be Mandatory!

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The importance of outdoor play time for dogs cannot be overstated, but it’s sadly ignored by a large amount of breeders in the United States.

Dogs need exercise every day, during their formative years and beyond, if they are to grow and thrive. It’s physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy for them, Pet Place maintains¹, and can involve as little as 15 minutes of strenuous activity a day.

Animals that don’t have room to grow are often destined to suffer from behavioral issues for the rest of their lives. And all too often are these issues more than some unprepared pet parents can handle, resulting in individuals and families surrendering their dogs at rapidly crowding shelters.

One study from Bristol University indicates that dogs who aren’t allowed enough daily play time are more likely to develop anxiety and aggression, and a tendency to whine, jump up, or ignore commands².

Race Foster, DVM, affirms that pets should be given as much outdoor time as possible, where their senses can be stimulated, something their minds do not benefit from when cooped up inside³.

Despite these facts, breeders across the country keep dogs kenneled up sometimes up to 24 hours a day in substandard facilities. The Humane Society of the United States⁴ and members of Congress have been pressing the USDA to “close loopholes” in the USDA’s approach to pet breeding regulation, but previous efforts to require breeders to implement daily exercise languished in congress, unable to garner enough votes to pass.

Just as dogs need exercise and play time when they are in loving, forever homes, they need it even more when they’re very young and developing. Sign the petition to tell the House and Senate subcommittees on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry to mandate daily playtime for puppies in breeding facilities across the United States!