Ohio has the fourth-largest number of problem puppy mills in the nation, according to the annual "Horrible Hundred" report by the Humane Society of the United States.
The report shows eight Ohio facilities were cited last year for animal cruelty. Society spokespeson John Goodwin says instances of untreated health problems and cramped living conditions are only part of the story.
Goodwin says many puppy mills operate under the radar and are never inspected, in part because the U.S. Department of Agriculture isn't doing enough to address the problem. He says the agency issued 60 percent fewer citations between 2017 and 2018. And state agencies are finding problems at puppy mills that the USDA deemed compliant.
The USDA is accepting public comment through May 21st on a newly-proposed rule blocking problem operators who have their licenses revoked from obtaining a new license under another name.
