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Thank You for Leading Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788) to Protect Animals

Dear Representative,
As your constituent and a supporter of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), I am writing to thank you for taking a stand against puppy mill cruelty by leading Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788), legislation to restore animal welfare to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). With over a quarter of a million animals in USDA-licensed facilities, it is imperative that Goldie’s Act be implemented as soon as possible. As Congress prepares to pass a Farm Bill, I ask that you urge your colleagues on the Agriculture Committee to include Goldie’s Act and urge other colleagues to co-sponsor. As you know, Goldie—after whom this legislation is named—suffered and died at a USDA-licensed facility because the USDA failed in its responsibility to protect her and hundreds more from inhumane treatment. In Goldie’s memory, we need to strengthen the AWA by passing Goldie’s Act to ensure that the USDA conducts more frequent and meaningful inspections, helps animals that are visibly suffering, issues penalties for violations of the law, and shares information with local law enforcement. Thank you again for leading the charge on this important legislation. Please encourage your colleagues to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill to help ensure that no other animal meets Goldie’s fate.

Thank You for Cosponsoring Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788) to Protect Animals

Dear Representative,
As your constituent and a supporter of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), I am writing to thank you for taking a stand to protect dogs in puppy mills by co-sponsoring Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788), legislation to restore animal welfare to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Congress must pass this critical legislation to help animals suffering in USDA-licensed commercial breeding facilities. Please ask your colleagues on the House Agriculture Committee to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill and urge other colleagues to co-sponsor. Goldie's Act, named after a Golden Retriever who suffered and eventually died at a USDA-licensed facility, would require better protection for animals—like dogs in puppy mills—a responsibility that the USDA has long ignored. In Goldie’s memory, we need to strengthen the AWA by passing Goldie’s Act to ensure that the USDA conducts more frequent and meaningful inspections, helps animals that are visibly suffering, issues penalties for violations of the law, and shares information with local law enforcement. Thank you again for cosponsoring this important legislation. Please encourage your colleagues to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill, helping to ensure that no other animal meets Goldie’s fate.

Support Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788) to Protect Dogs in Puppy Mills

Dear Representative,
As your constituent and a supporter of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor Goldie’s Act (H.R. 1788), legislation to restore animal welfare to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), and to support its inclusion in the Farm Bill. Goldie's Act would require better protection for animals in licensed facilities—like dogs in puppy mills—a responsibility that the USDA has long ignored. The USDA is charged with enforcing the AWA, a law established to protect animals kept for commercial purposes, but over the years the agency has watered down its own programs and procedures with changes that erode protections for these vulnerable animals. Despite observing violations during inspections, the USDA rarely takes action to penalize noncompliance or protect animals that are suffering. Violators rarely lose their license or pay a financial penalty—even when animals are left to suffer and die in their facilities. The real-world consequences of the agency’s reluctance to take action are devastating. The bill is named after a dog known only as Golden Retriever #142, now known as “Goldie.” She suffered in nightmarish conditions at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa, and eventually died there. The USDA issued a license to Daniel Gingerich in 2019 but did not inspect his facilities until 2021. When they finally inspected his properties, the dogs were in miserable conditions. USDA inspectors found Goldie, later described in a Department of Justice civil complaint as “extremely emaciated,” but they did not officially record this welfare violation. USDA inspectors saw Goldie a month later and took note of her deteriorating condition but did not record these terrible welfare violations or help her. Goldie died at this puppy mill, and even though her and other dogs’ suffering was rampant, and violations of the law were clear, the USDA still failed to act. In her memory, we need to strengthen the AWA by passing Goldie’s Act to ensure that the USDA conducts more frequent and meaningful inspections, helps animals that are visibly suffering, issues penalties for violations of the law, and shares information with local law enforcement. I urge you to help ensure that no other animal meets Goldie’s fate: support this critical bill by co-sponsoring it and requesting that it be included in the upcoming Farm Bill.

Thank You for Leading Goldie’s Act (S. 4033) to Protect Animals

Dear Senator,
As your constituent and a supporter of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), I am writing to thank you for taking a stand against puppy mill cruelty by leading Goldie’s Act (S. 4033), legislation to restore animal welfare to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). With over a quarter of a million animals in USDA-licensed facilities, it is imperative that Goldie’s Act be implemented as soon as possible. As Congress prepares to pass a Farm Bill, I ask that you urge your colleagues on the Senate Agriculture Committee to include Goldie’s Act and urge other colleagues to co-sponsor. As you know, Goldie—after whom this legislation is named—suffered and died at a USDA-licensed facility because the USDA failed in its responsibility to protect her and hundreds more from inhumane treatment. In Goldie’s memory, we need to strengthen the AWA by passing Goldie’s Act to ensure that the USDA conducts more frequent and meaningful inspections, helps animals that are visibly suffering, issues penalties for violations of the law, and shares information with local law enforcement. Thank you again for leading the charge on this important legislation. Please encourage your colleagues to include Goldie’s Act in the upcoming Farm Bill to help ensure that no other animal meets Goldie’s fate.

Support Goldie’s Act (S. 4033) to Protect Dogs in Puppy Mills

Dear Senator,
As your constituent and a supporter of The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), I am writing to urge you to co-sponsor Goldie’s Act (S.4033), legislation to restore animal welfare to the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), and to support its inclusion in the Farm Bill. Goldie's Act would require better protection for animals in licensed facilities—like dogs in puppy mills—a responsibility that the USDA has long ignored. The USDA is charged with enforcing the AWA, a law established to protect animals kept for commercial purposes, but over the years the agency has watered down its own programs and procedures with changes that erode protections for these vulnerable animals. Despite observing violations during inspections, the USDA rarely takes action to penalize noncompliance or protect animals that are suffering. Violators rarely lose their license, or pay a financial penalty—even when animals are left to suffer and die in their facilities. The real-world consequences of the agency’s reluctance to take action are devastating. The bill is named after a dog known only as Golden Retriever #142, now known as “Goldie.” She suffered in nightmarish conditions at a USDA-licensed puppy mill in Iowa, and eventually died there. The USDA issued a license to Daniel Gingerich in 2019 but did not inspect his facilities until 2021. When they finally inspected his properties, the dogs were in miserable conditions. USDA inspectors found Goldie, later described in a Department of Justice civil complaint as “extremely emaciated,” but they did not officially record this welfare violation. USDA inspectors saw Goldie a month later and took note of her deteriorating condition but did not record these terrible welfare violations or help her. Goldie died at this puppy mill, and even though her and other dogs’ suffering was rampant, and violations of the law were clear, the USDA still failed to act. In her memory, we need to strengthen the AWA by passing Goldie’s Act to ensure that the USDA conducts more frequent and meaningful inspections, helps animals that are visibly suffering, issues penalties for violations of the law, and shares information with local law enforcement. I urge you to help ensure that no other animal meets Goldie’s fate: support this critical bill by co-sponsoring it and requesting that it be included in the upcoming Farm Bill.