PAWS won't make any difference at all, except to some people's or some organizations' purses. I don't know about USDA inspections, as only two people I know, one in Connecticut and one in Nebraska, are USDA approved kennels. Both of these people breed Cavaliers (which breaks my heart) in huge numbers...one of them sold several dogs to Michael Wolf in Pennsylvania and has invoked the name of Anne Clark as having given her the go-ahead on Michael...which I seriously doubt.... in any case, the Connecticut kennel is very well kept, with full time help, etc. I can't speak to the Nebraska facility. I do know that the woman in Nebraska didn't think anyone should be concerned about more than 200 dogs of one breed being imported in 2005...her comment was "that's only about 4 per state, what's wrong with that?" Both these people show dogs -- one has had group winners repeatedly...and they pass AKC inspections, too. The woman in Connecticut told me the AKC inspection is nothing like the USDA one, but in spite of the law, USDA didn't care that she whelped litters in her house...and that is the law, isn't it, NOT in the house? Several people I know in the Dallas area were all subjected to AKC inspections a few years ago...all but one of these breeders had to furnish complete records of everything they were doing with their dogs...in hard copy, nothing on their computers was acceptable. The one who wasn't asked to do this offered the AKC inspectors lunch, gave them books for their kids and grandkids, and showed them around her multi-million dollar home and very elegant, expensive kennel...and bragged for months afterward that she would never be in trouble with the AKC now. She apparently was right...the inspectors call her and invite themselves over for lunch or more every time they are in the Dallas area...at least that's what she tells everyone. The woman in Nebraska, and the woman in Dallas, are known for selling unhealthy dogs...yes, they do win a lot with the dogs they keep...but nobody seems to care about the sickly dogs they sell. The Connecticut person is sort of a health Nazi, altho she hates the term... I really do know these people pretty well...and AKC didn't care much what went on there, either. Of course, these people have immaculate kennels, etc., and can't be put into a class with Michael Wolf...with the exception of the fact that AKC inspections apparently are worthless...and perhaps, so are the ones by the USDA. Peggy Stormy435@xxxxxxx wrote: >Just was reading on another list about a group of "puppy mills' in >Nebraska, just across the state lines from NE Colorado. USDA licensed, from >what I >can gather, but can't be absolutely sure. Little guys, westies, cairns. >The >comments were really, really bad about the 'farms'. If USDA, or State Ag. >Dept's., can't control what happens there, and AKC obviously fell down in PA, >(don't know if these are uner AKC registry), I would like to know just how >PAWS >would improve this mess. > > > ============================================================================ POST is Copyrighted 2006. All material remains the property of the original author and of GSD Communication, Inc. NO REPRODUCTIONS or FORWARDS of any kind are permitted without prior permission of the original author AND of the Showgsd-l Management. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ALL PERSONS ARE ON NOTICE THAT THE FORWARDING, REPRODUCTION OR USE IN ANY MANNER OF ANY MATERIAL WHICH APPEARS ON SHOWGSD-L WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF ALL PARTIES TO THE POST AND THE LIST MANAGEMENT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN, AND IS A VIOLATION OF LAW. VIOLATORS OF THIS PROHIBITION WILL BE PROSECUTED. For assistance, please contact the List Management at admin@xxxxxxxxxxxx VISIT OUR WEBSITE - URL temporarily deleted due to AOL issues ============================================================================