Minnesota and Nebraska are both considering puppy mill bills for the latest legislative session.

Lawmakers in Nebraska heard arguments for and against LB427, which establishes requirements for commercial dog breeders, according to local media. Under the proposed measure, dogs would need to be seen by a veterinarian every three years, including dental care. The bill also requires proper housing with specific types of flooring and sets limits on how often a female can be bred.

One difference from other similar bills is the "outstanding breeder" clause. In order to be recognized as an outstanding breeder, the breeder must meet all of the following requirements:

• A female dog shall not be bred more than once in an 18-month period without special permission from a veterinarian.
• Each dog housed in the primary enclosure shall be provided a minimum square footage of floor space calculated by squaring the sum of the length in inches measured in a straight line from the tip of the dogs nose to the base of its tail plus six inches.
• Every dog shall receive mental stimulation, including interaction with other dogs, positive interaction with humans, and toys or other forms of enrichment in the dogs primary enclosure.
• Each dog shall have an exercise run or an exercise program and all flooring of the exercise area shall be solid surface or the ground.
• The breeders facility shall not have an ammonia odor that measures more than four parts per million.
• Each dog shall be bathed at least twice per year, and very little, if any, of a dogs coat may be matted.

In Minnesota, the bill HF 388 was introduced in the new legislative session. HF 388 defines a commercial breeder as someone with 20 or more breeding animals which produce five or more litters per year. The measure is designed to provide standards of care for dog and cat breeders, establish licensing fees, and provide criminal penalties for violators.

That bill calls for breeders to house cats indoors and to provide animals with daily socialization with humans and "compatible animals."