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Last night, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed into law a bill requiring all commercial dog-breeding facilities to be licensed and inspected—for the first time ever in the state’s history.

Friends, that’s a big step in the right direction for dogs in Ohio, a state known as a haven for puppy mill operators, and where untold numbers of dogs are currently languishing in filthy, barren facilities.

This law is the culmination of more than six years of work by steadfast animal advocates, including the ASPCA and our supporters, and we’re very encouraged to see it signed. “Ohio has taken a critical step,” says Cori Menkin, Senior Director of the ASPCA Puppy Mills Campaign.

Still, the law doesn’t go quite as far as we’d have liked. For one, it doesn’t require commercial breeders to provide breeding dogs with annual veterinary care, which is critical to ensuring the dogs are healthy and safe.

“This is just one of the problems that we weren’t able to fix, but the legislation is still a step in the right direction,” says Vicki Deisner, State Director of ASPCA Government Relations for the Midwest region. “We look forward to working with the Ohio Department of Agriculture to ensure humane standards of care are instituted through the regulatory process.”

We’ve got so much more work to do for puppy mill dogs in Ohio and other states. If you’re ready to join the fight, visit NoPetStorePuppies.com to get started.

At the ASPCA, we meet a lot of dogs…and to be honest, we fall in love with most of them! But some pups stand out as very, very special. A few even seem to serve as role models for us, reminding us to stay positive even in the face of adversity.

Johnny is a dog like that. Rescued by our Humane Law Enforcement department in August, Johnny had already been through a lot in his four years of life. He wasn’t able to use his back legs, and at first we thought he had been injured. Then our veterinarians learned he had a severe spinal infection that had left his hind legs paralyzed.

Our vets addressed his long-untreated infection right away and began the task of rehabilitating him. Slowly, Johnny regained his strength until finally, it happened: Johnny learned to walk again.

Through it all, Johnny remained the happy-go-lucky, cuddly, sweet little muffin he is to this day. He thinks he’s a lap dog and essentially lives for snuggling. Frankly, his cheery outlook on life is downright inspiring.

Though he won’t ever have a full range of motion again, Johnny gets around just fine and loves to use his legs. Now, he’s ready to go home—in fact he’s already waited months to meet his match.

Could you please help us spread the word about Johnny? We can’t wait to see his well-deserved happy ending. He doesn’t seem to want much beyond affection and kindness. He can live with kids eight and up and other pets, and he’d be happy in a home just about anywhere—he only needs people who are up for tending to his sensitive skin, and who have as much love to give as he does! 

Guest blog by Andrew Binovi, ASPCA Federal Legislative Manager

With all the political gridlock in Washington D.C., it seems that Congress has nearly ground to a complete halt. So it was very exciting late yesterday when the U.S. Senate considered two important measures to help animals in need!

First, the Senate took up the cause of canine heroes who have served in our military and passed a provision that streamlines the adoption process for retired military dogs and authorizes the Department of Defense to provide veterinary care in the animals’ retirement without any cost to American taxpayers. Military dogs perform dangerous, critical tasks, and it is our duty to honor these dogs and ensure they are cared for after their service is complete. The House passed similar language in their version of the military bill earlier this year.

Then, just moments later, the Senate passed the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act by a unanimous voice vote. This bill, introduced by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Scott Brown (R-MA), will give law enforcement additional tools to crack down on animal fighting. The legislation will make it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and will impose additional penalties for taking minors to animal fights.

Take Action!
We are encouraged that in the twilight hours of this Congress, animals in need have not been forgotten by federal lawmakers. Our team has been working around the clock with members of Congress to ensure passage of both bills, but we still need your help. Please call your representative and ask him or her to support the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act in the House. Animals victimized in this grisly blood sport are in desperate need—and they are counting on us to get the job done!

Are you ready to put on your stocking cap and take part in a little holiday trivia game? Join our #SantaPaws Holiday Trivia Twitter Party & Giveaway! Along with co-hosts Pet360 and Dogster, we’ll test your holiday knowledge…We’re talking reindeer and mistletoe, here!

Plus, we’ll give away treat-filled holiday stockings every FIVE minutes—and one grand prize winner will receive a sparkling diamond paw pendant by Zales Jewelers! Need a little more icing on the cake? All party guests will receive a secret coupon code for 25% off to use at the ASPCA Online Store.

Pour yourself some eggnog, get comfy on the couch and tune in to Twitter from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. (ET) on December 12! Don't forget to use the hashtag #SantaPaws!

Not quite sure how to join a Twitter Party? No worries! Check out our How to Join a Twitter Party Guide.