Despite the affection and love many of us have for dogs and the place they have in our homes and families, thousands of them spend some or all of their lives in so-called "puppy mills."

Many dogs are trapped in tiny, filthy cages where they're vulnerable to harsh weather and other abuse.

I believe that the time has come to update our state laws in this area and begin to provide greater protection for our dogs.

Pennsylvania's 25-year-old dog law treats all types of dog breeders the same, whether they breed a dozen or 1,200 dogs. The law allows breeding dogs to spend their entire lives in small cages with wire floors, stacked upon one another.

For example, some commercial breeders stack dog cages on top of one another in order to fit as many dogs as possible for breeding. In some instances, these cages are stacked so high that dog wardens have to climb a ladder just to reach them for inspection. These dogs are sentenced to a lifetime in those cages, with no hope of being freed.

Puppy mills and the laws that permit them are such a problem that a recent Oprah Winfrey show highlighted some of the horrific abuses taking place right here in Pennsylvania. The episode showed commercial kennel operators dragging dogs by their front legs, smaller dogs being crammed into rabbit cages, dogs suffering from dental diseases and other deplorable conditions.

The show brought a great deal of attention to the shameful way dogs are being treated, and it brought long-overdue scrutiny to Pennsylvania's dog law. In response,proposals have been generated offering several regulations intended to stop abusive treatment in puppy mills by providing greater state oversight and updating Pennsylvania's dog law to address some serious issues.

One piece of legislation would set minimum standards for the safety, health and care of dogs raised by and housed at commercial kennels in Pennsylvania.

Another would prohibit dog owners from performing tail docking on dogs more than three days old, and would require debarking (cutting or destroying a dog's vocal cords), cesarean sections and similar procedures to be performed by a licensed veterinarian.

Finally, a third bill would hold owners responsible for their actions by making them foot the bill for their seized animals' care while the animals are at a shelter. I fully support this legislation.

There are other pieces of legislation proposed that would suspend or refuse licenses for kennels that violate certain regulations, require police officers to report to the state when they retain dogs, and restrict the tethering of dogs.

Without question, there is a clear need to change and update the state's dog law and animal cruelty law.

That is why I'm giving my full support to legislation that would put an end to the horrible abuse and conditions many dogs are forced to endure.