NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – A bill in the South Carolina Senate would regulate puppy mills by requiring dog breeders to be licensed and meet new inspection and animal care standards.

Senate Bill 720 would impose regulations on puppy mills by requiring breeders to meet more humane standards.

The bill has not passed yet and is currently in the Senate.

According to the bill, a professional dog breeder would be considered someone who has 10 or more unspayed dogs, sells more than 15 puppies, or has more than two litters in a calendar year.

North Myrtle Beach Humane Society Executive Director Tina Hunter said the organization helps shut down puppy mills by assisting the police department.

However, due to a city ordinance, there are no puppy mills in the city.

“North Myrtle Beach is a special community, so we really don’t have that issue, but now, we have seen cases in the county in which we call backyard puppy mill breeders that are producing puppies year after year after year,” Hunter said. “The county has seen instances where they’ve had to go out and shut those operations down.”

Hunter said the bill is a good thing and that South Carolina doesn’t have any laws about commercial breeding.

“As it’s written right now, there are a couple of little tweaks that I personally would like to see implemented in the bill, but it’s a start,” Hunter said. “South Carolina has no laws on the books as far as commercial breeding goes, so this is an exciting start.”

Hunter said living conditions for animals in puppy mills can be awful, and one of her favorite parts of the bill is the living regulations.

“Part of the bill that I love is they have exercise requirements for commercial pet breeders,” Hunter said. “They also have language in there about what kind of housing the animals can have, so that it’s weather-appropriate housing, and that they cannot be housed in those kennels that have wired mesh on the bottom.”

Hunter said she is excited about the other requirements.

“I’m really excited about that addition, and just to make sure that the animals have enrichment and they are not just stuck in a crate for 24 hours a day,” Hunter said.

Hunter said when animals from puppy mills come in, it can be hard for them to adjust.

“We have seen animals that don’t know anything about humane touch,” Hunter said. “They’ve literally been in a wired crate their entire life and never touched grass, we’ve seen that, and I get goosebumps just thinking about those animals. Like putting them on grass and letting them feel the Earth and letting them feel things that we take for granted.”

Pawmetto Lifeline CEO Denise Wilkinson said Senate Bill 720 is an important step toward addressing inhumane breeding practices in South Carolina.

“We are grateful for Senator Tedder’s leadership,” Wilkinson said. “We look forward to working collaboratively to strengthen the legislation and ensure the best possible outcome for animals and our communities.”

Wilkinson said additional input from leaders who are working on the front line would be beneficial.

Hunter said if you’re looking for an animal, it’s better to adopt one.

“None of these animals are here because they did anything wrong; they’re all here because humans failed them,” Hunter said. “I think everybody wants to see animals live; nobody wants to see animals go to a shelter and be euthanized. So, we want them to come in and save lives, never ever support a backyard breeder.”

Hunter said getting an animal is a lifelong commitment.

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YOUR TIME IS 645. IT’S TIME FOR NEWS TO GO. WE’VE GOT A LOOK AT TODAY’S TOP NEWS STORIES, TRAFFIC AND WEATHER ALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT THE DOOR. WE START WITH A SEARCH FOR A MISSING TEENAGER IN GREENVILLE COUNTY. DEPUTIES SAY SPENCER BUTLER AVERY RAN AWAY FROM BROOM STRAW COURT IN GREER JUST AFTER 11:00 LAST NIGHT. HE’S THOUGHT TO HAVE LEFT THE AREA ON FOOT. YOU CAN SEE HIM IN THIS PHOTO RIGHT HERE ON YOUR SCREEN. HE WAS LAST SEEN WEARING A RED LONG SLEEVE SHIRT. HE’S ABOUT 511, 240 POUNDS. IF YOU SEE HIM, CALL NINE ONE. ONE MAN IS IN THE HOSPITAL AFTER BEING SHOT IN GREENWOOD. EXCLUSIVE SKY4 VIDEO NOW OF THE AREA OF EAST CRESWELL AVENUE AND MCLEAN AVENUE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE SAY IT APPEARS THE SHOOTING WAS A TARGETED ATTACK. THEY’RE ASKING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO CONTACT THE GREENWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT ON GREENVILLE. AT LEAST ONE PERSON WAS HURT AFTER A VEHICLE OVERTURNED. WE DO WANT TO WARN YOU THIS VIDEO MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME VIEWERS. 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TODAY, THE CREW WILL ASSESS THEIR ABILITY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM HIGH RADIATION EVENTS LIKE SOLAR FLARES. THEN THEY’LL TRY OUT ORION’S MANUAL PILOTING CAPABILITY BY STEERING THE SPACECRAFT THROUGH A VARIETY OF TASKS. ARTEMIS CREW WILL SPLASHDOWN OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA AROUND 8:00 FRIDAY NIGHT. DELTA AIRLINES PASSENGERS ARE ABOUT TO SEE AN INCREASE IN CHECKED BAGGAGE FEES. THE AIRLINE ANNOUNCED IT WILL RAISE FEES FOR FIRST AND SECOND BAGS BY $10 AND $50 FOR THE THIRD ON DOMESTIC AND SHORT HAUL INTERNATIONAL ROUTES. THE NEW PRICE GOES INTO EFFECT ON ANY TICKETS PURCHASED FROM TODAY FORWARD, AND IT’S THE FIRST BAGGAGE FEE INCREASE FOR DELTA IN TWO YEARS, JUST HOURS BEFORE HIS DEADLINE WAS SET TO GO INTO EFFECT TUESDAY, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS AGREED TO A TWO WEEK CEASEFIRE WITH IRAN. THE PRESIDENT WRITING ON SOCIAL MEDIA BOMBING AND ATTACKS ON IRAN WOULD END ON THE CONDITION THE COUNTRY REOPENS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. IRAN SAYS IT WILL ALLOW SAFE PASSAGE OF MARINE PASSAGE THROUGH THE STRAIT, AS LONG AS IT IS NOT ATTACKED. EARLIER TUESDAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD THREATENED MASSIVE U.S. ATTACKS ON IRANIAN CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE. MEANWHILE, AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST IS FREE AFTER SHE WAS ABDUCTED BY A MILITANT GROUP IN IRAQ. SECRETARY OF STATE MARCO RUBIO, WRITING ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST NIGHT, SHELLY KITTLESON WAS RELEASED AFTER SHE WAS KIDNAPED IN BAGHDAD LAST WEEK, IRAN BACKED IRAQI MILITIA GROUP KATAEB HEZBOLLAH SAID THAT IT WOULD BE RELEASED OR SHE WOULD BE RELEASED, ON THE CONDITION THAT SHE LEAVE THE COUNTRY IMMEDIATELY. SECRETARY RUBIO SAID THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS NOW WORKING TO SUPPORT SAFE DEPARTURE FROM IRAQ. ALL RIGHT. OUT THE DOOR THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING. MOST OF US ARE STARTING OFF ON THE CHILLY SIDE, 50 DEGREES IN GREENVILLE, WHICH ISN’T TERRIBLE, BUT WE’RE IN THE 30S TOWARDS ASHEVILLE, 40 SOUTH OF I-85 AND UP TOWARDS GAFFNEY, 43 DEGREES. YOU’LL DEFINITELY WANT A LIGHT SWEATER OUT THE DOOR, ESPECIALLY AS THESE WINDS CONTINUE TO PICK UP. SO WHAT TO EXPECT FOR TODAY? IT IS BREEZY, ESPECIALLY THROUGH MID-MORNING. GUSTS WILL REACH OVER 30 MILES AN HOUR. THERE IS A FIRE DANGER FOR TODAY, SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. THERE’S STILL BURN BAN IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. ACTUALLY, THE WHOLE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA AND FOR THE UPSTATE CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR FIRES. SO PLEASE JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR TODAY. THIS TIME WE’RE DISCOURAGING ANY BURNING OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSION 57 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON BY LUNCH HOUR. THEN LATER THIS EVENING WE DO REACH THE 60S. SO WE ARE GOING TO STAY WELL BELOW AVERAGE FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. WE ARE STAYING MOSTLY SUNNY AND THEN WE START TO SEE A FEW CLOUDS INCREASE BY TONIGHT. WE SLOWLY BEGIN TO CLIMB IN TEMPERATURE. OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WE’RE BACK NEAR 70 TOMORROW. EVEN WARMER FRIDAY. NOW, IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THE 80S, THEY DO EVENTUALLY RETURN. WE’LL JUMP JUMP BACK TOWARDS THE 80S ON SATURDAY AND THAT CONTINUES INTO THE NEXT WEEK. WE’LL TAKE ONE MORE LOOK AT MY FOUR-DAY PLUS HERE IN A COUPLE MINUTES. DESTINY. AARON VICTORIA 652. TRAFFIC IS LOOKING FANTASTIC, WHICH IS NOT TYPICAL AT THIS TIME OF MORNING. HERE’S A LIVE LOOK AT I-85 SOUTH NEAR BMW IN SPARTANBURG COUNTY. NO ISSUES. NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND I-85 LOOKS GREAT IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA. THERE’S ONE LITTLE CONSTRUCTION PIECE DOWN AT THE STATE LINE SOUTHBOUND ON 85 AS YOU GET CLOSER TO GEORGIA. SO IF YOU’RE TRAVELING THROUGH FAIR PLAY, WALHALLA, THE RIGHT LANE IS CLOSED THERE FOR A COUPLE MILES, BUT NOT SEEING ANY IMPACTS FROM THAT. NO TRAVEL TIME DELAYS. IN FACT, THEY’RE ALL IN THE GREEN R