Pennsylvania is right in its efforts to crack down on mass dog-breeding operations, sometimes referred to as "puppy mills."

But groups representing dog breeders and animal-rescue operations merit praise for the determination with which they have come forward to point out potential problems with the changes that have been proposed.

The animal advocacy groups told a legislative panel Tuesday that the proposed rules could be costly and burdensome for law-abiding businesses.

"There is a difference between the high-volume production of dogs for commercial sale to the public and the breeding and raising of dogs by small, craftsman kennels whose breeding is aimed at producing the best specimens of their breed for competition," said Julian Prager, who represented the Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs.

The federation represents about 100 dog clubs, humane associations and dog-training facilities.

A similar message was delivered by others who spoke before the panel.

In addition to setting new rules about cage sizes and time allotted to daily exercise for the animals, the proposed guidelines also would force operators to keep records dealing with exercise, feeding and sanitation.

The dialogue at Tuesday's session was the kind of talk such a proposal demands — enabling all concerned to fully examine an issue before new rules are approved.

The only negative on Tuesday was that Pennsylvania should have imposed this kind of scrutiny on the "puppy mills" long before now.

Housing rehabilitation is a significant need of the Island neighborhood and the West End in general. It's therefore puzzling why more homeowners haven't stepped forward to apply for housing-rehab grants available through the Butler Redevelopment Authority.Homeowners may apply for up to $16,000 in grants — money that doesn't have to be repaid — to make their homes structurally sound and safe, but there only was minimal attendance at two meetings about the rehab program held at the Eagle Production Center on West Wayne Street.Only five applications resulted from the eight homeowners who attended the first meeting, which was held last weekend. Two of the five homeowners who attended the second meeting on Tuesday submitted applications.Meanwhile, the authority has been awarded $500,000 for the program, with $300,000 of that money earmarked for West End-Island homes. The remaining $200,000 is eligible for use throughout the city.According to Perry O'Malley, authority executive director, the agency has five years to spend the West End housing-rehabilitation funds. No doubt it will find takers for the remaining money over that long time span.Nevertheless, it is troubling that most eligible homeowners are ignoring the opportunity now, prohibiting repair work from getting under way as soon as possible.There are program guidelines to which participating homeowners must agree to and adhere, but those guidelines are not unreasonable.West End-Island residents should rethink their reluctance to apply.

Guards at the Butler County Prison provided a poignant reminder to future inmates Wednesday that they are foolish to attempt to smuggle contraband into the lockup.Anyone doubting that message need only reflect on the case of Kurt J. Reemtsen, 32, of Wexford.On Wednesday, Reemtsen, who was being processed into the prison for a probation violation, ended up in more trouble when guards found drugs and paraphernalia in his rectum.Pat Cannon, coordinator for the Butler County Drug Task Force, listed the items allegedly brought into the prison by Reemtsen as six Vicodin tablets, a syringe, two empty heroin stamp bags and one tablet of Suboxone, a prescription drug for recovering opioid addicts.Like the other items, Suboxone is not allowed to be brought into the prison.Cannon said guards at the prison have become skilled at investigating and intercepting contraband, making it difficult for inmates to sneak it in. Unfortunately for Reemtsen, he wasn't aware of how skilled and thorough the guards had become.Now he knows — and, if he is found guilty, he probably will have plenty of time to reflect on that while he's serving additional prison time.His probation violation called for three to six months in jail.As for the prison guards who searched Reemtsen and made what most people might regard as an unpleasant discovery, Wednesday reinforced that some of their tasks, while unpleasant, are nonetheless necessary.