State lawmakers will be looking at the 2010 budget next week, and although money is tight, one group is afraid cuts will help illegal puppy mills.

The legislature is considering cutting $58,000 from the Department of Agriculture, which would eliminate one of the three animal inspector positions.

These inspectors travel the state and watch over 700 breeders and sellers. They crack down on so-called "puppy mills.” The Nebraska Humane Society says horrific scenes come from inside those mills and without the inspectors, conditions could worsen.

Judy Varner, president of the Nebraska Humane Society, says protecting animals from harsh living conditions is the goal of animal inspectors. "When you see the condition that puppies come to us from puppy mills, it breaks your heart, it just breaks your heart."

If funds are removed for one of the state's animal inspectors, the program will go back to a complaint driven basis. “We remove that one inspector, there's no safe guarding," said Varner.

Responsible breeders also want to be inspected. Tom Westman is the operations manager at Tully's Kennel. "We welcome that, because it only helps us be better."

He says they want the few bad breeders to be out of business. "I think the random checks are really important just because, you know we're dog lovers, and we'd hate to see any situation where a dog might be in a bad light."

Kristie Biodrowski has seen plenty of puppy mills, and says teaching the breeders correct care is important. "A lot of times it can be preventative care which is very important and in the long run is less costly."

She's an animal control officer who works with animal inspectors. She and Varner feel the money saved by the state will cost too much in suffering.

"To save 58,000 dollars, thousands of dogs are going to live their entire lives in horrible, horrible conditions, and that's a price we can't pay," said Varner.

Two years ago, inspections were done on a complaint driven basis. There were no checks before breeders were given a license, and no annual inspections.

Then law makers passed a bill which changed that, and required an inspection every two years, but without that third inspector, the Humane Society said it would be impossible to continue the work.

For more information go to Nebraska Humane Society’s website orclick here.