My Day at a Puppy Mill

[Neecy]

Omigod...I've had the worst, most horrible day.

I foster Pomeranians who have been rescued from puppy mills, but I've never actually set foot in a mill myself. Yesterday I got a call from a woman who does Pug rescue that lives in my neighborhood. She told me she was heading out to a puppy miller north of here today because he's 'liquidating' some of his breeds and she was going to clean him out of Pugs. He told her he was 'liquidating' his Pomeranians and she wanted to know if I wanted to go up there to pick up his Pom stock. I called the Animal Hospital I foster for and they said they'd be ready to take the dogs in when we got back so I went. We were supposed to pretend we were both fellow puppy millers wanting his dogs, otherwise he never would have let us in there.

Un-fucking-believable. I've never seen anything like this horrible place. It was out in the sticks, past the highway and about 15 miles on a gravel road. It's been cold and raining here for the last couple of days so it was also incredibly muddy getting up there.

When we arrived I had to compose myself for a minute or I'd blow our cover. There were stacks and stacks of kennels, as far as the eye could see, 3 to a stack, sitting outside in the rain. There was also an unheated trailer. Mud was everywhere. It was very cold outside and raining and here were hundreds and hundreds of dogs exposed to the elements.

The guy was about 60. He said he was thinking about getting 'out of the dog business' and offered me all of his Pomeranians for $80, which I gladly paid. He started pulling them out of the stacks of wire cages, every one of them soaked to the skin and shivering, covered with feces. Then he said he had another, which he caught running loose. It was pregnant and looked ready to give birth and was covered with mud. Then he asked me to come into the trailer with him, since he had more.

Inside was a litter of Pomeranian puppies, sitting on paper in an unheated trailer. They were born sometime during last night. "Don't know how that happened" he huffed. There were six of them, cold and shivering and of course none of their eyes were open yet. Since all of the dogs I'd picked up were 2 and under, I asked him where his older dogs were. He gave me a weird look and said, "I don't have any older stock" and this made my blood run cold, since a lot of millers just drown or electrocute their older dogs when they cease to become a profit center.

There were at least 300 dogs still there when I left - Beagles, Jack Russells, Bichon Frises.

So, I drove back with 15 Pomeranians, one of whom I was afraid would deliver in my car. They all threw up on the ride home. Every single adult dog was wet, filthy, and crawling with parasites.

I took them straight to my Animal Hospital. They got them all in, their groomer was ready to bathe and delouse them, and the vets are checking them over. My vet tech is going to keep the puppies and the pregnant dog since they need special care. I'll take some of the adults, we'll foster out the rest and hopefully we'll have the bulk of them spayed/neutered and adopted out this month.

I still can't believe what I saw. I'd heard stories and viewed some of the video but until you see it in person it's just stomach-turning.

My neighbor is picking up more dogs from him on Friday, and then we're going to call the state and demand an inspection. I have no doubt they'll seize every dog he has left, those who haven't died of exposure in the interim.

Please tell everyone you know not to buy dogs from pet stores. These mills are the source of pet store stock and the cruelty and mistreatment I saw today would nauseate any decent person.

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Ok. Can you tell me if North Washington Kennels is a good source to look at dogs?

http://www.northwashingtonstreetkennel.com/

[Neecy]

9. that looks like a puppy mill

Most professional, reputable breeders only produce *one* breed of dog. Any kennel that offers a 'wide selection' of breeds is likely a miller. The mixed-breed puppies they offer also makes me suspicious - they're probably mistakes when many breeds are left to intermingle. No reputable breeder offers mixed breeds.

[pnwmom]

30. I agree that looks like a puppy mill but I disagree with your statement

that "no reputable breeder offers mixed breeds."

We bought our poodle-mix from a small, very careful breeder of that certain mix. We bought the puppy after meeting the puppy's parents and seeing how the dogs were kept. The breeder had switched from breeding labs.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

99. No reputable breeders offer mixed breeds

The dogs there may have been taken care of, but the breeder is guilty of contributing to pet overpopulation.

I think it's absolutely sick to breed mutts, when there's millions of dogs out there who need homes.

[bad_robbie]

118. I think she's referring to so-called "designer dogs"

I thought the reference to "certain specific mixed breeds" meant hybrid or "designer" dogs, whose parentage is carefully chosen (by human breeders) rather than "mutts" whose parentage is chosen by the animals themselves. Of course, anyone who breeds hybrid or purebred dogs can be a good or bad breeder. I'm ambivalent about "good" breeders of either kind: on one hand, there are people who really do need a dog with certain characteristics; on the other, most people who are looking for a pet and companion can find a great friend who needs a home at a shelter or rescue operation. In any case, I definitely want to rid the world of puppy mills.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

145. Yeah -- I know

I just think it's really irresponsible to specifically breed mutts (that's all "designer" dogs are to me). The only "legitimate" argument I ever see is that someone needs a hypoallergenic dog. Well, there are plenty of real breeds of dogs that are hypoallergenic. And lots of mixed breed dogs that need rescuing.

[dysfunctional press]

126. bullshit.

there are definitely breeders that specialize in 'puggles' 'labradoodles', etc...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

144. I'm aware of that

Note, I said "reputable."

[dysfunctional press]

153. then apparently there's no such thing as a 'reputable' breeder?

:shrug:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

161. There are reputable breeders, just not of designer dogs

I, personally, think "designer" dogs are absolutely reprehensible, and the breeders are in it for money, and that's it.

They are breeding $1000 MUTTS when there's tons of dogs in rescue. Dogs should be bred for a purpose, whether it's working, hunting, or even conformation (even though I think conformation shows are horrible). There is no reason to breed mutts with "cute" names.

[NashVegas]

168. There's No Such Thing As a Breeder That's Not In It For the $$

Or they'd be doing something else for a living.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

170. Most of them DO other things for a living

Legitimate ones don't make a profit off the breeding.

[WindRiverMan]

148. Yeah, and all of them are in it for $$$$

I raise and breed dogs under the German system. My dogs are NOT registered with AKC, instead they are registered with FCI. Under the breed standards for my dogs, each dog MUST pass certain ability tests, and then have hips x-rayed, and their health evaluated by four breed wardens. Only after the tests are passed (there are age limits as well), and the health proven, will the dog's pedigree be stamped "Approved for breeding". All of the dogs' test scores are published yearly in a book put out by the breed club. Any health problems are noted as well. Males are only allowed to sire six litters per year, thus if a particular stud has genetic problems, it will be caught prior to him having sired several hundred litters.

Funny thing is, these dogs cost LESS than your standard labradoodle, labrador, or american-bred German Shepherd. The German system is in for the betterment of the breed, NOT for the $$$$. The AKC sucks. I hate it. It has ruined many formerly fine breeds by hosting "beauty pageants" and no breeding restriction other than a registration.

[dysfunctional press]

154. that's true of most businesses.

do you do it as a hobby, or for charity?

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

164. Breeders who are in it for the dog barely even break even

Hardly a business.

[WindRiverMan]

173. I do it for the love of the breed and the pleasure of hunting behind a good dog

nothing more nothing less. It is the way of the German system.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

166. I hate the AKC, too

They're already ruining the Border Collie.

I'd never own an AKC Border Collie. Both of mine are rescues. The one actually came from a top working breeder, and is ABCA registered. He comes from a line of champions, but they're not champions that look pretty, they're champions that can WORK.

The other one didn't come with papers, but we know her parents were working dogs on a cattle ranch, so they were also doing what a Border Collie was bred to do.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

171. I wish the US would adopt the German system

What breed of dog do you raise? German Shepherds? They're my favorite breed. My mom just bought a GSD pup. I convinced her to seek out German lines. The parents were imported from Germany and schutzhund champions.

It took some convincing to get her to go that way, rather than get a pup from "show dogs," but once the vet seconded what I said, she listened.

[WindRiverMan]

172. No. I run Deutsch Drahthaars

www.vdd-gna.org

[dixiegrrrrl]

136. I just checked out their site.

No parents on premises.
Different breeds of puppies arriving all the time.
Betcha real high prices.
Betcha no hip/eye certification.

They may not be breeding, but it looks like they are an outlet for those who are.

No reputable breeder sells puppies that way.

Years and years ago I listened to the pros and cons of licensed limited breeding, something
Germany did.

I have come around to the idea.

[newfie11]

141. I have a dog I imported from Germany

I can only tell about the Newfoundland dog club there.

1.Both parents must be inspected and approved before being allowed to breed.

2.The breeding dogs must have all health tests done and posted (german database)

3.Both male and female are not allowed to breed until reaching the allowed age.

4.The owner of the bitch must have a minimum amount of land per bitch (sorry I don't remember)

5.The litter is inspected at 8 weeks and micro-chipped

I would love for America to have the same rules.

My German friends tell me they do not have puppy mills there. If they do my friends are not aware of it.
Dogs are allowed to go into restaurants along with the owners. It is much different there.

[dixiegrrrrl]

147. I love Newfies.

I really like that you thought highly enough of the breed and the dog to import one.
( Also nice you could afford it, of course).

I am in no way detracting from pets that are rescued.
Me, I have such a tender heart I can't even watch Animal Planet half the time.

[WindRiverMan]

149. Importing a dog from Germany is no more expensive than buying one from an American breeder.

And there are no quarantine restrictions for puppies. If you want good stock go to Germany where they have breeding restrictions. Even the Czek Republic does a good job, but the American system is all about money and NOT about the dogs.

[dixiegrrrrl]

152. Ty for the information. I was working on old info.

[newfie11]

155. right you are except for the dollar vs euro

and the air fare. If you are not on the plane then the price goes up as cargo instead of baggage.

[rms013]

177. My breed is bred in America and has strict standards for breeding

All of newfie's points also apply to our breed. There are also certain criteria within the inspection that result in a rating. This rating defines what mating can take place. We, as breeders, will do a thorough pedigree check on the selected stud(s) with emphasis on medical conditions and bloodlines. The breed has just been accepted into the AKC and although there are issues with their breeding standards not being as thorough as we would like, it is within the power of the parent organization and the breeders to set breeding and kennel standards.

We have two bitches which will breed next year. Our goal is to improve the health and welfare of the breed.

In summary: Research the breed for health problems. Research the kennel to insure it is reputable. Research the pedigree for health issues or propensities (like thyroid, hip displaisia, heart problems etc.) Insure you will be able to provide the care and environment the breed requires. Then when you are satisfied get your dog.

[newfie11]

199. OK now you have my curiosity peaked!!

What is your breed? Is it Tibetan Mastiff?

It sounds like whatever it is your parent club is on the ball.
I am sorry to say the Newf parent club is not. Many on the board are some of the worst offenders in breeding unhealthy dogs.

I am a member of the parent club but not a board member.

[boozepusher]

11. If there is evidence of abuse or neglect

please report it immediately.

[flvegan]

21. Not likely. 99% of pet stores get their animals from puppy mills.

And with the number of pups they're offering for sale screams puppy mill outlet.

[JeanGrey]

92. And their "purebred" kittens (I use the term loosely).

I used to get calls from pet stores when I was showing and breeding and once they were cussed out enough they gave up.

Some catteries and puppy mills however WILL sell to pet stores who turn around and sell for exorbitant prices to the public.

And usually you can easily tell if you know anything about breeding, the kittens and puppies are simply bad representations of their breed.

[MiniMe]

39. I volunteer for a breed rescue also, and the puppy mill dogs that come in are just a sad story

Most of them are not well socialized with people. That is both the adult "breeders" and the pups. The Amish puppy mills are the worst. My 2 year old spent the first 6 months of his life in a puppy mill in a crate, never getting out. It took a while to housetrain him because he was just clueless. I got him to foster at about 8 months after he and his brother had spent a bit of tie with another foster. I had no intention of keeping him, but my older dog had other ideas. So I kept him. He is a great dog, I love him to death, but he still has his moments and he spooks easily at certain things. He is a waggy boy and loves people, if you give him a chance, but he doesn't trust people who want to get to know him too quickly.

Here he is from a few weeks ago.

[Neecy]

41. awwww, he's very sweet

I adopted a mill rescue who spooks easily, too. He hates loud noises and is petrified of doorways. He is getting better, though - I think it just takes a lot of time and love with these guys.

[MiniMe]

48. He has come out of his shell by miles

When they first came in, they would barely pick their heads up. Loud noises don't bother him, but change for him comes slow. He loves other dogs though. It is a bit harder to foster with him. My older dog is great, and is used to the fosters coming and going. But Eddie hasn't quite figured out that the fosters come in and leave him. I had one in several months ago who both boys immediately fell in love with. She got adopted pretty quickly, and Eddie missed her a lot.

[tblue37]

45. What a handsome sweetie. I am glad he found you. Just last week

my daughter and her new husband adopted a puppy, an Australian Shepherd/black Lab mix about 7 months old, from a rescue society. The way the little puppy girl behaves, my daughter feels sure she spent much of her young life in a crate, but she is already coming out of her shell in response to all the love and attention she is getting. It makes me happy to think that her life has been turned around so completely and that she will now get pettted and played with to her precious little heart's content.

[tavalon]

86. I got my standard poodle from a woman who rescues

but I'm not sure you could call him a typical rescue. He was a hearing assistance dog who was working for an older woman who fell, broke her hip, had to go live with her daughter and the daughter sent him away. He's incredible, well behaved and incredibly loving and goofy. We did have to teach him that it was okay to use his voice if we weren't paying attention when he needed something.

The woman had a pretty high rehoming fee but I think it was so she could pay for her rescuing and I just don't see any problem with that. Besides, he is worth every single cent I paid for him and more.

[tblue37]

139. My daughter's rescue pup cost a $250 adoption fee. The rescue

shelter uses those fees to fund their oeprations. I paid the fee so she and her new husband could get the dog, since they really couldn't afford it right now, but they had already fallen in love with the dog. (I told them to count it as their Christmas present from me this year.)

Her husband is from France, and he is sort of at loose ends at home waiting for his green card to go through so he can work. She is an intern, so she works some long hours. The dog will keep him busy and keep him company while she is at work, and since it will be aboput 3 months before he can get his green card and go to work again, he has time to spend right now training the dog and acclimating her to her new family. This really was the best time for them to get a dog, and this dog was perfect for them, so I wanted them to have her right now.

[dana_b]

157. What a wonderful Christmas gift!

and a very nice mom/mil. :-)

[JeanGrey]

91. Beautiful dog!

[intheflow]

42. What kind of dog are you looking for, Hawkeye?

And are you looking to have the dog as a spoiled pet or as a service dog?

If you're looking for a service dog, I'd like to suggest Freedom Service Dogs in Englewood. They rescue dogs from shelters and train them to be service dogs. They have purebreds, if that's something you're hoping for.

If you're looking for a puppy, you might try The Aquatic Dog in a Denver shopping plaza by the Iliff and Quebec intersection. I buy my very upscale dog food there (my dog is the spoiled pet variety, he eats better than I do:)) and the puppies all look very healthy and well kept. Someone is always playing with the pups, both employees and customers, so the puppies are being socialized while they're at the store. I've spoken with the owner on many occasions and have found him to be knowledgeable and earnest in his passion for pets. I believe he really does get his pups from legitimate kennels, as is says on their web site. If he does buy his pups from reputable kennels, he will have paperwork to back it up, and I don't think he'd be at all offended if you asked pointed questions about where the dogs come from.

Or, you could go right next door on Quebec to the Dumb Friends League. Really dumb name for a humane society, and I'll bet you can guess where it came from back in the day. :eyes: But their dogs are rescued animals who go through basic obedience training before they're available to homes, and DFL is so adamant about treating their dogs well that even the most basic, minimum-wage cage-swabbing employee (and volunteer!) has to go through a rigorous background check before being hired.

Anyway, happy dog finding! :hi: As far as I'm concerned, life without dogs just wouldn't be worth living.

Edited to add... I think DFL can also hook you up with pure breed rescue groups, if you're looking for a specific pure breed and would also like to rescue a dog. :thumbsup:

[truedelphi]

80. I sure agree that life without dogs isn't worth living

But my cats insist otherwise.

And since life with my cats is all about them, no dogs are currently allowed.

[intheflow]

81. I understand completely!

My dog believes life without squirrels is not worth living. Sadly, he thinks cats are some odd variety of squirrel. :( You're wise to keep your fur babies safe from the big bad wolf.

[truedelphi]

84. We did have two dog visiters last Friday

These two gorgeous Golden Retrievers were wandering about the street out in front of the house. The younger one came up the side stairs, and nudged his way into our little patio.

My husband decided to grab him, and his collar came off . Then the pair traipsed throughout the neighborhood, vainly trying to find their way home.

I lassoed the younger one with laundry line, and the older dog, obviously the mom, followed me and her lassoed offspring to my home. I tucked them safely into our fenced back yard.

The phone number listed on the collar no longer worked. But there was an address on the collar.

To make a long story short, about four hours after being in our back yard, the dogs' owner came to get his dog babies. The "mom" dog leaned her muzzle into the crook of his hip and just wailed this terribly wrenching moan. I really think she thought she'd never see her owner again. I almost expected to see tears come down her face.

The couple that owned the dogs had a new baby - their fourth, just nine days ago. And in their exhaustion of being up all night for feedings and diaper changes, they had let the dogs escape.

The husband and I got great kudos from the dog's owner, and we are invited for beer and nachos this coming Friday. The only downside is Chelbs, our gorgeous, glorious fifteen pound white cat snubbed me for most of the weekend. Consorting with the enemy and all that!

[Yes We Did]

134. I have the perfect dogs.

None of them are mine, but they all (all 4) come to visit me every day so they can get their scooby snacks.


I had my own two years back but it died of cancer. Haven't been able to bring myself to getting another one... So, I just enjoy my neighbors dogs now.

[tavalon]

88. Yeah, that's actually my perfect dog's one bad habit

and I think that may be why he was sent away. My less than practical husband was amused at him going crazy over a squirrel and let him off leash "to see what he would do" and was surprised and mortified when Ollie chased, caught and killed the squirrel. Needless to say, someone was in the doghouse when they got home and it wasn't the dog. Ollie won't be doing any more hunting and my hubby won't be letting him off leash like that again.

[truedelphi]

125. Lucky doggie! Squirrels are bested by only the sharks

In terms of pounds per sq inch pressure.

Sharks come in at something like 64,000 lbs sq inch of pressure, while squirrels are at
32,000.

The kitty we recently adopted has half her ear missing, and we suspect she was too young to know how to properly catch a squirrel. We also suspect that which ever furry tail she caught, turned on her and Van gogh'ed her left ear!

[a la izquierda]

169. You must have a Vizsla...

my Viszla has a sick fascination with squirrels as well.
Cats are giant, moving toys to him.

[comtec]

98. My dog grew up with a cat, and hes very good with them

It's funny how he deals with cats, like he would with another dog :)
Sadly that cat died (freeway) and our next cat, another Spanish orange... he died... (startign to sounds liek a monty python sketch)
our third cat... she's fine, a Burmese/Siamese mix.
beautiful cat, friendly to people, but a voice that can break glass!
Sadly she was about 3 when we got her.
She had a tumor in her uterus, since we always have the animals fixed, that wasn't too much of a problem.
She's not a big fan of our dog, sadly, because I'd like to keep him cat friendly.

Background: My inlaws live in spain (retired from Holland) and they run a kind of animal rescue.
my dog guapo (handsome) is a beautiful black mutt.
his tail was hacked off partially when he was a puppy, and he was a gypsy dog. his owners were run off where they were (violently) by the spanish police - our family got him when he was 2? months old or so.
My wife also had a orange kitten adopt her at 4 weeks (sad story about that) so she had the dog and cat young companions.
they were beyond adorable together.
he had a great meow...but no purr, it's the damnedest thing I've ever seen
you could feel him trilling, but no sound came out.
My wife named him cat - which in a spanish country is a funny name.

The stories I hear from them on how animals are treated there is ... criminal is the politest thing I can say.
The claim of being a "christian" country is sickening.
They rescue about 50+ animals a year, dogs and cats. They generally bring the animals up to Holland where they are found homes across The Netherlands, and Germany. Occasionally, but rarely, france.

They have had to pay to have quite a few animals put down because it would have been cruel (and far too expansive) to keep them alive. They probably spend upwards of 2k euros a year (much more probably)of their own money to care and fees these animals.

They only ask for money to cover the cost of fixing then animals, and even then they wave it if the new owner is kind but maybe a little poor (by dutch standards).

I've been to a rescue in spain, and I was sickened at what i saw. I can completely believe what the OP saw, because if the rescue (outside, little better than the mill, but at least much few animals), some people have no business taking care of other life forms.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

100. Just about any pet shop, nice or not, is selling puppy mill dogs

The AKC will let puppy mills register their dogs. "Breeders" kicked out of the AKC, usually get papers from the CKC or some such organization. So just because a dog has papers doesn't mean too much.

If they're looking for a purebred puppy, they ought to go a breeder, or a rescue. Both my BCs came from rescue as puppies, and I know their history on both.

[EmilyAnne]

102. You are absolutely right. Pet shops that actually sell pets get them from mills or AKC registered

backyard breeders.

[newfie11]

142. Or the people have been sold a dog with an AKC limited registration

so they would not breed the dog. Then they turn around and register with any number of registries here and breed the dog.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. They should go to a shelter or PetSmart, which only does adoptions.

What a horrible story! The poor babies. :cry:

[GardeningGal]

3. Where are you located? n/t

[Neecy]

10. I'm in Kansas City

Missouri and Kansas are both pretty notorious for their puppy mill operations.

[Seedersandleechers]

26. OMG, when you said rainy and cold I had a hunch

you were in KC. I have two cats, how do you foster pups? My cats would mind another cat but I'm sure a pup would be okay.

[Neecy]

37. It depends on the dog

The main issues with puppy mill dogs are housetraining and socializing. These dogs are usually almost feral and need a lot of attention. Some are fearful and don't like being handled. This group is young enough that I don't think they'll have some of the long-term abuse issues some of my other fosters have had.

Pomeranians aren't much bigger than your cat, if at all. Most of these about about in the 6-8 pound range.

If you'd like to help foster one of them PM me. I think I can really use the help.

[ladywnch]

40. check with your local shelters, humane society, etc.

they are always looking for families to foster under various conditions (ie: puppies, overflow, temporary rescues from natural disasters, etc)

[thenext8seconds]

4. well thanks for ruining my happiness....

puppieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees

[Lucian]

5. ...

:cry:

[XemaSab]

6. You're a good person

Thank you for doing this.

[KarmicTwist]

22. Ditto

For them. For us. For our better angels. I thank you as well.

[alstephenson]

7. K & R (with great sadness)...

What a horrible place - how can people be so cruel? Thanks for taking the poms - I hope the rest of the dogs are rescued as well.:cry:

[Dorian Gray]

8. Thank you for what you did here

You have a big heart and a lot of strength to go to one of those places.

[ogneopasno]

12. I'm glad you're reporting him. There are so many mills and irresponsible breeders out there that

are churning out puppies that nobody wants. Why people don't get a dog from a shelter or a rescue every time is beyond me.

[pnwmom]

34. I'll tell you why.

In my area, most of the dogs available are not puppies, but adolescents or older dogs, many of which have been given away because of behavioral issues.

The few young puppies that are available tend to be pit bulls, along with the occasional large breed.

We wanted a puppy, which we could train ourselves, and we needed a dog that wouldn't aggravate my allergies. So we turned to a breeder.

[ogneopasno]

59. Yeah, I know, people love teh puppies.

[pnwmom]

73. It's the fact that you have a chance to train them before they develop

behavioral problems.

My family adopted a one year old mixed breed from the Humane Society when I was a child. It was a sweet dog, but extremely skittish. We don't know if something had happened to her to make her that way before she came to us.

Another adult dog adopted from the shelter, a lab mix, turned out to snap at children. We had to give that one back to the shelter.

On the other hand, my sister adopted a 1 year old shepherd mix from a shelter. They arrived just as the original family was leaving him -- weeping in distress. He was very well trained but the family had to give him up because of a child's severe allergies. He does drop a ton of hair, but fortunately no one in my sister's family suffers from dog allergies, so he's been a great addition to their family.

[gollygee]

13. How is this legal?

It sounds like you could call the police and say you've witnessed a case of animal cruelty and have that place shut down.

[Neecy]

25. It isn't legal

And we'll have the place shut down, and hopefully the miller will face charges, too.

[gollygee]

29. Oh good

I'm not up on this stuff but my first thought was, "How is this legal?" I'm glad to hear it isn't. How awful for all those dogs.

[tblue37]

46. Some years ago Kansas instituted an anti-cruelty law called

Scruffy's Law after two teens horribly murdered an old man's small pet dog. I hope Scruffy's Law will apply to such puppy mills.

[RichardRay]

43. Depends on the state and the status of dogs there.

Some states, and it wouldn't surprise me if Kansas was among them, count dogs and cats and other companion animals as 'livestock'. That takes it out of reach for a lot of the regulations that could be used to bust puppy millers.

Thanks for doing that. I like most dogs better than I like most people, so I find stories like yours pretty hard to take. I've been involved with Newfoundland and Bernese Mountain Dog rescue for years. Often those breeds aren't rescued from mills so much as from people who are shocked to discover that the cute little cuddle bear they brought home has turned into a really sweet 150 lb dog that drools like a water tap when it gets hot, or blows cubic feet of three colors of coat all over the house. Then they want to throw the 'monster' out.

PM me when one of those pom's might be ready to move in with a 85 year old lady - my mom would love a dog to keep an eye on now that my dad is gone.

[tblue37]

51. My friend has a Bernese Moutnain Dog. He is huge (named "Bear," of course),

but he is about the sweetest creature in the world. And handsome--OMG, those dogs are just beautiful!

[Dorian Gray]

62. My brother and his wife

have a Bernese. He's the sweetest gentlest giant you can imagine. (And 185 lbs to boot! Huge!) But he is a drool and shed monster. I just wear jeans and an old shirt while visiting and roll on the floor with him. I love him! And he's great with their two very young kids (2 and 3).

[RichardRay]

68. The real problem with BMD's shedding is that they

have a coat that is part BLACK, part WHITE and part RUST. The result is that there is almost nothing that you can wear that doesn't show at least one of those colors. The don't shed all the time, but when they do it's a freaking blizzard! They are really great with kids. I had a neighbor whose 7 year old daughter was fighting cancer. I had a very big BMD then and he was a boisterous boy, but when that little girl wandered over he became the most sedate, gentle big lover you can imagine.

He was a very good boy...

http://www.xbd.com/TheBestDog.htm

[Dorian Gray]

106. Aww!

He was/is beautiful!

[dana_b]

160. omg

you just made my eyes well up! What a beautiful boy he was.

[SammyWinstonJack]

163. !

:hug:

[newfie11]

143. ON the subject of Newfoundland rescue

Where are the breeders of those dogs turned in. A reputable breeder should ALWAYS take back her/his dog at any time.

I know this is not always the case and as a newfie owner it really aggravates me.

[Neecy]

190. reputable breeders are few and far between

My first puppy mill rescue, Guido, I ended up adopting. He was surrendered by a miller in Kansas who said that he was a 'reluctant breeder'. The woman was dumb enough to give me his AKC papers and I was able to trace him to a so-called reputable breeder/handler who lives in the same small Kansas town. Her site lists all of her champion dogs, she has a whole page dedicated to her 'responsible breeding' standards and there were lots of photos of her at various dog shows with her many champion dogs.

There was a contact form so I wrote her and asked, given her responsible breeding standards, why she sold dogs to puppy millers. Given how small this town was she must have known what kind of operation the miller was running - Guido lived in a converted pig sty with no heat in the winter and a single fan for the Kansas summer. She wrote back in what I can only describe as a panic, claiming she had no idea what had happened to Guido and someone else she sold him to must have given him to the miller. Not likely. Responsible breeders know what happens to their dogs because they follow up. She was certainly worried that her reputation in the Pomeranian world would be harmed if people knew what she did with her less-than-perfect dogs.

[newfie11]

198. unfortunately that is the case more often then not in my breed

I have a friend that used to do Newf rescue. She would get dogs in from several well known kennels. When she called them they refused to take back their dogs even though the contract they have everyone sign when buying a puppy says they will.

I do know reputable breeders that will take their dog back in a heart beat but they seems to be far and few between.

I also know very large well known kennels breeding dogs with health problems,,,,,,,,,Many die from heart disease by the time they are 4 or 5.
I would LOVE to see the German breeding standards implemented in America but the AKC, puppy millers (Hunte Corp), back yard breeders, and unethical breeders will fight it tooth and nail.

[flvegan]

14. Thank you for rescuing.

Your friend, too. Thank you for your pending alert to the authorities.

[ihavenobias]

15. K & R

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

16. thanks for what you did, you made me cry.

[iris27]

17. THANK YOU...those pups have endured hell and you've just saved them from

more of it. I don't even know what else to say, though I feel like that's inadequate. People like you are my heroes.

[JuniperLea]

18. This is horrible...

And it goes on all the time. I feel the time has come to stop breeding! Kennel clubs be damned! People want "pure" animals, but these animals aren't physically sound anymore because of the inbreeding and breeding for looks that aren't healthy to the animal. Then you have people who want these animals but don't want to pay thousands of dollars for a pedigreed animal, and the result is what you have just described. Greed takes its toll on everything.

I have never bought a dog or cat from a pet store, and never will. I've always advised other people to rescue pets, too. It's not enough! We need more people like you, Neecy.

:cry:

[tblue37]

52. My three cats are all rescues, too. nt

[pnwmom]

19. Thank you for your work -- what a horrible thing you're fighting. Do you know

what happened to the mother of the litter?

[Neecy]

24. I don't know

I don't have the mother, since none of the females look like they've recently given birth and the mother wasn't in the trailer. I'm guessing she didn't survive.

[pnwmom]

31. Then you saved the lives of that litter, in addition to helping all those poms

to escape. Thank goodness you arrived when you did.

[Seedersandleechers]

20. I don't know much about dogs

but can't the AKA regulate those puppy mills. I mean they give them pure breed certificates - can't they make sure they are breeding them properly at the very least.

[XemaSab]

49. The AKC is totally complicit

They really don't give a shit about the conditions dogs are kept in as long as they're "pure."

They don't give a shit about inbreeding either.

They're basically nazis.

[BrklynLiberal]

63. I am afraid you are right. The minority of breeders are principled.

Too many of them consider dog breeding nothing more than a business...and that includes some that show the dogs.

[JeanGrey]

89. I showed cats for over ten years and I found it very rare

indeed that any cattery that had many grand champions and had cats being showed were NOT abused. Showing is only slightly less expensive than a heroin habit. People that show their animals keep them in top notch condition. At least in the cat world. Since you make no money whatsoever from showing and in fact, you spend a lot to do so, there aren't many people showing for gain other than the gain of improving the breed and the fun of it.

[newfie11]

146. Well I happen to own, show Newfoundlands

yes there are some breeders (many) who are only in it for the money (those would be millers or back yard breeders). I will tell you why.
Anyone that is actively showing is putting out lots of money to campaign their dog. We show our own dogs but each show is an expense of at least $500.00 and up. That covers, motel rooms, fuel to and from shows, food, entry fees, grooming supply's, etc. It is not cheap. Both our girls have their championship and were not shown by professional handlers (that would be another expense).

Then we have done ofa tests:
Heart by cardiologist($80.), ofa hip for dysplasia($130.), ofa elbow(done with hip), patella($35 at a show), cystinuria($65.), cerf for eyes($60.) per dog.

One girl turned out dysplastic so we will never breed her.

The other girl at age 4 we did an AI. with progesterone testing and vet bills it was right around 600. That doesn't include the stud fee.
No pregnancy.

We try again, this time driving 2200 miles to do a natural breeding. You can figure out it wasn't cheap.
No litter.

These dogs go everywhere with us. They are our pets first and show dogs later.

We now have imported a male puppy from Germany. That wasn't cheap. Figure in the flight as we had to go pick him up, the breeder would not send him. The euro is up and the dollar is down.

I went to Germany to try to find a line I considered healthier than some in the states. Time will tell.

Not all breeders are bad,and as you can see if you are breeding for the love of the animal/breed you are not going to make money.

One more thing any breeder should damn well be prepared to take back for life any dog he/she bred.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

103. The AKC doesn't give a shit about dogs -- it's all about money

They not only register puppy mill dogs, but they have breed standards that result in crippled dogs. They've ruined the German Shepherd. The poor things are neurotic and can barely walk. Compare them to the European bred German Shepherds.

I have Border Collies. One is ABCA registered and one doesn't have papers. They were both bred to work, which is the only reason to breed a border collie, to further the working ability of the breed. The AKC started registering them about a dozen years ago (much to the horror and protest of the Border Collie people), and the AKC Border Collies are already a different breed. Bigger, fluffier, fat dogs with absolutely no "off switch" that are not only being bred to look a certain way, but there's idiots out that breeding them for Flyball. Flyball is a tennis ball chasing competition, and dogs bred for it are batshit insane hyper and often end up in rescue because of that.

[ColbertWatcher]

23. Our President-elect has already voiced his support for shelter dogs and ...

... even posed with Babe (http://hslf.typepad.com/political_animal/2008/02/yes-we-canstop.html), who was rescued from a puppy mill.

Thank you for the work you do.

[JeanGrey]

27. This is absolutely horrible.

I bred, raised and showed Persian and Himalayan cats all over the south for ten years. I never owned more than 12 cats at a time, and my cattery was in my home with a carpeted floor, heat and air, play cat trees, and 4 feet tall by 4 feet wide enclosures when they had to be caged. The only smaller cage I ever had was 4 feet long and 3 feet high, for pregnant females, because I never allowed my girls to wander the house in the last two weeks of pregnancy and wanted them and the kittens up from the floor until the kittens had their first shots. I had a wonderful friend who was a vet and taught me everything about animals.

Of course I was licensed by the state department of agriculture and they came to my house twice a year for unannounced inspections, and I always passed 100%, paid my license fees. Then you have people like this JERK who get away with these mills, it makes me sick. They NEVER obey licensing laws. Or they just go to a flea market and sell them out of the back of a truck.

I bet this man wouldn't know a pedigree if it bit him in the ass or ever saw the inside of a show hall or ring.

Unfortunately the laws will end up putting the good breeders out of business and men like this will continue on because they don't care.

[orleans]

79. cattery? i never heard that word before. sounds kinda cute. cattery.

so...would there be a doggery too?

[JeanGrey]

87. No. Dogs are "kennels". Cats are "catteries".

:-)

[orleans]

174. aw...too bad. i really liked the idea of a doggery. (woof!) n/t

[JeanGrey]

185. Works for me! :-)

[kirby]

178. Are insects raised at a buggery? n/t

[JeanGrey]

186. Nah, they are raised wherever they want to be.

:-)

[bullwinkle428]

127. JG, my ex and I adopted a pair of adult British Shorthairs from

a breeder after finding out that the breeder was looking for a "forever home" for them. We got a chance to visit the breeder at her home, and look at her whole "setup", for lack of a better word. It was clear that her cats were very well treated, and we had every confidence that the cats came from a good home.

A couple of years later, she and I split up, and I adopted another adult Selkirk Rex from a breeder with a similar situation. Again, I visited her home before making the decision to adopt, and was more than satisfied with the way she was raising her cats. In fact, this breeder didn't charge me a dime! She just wanted to find a good home, and felt she could put her faith in me after hearing my whole "cat experience" story. Two years later, she's doing absolutely great, and I wouldn't trade her for the world...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

28. Volunteered at an animal rescue for a couple of years

and know the horrid conditions of which you spoke. Millers make responsible pet breeders go out of business because they can't compete. Hope this guy gets more than just the poor animals taken away.

[MelissaB]

32. This was difficult for me to read. I can only imagine seeing it.

Thank you for helping them.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[BrklynLiberal]

35. I have a bumper sticker condemning Puppy Mills and the pet shops that buy from them.

Ironically, the Amish are huge owners of puppy mills. Pennsylvania has many, many puppy mills and it is primarily the Amish who run them.

http://www.pixiedustpapillons.com/amish_puppy_mills.html

http://www.religioustolerance.org/amish8.htm
Allegations of neglect in Amish puppy mills


http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CEEDF123FF933A1575AC0A965958260
Amish at Heart of 'Puppy Mill' Debate

[tblue37]

53. That's because they believe the animals have no souls, so it does

not matter how they are treated.

[BrklynLiberal]

58. Pretty sad and horrible...All the greatest people have said that animals are to be respected.

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things,
man will not himself find peace."
- Albert Schweitzer

“The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them,
but to be indifferent to them: that’s the essence of inhumanity.”
— George Bernard Shaw

“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights.
That is the way of a whole human being.”
— Abraham Lincoln

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress
can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
— Mohandas Gandhi

“I am my brother's keeper
And I will fight his fight;
And speak the word for beast and bird
Till the world shall set things right.”
— Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"The assumption that animals are without rights
and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance
is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity.
Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality."
~Arthur Schopenhauer, German Philosopher, 1788-1860

"Heaven is by favor; if it were by merit your dog would go in and you would stay out.
Of all the creatures ever made, is the most detestable.
Of the entire brood, he is the only one… that possesses malice.
He is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain."
~Mark Twain

Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution.
Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.
-Thomas A. Edison

Now I can look at you in peace; I don't eat you any more.
Franz Kafka

The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear
of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men.
-Emile Zola

If (man) is not to stifle his human feelings, he must practice kindness towards animals,
for he who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men.
We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.
Immanuel Kant

The reasons for legal intervention in favour of children apply not less strongly
to the case of those unfortunate slaves and victims of the most brutal part of
mankind - the lower animals.
John Stuart Mill

The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as
they now look on the murder of men.
Leonardo Da Vinci

A human can be healthy without killing animals for food.
Therefore if he eats meat he participates in taking animal
life merely for the sake of his appetite.
Leo Tolstoy

I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that
are profitable to the human race or doesn't. The pain which it inflicts upon
unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me sufficient
justification of the enmity without looking further.
Mark Twain

Animals are my friends, and I don't eat my friends.
George Bernard Shaw

We consume the carcasses of creatures of like appetites,
passions and organs with our own,
and fill the slaughterhouses daily with screams of pain and fear.
Robert Louis Stevenson

[dana_b]

162. great collection of quotes!

and all geniuses. makes sense to me!

[Blue-Jay]

36. I went to a puppy mill.

The beagle-muffins were excellent.

[OwnedByFerrets]

124. And you think this is appropriate HOW?? After reading

this horror story, you can make a joke??? Go ahead, say I'm lacking humor, I dont care. But its quite obvious from your post that you are lacking something far more serious than humor....a heart.

[tbyg52]

38. The only proper places to get a pet are shelters or rescue groups

Even if your breeder is not a puppy mill, you're getting that bred-to-be-sold puppy instead of taking one that needs a home.

Thank you for saving those dogs and shutting down this puppy mill. People who run these things can't be human, in the sense I understand it.

[JuniperLea]

54. The only proper place... you got that right!

There are so many who need homes, and they are great animals!

[XemaSab]

56. I would expand that to include friends and friends-of-friends

We got our Bailey from a nearby ranch. Their cow dog became unexpectedly pregnant, so we adopted one of the puppies. We got to meet his mom and see where he was housed. Best of all, he was free. He's a springer/golden mix, and he's terrific. :D

[tbyg52]

64. It beats a puppy mill, for sure,

but I would argue that it would have been best had the cow dog been spayed/neutered at an early age. (As should they all, with the pet population as it is now.)

[XemaSab]

70. I'll totally agree that she should have been spayed

but we love our little Bee, and wouldn't trade him for the world. :loveya:

We also love our little Pip, who we got from a shelter. :loveya:

[tbyg52]

95. Love 'em all! That's the only option after they've come into the world.

We've gotten some that were dumped in our area or found by other people. Our max dog count has been eight, so far, and will not be that high again as we can't afford it...! :hug: :hi:

[superduperfarleft]

69. Thank you. Exactly right. n/t

[LisaL]

75. If there were no breeders, there would be no purebred dogs.

Ever think about that?

[JeanGrey]

93. Yes. A fact many forget.

:-)

[tbyg52]

97. Yes, I certainly have thought about that..

I have no interest in purebred dogs. (Except that I'd take one if it needed a home.... ;) )

I have no interest in any dog bred for sale, except possibly in very specialized circumstances that I haven't thought about but would be open to argument on.

Just for general pets, yes, I have thought about that, and discounted it. :hi:

[superduperfarleft]

110. Good.

If people stopped breeding animals, we could address the millions of homeless ones that need homes. Animals shouldn't be collected like they're a vintage car or something. If all you see when you look at a domesticated animal is a cool new piece of property to show off to your friends, you shouldn't be the guardian for any animal.

[FedUpWithIt All]

114. I prefer mutts. I think there is great beauty in the diversity of allow mixed breeding.

I have never owned a dog or cat that was not a rescued mixed breed.

[JeanGrey]

90. I have no problem with shelter dogs, but I also own a purebred

miniature schnauzer that I got from a very reputable breeder and there is nothing wrong with that. I found out long ago that pet stores only sell puppies and kittens from mills. If you knew anything at all about standards and breeding, it was not hard to see (and I do). I used to be appalled walking into a pet store and seeing, for instance a long haired cat posted as a "Himalayan". They are usually sickly, have yellow (anti biotic) water, and a very poor representation of the breed, no where close to the standard.

I also saw that most dogs were NOT AKC registered out of pet stores.

My schnauzer is extremely healthy, a very good representation of her breed, intelligent. She had a good breeder who knew pedigree.

[MiniMe]

105. For most families I agree, but there is a place in the world for responsible breeders

The problem is first of all finding a responsible breeder. For the vast majority of people, a rescue is a better choice.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

44. You did a wonderful thing. Blessings to you. Although you're not in NY, the North Shore Animal

League on Long Island (with branches around the country) are very politically active when it comes to puppy mills and have rescued puppies throughout the country. When you report the monster to the state, you might give North Shore Animal League a call too. This way if the puppies are taken, arrangements can be made to find them shelter. North Shore is a no kill.

[OwnedByFerrets]

47. Thank you for doing something I couldn't do without

hurting someone badly. It makes me so damn angry just to think of it happening. We have a wonderful 3 yr old Bichon that we rescued from a mill. She was completely traumatized when we got her. We've had her for 1 1/2 yrs now and she has just gotten to the point where she will jump up in my chair. She still not let me touch her unless she is in one of her "safe" spots in the house. Thank you for what you are doing Neecy. Karma will pay you back 100 fold for your kindness.:pals:

[rucky]

50. I will never eat another puppy again. n/t

[Blaze Diem]

132. Glad you've learned something from this.

reeeeally glad.

[lonestarnot]

55. Why do you have to wait 3 more days?

[Neecy]

72. To be honest, I don't know

The Pug rescue woman knows what she's doing - this was my first venture into an actual mill - and I think she's afraid he'll set the dogs loose when he sees the authorities coming onto his property. She's going to pick up as many more as she can before he gets suspicious and then bring in the sheriff's office on Friday.

[lonestarnot]

159. Let us know what happens Friday.

:(

[Holly_Hobby]

57. I rescued a puppy mill stud dog

Gorgeous blue merle Sheltie with blue eyes. He has severe noise phobias, had never been inside a house before, and spent 3 months sitting in a corner of my living room, only coming out to eat and go outside. He loves my other dogs, but is very scared of people.

After 11 months, he comes out of the corner for treats and car rides now. But he's still terrified of men and any little noise. He has a good home and lots of love now, but no amount of love will ever heal his scars.

The people who run puppy mills are the lowest of the low. Thank you for what you did today.

[DS1]

60. How far off the road is it?

I'd shoot the guy.

[Greyhound]

61. Thank you so much for your efforts, we need many more like you.

Did you know the Amish are one of the largest purveyors of this outrage?

I rescue Greyhounds (duh) and have seen things that would make your stomach turn. It is absolutely heartbreaking the way people treat these beautiful beings.

Humans may well not have survived without these unwavering companions and this is how we treat them. Just shameful.

Boycott the AKC and all of it's sponsors.

Do not buy dogs from pet stores.

Encourage and support local legislation requiring all pets to be spayed/neutered.

Support no-kill shelters and look for your companions there and from rescue organizations only.

[dawgmom]

65. I had a similar experience at a PA puppy mill a few years ago

I will never be able to get some of those nightmarish scenes out of my mind. I wish I believed in hell, so that I would know there is a special spot there waiting for the pondscum who run puppy mills.

Thanks for doing rescue work. I'm also active, and I also try to get the message out about pet stores and puppy mills. It's difficult, though. People see the puppies in the pet shops, and even if they know about puppy mills, they mean well and think they're doing a good thing by buying the puppy and giving it a home. It's hard for them to understand that the purchase ultimately only perpetuates the puppy mill trade.

[SammyWinstonJack]

66. I have a pom and three yorkies, two of which are rescues. Thank You!

:cry: :hug:

[Midlodemocrat]

67. Oh, Neecy. Thank you for posting this. And, thank you, thank you, thank you

for helping these little critters. :hug:

[byronius]

71. I have few violence triggers. This is one.

Damn.

[Neecy]

74. Thanks for everyone's good wishes

I have four of them tonight: one is a tiny girl, maybe six weeks. She's very lethargic and I'm going to spoon feed her for a week or so and give her water with a dropper.

Another is about two years old, jet black, and once he discovered he could sit on my lap didn't want to leave there. He's very sweet and my dogs are tolerating him well, always a plus.

The other two are litter mates and I'm guessing they're about three months. They've been having a blast playing with my dogs' toys (they're very good at sharing) and exploring the house. Fortunately dogs that age tire easily and they're both sacked out in a little round dog bed I pulled out of the closet for them.

I'm sacked out, too. What a day.

[SammyWinstonJack]

158. Neecy

:yourock: :cry:

[Triana]

76. THANK YOU for rescuing these poor babies and PLEASE report this..

...sonofabitch! ASAP! Before another innocent, suffering creature dies a horrible death!

[Withywindle]

77. Bless you and your Pug rescue friend and all the animal rescuers.

I love this story/joke:

An old man and his old dog both pass away together one night in their sleep.

They find themselves wandering a country road on a pretty day.

They come to a beautiful marble walkway that leads to a pearly gate, and an angel in a white robe comes forward and says to the man, "Welcome, faithful servant. Come in and enjoy your rest and reward." The old man looks past the gate and sees beautiful green meadows, gardens, fountains, mansions, and says, "WOW, that does look nice," and starts to walk in with his dog by his side.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," says the angel. "The dog can't come in. They don't have souls, you know."

The old man steps back as if struck and says, "Well, he's my best friend and he loved me when no one else did, so as nice as that looks, I gotta say, if he can't go in, I won't either."

They walk a little further down the road, and come to another gate. It's an old pine fence, kind of tumble-down, and the person guarding it looks a little scruffy, but he says, "Hey there friend, nice day. Wanna come in for some lemonade, and a nice chew-bone for your friend there?"

"That's more my speed," says the man. "Thank you, I don't mind if we do."

Before his eyes, the old fence changes to a gate far more magnificent than the first one, and the guardian is a far more radiant angel. "Welcome to Heaven," the angel says, inviting in both the man and the dog.

"I thought that first gate was Heaven," he said.

"No," said the angel. "That was a test. Anybody who'd sell out a loyal friend who gave you nothing but love to get into Heaven doesn't belong here."

[KathieG]

78. Awful! I have a background in horse rescue, and all my cats and dogs...

are rescues. After everything I have seen, I am still amazed at how heartless and cruel some people can be. It makes me sick.

I'm so glad you and your friend are helping these dogs...rescue is hard work, and can get very expensive, but it is so important! It's too bad you can't get the authorities and local humane organization in there tomorrow. Many could die between now and Friday.:(

Please keep us updated!

[Contrary1]

82. Where are you located?

I would be more than willing to repeat your act of kindness. I usually rescue stray and feral cats. I have a big garage, and would be able to foster some pups too.

The husband will be moving out though. :)

[Lorien]

83. They should be outlawed, period.

If people want to breed dogs or cats, they should be required to:

Submit to yearly unscheduled state inspections.

Never have more than ten animals to a single property

Not produce more than four litters per year (total)

Agree to discontinue breeding, spay and adopt out breeding animals after a certain age if that animal produces offspring with genetic health issues.

I have two Turkish Angoras; a rare breed of cat that nearly went extinct in the 1960s. There are still rare breeds of dogs and cats that I believe should continue to exist to preserve genetic diversity-BUT breeding should be limited. Turkish Angoras, for instance, are bred in only a handful of homes across the world and in the Ankara zoo...but that's enough for the breed to survive; there's no need for more. The same could be said for dozens of breeds, and MOST purebred animals CAN be found at shelters-most due to puppy mills. People seem to turn into libertarians on this issue more often than not; they seem to think that it's every humans "right" to breed whatever they want whenever they want. But is it really our "right" to force animals to suffer so for our own profit?


"You can tell a lot about a society by the way it treats it's animals". M. K. Gandhi

[JeanGrey]

94. Most decent breeders already adhere to those principles.

I disagree with the ten animals rule, I think it depends on your facility how many animals you should have.

I also limited my breeding, I never had more than 12 cats at once, many of them weren't "breeders", they were spayed and neutered and being shown in that class. Out of 12 I usually had one or two foundation males and 3 girls to a male. I never bred females more than once a year and sometimes not that much, depending if they were being shown or how I thought they reacted to becoming breed able.

If for whatever reason breeding didn't work out, they were ALWAYS spayed and neutered and placed in a loving pet home if they didn't spend the rest of their life with me.

In this way a lot of people ended up with a grand champion quality cat for nothing (I never charge to place my adults).

Also as an aside, you don't make money breeding. Only mills do. I always laugh at that because I spent so much money on my cats I was lucky to break even! I even gave up using deductions on my income tax because it got so depressing to actually see how much money I was spending on my "hobby".

But I loved it so much and I still miss it.

[WildEyedLiberal]

85. Ugh what a horrifying story! Thank you for sharing, though

I will never ever buy a pet from a pet store. Shit like this should be subject to some serious jail time - maybe if puppy millers knew they'd be looking at ten years behind bars instead of a month or two and a fine, they'd think twice about abusing these poor animals.

[Lifetimedem]

96. everyone that buys a dog from a pet store

has kept this mad man in business

[EmilyAnne]

101. My little Papillon was rescued from a puppy mill. She was such a mess when we got her.

Her little legs were splayed out from standing on chicken coop wire. Her natural instinct to not pee and poop in her home had been completely broken because she had never been let out of her tiny cage. We've had her for two years, and she still won't allow any people to touch her other than my husband and I. She's far more terrified of men than women because, apparently, a man ran her mill. For the first year we had her, she would cower, shake and hide around strange people.

Now, she is such a wonderful little friend. We've learned to accept that she will always have certain issues.

The happy ending that we have with our dog is so far from typical, however. I work from home, so I was able to devote so much time to her training. Dogs like this will often be sold to pet stores like Pet Co. If they are lucky enough to be bought, their problems with temperament and house training can lead to abuse, neglect and abandonment. If they overstay their welcome at the pet stores (ie. grow up just a tiny bit), the pet stores contact the puppy mill requesting that the unsold dog be removed from the store. Because it costs too much to ship the dog and it won't be very valuable to the mill anyway, the dog isn't claimed, and most often it will end up euthanized. Its disgusting.

Thank you for doing this, Neecy.

[Neecy]

107. I'd love to see a picture of her

Papillons are such sweet, gentle little dogs.

You raise a really good point about mill rescues - they will probably always have some limitations, and people who adopt them need to be able to adapt to their needs. That's why it's harder to place them.

I have three Pomeranians, and two of them are mill rescues. Like your girl, my first also had problems with his feet from the wire cages. He had lots of trouble walking for the first six months or so. He's also had some other medical issues, fortunately none serious. Emotionally he has some fears but they don't make him aggressive. I've had him for three years now and he's made a tremendous amount of progress, but I know he'll never be what most consider a "normal" dog and that's fine with me. He's happy, loves his brothers, and occasionally will sit in my lap so I can pet him. He was already 8 when I got him, and all I've wanted to do is give him the best second half of life that I can. He's totally worth it.

[Marrah_G]

104. This is why I would never buy a dog- just adopt

if you have to have a purebreed then find a rescue for that breed.

I can see some circumstances where you might buy from a breeder, but please check the place out first.

Such a sad story, thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[Sheets of Easter]

108. You done good.

I am appalled that operations like that still exist. I, for one, haven't seen dogs and cats for sale at a pet store in years (unless they're in cahoots with a local rescue service), and I am thankful for that.

Thank you for your devotion to the rescue of animals. :thumbsup:

[Hubert Flottz]

109. People like that guy belong in a cage.

My pound pup agrees!

[riverdeep]

111. Oprah needs to do another follow up show on puppy mills.

Her original show probably introduced more people to the horrors of puppy mills than anyone else. That this stuff is still going on, means it's time for legislation.

("Lisa Ling investigates puppy mills on Oprah")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km1_h7eGiKU

[Hydra]

112. *Shudder* n/t

[Neecy]

113. Here's my six-week old

She had a good appetite this morning and I think I'll be able to bring her around. She was one of the Poms that was out in the rain and cold - not a good thing for a dog so young.





She loves being held up to my chest - that's where she sleeps the best, probably because she hears the heartbeat. I have no idea where her mother is - I don't have her.

[dana_b]

165. what a cutie!!

you've done so well with her. She's a very lucky girl.

[mhollis]

115. The real source

OK, I hate to say this but I have a good reason to believe that an important reason why we have puppy mills in the United States is the American Kennel Club.

I won a Genesis Award by the National Fund for Animals for a story I did back in the 1990s about puppy mills. We had very clear video of the treatment of these poor animals and the videotape did not do the story justice because one cannot smell the smells on television. I had to fight from gagging and one of the crew actually threw up several times. These facilities were in Missouri and Kansas and I was more than just a little horrified.

Then, at another news magazine I did a report on puppy mills again a few years later. In order to point out the issues with the AKC, we registered a stuffed animal, a cat and a bird, all as pure-breed dogs. The AKC was very happy to take the registration money and sent us the papers. When the show aired the video of the "purebreed" teddy bear, cat and bird, the AKC wrote us a really nasty note saying they were rescinding the papers. I think they were more unhappy about being exposed as enablers of these puppy mills and turned (appropriately) into a laughingstock than they were about being duped.

If you are a breeder, you care about the dogs, you raise them "underfoot" so that they act normally around people and you strive to improve the breed. You also don't make a lot of money and you certainly cannot make a living at it (unless your breed suddenly becomes uber popular for a short time). And you don't care that you cannot make a living at it because that is not what proper breeding is all about. The AKC doesn't care.

I say woe betide anyone who buys a dog that came from a mill. They'll get an animal that is a stranger to people, is sick (or will be), has experienced horrid conditions at the hands of a human being and is not worth breeding (and will probably never garner enough points at a dog show to be worth breeding.

And shame on the AKC for not policing breeders and not caring!

[Neecy]

194. I totally agree about AKC

I'd love to read your articles if they're available online.

The millers have a new source for their wares - youtube. They always show video of happy kids frolicking with their dogs (a common ploy, so you think they'll arrive as perfect housepets). Then they slap up their website where of course they charge hundreds of dollars for their puppies and offer 10-15 breeds - and they always, always brag about their AKC registrations. I report every one I find and also leave comments warning people not to buy from obvious puppy millers.

[redqueen]

116. Heartbreaking stuff.

Can't help but wonder how some people can be so damn cruel.

[GreenPartyVoter]

117. Poor goggies! That guy needs to be kept in one of his own kennels for awhile. See how he likes it.

You rock for being a puppeh savior! :hug:

[Neecy]

119. Note to KC-area DU'ers

I've posted in both the Kansas and Missouri forum if anyone might be interested in adopting one of these little guys, plus a little information on Pomeranian care and some warnings on when one might not be appropriate for your household. All I ask is that you have the dog spayed or neutered immediately. They're all current on their shots and all have very sweet, loving dispositions - they'd be great companion animals.

[madrchsod]

120. go on craigslist and publish this story in the pet forums in your state

i bet this guy will be trying to "rehome" these dogs in the state you live in and probably the surrounding states. here in northern ill and southern wisconsin the craig-listers are really good at identifying puppy mill breeders.

[PJPhreak]

121. I live in Kansas...

Which as you know is "Puppy Mill Hell"
And this is "Timber" our Bestist Friend...




My GF was looking thru C-list and found him because someone like Neecy took the time to post his picture on C-List and explained that he was going to be put down as the "Shelter" could not keep any Critters after mid Oct because the Building they kept the critters in has no heat. (a 10x20 Cinder block building with small runs,no shade or heat,critter carriers with cats stacked in plies on top of the dog runs) so they take them "Out Back" to put them down.
We were so smitten by this dog we drove somewhere around 500 miles (Round Trip) to fetch him...Best use of non-renewable resources I've done in months!!

Neecy...Thank You!!!! If it weren't for the time and effort people like you spend we would'nt have found this fantastic Creature!!

[Neecy]

150. Timber's a cutie

Looks like an awesome watchdog, too.

Kansas puppy mills are terrible but with Governor Sebelius' help we've gotten some basic animal protections and better inspections written into law. Missouri is a nightmare - almost no enforcement of their puppy millers, thanks to Gov. Blunt.

[PJPhreak]

176. He's a Big slobber puppy

He hasn't a mean bone in his body. We actually got him from the Windsor Mo. "Dog pound"....More like doggie prison,but the town does not even have the money to heat their shelter (Tho I belive they don't care enough to) so in the late Fall the Put Down what Critters they have...With a .22 pistol!!! Make no mistake,I drove as quickly as my old car would allow me!!!

His Temperament is as Beautiful as he is!!!

Your Right,Mo. Puppy mills are REALLY Bad!!!

[SammyWinstonJack]

175. He's beautiful! Here is my rescue. Jack was on the mean streets and headed for a bad place.

[theFrankFactor]

122. This stuff cuts me to my core. There are no words to explain...

[renie408]

123. This just makes me want to throw up. I swear, and I mean it, I could take a baseball

bat and beat people like that to death and never look back or feel bad about it.

[Pooka Fey]

128. K&R

[InvisibleTouch]

129. This is horrible - thank you for rescuing the ones you could.

And I hope the rest are retrieved as soon as possible!

You would think from a purely business perspective, if scumbags like this guy don't care about the animals' welfare, they would at least keep the dogs clean and sheltered in order to sell appealing puppies. How does one sell sick, filthy, frightened puppies to pet stores?

I hope you can get this guy shut down completely. Thanks for taking on the dogs that you were able to retrieve. I had a Pomeranian for many years, and he was not from a pet store.

[Faygo Kid]

130. I'm writing a check right now in honor of this story. And my rescued Pom.

I give to a number of animal organizations.

This one goes to the Washington Animal Rescue League.

I have a rescued Pomeranian myself. She's now 15, and starting to fade, but still loves her tweats. Here she is three years ago:

[Blaze Diem]

131. Just saw on TV the ASPCA Ad from Sara McLauchlin.."In The Arms of The Angels"

she sang as pics of dogs & cats, abused by mills like the one you tell of. This ad WILL make your eyes tear up and break your heart.

Then I come to DU and click on your posting.
This stuff haunts you and it should be seen & read by everyone possible.
Greed for money does this to innocent & trusting animals & people.

We have adopted two puppy mill rescue dogs over time.
They are by far the most loyal and beautiful spirited pets I have ever owned.

Puppy Mills should be banned. Owners of these despicable places of torture & cruelty should spend time in prison, & their names put on a permanant & public register.
Cruelty to animals is close to cruelty to humans.
These people are a threat to man & beast.

-------------
Neecy to you and your friend, the action you took to remove the animals & shut this place down is most admirable, and the kindest of deeds.
Those puppies were saved by your hands and I personally dedicate Sara McLachlin's song "In the Arms of The Angels" to you today.

Thank You, You are an angel.
Blaze.

[dana_b]

167. I hate that ad!!

Not because of the subject but it always makes me so sad. I really wish I could afford to adopt another one (especially because the shelters are so full now!) but there's no way right now.

[Blaze Diem]

182. Yes, I know what you mean. The ad is difficult to watch. But necessary of course.

We have three assorted-breed dogs, & I too wish I could have many more.
Like the old lady with 100 stray cats who just happened to stop by her house for a meal. And stayed.

Love them all.
Bless the beasts & those who love them.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

133. Bless your heart for doing this...

Poor pups. :cry:

[sinkingfeeling]

135. Thanks for rescuing those lovely little ones. Do you have any pure white ones?

I have a Samoyed (almost 13, blind, has Cushings', diabetes, and hypothyroidism) and two younger American Eskimos. Need a white Pom to complete the set.

The first month I lived in Arkansas I followed a large truck up US71 filled with crated dogs and puppies. I pick up a free paper called the Wooden Nickel sometimes that's published in Joplin, MO, I think. It's filled with 'breeders' selling off their 'stock'. Sickening.

[Neecy]

151. I have two white sisters

They're pure white except for a very slight tan shading across their hindquarters. They're incredibly sweet girls and very gentle. Here's one of them:



I don't think these two are purebreds, though. They're quite a bit larger than breed standard, maybe around 12 pounds. I think this guy let some of these dogs run loose and interbreed, which is probably why he got rid of his Pom stock - too tainted, from a purebred perspective.

[Stevie_66]

183. Here are my rescue pups:

Moxie is (we think) a purebred Pomeranian. She was abandoned in a city park, in heat and full of fleas. She is now spayed, healthy and spoiled rotten.



Colin knows how to pose. He is a Border Collie who we rescued from a shelter. His previous owners kept him chained up in the backyard and gave him up to the shelter.

[sinkingfeeling]

187. Here's my Crissy and my two rescued 'boys', taken last March.

[sinkingfeeling]

188. That one sure looks like a toy Eskie to me! See the picture I posted below of my gang!

[Neecy]

189. I love your gang!

I don't think he had any Eskies up there, so I think the girls are Pomeranian and...well, something. They're about 14 pounds and much longer in the body than a breed standard Pom. The sisters are very attached to each other and curl up together at night and follow each other around during the day. I'm going to try to adopt them together, even if it takes me a few extra weeks to find homes for them. They've been through enough and the idea of separating them is hard.

[sinkingfeeling]

191. Oh, I wish I could take those girls! I got my 'boys' because I went to a rescue group in Ohio for

one they had on PetFinders. Then my sister and mother were in Ohio and I sent them to check out Sugar and they discovered his best buddie was Hank. Hank's ears don't stand upright and nobody wanted to adopt him as an Eskie. So, I called and told the rescue that I'd take them both. They drove from around Columbus, OH to Springfield, MO to transfer the dogs to me!

My basic problem with adopting a couple more right now is Criss. She's my $25,000 dog!! She has had 3 major surgeries and her medical bills and medicines run me close to $400 a month. That's what I've been paying out each month for almost 5 years. With the rising costs of vet care, flea and heart worm preventatives, and food, I just don't think I can take any more for awhile. But that picture! I'd love to have both of them!

[Neecy]

195. that's one expensive dog!

I hear you, I have one that gets cysts in his bladder and it's $500 a pop to have them removed. He should eat out of a gold-plated supper dish. Bless you for caring for your boys so well!

[wroberts189]

137. They do not require a license ? This is an abomination! n/t

[wroberts189]

138. THANK YOU !!!!!!! eom

[newfie11]

140. Ya know you can tell people to STOP buying from pet stores

to check out the breeder, to see if the dogs have all health clearances listed on OFA. To tell them the horror stories and they still go buy from a back yard breeder (who has no health clearances on the dogs), a pet store, or a puppy mill. I also have to say there are mini mills. People who do nothing with their dogs but breed them. The dogs never leave the property.

I have 3 Newfoundlands. I have shown both the girls to AKC championships. The new puppy I imported from Germany. Both girls have all the health clearances and posted on offa.org. I have tried 2 times to get one of my girls pregnant. Picked a male with is championship, all health clearances tried once with AI and the last time drove 2200 miles to breed her. No puppies.We are now trying again.

How in hell do these idiots get dogs pregnant time after time with no care???

This just pisses me off.:grr:

[PatriotGames]

156. Wow. This breaks my heart. How many people unknowingly support this trade?

I can only guess. These people don't love animals. They love money. I wanted to kick my brother and his girlfriend who bought a jack russell and a chihuahu. They had to have a 'pure breed'. Pound dogs wouldn't do. Anyway, the jack ended up having major health issues and cost his girlfriend about $4000 in vet bills. I am certain that these issues were a result of whatever craptastic conditions it was kept in before they bought it.

[cowbear]

179. About 20 years ago...

My family and I unwittingly purchased a puppy from a pet shop. It died when it was only six months old, and it caused us to research puppy mills and their connections to pet stores. It was such a sad experience, but we were glad that this poor little dog didn't die alone in some dirty cage in a pet store. The stories I've heard about puppy mills are just so terrible...I know that Pennsylvania has been a big spot for them (but last I heard they were passing legislation to crack down on it).

I got my current dog (shih tzu) from a rescue organization. I love him so much...he actually was returned to the rescue group by a few people before me because of his "attitude" (he kept biting them). The poor thing was just jittery...after a few weeks he calmed down.

I'm so glad to hear that the two of you were able to get so many dogs out of such an awful environment.

[tomreedtoon]

180. Don't own pets. Period.

These places wouldn't exist if there wasn't a demand for people to have a "little bundle of joy" that they can own. When you popularize pet ownership, you popularize concentration camps like this one.

If people would stop investing their psychic energy into ownership of animals, and...I dunno, do something absolutely insane like helping out AIDS victims in Africa?...these places would become unprofitable.

[sarah FAILIN]

181. I bought a puppy from what I suspect was a puppy mill and I love that dog like he was my own baby

It makes me furious when people get all hot under the collar because people will buy the puppies. What should I have done? Left himt with the seller to die? He was so infested with parasites it took a month to get him on a normal potty schedule and that was seeing the vet every week for that month and twice one week. There is no way he would have gotten the attention he needed if I hadn't taken him. I was walking through a flea market, looked at the little boy and fell in love. Nobody would have made me leave without him and I really don't care what anyone says about it. If you want to do something about it, pass laws that keep breeders from having dogs in poor conditions, but once the puppies are here, don't slam people for "rescuing" them 1 at a time.

[Neecy]

192. it's getting the laws passed that's so hard

Milling operations actually came out of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, when farming families were pretty much devastated. The government gave them permission to classify dogs as 'livestock' and treat them accordingly. Going back now is hard, because a lot of these rural states still see dogs as a necessary profit center for small farmers - although almost none of the millers now are actually farmers. In Missouri, where I got these dogs, there's a large dog brokerage called Hunte Corporation that contributes tons of money to Republicans in the legislature and also to our soon-to-be former Governor Blunt. Blunt actually signed legislation to give tax breaks to Hunte Corp - and they buy their puppies from the millers and truck the puppies across the country. That's why Missouri laws are so hard to change. The millers don't make a lot but Hunte Corp sure does and they spread it around to our lawmakers.

Flea markets are common selling points for millers and I don't blame you for buying the dog at all - in fact, I'd consider it a rescue. If you hadn't it would have gone back to the mill and being high minded doesn't benefit the dog at all. You're right in that we have to get to the source but that's really the hardest part.

[Quantess]

184. I thought about your post a few times today.

I read it this morning, and it made me sad.
My dog is truly my best friend, and I wish every dog had it as good as he does. He is an emotionally needy pet, even more so than the the average pet. He was always shy and timid, even though everyone has always been nice to him. He wants to be a good dog and be loved. He is a good dog, and he is loved. I spend most of the day with him, and we go running (dog goes off leash)for an hour 3 to 5 times a week. And yet, he still needs the emotional support and love, all day long. He is a very needy dog who demands love and attention, and if he feels neglected, he lets you know.

I got him as a puppy from a very sweet Christian woman who had anti-abortion stickers on her bumper. In no way, was that a puppy mill. She had a few rescue dogs.

If my dog had to exist in those conditions, he would die, of a broken heart.
If he were born into those conditions, he would be a terrified, cowering wreck, completely miserable, and unadoptable.

[adigal]

193. Bless you - I do lab rescue, just started this year

and between the puppy mills and the high kill southern shelters, I just want to die sometimes. It is so inhuman.

[Neecy]

197. just do what you can

Rescue can be hard because of the sheer volume of dogs out there in kill shelters and mills and it's overwhelming to think of how many *aren't* rescued. Just feel good about whatever contributions you make and know that there are others all over the country doing the same. We won't save them all but we're making a dent, which is all you can do.

Good luck with your Labs!

[adigal]

196. There is no reason to buy a dog...in our country, where about 4 million

dogs and puppies are killed each year, you can get a purebred puppy from a high kill southern shelter. I have labs, golden retrievers, German Shepherd pups become available, Huskies galore, Pomeranians, Lhasos, Great Danes, almost every single breed, big and small.

Gaston, North Carolina, kills 600 to 800 healthy, adoptable dogs and puppies every single month in the gas chamber. Greenville, SC, until this year, killed 15,000 dogs a year in its shelter. It is a national disgrace that many in the south don't spay and neuter, and the gas chambers are still allowed.

Here is a letter from someone in NC who worked in a gas chamber. It is hard to read.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yes, I Gas Dogs and Cats for a Living. I'm an Animal Control officer in a very small town in central North Carolina. I'm in my mid thirties, and have been working for the town in different positions since high school.

There is not much work here, and working for the county provides good pay and benefits for a person like me without a higher education. I'm the person you all write about how horrible I am.

I'm the one that gasses the dogs and cats and makes them suffer. I'm the one that pulls their dead corpses out smelling of Carbon Monoxide and throws them into green plastic bags. But I'm also the one that hates my job and hates what I have to do.

First off, all you people out there that judge me, don't. God is judging me, and I know I'm going to Hell. Yes, I'm going to hell. I wont lie, it's despicable, cold, cruel and I feel like a serial killer. I'm not all to blame, if the law would mandate spay and neuter, lots of these dogs and cats wouldn't be here for me to gas. I'm the devil, I know it, but I want you people to see that there is another side to me the devil Gas Chamber man. The shelter usually gasses on Friday morning.

Friday's are the day that most people look forward to, this is the day that I hate, and wish that time will stand still on Thursday night. Thursday night, late, after nobody's around, my friend and I go through a fast food line, and buy 50 dollars worth of cheeseburgers and fries, and chicken. I'm not allowed to feed the dogs on Thursday, for I'm told that they will make a mess in the gas chamber, and why waste the food.

So, Thursday night, with the lights still closed, I go into the saddest room that anyone can every imagine, and let all the doomed dogs out out their cages.

I have never been bit, and in all my years doing this, the dogs have never fought over the food. My buddy and I, open each wrapper of cheeseburger and chicken sandwich, and feed them to the skinny, starving dogs.

They swallow the food so fast, that I don't believe they even taste it. There tails are wagging, and some don't even go for the food, they roll on their backs wanting a scratch on their bellys. They start running, jumping and kissing me and my buddy. They go back to their food, and come back to us. All their eyes are on us with such trust and hope, and their tails wag so fast, that I have come out with black and blues on my thighs.. They devour the food, then it's time for them to devour some love and peace. My buddy and I sit down on the dirty, pee stained concrete floor, and we let the dogs jump on us. They lick us, they put their butts in the air to play, and they play with each other. Some lick each other, but most are glued on me and my buddy.

I look into the eyes of each dog. I give each dog a name.

They will not die without a name.

I give each dog 5 minutes of unconditional love and touch.

I talk to them, and tell them that I'm so sorry that tomorrow they will die a gruesome, long, torturous death at the hands of me in the gas chamber.

Some tilt their heads to try to understand.

I tell them, that they will be in a better place, and I beg them not to hate me.

I tell them that I know I'm going to hell, but they will all be playing with all the dogs and cats in heaven.

After about 30 minutes, I take each dog individually, into their feces filled concrete jail cell, and pet them and scratch them under their chins. Some give me their paw, and I just want to die. I just want to die. I close the jail cell on each dog, and ask them to forgive me. As my buddy and I are walking out, we watch as every dog is smiling at us and them don't even move their heads. They will sleep, with a full belly, and a false sense of security.

As we walk out of the doomed dog room, my buddy and I go to the cat room.

We take our box, and put the very friendly kittens and pregnant cats in our box. The shelter doesn't keep tabs on the cats, like they do the dogs.

As I hand pick which cats are going to make it out, I feel like I'm playing God, deciding whose going to live and die.

We take the cats into my truck, and put them on blankets in the back.

Usually, as soon as we start to drive away, there are purring cats sitting on our necks or rubbing against us.

My buddy and I take our one way two hour trip to a county that is very wealthy and they use injection to kill animals.

We go to exclusive neighborhoods, and let one or two cats out at a time.

They don't want to run, they want to stay with us. We shoo them away, which makes me feel sad.

I tell them that these rich people will adopt them, and if worse comes to worse and they do get put down, they will be put down with a painless needle being cradled by a loving veterinarian. After the last cat is free, we drive back to our town.

It's about 5 in the morning now, about two hours until I have to gas my best friends.

I go home, take a shower, take my 4 anti-anxiety pills and drive to work.. I don't eat, I can't eat. It's now time, to put these animals in the gas chamber. I put my ear plugs in, and when I go to the collect the dogs, the dogs are so excited to see me, that they jump up to kiss me and think they are going to play.

I put them in the rolling cage and take them to the gas chamber. They know. They just know. They can smell the death.. They can smell the fear. They start whimpering, the second I put them in the box. The boss tells me to squeeze in as many as I can to save on gas. He watches. He knows I hate him, he knows I hate my job. I do as I'm told. He watches until all the dogs, and cats (thrown in together) are fighting and screaming. The sounds is very muffled to me because of my ear plugs. He walks out, I turn the gas on, and walk out.

I walk out as fast as I can. I walk into the bathroom, and I take a pin and draw blood from my hand. Why? The pain and blood takes my brain off of what I just did. In 40 minutes, I have to go back and unload the dead animals. I pray that none survived, which happens when I overstuff the chamber. I pull them out with thick gloves, and the smell of carbon monoxide makes me sick. So does the vomit and blood, and all the bowel movements. I pull them out, put them in plastic bags.

They are in heaven now, I tell myself. I then start cleaning up the mess, the mess, that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not spay or neutering your animals. The mess that YOU PEOPLE are creating by not demanding that a vet come in and do this humanely. You ARE THE TAXPAYERS, DEMAND that this practice STOP!

So, don't call me the monster, the devil, the gasser, call the politicians, the shelter directors, and the county people the devil. Heck, call the governor, tell him to make it stop.

As usual, I will take sleeping pills tonight to drown out the screams I heard in the past, before I discovered the ear plugs. I will jump and twitch in my sleep, and I believe I'm starting to hallucinate.

This is my life. Don't judge me. Believe me, I judge myself enough.

[e-mail]

This is in or around NC