Junior Horton, owner of Horton’s Pups, faced 14 counts of animal cruelty and 25 counts of neglect stemming from an investigation from last November when more than 1000 dogs were found at his property. The charges accused Horton of depriving dogs of necessary food, drink, shelter or emergency veterinary treatment, and of failing to adequately house, feed, water, exercise or care for animals in his possession. He was also charged with one count of not having a proper license. Over 700 dogs were eventually seized and adopted into new homes.

The good news is that he was found guilty of all the charges. The bad news, on the other hand, is that he will not be facing any jail time and most of the fines were actually suspended and worst of all, he is allowed to continue to run his commercial breeding business, ie. puppy mill!! More ’slap on the wrist’ justice!!

After more than three hours of testimony, General District Court Judge Edward Turner made his ruling on the 40 charges Horton faced: 14 for animal cruelty, 25 for animal neglect and one for failure to obtain a dog license.

“I find Mr. Horton guilty of all counts,” Turner said. “The question is, ‘What do we do with it?’ “

Turner suspended 12 years of jail time for the misdemeanors and suspended much of the fines associated with the criminal charges. For the 14 counts of cruelty, he suspended $2,250 of each of the $2,500 fines. For the 25 counts of neglect, he suspended $450 of each of the $500 fines. He imposed the mandated $25 fine for the charge of failing to obtain a dog license. The total for all fines amounted to $4,750. The judge also directed the court to determine a cost of veterinary services provided when hundreds of Horton’s dogs were taken from his business following the sting. He said Horton will be responsible for making restitution.

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More and more states are working on legislation to try to regulate the commercial breeding industry which in far too many instances are just houses of horrors, puppy mills, masquerading as reputable breeders.

Louisiana is now working on legislation that would limit the number of dogs that breeders would be allowed to own, instituting a cap at a maximum of 75 dogs. This doesn’t sound like much of a move but when you look at many of the puppy mills, some have hundreds of dogs, often crammed two, three or more to a cage that is barely large enough for one.

No, it’s not the answer. The answer would be to close them all down! But as anyone who is part of the fight against puppy mills knows, it’s not going to happen anytime in the near future but each and every little step in the right direction is something to be lauded.

The bill aims to limit the number of dogs held in abusive puppy mills – mills that churn out thousands of dogs for sale in pet stores and over the internet.

The Humane Society of the United States testified in support of the legislation. The organization says many puppy mill operators deceive consumers into believing the dogs came from reputable breeders.

“Limiting the number of animals at a puppy mill is an important first step to ensure that dogs used for breeding are treated humanely, and also addresses one source of pet overpopulation,” said Julia Breaux , HSUS’ Louisiana state director.

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Joseph Trujillo was a real big, bad man last November when he took his mother-in-law’s little Chihuahua, Chicolin, into an alley and beat it to death with a shovel then tossed its battered and broken body into a trash dumpster.

Chicolin, a five year old stray Chihuahua that Elaine Ulibarri took in when he wandered into her yard was by all accounts a feisty little dog but was well loved as were all the dogs that Ulibarri had.

“He was a little orphan who wandered into my yard,” she tearfully testified. “I took him in. I really miss that little dog.”

On that fateful November 4th, Trujillo, whose wife said didn’t like the little dog, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, took him out to the ally where a neighbor actually saw him bash the dog on the head four or five time.

At the time of Trujillo’s arrest, Eric Bernal, was going to report the incident anonymously but when Trujillo continued to claim he was being falsely accused, Bernel decided he would testify in court.

“I know he’s lying because I watched him do it,” Eric Bernal said. “I actually saw him carrying the dog to back by the scruff of the neck. The dog was yelping or screaming. It was really disturbing.”

Trujillo’s wife Carla testified that he didn’t like the dog, that once when it defecated in the basement of the house they shard with her mother, he took the dog’s feces and mixed it in with food and fed it to the dogs.

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The story of Jeffrey Ely who hit and killed the little 13 lb miniature pincher, Fester, then sued his owners for $1,100 got not only national but international attention and Ely says it also ruined his reputation.

The quickest way to sum up the outcome of the case is that the judge just threw it out!

Judge Gerald Maher heard the case Friday afternoon. Both parties, Jeffrey Ely, the man who hit and killed the little dog, and Daniel Munthe, one of the owners of Fester, the dog who was killed, representing themselves.

Judge Maher said that neither side could prove the other had been negligent so instead of taking the case under advisement he dismissed it.

“You don’t have a legal cause of action,” Maher said. “You never should have been here.”

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Hannah, a 4 yr old GSD, previously owned by a Tattnall County, GA deputy/K-9 handler, turned into Animal Control facility pregnant, severely emaciated, weighing only 41 lbs, heartworm positive and showing signs of longterm kenneling, among numerous other medical problems, will receive no justice from Tattnall County. DA Tom Durden has decided NOT to press charges.

For the full background, please read the original story HERE.

The Tattnall County Deputy/K-9 handler who owned Hannah (originally named Huanna), Ramsey Arnold, claims he owned Hannah for only three months.

“I got her from another law enforcement officer, K-9 handler, breeder, trainer. It wasn’t connected with the sheriff’s office. I asked the man I got Huanna from if anything was wrong with her. He said ‘no, she was just naturally small’ and that he used her as a breeding dog,” Arnold said.

Arnold said he took good care of her and never had time to do any of the things he was accused of including breed her.

If that’s the case;

• Call after call was made to DA Tom Durden prior to ‘going public’ with this story with requests for information but for some reason no information was forthcoming until now, when a major media outlet gets involved.

• If Deputy Ramsey Arnold had Hannah for three months why was she still severely emaciated? She weighed only 41 pounds when she was turned over to animal control. Protruding ribs is a pretty sure sign of malnourishment. “Long term starvation” was what the vet said who examined her. In the short time that she was fostered and adopted, she was able to easily put on weight and become much more healthy.

• If Deputy Ramsey Arnold had her for even only three months, why had she not been vetted? Any decent responsible vet would have been blind not to see the severe problems Hannah had.

• How could a K-9 handler, someone who should know something about dogs, not know that she was pregnant? A dog’s gestation is approximately 63 days, Deputy Arnold claims he had her for 3 months, if he didn’t breed her, how did she get pregnant to give birth to three stillborn puppies shortly after she arrived at animal control?

• If in fact Hannah was in such deplorable condition when she was given to Deputy Ramsey, there is still someone out there responsible for her condition, for the abuse she suffered. Who is this person, this “law enforcement officer, K-9 handler, breeder, trainer.”

• Perhaps Deputy Arnold is not guilty of the long term problems that Hannah suffered from but she was still starved, not medically cared for and had been bred while in his custody. These facts do not speak of innocence to me!

And now, despite almost 1500 signatures on a PETITION at this time, asking for Justice for Hannah, Tattnall County DA had decided not to press charges against the deputy.

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The harder people fight again puppy mills the more money opponents throw into the pot and they can afford to with the profits they reap off the bodies of abused and neglected dogs. Now, with the increased awareness of puppy mill atrocities due to Oprah’s involvement, legislation has a better chance than ever to actually move forward.

PA Governor Rendell has drafted and redrafted legislation to try to stem some of the abuses in the “Puppy Mill Capital” of the US. He has been faced by opposition every step of the way but he still continues to try to make thing better.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is preparing to introduce a bill that would change the way commercial dog breeders do business in the state. He’s doing it with a new round of support brought on by Oprah Winfrey and her recent probe of puppy mills.

In video from Main Line Animal Rescue, you can see dogs packed into rabbit cages. The animals walk gingerly on wire flooring and feces cover the ground below.

News Report on Puppy Mills

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For as horrific as the Michael Vick dogfighting debacle was, it had some positive ramifications. The awareness of this bloodsport is now at an all time high and the public as well as lawmakers are demanding changes, higher penalties, stronger prosecution and harsher sentences.

One of the scariest things about dogfighting is that is goes beyond the terrible abuse and cruelty to the  dogs. Usually there are drugs, guns, vast quantities of money and gangs involved and all these ingredients add up to make an untenable situation for dogs and people alike.

More and more states and passing more laws when it comes to dogfighting. It’s now a felony in Idaho and Wyoming, finally! Virginia’s gotten tougher on dogfighting and now Georgia is following suit.

Five months after Atlanta Falcons star Michael Vick was sentenced to prison for his involvement in dog fighting, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed legislation Tuesday stiffening Georgia’s dog-fighting laws.

Georgia has had among the weakest dog-fighting laws in the country, according to the Humane Society of the United States. The new law makes it illegal to train, transport, sell or own a fighting dog. It also will be illegal to promote or advertise a fight and to attend a dog fight.

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WARNING - CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES!!

Dogfighting is illegal in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and the federal Animal Welfare Act prohibits the interstate transportation of dogs for fighting purposes. Forty-eight (48) states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have made dogfighting a felony offense. Forty-seven (47) states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands prohibit the possession of dogs for fighting. And 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands prohibit being a spectator at a dogfight.

What is Dogfighting?

Dogfighting is a sadistic “contest” in which two dogs — specifically bred, conditioned, and trained to fight — are placed in a pit (generally a small enclosed area) to fight each other, for the purpose of entertainment and gambling by the “spectators”. Fights can average nearly an hour in length and often last more than two hours. Dogfights end when one of the dogs is no longer willing or able to continue. Dog fighting is prevalent EVERYWHERE… from the most urban of neighborhoods to the deep backwoods.

Dog Fighting - Animal Cruelty

The injuries inflicted and sustained by dogs participating in dogfights are frequently severe, including deep puncture wounds and broken bones, and some are even fatal. Dogs used in these “events” often die of blood loss, shock, dehydration, exhaustion, or infection hours or even days after the fight.

Other animals - besides the actual fight dogs - are often sacrificed as well. Some owners train their dogs for fights using smaller animals such as cats, rabbits, or small dogs. These “bait” animals are often stolen pets or animals obtained through “free to good home” advertisements.

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On January 4, Jeffrey Ely hit and killed little Fester, a 13 lb. miniature pincher near Cloquet, MN and now he’s suing the owners of the tiny dog for $1,100 for the damage done to his vehicle and the time he missed at work getting the vehicle fixed.

Pieces of the bumper were propelled into the radiator when it hit the dog, Ely said, necessitating a replacement. Ely maintains he didn’t have problems driving until after the accident and that the radiator issues were not pre-existing.

Ely says he’s sorry for the owners loss but feels they have to be responsible for the damages to his 1997 Honda Civic, the time he lost from two jobs to fix his car and court fees. He’s a dog owner himself.

“I have complete compassion for them,” Ely said. “I know how it feels. I love dogs. But once you get them, they are your responsibility.”

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In November 2005, over 100 dogs were rescued from a Blainsville, Canada home that was later demolished due to such extreme deplorable conditions and these were the conditions these dogs were living in. There were corpses of deceased dogs in different stages of decomposition within a sea of filth, as the living dogs ate their remains.

Owner of the ‘Hell Home’ and breeder, Marc Andre LaPorte actually petitioned to have 18 dogs returned to him. A petition was circulated and received over 14 thousand signatures in an effort to protect the dogs from being returned to LaPorte. The public’s cry for justice and safety for the dogs was heard. Although under the law, maximum punishment would never amount to much more than a wrist slap, the judge did what he could do.

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Darlene H. Reno, 64, of 3803 Highway X, Dexter, pleaded no contest to charges of intentional mistreatment of animals and was actually sentenced to jail time, no much, only 30 days but considering the usual ’slap on the wrist sentences’ we see, this is better than nothing. She was also sentenced to three years of probation, a $250 fine, plus court costs and 500 hours of community service. She’s banned from keeping any more than the 5 dogs and 3 birds she currently has and the dogs must be spayed or neutered.

On March 5, a Wood County Humane office found 77 dogs in a 23-foot-by-17-foot room. Reno surrendered a total of 84 dogs on March 6.

The dogs were covered in urine and feces, some were seen eating the carcass of a dead horse, little water was found but there were animal bones bone in an outside kennel.

“I have never heard or seen anything as horrible as this,” said Powell, who has been a humane officer since August. “It was eye burning; it made you cough.”

One dog had to be euthanized, two dogs’ eyes were removed, and another had its leg amputated.

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Last August, after pleading no contest to animal abuse, in a move that angered a nation, Otis Clarke Jr. regained custody of China, the dog he was convicted on abusing. Now he’s facing animal abuse charges again as it looks like China, the dog he so loved that he refused to surrender, is living a life of neglect, dirty, wet, no food and living outside without a pen, which could be in violation of terms set out by the judge. Clark also failed to license China or take her to a veterinarian, as directed by the court.

Judge Rob Lyons was highly criticized by animal lovers, advocacy groups and the public in general after he disregarded cries for justice for China and returned China to the home of Otis Clark Jr., 48, in the Butler County village of Somerville.

In March of 2007, China was found wandering the streets of Somerville, OH with a chain embedded in her neck which had to be surgically removed.

“(The wound) was so infected, it cleared the office out,” said Jim Wolfe, a volunteer at the animal shelter. “(The smell) was terrible.”

The probation that Clark received was based on the following; that Clark reimburse Gordon’s agency for China’s care, take China for veterinary checkups every 90 days, have her licensed and not keep her chained up outside. In addition, Lyons ordered Clark ‘to read the book on dog care given to him by the court and remain subject to random home visits by a probation officer.

Animal rights activists outraged by the dog’s return to its owner in August 2007, this week spoke out about the animal’s condition.

“We were really hoping that (Clark) and his family would have given China a good life,” said Animal Friends Humane Society Director Leland Gordon. “Unfortunately, China once again ended up as a lawn ornament.”

Clark is due in court on May 15 to face charges for failing to secure a license or take it for a court-ordered checkup.

A Butler County Dog Warden’s report states the dog, a white shepherd named China, was found in questionable conditions — dirty water, no food and a neck stained from the ink on its collar — after a complaint April 23 .

On Monday, April 28, deputies learned that the dog’s owner may have sold it for $500.

It’s a travesty that China was ever returned to Clark in the first place, now is the time to demand justice!! Demand that Clark be prosecuted! Demand that China be surrendered, wherever she is, to the Humane Society so that she has a chance at a decent life!

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