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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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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Oprah’s show on puppy mills on 4/4 garnered a huge public response and did wonders to raise public awareness of the atrocites at puppy mills.

Today, capitalizing on that show’s momentum, Oprah is again ‘going to the dogs’. This show will be to push for public support for Gov. Rendell’s proposed legislation to overhaul PA’s dog laws. Pennsylvania has been long known as the ‘Puppy Mill Capital’ of the US and Gov. Rendell is proposing some sweeping changes and it looks like Oprah is behind him and the changes. Take the time to watch this no doubt, highly enlightening show!

Talk about a lobbyist with clout.

Oprah Winfrey - the woman with the power to send authors to the top of the New York Times best-seller list - is planning to appeal to viewers tomorrow [5/7] to back a crackdown on puppy mills in Pennsylvania.

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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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Due to the latest rage influenced by Hollywood celebs and socialites, tiny, cute, cuddly puppies are in big demand. Big demand equals are big money makers and unscrupulous breeders are gonna make sure they get their green. Websites and ads are popping up all over the place and those cute little puppies can also be seen in any petstore that sells puppies to the unwary.

If you’ve ever browsed the internet maybe you’ve seen some of those websites with all the adorable pictures of puppies and read about how they’re raised in family homes, given love and attention, are happy and healthy. Those cute little puppy faces just steal your heart and who wouldn’t love a puppy raised with such love.

The thing is, the reality behind those websites and ads and even pet stores claiming the same thing is nothing but a bunch of BS and hype! What really lays behind those cute puppies, the harsh cruel reality is often hundreds of dogs and puppies stuffed in cages as you’ll soon see.

An undercover investigation showed these realities about a couple of breeders and also showed their carefully written, well crafted hype as the BS it was!

One of the kennels under investigation was World Kennel USA, a breeder near Palmdale. World Kennel USA’s website (which oddly enough is no longer up and running) claimed to be written by a girl named Kelly who said that she and her parents raise their dogs in their home in a loving atmosphere. They say their puppies are carefully bred–in the house with constant attention.

Investigation showed a picture much different than what was painted with the pretty words on the website, dogs in cage after cage after cage.

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Every day the fight against puppy mills continues and so often only small strives are made due to opposition but finally Virginia has made a big step! We can only hope that more states can follow their lead. It’s not an absolute answer but as an advocate in the fight, ever step in the right direction counts!

An Overview of VA HB 538

Bill Sponsor(s): Del. Bobby Orrock (D, 54)

Defines commercial breeders as persons who maintain 20 or more unsterilized adult females for commercial breeding purposes. Commercial breeders will be required to: (i) apply for a business license from their respective locality; (ii) cooperate with inspections by animal control officers to ensure compliance with state and federal animal care laws; (iii) create a fire emergency plan and install fire safety measures; (iv) maintain records of animal sales, purchases, breeding history, and veterinary care; (v) dispose of dead dogs and confined waste in accordance with law; and (vi) maintain no more than 50 adult dogs at one time.

From HSUS

Virginia First in Nation to Limit the Number of Dogs Held in Abusive Puppy Mills

RICHMOND, Va. — In the aftermath of an investigation by The Humane Society of the United States into the Commonwealth’s puppy mill industry, Virginia became the first state in the nation to limit the size of puppy mills by making it illegal to maintain more than 50 dogs over the age of one year.

The bill — H.B. 538, introduced by Del. Bobby Orrock (R-54th) — passed the House of Delegates by a vote of 91 to 6 and the Senate by 37 to 3. Gov. Tim Kaine made recommendations to the bill which was then approved by the General Assembly during its veto session. This effort, led by Teresa Dockery of Bristol and Kathy Strouse of the Virginia Animal Control Association, has incredible support from Virginia’s many animal welfare activists, law enforcement, pet owners and humane organizations. Its historic provision capping the total number of dogs a commercial breeder can produce annually will help address the growing puppy mill crisis recently showcased on national televsion.

“Puppy mills abuse dogs routinely, and having these facilities licensed and inspected to ensure compliance with animal care laws is an important first step to ensuring that dogs used for breeding are treated humanely,” said Stephanie Shain, The HSUS’ director of outreach for companion animals. “We are grateful to state lawmakers and Governor Kaine for passing this important policy reform to protect man’s best friend. Dogs should be treated like a part of the family, not like a cash crop.”

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The Hunte Corporation is hosting a conference for its “breeders” this coming September. The keynote speaker is a man who considers himself “America’s Dog Whisperer”, Mark German. His appearance is sponsored by Nutri Source dog food and the overall conference is sponsored by Royal Canin dog food.

It should be noted that Royal Canin is owned by the Mars Corp, who also manufactures the following Brands: Pet Foods- Sheba, Cesar, Wiskas, Pedigree Candy Brands- Starburst, Snickers, Dove, Twix, Mars, M&M, Skittles Food Brands-Uncle Ben’s & Flavia Drink Mixes. The Royal Canin published “belief” is as follows: Belief in our values and the signature of our brand : « Knowledge and Respect ». A signature which demonstrates our continual will to always understand better the nutritional needs of dogs and cats, in true respect of their animal nature.

THE GOOD NEWS…

As of late yesterday, an email was received from Mark German stating that he has withdrawn from the conference as he did not know about the Hunte Corp’s reputation. If you write him, please thank him for doing the right thing! Mark can be contacted at Mark German’s contact page.

THE BAD NEWS…

The remaining sponsors have not yet initiated the same responsible actions as Mark German. Please contact these organizations and let them know (politely but firmly) that you will not promote or buy from companies that support the puppy mill industry. A simple email can go a long way.

Nutri Source contact page. Katie Riopel (KTK9), is the spokesperson for Nutri Source Dog Food on her local radio program. She is pro-rescue and may not be aware of Hunte’s connection to puppymills. Her contact information is heyktk9@peoplepc.com.

Royal Canin contact page

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We can only hope that a day will come when these faces will be no more, when people will have heart and compassion and empathy enough to never let these things happen to these innocent and defenseless creatures.

Not for the faint of heart but then again the harsh side of reality seldom ever is!

We Will Never Dance with the Devil Again

William C. Roberts, 57, Gloucester County, NJ, is well known to New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse, an industry watchdog group, they have been watching him for years and pressuring authorities to do something about him selling sick puppy mill dogs to unwary customers. Until now, they have never been able to get any evidence against him because he never let anyone into his home, all his puppy sales were strictly cash and took place out of his vehicle in parking lots or on street corners or at the buyer’s homes.

“We heard about him five years ago, when people started to complain. What he would do is sell sick dogs, give people medication for the dogs or take the dogs back and eventually stop returning phone calls. But he would never return their money,” Libby Williams, president of New Jersey Consumers Against Pet Shop Abuse said.

“The problem is he would never let you go to his home, so it was difficult to get grounds for investigations. He’d meet you at the Wawa or a supermarket or something,” she said.

Investigator Theresa Cooper from the NJSPCA finally managed to put together a case against Roberts based on complaints from 5 people who purchased puppies from him. Sgt. Jane Donoghue, also from the NJSPCA, then posed as a buyer, purchased a cockapoo from Roberts for $400 and had the dog inspected by a veterinarian, Goldberg said.

“The dog we purchased was sick, carrying communicable diseases, which is the basis of the fourth-degree charge against Roberts,” he said.

On Saturday, the NJSPCA executed warrants on William Roberts’ home in Franklinville in South Jersey, where they found 28 puppies crammed into cages in a basement closet.

“When I opened the closet, it was about 85 degrees in there. No ventilation. The dogs were covered in feces and sick. There were seven to a cage,” said Sy Goldberg, the society’s lieutenant colonel.

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April 12, 2008 Buckeye Dog Auction. Below is a summary of the 364 companions expected to be placed on the auction block beginning at 9:30 AM (137 males, 227 females):

1. Boston Terrier (11 males, 22 females)
2. Shelties (4 males, 9 females)
3. Miniature Schnauzers (5 males, 5 females)
4. Japanese Chin (0 male, 1 female)
5. Pomeranian (9 males, 12 females)
6. French Bulldog (1 male, 2 females)
7. Pekingese (1 male, 2 females)
8. Silky Terrier (3 males, 2 females)
9. Chihuahua (1 male, 2 females)
10. Miniature Pinchers (2 males, 0 females)
11. Affenpincher (1 male, 0 females)
12. Boxer (5 males, 8 females)
13. Lhasa Apso (1 male, 0 females)
14. Cocker Spaniel (5 males, 8 females)
15. Bichon (0 males, 4 females)
16. Shihtzu (16 males, 12 females)
17. Shihtzu/Silky (0 male, 1 female)
18. Havanese (7 males, 10 females)
19. Pugs (9 males, 15 females)
20. Cairn Terrier (1 male, 1 female)
21. Maltese (7 males, 15 females)
22. Westies (0 males, 1 female)
23. Brussels Griffon (0 males, 2 females)
24. Mini Dachshund (0 male, 1 female)
25. Dachshund (3 males, 5 females)
26. Fox Terrier (0 males, 2 females)
27. Toy Fox Terrier (0 males, 1 female)
28. Scotties (5 males, 2 females)
29. Papillon (1 male, 1 female)
30. Cavaliers (9 males, 19 females)
31. Coton (5 males, 9 females)
32. Mini Toy Poodles (5 males, 8 females)
33. Standard Poodles (4 males, 7 females)
34. Yorkies (5 males, 19 females)
35. English Bulldgs (1 male, 6 females)
36. Basset Hounds (1 male, 1 female)
37. Beagle (0 male, 2 females)
38. Springer Spaniel (1 male, 0 female)
39. Golden Retriever (0 male, 2 females)
40. Bulldog (0 male, 1 female)
41. Mixed Breeds (8 males, 7 females)

April 12 is also the day of “Taste of Holmes County Tour” sponsored by Amish Culture Tours (330-893-3248 - www.amishtoursofohio.com). As you might expect, a tour of dog breeding kennels is not among the list of activities planned for this event!

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I mentioned this the other day and just wanted to take a moment to remind everyone that Oprah is doing a segment on puppy mills. It’s long overdue that this horror is highlighted by a big name and that’s what Oprah is. She’ll be dedicating the show to the memory of her dearly departed cocker, Sophie, that recently passed away from kidney failure.

Says Winfrey, “Our show today is for anybody anywhere who loves a dog, has ever loved a dog, or just cares about their basic right to humane treatment. I’m dedicating this hour to my little Sophie, who you may have heard died last month.”

Here’s a note from Wayne Pacelle of the HSUS

I invite you to watch an extraordinary hour of television tomorrow (Friday, April 4): “The Oprah Winfrey Show” is scheduled to air a special episode highlighting the cruel realities of puppy mills.

Millions of “Oprah” show viewers will be shocked when they learn of the underhanded tactics and deplorable practices used to mass produce purebred puppies and designer dogs, as seen in an investigative report by Lisa Ling. Animal lovers nationwide will also see what impact these “factories” have on pet overpopulation.

I’ll be a guest on the show, sharing the expertise of The HSUS and our campaigns to stop puppy mills and end pet overpopulation.

So, find out when and where the show is in your area, watch it, record it but don’t miss it!! Tell friends, family, associates, everyone!  The more people who learn about puppy mills, exactly what they are, the more chance there is of chance, something desperately needed for these innocent and defenseless dogs.