Puppy Mills Exposed

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Completely ex mented hundreds of USDA inspectors, v1s1tmg that a dog purchased in a pet appeared on the "Geraldo" posed to the blaz cases of abuse and puppy mills less than an hour store was three times more show, where he delivered ing sun and the ill-treatment of dogs after HSUS investigators have likely to be ill if it came from powerfulon-camera rebuttals to freezing rain and at puppy mills, in found numerous violations of an out-of-state puppy-mill puppy-mill breeders' and snow, puppy-mill cluding starvation, AWA requirements, have re breeder than if it originated brokers' claims that HSUS con dogs are bred and lack of food and ported nothing wrong. One from a local Californiabreeder. cerns about animal treatment rebred repeatedly water, illness and USDA inspector even had her Hoyt charged, "The pet industry were exaggerated. When one and live in foul, un- puppy mill: the USDA has acted as though these dogs breeder tried to duck respon sanitary condi- disease, and lack of own tions. Puppies veterinary care. The knew about it, yet did nothing! are merely commodities to be sibility by blaming puppy-mill born in such puppy dogs are kept forjust Only after the HSUS boycott shipped and marketed like re conditions on the USDXs poor mills are often ill, one reason: to pro drew attention to the issue and frigerators or toasters. And con enforcement of animal-welfare are infested with duce puppies. They the inspector's puppy mill was sumers unknowingly buy sick regulations, Baker responded parasites, or suffer are bred and rebred shown on ABC's "20/20" did dogs. This is inexcusable." that the USDA is like a police from congenital repeatedly, and, if she resign. The news conference, part of force; even if a policeman defects. their reproductive In 1984, the General Account a presentation beamed by doesn't catch you breaking the capacity wanes, they ing Office, the investigative satellite throughout the nation, law, you're still responsible for are ruthlessly culled. branch of the federal govern was covered by Cable News your actions. They maybe left at a ment, found major deficiencies Network as well as bylocal sta Other national television shelter, but the great in the enforcement of the AWA tionsacross the country. NBC's shows ran puppy-mill segments majority are simply regulations concerning puppy killed. mills. The USDA pledged to do Puppy mills are in better-and nothing happened. stitutions of cruelty In 1989, the USDA created a institutions that have new division, the Regulatory been tacitly allowed Enforcement/Animal Care Pro to exist by the states gram (RE/ AC), which was to in which they prolif work exclusively on animal erate and by repre welfare. It, too, has been a sentatives of the dismal failure. In RE/AC's first federal government. twelve months, there were fewer Although all fifty violation cases reported than in federal officials who have done sales of those dogs dropped 40 states have anticruelty laws that the previous twelve months! little or nothing to enforce ex- percent. By the year's end, Kan should prevent neglect and isting legislationthat would help sas puppy mills were closing mistreatment of dogs in puppy The HSUS had been moni alleviate the suffering of these down, and Kansas animal shel mills, such laws are seldom en toring the USDXs poor animals, The HSUS took a bold ters overflowed with dogs that forced in rural areas, where performance and pushing for step and announced a nation had been turnedin due to volun most puppy mills are located. better enforcement of the AWA C!l . wide boycott of puppies from tary closings or raids, as the One estimate is that there are for over a decade. But, after � the six worst puppy-mill mounting public outcry forced 5,000 puppy mills in the six years of apathetic performance � states-Missouri, Kansas, Okla Kansas officials to step up en midwestern states targeted by and broken pledges, it was time i homa, Arkansas, Iowa, and Ne forcement of its animal-welfare theHSUS boycott,breeding ap to go straight to the consumer. c5 braska. Our announcement set statutes. The pressure is on proximately 500,000 puppies Puppies from puppy mills are HSUS investigator Bob Baker describes the horrors of puppy off an explosion of national at puppy mills, and The HSUS in annually. often ill, carry heavy loads of mills at the LosAngeles pressconference at which HSUS Presi tention and media coverage of tends to keep it on. We want to There is also a federal law parasites-some types of which dent John A. Hoyt (far right) announced the HSUS boycott. that protects puppy-mill dogs: may be communicable to hu Maybe they thought they fie in suffering and misery the horrendous conditions at end the suffering that has gone could continue to get would continue unchallenged. puppy mills and the problems on so long. the Animal Welfare Act (AWA), mans-or sufferfrom congenital "Today Show" announced the as well, including CBS's "Face away with it. Maybe they They were wrong. associated with puppy-mill pup which requires wholesale com defects. The time had come to boycott the morningof the news to Face with Connie Chung," thought that, hidden as they They-the mass commercial pies. Kansas, a state with some puppy mill is a nightmare mercial dealers to be licensed, tell the public, "Don't buy conference, and local TV sta which featured HSUS President were in sparsely populated, breeders who raise dogs in in of the worst puppy mills in the Acome true. Hundreds of inspected, and regulated to en puppy-mill puppies!" tions were able to pick up HSUS Hoyt, ABC's "Good Morning, rural areas, no one would notice humane conditions-were country, became the focus of a dogs may be crammed together sure humane standards of care. We announced our boycott in footage of puppy mills from the America," and the "CBS Eve the squalid, filthy kennels and wrong, because The HSUS has furor that threatened both its in pens and cages, usually wire, But the U.S. Department of California in May, at press con satellite. ning News." The print media cages that house thousands of been fighting a relentless, non economy and national image. completely exposed to heat and Agriculture (USDA), the federal ferences in Los Angeles and National television talk and also jumped on theboycott band ill-treated dogs kept as breeding stop battle against puppy mills Pennsylvania found itself ex cold, the blazing sun, and the agency responsible for the Sacramento, where California news shows pursued the story wagon; the wire services picked stock to supply the nation's pet formore than ten years and will posed as a puppy-mill state, freezing rain and snow. Their AWXs enforcement, has been Assemblyman Sam Farr joined and ran with it, tapping HSUS it up immediately, and the New stores withpuppies. Maybe they continue to fight to help the suf too-and was added to the excrement lies everywhere, con outrageously lax in its enforce HSUS President John A. Hoyt investigators as experts on the York magazine 7 Days ran an thought law-enforcement of feringdogs and puppies that are boycott-when HSUS investiga taminating food and water bowls ment. Many of the worst puppy and called upon Californiacon issue. In addition to appearing article that included quotes from ficials would continue to tum a the innocent victimsof this cruel tors uncovered the existence of and creating an overwhelming mills that HSUS investigators sumers to boycott puppy-mill on the "20/20" segment, which Baker and photographs provided blind eye to their many viola commerce. 1990 marked a turn a thriving puppy-mill industry stench that permeates the air have seen, the ones with the dogs. Farr released a report showedmoving shots of sick and by The HSUS. A Gannett News tions of state and federal laws. ing point in our campaign. Frus there. In California, a major even in the coldest weather. most deplorable conditions, from the California Assembly frightened puppy-mill dogs, Service puppy-mill story went Maybe they thought their traf- trated by the apathy of state and market for puppy-mill puppies, HSUS investigators have docu- have been USDA licensed! Office of Research that showed HSUS investigator Bob Baker nationwide and resulted in an editorial in USA Todnyblasting but, through our boycott, we puppy mills. hope to pressure states, in cluding Kansas, to enforce the ll the publicity had a animal regulationsth eyhave and marked effectin Kansas, to pass legislation where none Support the HSUS boycott. Tell everyone not to buy pet-store Awhere Kansas Attorney Gen exists. "If consumers make it dogs that come from Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Nebraska, eral Bob Stephan's initial reac unprofitableto breed puppies in Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. tion was to call people who these factories, we're confident Write "Letters to the Editor" to your local newspapers, asking were concerned about inhu these appalling conditions will readers not to buy pet-store dogs from the boycotted states. Visit mane conditions in Kansas end," says John A. Hoyt. your local pet store to determine where it obtains its puppies. Don't puppy mills "bozos"; he de be misled by claims that its dogs are not puppy-mill dogs. Insist clared, "Any self-respecting hrough years of under on seeing the AKC papers or the interstate health certificate ac Kansan ought to tell them to go cover investigations that companying each puppy. While the existence of such documents to hell." He soon had to haveT exposedconditions at hun does not guarantee the quality or health of a puppy, the papers will change his tune, however, as dreds of midwestem puppy list the breeder's and/or wholesaler's name and address. the public made it clear that it mills, years of pressuring the Contact your member of the U.S. House of Representatives and did not share that attitude. USDA for better enforcementof your two U.S. senators, asking them to urge the USDA to strictly Stephan, acting on the recom the AWA, years of fighting toget enforce the Animal Welfare Act. This act requires commercial mendations of HSUS Midwest good legislation passed to pro breeders raising dogs forpet stores to be licensed, regulated, and Regional Director Wendell tect the animals trapped in the inspected by the USDA. Express your outrage that the USDA has Maddox, agreed to a raid that puppy-mill trade, The HSUS been extremely negligent in the enforcement of the AWA. Mem- closed down a Kansas puppy has proven its commitment to bers of Congress can be contacted: The Honorable ___, U.S. mill, and its owners were later these suffering animals. We will Capitol, Washington, DC 20510. convicted of cruelty to animals continue to work on behalf of One of the worst puppy-mill states is Kansas. Write to Kansas and violating the 1988 Kansas puppy-mill dogs (we still hope governorJoan Finney, asking her to end thecruelty of puppymills animal-dealers law. (This good to forcethe USDA to enforce its now. Suggest that she impose fees on puppy mills that could be law, which The HSUS had regulations more vigorously) used for enforcement of the Kansas law thatregulates thesefacilities. been instrumental in getting and to bring pressure tobear on Inform her that, until she takes action against these cruel breeding passed and was designed to en state and federal officialsto stop kennels, you will urge others to boycott Kansas dogs. Governor sure more humane treatment the mass production and expor Finney's address is: State Capitol, Second Floor, Topeka, KS 66612. for dogs in puppy mills, has tation of sick and traumatized Finally, help The HSUS continue its fight to help all animals suffered from lack of enforce dogs. There must be vigorous that suffer at the hands of man-including those in puppy mills. ment and an apathetic attitude enforcement of existinglaws and Please use the enclosed postage-paid envelope to send your con on the part of state officials.) regulations or the establish tribution today. More raids followed: in Au ment of new re gust, 30 dogs were seized from quirements, if an Arkansas City, Kansas, ken necessary, in or nel; in October, 126 dogs were der to close taken from a kennel in Ottawa, down puppy Kansas. This was promising mills and ensure action, but the Kansas legis humane treat lature, attempting to cover up ment of dogs rather than clean up, had earlier trapped in com enacted a law that makes it a mercial kennels. felony to photograph a puppy Through our mill facility. This move will boycott and the make future investigations attention it has more difficult and shift more garnered, we've responsibility to law-enforce turned the spot ment agencies, traditionally the light on puppy worst prosecutors of animal mills; now it's wa: cruelty cases. It does not bode time forthem to well for the dogs that continue clean up their => to sufferin Kansas puppy mills, act. ■ CJ)

West Vuginia residents may obtain a summary of The HSUS's registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.