Saturday, March 12, 2011

Missouri Puppy Mills: Entire Floor Surface of Dog Enclosure Covered in Feces

Background:
Late last year, researchers at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) spent weeks poring over state and federal inspection reports, investigators’ photographs, and enforcement records to compile a list of some of the worst puppy mills in Missouri, known as “Missouri’s Dirty Dozen.” The report included direct quotes detailing horrific care violations documented in the facilities’ federal and/or state kennel inspection reports The violations included thin-coated breeds like Italian greyhounds found shivering in the cold in temperatures as low as 9 degrees, dogs with open, oozing or bleeding sores, underweight dogs with their entire skeletal structures showing, and sick or dying puppies who had not been treated by a vet.

March 9, 2011, the HSUS released an update to this report.  The majority of the Missouri Dirty Dozen kennels are still state licensed and in operation.  On the same day, the Missouri Senate voted 20 - 14 to repeal Prop B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.  The Missouri House will vote on this issue soon.
If there is any doubt in your mind that MO Prop B, as written and passed by voters last November, is needed and provides essential protection for dogs, please read below for details from the Dirty Dozen update.

Mar-Don Kennel, Marsha Cox, Chillicothe, MO
Despite a long history of Animal Welfare Act violations and the recent cancellation of her federal license, Marsha Cox remains state licensed in 2011.  during her October 2010 USDA inspection, Cox reportedly refused to allow access to federal inspectors.  When asked why, she stated "Because you [USDA] had something to do with the Missouri dirty dozen."  Note:  the USDA did not work with the HSUS on the Missouri's Dirty Dozen report.  The HSUS used quotes from USDA records which are available to the public.

During her most recent USDA inspection in December 2010, Cox accumulagted repeat violations for animals outside in freezing temperatures without adequate protection from the cold and other serious welfare issues.  the inside temperature during that inspection was 25 degrees F, according to USDA inspectors, and it had been 9 degrees F the previous day.  When inspectors began to write her up for this and other infractions, Cox reportedly stated "I'm done with this crap," stomped inside the house and claimed she was giving yup her license, yet she didn't produce the license for surrender.  A recent review of federal license records found her lic ense was not cancelled until three months later.

Cox's previous Animal Welfare Act violations included a seriously underweight Maltese with skin lesins whom the inspector noted was "thin with prominent backbone, hipbones, and a tucked abdomen" and a 2 cm x 2 cm wound with crusted dried bglood;"  expired medications in the "puppy house," dogs in the heat without shade, houseing problems, and the "entire floor surface" of one enclosure "covered with wet feces."

Should Marsha Cox ever lose her Missouri state license, she appear to have backup nearby.  A relative, Lou Cox, owns a second puppy mill at an adjacent address.  Lou Cox also has multiple Animal Welfare Act violations on file with the USDA, yet remains both state and USDA licensed..

6 comments:

  1. My doggie Maya suddenly passed away on June 7, 2011, she was only 3 yrs old. I found out after I bought her she was delivered to the pet store very very sick. She had pneumonia and was on strong strong medicine when she was just 6 wks old. I am desparately trying to find answers on why she died so suddenly. After doing so research I believe she was born sick due to inbreeding and she came from Marsha Cox. Please beware!! You dont want to suffer the way I am. RIP Maya 10/11/07 - 6/7/11 Broken hearted Joanne, Plymouth Ma

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    1. Hi Joanne, I am so sorry to hear about your dog...so sad...I am from Central Massachusetts..2 years ago we purchased a puppy from a local pet store she was bred in Chillcothe, Missouri after doing some research i found out her breeder was one of "The Dirty Dozen" related to M. Cox ..2 days after we took her home she became terribly ill with Kennel Cough which lasted 4 months ...Pnemonia in both lungs ....Parasites etc...... she almost died... today she is well but when she was spayed she almost died a very unhealthy dog...she's is so sweet intelligent & loving ...iI can't imagine our world without her ...so precious...The Government needs to have stricter regulations on these inhumane Puppy Mills and the breeders should be prosecuted for cruelty & neglect to animals...when a child or animal is left in a car unattended in High Heat or Extreme Cold weather they are prosecuted... so why does this Government let these Puppy Mills/Breeders get by with this inhumane money making business...also feel that these pet stores should be investigated ...we walked in didnt know anythhing about us took our $985.00 and insurance fee purchasd trough te store and out we went...unbelievable...we spent over $1500.00 in vet bills ..the insurance Company is longgg gone..we have notified board of health and Attorney General...and of course nothing has been done about it...thsi may seem low on teir list of issues but on our list it's major...it's inhumane...and a living hell for the animals and us owners....I started a Facebook page "Pennys From Heaven"- for my dog "Penny "Lapomardo...please go on and share your story..Penny is one of the luckey ones who was saved and survived....I speak for all the puppys and dogs ..we have to speak for them...Again my heartfelt symapthy goes out to you for your loss...we often wonder about the Mom & Daddy Dogs...so abused to breed over and over...INHUMANE...
      Nancy Noel-Graves Oxford, Massachusetts 1/8/2014

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  2. Joanne, my heart goes out to you! Sending sympathy your way for your loss of your sweet Maya. Sue at Talking Dogs

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  3. Thanks Sue. When I am ready and strong again I want to start a campaign "One puppy mill at a time - Maya's cause" and do everything I can in my power to shut Marsha Cox down. Even if it takes me the rest of my life to do so. Then after she is closed, I will move on to the next one. It's just horrible. These wonderful little creatures cant do it, so we have to. Thanks again Sue

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  4. My heart goes out to all these beautiful innocent puppies and their parents who are so abused , neglected and can't speak ...so we need to speak for them...We purchased a cockapoo puppy from a puppy store in Central Massachusetts in January 2012. The puppy was extremley sick 2 days after purchasing her for $900.00 . I took her to the vet and was told she had pnemonia in both lungs, kennel cough, parasites. The puppy also had hernia surgery prior to our purchase she only weighed 4 lbs. my vet could not believe they had done surgery on her weighing that little. We spent well over $1500.00 on vet bills. The insurance the puppy store sold us is no longer in business. It was a long recovery for our puppy and it makes me disgusted to read about Puppy Mill owner Lou Cox in Chillicothe, MO ...this is where our puppy was breed. Our Government needs to illegalize Puppy Mills in this country it is humane, cruel,& abusive ...we have reported the Puppy Store to the Towns Board of Health, the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General Office in which nothing has been done. It is so upsetting to think we live in a country and let this inhumanity be legal...I often wonder what the mother to our puppy looks like and has gone through having breed so many pups ...i look into my pups eyes she's so precious and sweet how could there be such cruel heartless people who can live with themselves...sadly in the end it's all about the money...not humanity...i say to myself at least i saved 1 puppy and i would not trade her for the world... Nancy from Central Massachusetts

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  5. I worked for Lou Cox at her puppy mill, i lasted four months and couldn't take anymore. It was the sadest job i had, one perons to care for 60 small dogs and 30 large breeds. I prayed every night someone would shut her down.

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