Say Neigh to Premarin and Equine Cruelty #BTC4A

Before we began farming with draft horses I had never heard of PMU horses.  That's what the mares used to produce the drug Premarin are called. When I found out about them and the cruel lives they have on what are essentially factory farms, it broke my heart.

Premarin is a common drug prescribed to millions of women world wide as a hormone replacement therapy.  The name stands for PREgant MAres uRINe since the drug is produced from the hormones naturally present in the mare's urine.

PMU mares are usually Belgian draft horses or Belgian / Quarter Horse crosses.  Mares are kept in continuous cycles of pregnancy until they can no longer get in foal.  For most of their 11 month pregnancies, these horses are confined to stalls so small that they cannot turn around or even take more than one step in any direction.  Each wears a catheter and rubber urine collection bag at all times which often causes chafing and lesions.

Rarely are they allowed to freely drink water since that would dilute the concentration of their urine. With no exercise they can't even stretch their muscles or flex their joints as any horse would naturally do.  The average lifespan for these horse breeds is usually around 24 years.  PMU urine line mares live to be around 8 years old.

The mares only go off the urine line to give birth to their foals and be impregnated again.  This cycle is not only cruel to the PMU mares, but it has created an overabundance of unwanted foals, most of who end up sold to the slaughter industry. It's estimated that a filly foal has a 90% chance of going to slaughter;  a colt foal 99% chance.

"See the foals - and the mares which can't get pregnant any more - they are the byproduct of the PMU industry.  ...We crush 'em and recycle 'em, just like [aluminum] cans."
~ Canadian Slaughterhouse Buyer

Beginning with the introduction of Premarin in the 1940's, it's estimated more than 1 million foals have been slaughtered thanks to the production of this family of drugs alone.

The number of PMU farms in North America has decreased over the years from 400 at the peak of manufacture to about 26 currently according some sources.  However, like so many other things these days, PMU farm are springing up in other places like China and Kazakhstan.   


What you can do:
If you currently take Premarin, Prempak-C or Premphase, ask your doctor about equally effective synthetic or plant based alternaties like:

• Cenestin
• Estrace
• Estraderm
• Ogen
• OrthoEst
• Estratab
• Menest
• Estinyl
• Estrovirus
• OrthoDienestrol
• Tace
• Climara

For more reading on this issue:

•  The Humane Society
• The Horse Fund
• Last Chance for Animals
• Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue
• Premarin.Org
• Equine Advocates
• Equine Voices

Join Talking Dogs, Heart Like a Dog, Pet Faves, and CindyLu’s Muse in this quarter’s Blog the Change for Animals. Here’s to all the creatures we love so dearly!

Missouri Dog Dragged Behind Truck Ready for Adoption

Trooper today  Photo: HSMO.org

You probably remember reading about Trooper.  A year ago, when he was only 5 months old, he barely survived being dragged nearly a mile down interstate highway while tied behind a pickup truck.  He suffered serious injuries to joints of three legs and soft tissue injuries to his face and body.  Rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri, Trooper received much needed veterinary care and rehabilitation.

Trooper Nov 2012   Photo: HSMO.org

This summer Trooper ruptured the cranial cruciate ligament in his right knee which resulted in successful surgery.  In addition to being at increased risk for injuring the ligament in his left knee for the next year or two, Trooper also has luxating patellas.  Two surgical attempts at repair have not corrected the problem.  Though Trooper needs regular exercise, he should not be considered as a running partner. 

Trooper is now available for adoption.  He'd prefer a home without other animals and with older children.  The Humane Society of Missouri is accepting online applications through midnight November 17, 2013.

You might want to fetch the HSMO Trooper Store which features Trooper themed gifts for animal lovers.  All proceeds from Trooper merchandise go to investigate, heal and prevent animal abuse and are donated to one of the largest animal rescue teams in the United States:  the Humane Society of Missouri's Animal Cruelty Task Force and Disaster Response Team.  Items available for purchase include:  Trooper book and plush toy, Trooper 2014 calendar, and a Team Trooper dog tag necklace.


Talking Dogs is the official blog of For Love of a Dog Jewelry.

Busted: Dog Fighting Ring in KS MO and TX

Photo: ASPCA

According to a press release from the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals:

At the request of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the United States Attorney’s Office, the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), in conjunction with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and Henry County Sheriff’s Department, assisted in a multi-state, federal dog fighting raid in Missouri, Kansas and Texas this past weekend. The ASPCA managed the removal and transport of nearly 100 dogs involved in the investigation, and is overseeing forensic evidence collection, as well as the dogs’ veterinary care and sheltering.
A search warrant was executed on Saturday night in Kansas, after the FBI raided a location suspected of holding a contract dog fight in north Texas. The ASPCA and other agencies, including the Humane Society of North Texas (HSNT), assisted in the seizure of the dogs. Two additional warrants were served on Sunday morning for the removal of the dogs in Missouri.
The dogs were transferred to a temporary shelter in an undisclosed location, where they will receive veterinary care from the ASPCA’s medical team, led by Dr. Sarah Kirk, medical director of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response. The HSNT will manage the transport of dogs seized from the Texas investigation.
Agencies assisting the ASPCA with the sheltering operation include: Wayside Waifs (Kansas City, Mo.); International Fund for Animal Welfare (Yarmouth Port, Mass.); Nebraska Humane Society (Omaha, Ne.); Humane Society of North Texas (Fort Worth, Texas); Dallas Animal Services (Dallas, Texas); Sumter Disaster Animal Response Team (Bushnell, Fla.); and Great Plains SPCA (Merriam, Kan.).

The ASPCA Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) team, assisting under the direction of the FBI, is collecting forensic evidence to be submitted for prosecution. The CSI team brings state-of-the-art forensics tools and expertise to crime scenes in order to strengthen cases. The ASPCA will also collect DNA samples from the dogs and submit them to Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the nation’s first criminal dog-fighting DNA database, which will help law enforcement agencies identify relationships between dogs and enable investigators to establish connections between breeders, trainers and dog fighting operators.

The ASPCA was contacted for assistance by the FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the criminal investigation, evidence collection, rescue and sheltering efforts of the case. The ASPCA has assisted local and federal authorities in previous dog fighting cases, including the largest dog fighting seizure in U.S. history in Missouri in 2009, and the following year established its Blood Sports unit to investigate dog fighting and cockfighting across the country.

Dog fighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Additional illegal activities are often connected with dog fighting, such as drug and weapons violations. Earlier this year, the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act was reintroduced in the U.S. Congress, which would make it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and impose additional penalties for bringing a minor to a fight. For more information on the ASPCA’s efforts to tackle animal fighting and to join the ASPCA Advocacy Brigade, please click here.

According to the Associated Press, two men were charged in the U.S. District Court for Kansas, with one count each of transporting animals for participation in an animal fighting venture in interstate commerce. 

The complaint accuses the men of holding weekly dogfights in northwest Missouri, training the dogs at a home residence in Kansas City, Kansas, where the dogs were put on treadmills with live chickens used as bait.  The complaint also says at least one dog was taken to Texas last weekend for fighting.

Chihuahuas Shih Tzu Dogs Rescued in Missouri

Animals living in filth at an unlicensed Johnson County, Missouri, breeding facility had an early trick or treat.

On October 30, 2012, the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force worked in cooperation with the Johnson County Sheriff's Office and the Missouri Department of Agriculture to rescue 45 Chihuahua, Chihuahua mix and Shih Tzu dogs and one rabbit from an unlicensed breeding facility near Warrensburg.

The dogs, 44 adults and three 2-3 week old puppies, were found living inside a residence in extremely unsanitary conditions.  Many were housed in stacked, wire crates with two to three animals per crate, living in piles of their own waste. 

No food or water was available to most of the dogs.  Several of the dogs are underweight, many are infested with parasites, have eye infections and are encrusted with feces on paws and legs.  The rabbit had inadequate shelter and no food or water.

On October 30, the Johnson County Sheriff's Office served a warrant to inspect, care for or impound neglected or abused animals found on the property.  The dogs and rabbit were removed at the recommendation of a veterinarian for the Missouri Department of Agriculture. 

The rescued dogs and rabbit were transported to the Humane Society of Missouri Headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.  

A hearing is scheduled for Friday, November 16 in Warrensburg, MO to determine custody of the animals.  If custody is awarded to the Humane Society of Missouri, as many of the animals as possible will be made available for adoption.  The Humane Society of Missouri will be recommending animal abuse charges in this case.

Dogs Cats Horses Rescued in Galena Missouri

 The Animal Cruelty Task Force of the Humane Society of Missouri says they'll be recommending animal abuse charges for a Galina, Missouri animal owner.  

On October 16, 2012, they worked in cooperation with the Stone County (MO) Sheriff's Office to rescue 10 horse, 15 dogs, 5 cats, a chicken and a duck from a property west of Galena, Missouri in Stone County.

Humane Society Animal Cruelty Investigators and Stone County Sheriff's Department detectives had been working for several months with the owner of the animals to encourage proper care for the animals.  With little to no improvement made, the sheriff's office determined that a warrant should be obtained to inspect the property with the possibility of removing animals at risk.

At least seven of the horses are severely underweight and have had little access to food, fresh water, adequate pasture or veterinary care.  One horse was more than 600 pounds underweight and so weak he could barely get on and off the trailer.

The cats appear thin and many of the dogs were tethered outside with little to no access to adequate food or clean water.  Two recently deceased horses and a recently deceased dog also were found on the property.  The live animals were removed at the recommendation of a veterinarian for the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

According to Kathy Warnick, President of the Humane Society of Missouri:

Life for Sid, a 4-year-old West Highland Terrier mix, has been anything but easy. Our Animal Cruelty Task Force found him living in filth -- the floors covered with trash, animal waste and grime. Fleas crawled all over him, and so much of his hair was missing that it was difficult to determine his breed. We watched as he paced around the room, scratching his poor body against walls, couches, recliners; whatever was available that might provide a little relief.

Sid was in terrible shape. Neglected. Underfed. Without proper veterinary care. And he wasn't alone.

Walking through the rest of the house, we discovered a Bassett Hound whose nails were so long they had grown into his paw. And it was Sid who alerted us to a third dog, and the biggest heartbreak of the rescue. There in the bathroom lay a Beagle. Sid stood beside his friend and desperately tried to nudge him awake. But it was too late. The Beagle had died from heinous abuse and neglect. It was a heart-wrenching sight, and one we won't soon forget.

Today the rescued dogs are receiving care at the Humane Society of Missouri. Sid is suffering from sarcoptic mange, fleas, a double ear infection and he has a heart murmur. Our expert veterinary and shelter staff are doing everything they can, but his recovery will require weeks upon months of care.

The rescued horses, duck and chicken were transported o the Humane Society of Missouri's Longmeadow Rescue Ranch in Union, MO.  The rescued dogs and cats were taken to the Humane Society of Missouri Headquarters in St Louis, MO.

A disposition hearing to determine custody of the animals is scheduled for later this month in Galena, MO.  If custody is awarded to the Humane Society of Missouri, as many of the animals as possible will be made available for adoption.

Missouri - Horse Slaughter Capital of the World?

Image: Stop Horse Slaughter

In November, the US Congress lifted a 5 year ban on horse slaughter for human consumption.  Wyoming based Unified Equine is planning a new plant in Mountain Grove, Missouri, that will slaughter somewhere between 200 and 400 horses per day. 

Only a handful of states allow the plants.  Missouri is among them.

So far, the Mountain Grove plant is still in the planning stages.  The meat produced would primarily be shipped overseas, but some would find its way to specialty stores in the US.

Horse lovers and other Ozarks folks are not all happy about this proposal.  [A petition to oppose the horse slaughter plant can be found on Change.org.]  And not all residents want Mountain Grove to be known as the horse slaughter capital of the world.  

Proponents of the slaughter plant often suggest this is a solution for the problem of suffering old or ill horses.  

However, as Wayne Pacelle, president of the Humane Society of the United States, points out:  "According to the company's own literature, the plant would not be for old or sick horses."  This plant will be "procuring mature horses that are in good shape and free of disease.  The company is also not ruling out the possibility the plant may get horses bred specifically for slaughter.

Critics say horse slaughter is always fraught with terror, pain, and suffering.  You may view Humane Society of the United States undercover video showing still conscious horses being shackled and hoisted by a rear leg before their throats are cut.

The Missouri Ozarks already has a reputation for meth labs and puppy mills.  Horse Slaughter Capital may be next.

Conway Missouri Puppy Mill A-Lick-A-Hope Kennels Closed

Another Missouri puppy mill has been shut down.  Lori Gross, owner and operator of A-Lick-A-Hope Kennels in Conway, Missouri is now prohibited from operating any dog breeding facility in the state for ten years.

Located just a few miles from us, we're dog-goned glad to see it closed.  Conditions reported in our local newspaper were shocking.  We're equally bothered by the number of locals who seemingly knew all about it, yet turned a blind eye and did not report the abuse.  Until now.

Missouri Department of Agriculture inspections of her operation revealed numerous violations of state animal welfare laws including:

• Failure to provide clean, dry bedding
• Failure to provide wind and rain breaks to protect the dogs from the elements
• Failure to keep food receptacles clean and sanitized
• Failure to provide clean drinking water
• Failure to collect and remove animal waste
• Faiture to clean and sanitize the facility
• Failure to provide housing that protected the animals from injury
• Failure to provide adequate veterinary care to animals obviously in medical distress.

In addition to being prohibited from doing business in Missouri, Gross has also been assessed a $1,000 civil penalty, $100 for inspection fees, and assessed all costs associated with the court case that resulted in these penalties.

Since the passage of the Missouri Animal Care Facilities Act and Canine Cruelty Prevention Act, there's been a real crackdown thanks to the dedication of Missouri Attorney General Chris Kostner and Director of Agriculture Dr. Jon Hagler.   A Canine Cruelty Prevention Unit was established, more inspectors were added and we've seen many dog breeding operations closed.  The Missouri Canine Cruelty Prevention Unit reports over 5,500 dogs have been rescued from substandard facilities since January 2009.

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44 Dogs Rescued from Unlicensed Breeder in Stone County, Missouri

HSMO Photo

On January 17, 2012, Working in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Stone County Sheriff's Office, the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued 44 dogs and 1 cat from an unlicensed breeder in Stone County, Missouri.  The dogs included Pugs, Shi Tzus, Chihuahua, Pit Bull mixes  and other small dog breed adults and puppies.

According to HSMO, Many of these animals were kept inside a trailer, where the carpet and flooring was soaked through with urine and feces.  Nursing mothers and their puppies were covered in their own waste.  Some dogs were tethered outside and left to suffer in freezing temperatures.

HSMO staff provided each animal with a thorough veterinary exam and cleaning.  Some of these dogs are suffering from hair loss, dental disease, skin conditions, and untreated injuries.  Several of them are malnourished and most will require spay or neuter surgery.

Most of these dogs will need many weeks of treatment before they are healthy and can be made available for adoption.  Updates will be available on the HSMO website at www.hsmo.org 

Dog Politics: Mitt Romney, Seamus & the now infamous vacation

Seamus  Photo from Boston.com

What kind of a guy takes the family dog along on vacation by loading said dog into a dog carrier and tying it onto the vehicle's roof rack?  

Who would do such a thing for a few miles, let alone a 12 hour drive?  And when confronted by evidence that the dog is in obvious distress, what kind of guy would simply hose off the dog and car and continue on the journey?


Mitt Romney, that's who.

In 2007, Neil Swidey and Stephanie Ebbert wrote an exhaustive seven part investigative story about Mitt Romney for The Boston Globe.   In Part 4 of The Making of Mitt Romney, they tell a story of Mitt Romney and the family Irish Setter, Seamus.

In 1983 the Romney family was traveling from Boston to Ontario - a 12 hour trek - in their Chevy station wagon. As Swidey reports:   Before beginning the drive, Mitt Romney put Seamus, the family's hulking Irish setter, in a dog carrier and attached it to the station wagon's roof rack. He'd built a windshield for the carrier, to make the ride more comfortable for the dog.

Then Romney put his boys on notice: He would be making predetermined stops for gas, and that was it.

The ride was largely what you'd expect with five brothers, ages 13 and under, packed into a wagon they called the ''white whale.''

As the oldest son, Tagg Romney commandeered the way-back of the wagon, keeping his eyes fixed out the rear window, where he glimpsed the first sign of trouble. ''Dad!'' he yelled. ''Gross!'' A brown liquid was dripping down the back window, payback from an Irish setter who'd been riding on the roof in the wind for hours.

As the rest of the boys joined in the howls of disgust, Romney coolly pulled off the highway and into a service station. There, he borrowed a hose, washed down Seamus and the car, then hopped back onto the highway. It was a tiny preview of a trait he would grow famous for in business: emotion-free crisis management.

Crisis management?  When I first became aware of this story, I couldn't believe it was true.  Now, knowing that it is a fact, I suggest that it provides a unique glimpse into his character and moral conscience.

In today's Boston Globe's Magazine, Swidey writes about the incident in the article What our fascination with Mitt Romney's dog Seamus says about our culture.  Among other things, Swidey reminds readers that standards were different in 1983 and notes: 

Although I think it would be nuts for voters to base their presidential selection solely on this incident, it’s always struck me as a valuable window into how Romney operates. In everything the guy does, he functions on logic, not emotion.

Standards may have been different in 1983, however such actions certainly didn't come under the heading of kindness to animals.  It calls into question this guy's basic sensitivity to other living creatures.  Especially troubling is that when questioned about the incident these days, Romney laughs.

A guy who would do such a thing to a family dog that he "loves" and laugh about it, is not a guy I want holding any elective office.  Let alone that of President of the United States.
 

In her article Dogs and Presidential Candidates for The Daily Beast, Leslie Bennetts notes that Ingrid Newkirk of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) describes the incident as torture.  To which Romney replied that PETA has targeted him because he once went quail hunting, approved a rodeo as part of the Salt Lake City Olympics celebration and said:

They're not happy that my dog likes fresh air.

Have a look at this current day video from Fox News Sunday and listen to Romney's explanation to Chris Wallace:

Ireland Bans Puppy Mills

Irish Puppy Farm Photo courtesy MVFA

According to Irish Central, Ireland has banned puppy mills.  New Irish laws took effect on New Year's Day that outlaw intensive dog breeding operations.  All puppies must now be microchipped so that the dog breeder can be identified, and authorities can inspect and shut down any facility that fails to meet the standards set by the new regulations.

The new anti-puppy farming legislation makes it impossible to produce hundreds of puppies in filthy and overcrowded kennels.  Dog breeders will be allowed to keep large numbers of animals, but only under strict conditions and standards set down by the new regulations.  All dog breeders must also be registered with their local authority to comply with the new rules.  


Activists have fought for years to protect puppies from unscrupulous breeders and get rid of Ireland's reputation as the Puppy Farm of Europe.  Now the Welfare of Greyhounds Act and the Dogs Breeding Establishments Act will enable the Irish government to clean up the country's act.

Opinion: Harrisburg Re-thinking Dog Killing Order

According to Reuters, Pennsylvania's capital city Harrisburg is reconsidering their policy of having police officers shoot stray dogs.  

As you probably already know, Harrisburg lacks the money to pay an animal shelter to take in strays, so its police department issued a memo last month giving officers the option of shooting dangerous dogs and roppping their carcasses at a state Department of Agriculture loading dock.

A December 5, 2011 police memo directed Harrisburg police officers to either offer the dogs for adoption to the person who called to report a stray, adopt the animals themselves, take them to an area where it would be safe to release them, or kill them.   In spite of the fact that Pennsylvania state law requires stray dogs to be kept for 48 hours before any decision is made to euthanize them.

Though police have yet to take that extreme measure, controversy generated by dog lovers has led to the city re-thinking their policy. 

Like many cities in our country, Harrisburg is in big financial trouble.  The city attempted to declare bankruptcy, but that effort was struck down by a federal court last month.  What made their situation big national news:  their stray dog policy.

Dog lovers are outraged.  And, in my opinion, rightly so.  However, it does make me wonder about the stray dog policies and practices (they are not always the same thing) of the thousands of government entities in our country.  I wonder about the laws on the books and I wonder about cruelty that will become, if it hasn't already, institutionalized.

For example, in the very rural county I currently live in, stray dogs have been shot by law enforcement.  In fact, stray dogs have been tied to fences and then shot.  Execution style.   

The local humane society and animal shelter does receive some assistance from the city, however have never been successful at obtaining any from the county.  In fact, some county commissioners have questioned the shelter's euthanasia procedures, suggesting a bullet would be more cost effective.

Of course, their official reason for not funding the animal shelter is lack of funds.  Shrinking income and rising costs are cited.  That must be why they are currently spending tens of thousands of dollars installing a new ground source heating system in a relatively new county government complex.

Animal welfare is not a priority where I live.  Mohandas Gandhi said:  The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals.   If my home county were measured on such a scale, it would score about a 1.  

With the very real affects of the economic downturn, it's not going to get better anytime soon.

92 Pets Rescued in Branson Missouri

Branson, MO Dog Rescued by HSMO..

The Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force, working in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), rescued 40 dogs and 52 other animals from a property in Branson (Taney County) Missouri on November 30, 2011.  Animals included:  doves, Conyer parrots, cockatiels, love birds, a Ringneck parrot, hamsters, cats, chinchillas, ferrets, rats, and rabbits.

According to HSMO, the animals were living in very unsanitary conditions with the overwhelming smell of urine obvious to the rescuers as they entered the house.  Animals not free roaming were housed in substandard cages, crates and kennels throughout the house and outside of the owner's personal residence.  Several of the dogs and birds appeared to be very thin and one dog has a long-standing, untreated injury to its paw.  According to the owner, she was operating a personal animal rescue service.

The owner agreed to voluntarily surrender the animals to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, which immediately transferred permanent custody to the HSMO for veterinary treatment and shelter.

As these pets become healthy over the next several weeks, as many of them as possible will be made available for adoption.  Interested adopters are asked to visit the Humane Society of Missouri web site to view all adoptable animals.

Puppy Mills: HSUS Investigation of NY Pet Stores Selling Puppies

MO Puppy Mill Photo from HSUS  

In anticipation of the busiest puppy-buying season of the year - the winter holidays - The Humane Society of the United States has revealed the results of its latest hidden-camera investigation; exposing more than 100 New York state pet stores that supply unsuspecting consumers with puppies from inhumane large-scale commercial breeders known as puppy mills. 

Many Web sites or employees of these stores imply or explicitly state that the puppies come only from small-scale “private breeders”—not from notorious puppy mills.

“These high-priced pet stores claim to sell dogs from small private breeders, but are actually pushing dogs from huge Midwest puppy mills with some of the worst federal Animal Welfare Act violations imaginable,” said Jonathan Lovvorn, senior vice president for investigations at The HSUS. “Consumers are being duped into buying puppies born to breeding dogs who spend their entire lives trapped in tiny wire cages, churning out litter after litter.”

An HSUS investigator, along with businessman Lorenzo Borghese from ABC’s “The Bachelor,” went undercover as “shoppers” and caught sales staff at 11 New York City-area pet stores making misleading claims concerning the origin of their puppies. Shipping documents were also obtained for more than 100 New York State pet stores. The investigation revealed:

• All 11 stores videotaped by HSUS investigators purchased their puppies from large-scale commercial breeding facilities, despite specific claims of “no puppy mills” or misleading statements implying that their sources were small “private breeders.” When HSUS investigators filmed some of these breeding facilities they found hundreds of dogs confined to small cages.
• More than 100 pet stores in New York that were investigated through a public records search were shown to have purchased more than 4,500 puppies from similar commercial large-scale breeding or brokering operations in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Oklahoma during approximately a four-month period in 2011. More than 3,000 puppies were shipped to New York stores from Missouri alone during that period. Missouri is the puppy mill capital of America.
• All of the stores visited by investigators and many of the 100 stores whose puppy transport records were examined were found to be buying puppies from suppliers with known Animal Welfare Act violations, including some with citations for filthy conditions, lack of adequate space, underweight breeding animals, dogs found in the freezing cold or high heat without adequate weather protection, or sick or injured dogs in need of veterinary care.
• Some of the stores investigated (but none of the stores visited in person) were even found purchasing from an unlicensed, convicted animal abuser, Kathy Jo Bauck, aka Kathy Cole, whose USDA license was revoked after years of extreme state and federal animal care violations for issues such as dogs with open and bleeding wounds who had not been treated by a vet, piles of accumulated feces, and puppies found shivering in the cold in temperatures as low as 12 degrees F. Bauck was ordered to stop performing surgeries on dogs without a veterinary license in 2006, and convicted of animal cruelty and torture in 2009.
• Seven of the stores investigated by The HSUS were buying puppies from Brandi Cheney, who was identified in The HSUS’s Missouri‘s Dirty Dozen report last year as one of the worst puppy mill operators in Missouri. More than 500 pages of USDA inspection and enforcement reports on breeding facilities linked to Cheney reflect the facilities’ failure to provide vet care to sick and dying dogs, dogs subjected to below-freezing temperatures with inadequate shelter and dogs with such severe matting that the removal of the mats left oozing, open sores. Four additional puppy mills highlighted in the HSUS’ Missouri’s Dirty Dozen report were also found selling to New York pet stores.
• One salesman refused to give breeder information to the undercover shoppers, repeating three times, “I have nothing to hide.” The investigation found his store purchased puppies from Brandi Cheney.

 

Puppy Mill Facts:

• Dogs at puppy mills typically receive little to no medical care, live in squalid conditions with no exercise, socialization or human interaction and are confined inside cramped wire cages for life. For more information, see humanesociety.org/puppymills.
• Dogs from puppy mills are sold in pet stores, online and directly to consumers with little to no regard for the dog's health, genetic history or future welfare.
• The HSUS urges people who want to get a puppy to consider adopting from a shelter or rescue group first. If deciding to buy from a breeder, potential buyers should always visit the breeder in person to see that the dogs are treated humanely and ensure the puppies and their parents are living in spacious, clean areas. For more information, see humanesociety.org/puppy.

Puppy Mills: Over 30 Dogs Rescued in Christian County MO

36 dogs have been rescued from an unlicensed dog breeder in Christian County, MO.  Dogs were found all housed in stacked crates in a filthy basement.

Acting on information from a local animal control facility and working in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA), on October 13 the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force rescued 36 Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese, 32 adults and 4 puppies, from an unlicensed breeding facility near Ozark, Mo. in Christian County.

The dogs were living in deplorable conditions in the basement of the owner’s home. The dogs’ crates were stacked on top of each other with many of the dogs and puppies living in their own waste.  The concrete floor was wet with urine. The dogs appeared to be thin with coats matted with feces and urine. The only available water and food for the animals was contaminated with feces.

The owner agreed to voluntarily surrender the animals to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, which immediately transferred permanent custody to the Humane Society of Missouri for veterinary treatment and sheltering.

The rescued animals will arrive tomorrow at the Humane Society of Missouri's Headquarters on Macklind Ave in St Louis.  As they become healthy over the next several weeks, as many of the dogs as possible will be made available for adoption.  Interested adopters are asked to visit the Humane Society of Missouri web site to see all adoptable dogs.

Puppy Mills: Some Good News for Dogs

Well, the news is not so good that we're jumping for joy or anything, but when it comes to puppy mills, we cheer for any little bit of good news and our tails are wagging today.

According to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, not only has there been a dramatic increase in the number of commercial dog breeder inspections in the past two years, but 60 more dog breeders have closed their operations since June 2011.  Translation:  from January 2009 to the present, there has been a one-third reduction in the number of licensed commercial dog breeders in the state of Missouri. 

Now, that's definitely something to bark about!

Many folks, like Bob Baker, Executive Director for the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, believe this decrease can be attributed to increasing public awareness brought about by the MO Prop B campaign, increased enforcement efforts by the MO Dept of Agriculture, as well as the passage of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.  Baker also reports:

"Not only have we seen increased efforts by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, but we are also witnessing a remarkable change in attitude from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).  At a recent meeting with commercial dog breeders, USDA officials proclaimed that their days of educating breeders are over and that the USDA is now in "enforcement" mode. The message repeated over and over again, by several USDA officials, was to clean up your act and comply with the law or get out of the business.  One USDA inspector told the 200 plus breeders in attendance that if they truly want to rid themselves of the moniker of "puppy mill," they need to stop confining their dogs in tiny cages.  He stated that the new law here in Missouri will help accomplish that change.   

"Dr. Chester Gipson, who is responsible for the enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act, admitted at this meeting that public awareness of the puppy mill issue has been very successful in gaining their attention and moving them toward more vigorous enforcement. It is reassuring to learn that all of our efforts, while less than encouraging at times, are beginning to pay off. 

"Dr. Gipson further announced that USDA will, within a year, be issuing new rules that would require breeders who sell multiple puppies over the Internet to be federally licensed and regulated by the U. S. Department of Agriculture for the first time ever. Currently, Internet sellers are exempt from the Animal Welfare Act which only covers breeders for the wholesale market such as those who breed dogs for pet stores. This is a significant development as many wholesale breeders have merely switched to selling over the Internet to avoid federal inspections and regulations. "

Now, that is good news.  Excuse us while we do some more barking.

Dog Song Saturday: The Puppy Mill Song - A State of Misery

Since it's Saturday, it's time for a dog song from For Love of a Dog.  This Saturday, September 17, 2011 is also National Puppy Mill Awareness Day.  So, today we present you with a dog song with an important message.  A State of Misery is also called The Puppy Mill Song.  It's from the CD, Dog Dreams, by the Steve Wood for The Dog Dreams Project.

Warning!  Full disclosure:  this is not a fun or funny song about dogs.  The video that accompanies this song is not charming, cute, funny.  In fact, it is not at all enjoyable.  It is graphic and I guarantee it will cause you pain.

I'm not going to bark about puppy mills in Missouri or any other place today.  I'll let A State of Misery - The Puppy Mill Song do all the barking.


Grab a dog.  Grab a box of tissues.  Sit.  Stay.  Have a listen to A State of Misery - The Puppy Mill Song.  (It's okay to not watch the video!)   Then fetch some barking good dog blogs from the list below because today is a Pet Blogger Hop.

103 Dogs Rescued from Ripley County MO Animal Hoarder

Photo credit:  HSMO 

Yesterday we reported the case of the Ripley County, Missouri hoarding situation.  We stand corrected on the numbers.  103 dogs and 6 cats were rescued by the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force.  

Watch as Mike Perkins, Assistant Director of that Task Force explains what they saw and what comes next for these rescued animals.

Missouri Puppy Mills: First Canine Cruelty Rescue Under New Law Video

Video of the first puppy mill rescue made as a result of the new Missouri Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.

The Office of the Missouri Attorney General and the Missouri Department of Agriculture partnered with the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force to rescue 73 adult dogs and puppies from a breeding facility in Monett, Lawrence County, Missouri.

On June 28 a temporary restraining order was issued against the owner, Linda Brisco, for violations of the Animal Care Facilities Act and the newly enacted Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.

According to inspections by the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Brisco's facility:

• failed to provide adequate veterinary care to animals in obvious medical distress
• failed to clean and sanitize the facility, allowing excrement in food receptacles and dirty, muddy drinking water
• failed to keep sick, aged, or young animals in indoor or sheltered housing facilities
• failed to equip housing facilities with disposal and drainage systems in order to keep animal waste and water eliminated so the animals stayed dry
• failed to provide shade for the dogs
• failed to collect and remove animal waste - in some places feces had accumulated to the point that it was indistinguishable from the flooring
• failed to provide housing that protected the animals from injury

In addition, the owner routinely used a gunshot as a means of euthanasia, also in violation of the law.

On July 14, 2011, Brisco agreed to surrender all animals to the Humane Society of Missouri, surrender her Missouri Department of Agriculture commercial breeder license and will not operate a dog breeding facility for at least the next 6 yearts.

Missouri Puppy Mills: Stump Farms Puppies Lawsuit

Attorney General Chris Koster, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, filed suit on August 12, 2011, against Cynthia Stump for violations of the Animal Care Facilities Act (ACFA).

Koster said Stump owns Stump Farms Puppies, a commercial breeder/dealer facility located in Lancaster, Missouri.  The law requires that such operations have a valid ACFA license and that the license be renewed annually.  A Missouri Department of Agriculture inspection revealed that Stump had failed to renew her license and was selling dogs and operating the breeding facility unlawfully.

Koster is asking the court to issue a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction prohibiting Stump from further violations of the Animal Care Facilities Act;  issue a temporary restraining order prohibiting Stump from continuing to breed or sell animals until further order of the court; assess a civil penalty; and require the defendant to pay court costs.

Puppy Mills: Living Your Life Entire in a Cage

In the summer of 2010, Madonna of the Mills took their cage to Union Square in New York City to see how people would feel about living their entire life in a cage only 6 inches bigger than they are.  Just like thousands of puppy mill dogs across the country.