Missouri Puppy Mills: SB 161 Final Regulations and More

MO Puppy Mill Photo from HSUS..

According to the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, last week the Missouri Department of Agriculture issued final regulations for implementing SB 161, the Missouri compromise bill on puppy mills.  The regulations clarify the requirement that a veterinarian personally examine every animal in a breeding facility at least once a year and that those exams be documented with written records.

You may remember the recent controversy about this portion of SB 161 and the efforts of some to make sure the vet exam was simply a visual overview.

In addition, the Missouri Department of Agriculture has toughened enforcement.  This is a shift that began when Missouri Governor, Jay Nixon, named Jon Hagler as director in January 2009.  A horse rancher with a PhD in political science from Washington University, Hagler has overseen a 123 percent increase in inspections and 85 percent more citations for violations by breeding operations.  With that has come a 33 percent decline in the number of licensed commercial dog breeders.  With new funding appropriated this summer, Hagler increased the number of inspectors to 14 (four more than 2008) and added an investigator and a full-time veterinarian to his staff.

Hagler also launched a program called Bark Alert which allows citizens to report substandard and abusive breeders, most of them illegal and unlicensed.  The Missouri Department of Agriculture says it has rescued some 5,200 dogs in the past 30 months.

Missouri animal welfare advocates have another challenge regarding SB161:  Fixing the grossly unfair fee schedule that treats non-profit animal shelters and rescue groups the same as for-profit breeders.

Rudy's Big Day

Rudy knew something was up yesterday morning.  Breakfast did not appear.  His harness and leash did appear.  And off he went with Daddy in the car. 

Jeffie raced to the front door to watch them leave, then settled down to spend the day waiting for his best friend to return.  While Jeffie heaved heavy sighs and a whimper or two, Rudy was enjoying an early morning ride to town.  And a trip to the vet.

Late afternoon he returned home sans reproductive equipment and high on pain killers.  Lucy, Tucker, and Jeffie were thrilled to see him.  Tucker and Lucy got big long whiffs of that vet clinic smell and seemed to understand that all Rudy wanted to do is nap. 

 

Jeffie decided what Rudy really needed was a good ear washing and Rudy didn't mind a bit.  He was just happy to be home again.

The surgery went well;  Rudy is now neutered.  Unfortunately, our vet did not have any kind of cone that fit him, so now we're all on puppy-licking-watch.  At the moment that's pretty easy duty.  Rudy's napping.  Again.  :-)  And so is the rest of the pack at For Love of a Dog.

A Big Day for Rudy: Getting Neutered

Rudy, totally unaware of his upcoming surgery. 

Snip and Clip.  Nip and Tuck.  The Conehead Cometh.  All titles I considered for this blog post.  I decided to keep it simple:  Getting Neutered.

It definitely is a big day for Rudy, our yellow Labrador Retriever pup.  Rudy is almost 7 months old now.  After doing quite a bit of reading about the best age to neuter dogs, especially big dogs, we've decided to follow our vet's recommendation.  So, Rudy is getting neutered today.

All our dog-boys are neutered.  Tucker at 6 months because that's the age all of our male canines have been neutered in the past.  Jeffie at 8 weeks because the shelter we adopted him from does it that way.  Though we know there's a lot of controversy about the best age to have this surgery performed, we've experienced no bad outcomes in the past.  Even though we think 8 weeks - so far before puberty - is iffy (and we had no choice about that)  Jeffie, now 5, seems fine.

We are big believers in spay and neuter.  Shelter euthanasia is the number one killer of companion animals in our country.  Millions of dollars are spent each year by our communities dealing with stray and unwanted pets.  Even though animal advocacy organizations are doing a great job educating the pet owning public and low cost spay / neuter organizations have sprung up all over the US, there simply are not enough homes for all those unplanned litters of dogs and cats.

Do I think any of our pets will end up in a shelter?  No.  And though it's pretty doubtful any of our dogs could produce any offspring, never say never.  All I have to do is think about Rudy's Labrador Retriever mother who managed to escape a yard just long enough to rendevous with a neighboring chocolate Lab.  'Nuff said.

At For Love of a Dog we subscribe to that old adage:  If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

So, later today Rudy will be home from the vet, sporting one of those crazy collars, getting sniffed like crazy by the rest of the dog pack, and he'll be minus his family jewels.

Pets For Patriots Helps Military Members Adopt Shelter Pets

Millions of shelter dogs and cats are put to death each year even as a growing body of research highlights the unique physical and emotional health benefits of companion animals. Pets for Patriots, Inc. connects loyal adult shelter pets with our country's loyal service men and women.

“We’re one of the only organizations in the country that is dedicated to both adult pets and military members,” says founder and executive director Beth Zimmerman. “With our unique focus we have the power and passion to change lives every day, for the better.”

The organization, a registered 501(c)(3) charity, creates opportunities for members of the military community to save a life by honorably adopting adult homeless animals.

Military personnel, whom the charity calls Patriots, can come from any branch of the United States military and are eligible to receive a pet at any stage of their careers. Pets for Patriots will pay the adoption fees for any eligible adoption made through its member shelters: a dog or cat, at least two years old, as well as large dogs and special needs pets. 

“Pets for Patriots exists to give the millions of dogs and cats who would otherwise die needlessly a second chance at life,” says Zimmerman, “and at the same time to show gratitude to our service men and women by giving them the gift of unconditional friendship and love.”

The organization's commitment to adult pets is clear. “Our goal is to help shelters, rescues, SPCAs and humane societies re-home harder-to-place pets that still have years of love and life to give,” Zimmerman says. "The evidence is clear that companion pets provide real physical and emotional benefits to owners and their families, including those suffering from post-combat stress and other issues that arise in the course of military service."

The charity provides access to reduced cost care for the life of the honorably adopted pet, including veterinary care, pet food and products. “It's essential to support the lifetime care of the animal,” says Zimmerman, “in order to avoid pet recycling, where an adopted animal is returned to the shelter because the owner could not afford to keep it.”

For more information, contact Beth Zimmerman at 877-4-PET CADET (877-473-8223) or visit www.petsforpatriots.org.

Spring Fever: Spay and Neuter Your Pets

Rudy playing keep-away

I have spring fever. Yesterday our forsythia bushes promised a yellow blaze of glory for today and temperatures climbed to almost 80 degrees. We all heaved a sigh of relief that the long, unusually snowy and cold, winter seems to be coming to an end. Finally. It almost seems safe now to pack away the dog coats and boots.

All four canines spent most of the day outdoors. Tucker did quite a bit of sun bathing and blissful napping in the ever greening grass. Lucy enjoyed patrols with me as I checked flowers, shrubs and fruit trees. Jeffie and Rudy enjoyed jolly ball and frisbe games both with and without Gary and I. It was a beautiful spring day.

However, this morning I'm mindful that with spring comes the deluge of puppies and kittens at animal shelters. 

About one million puppies are born in Missouri each year according to the Humane Society of Missouri.  In fact, each day, 70,000 kittens and puppies are born in the United States.  Thousands of these end up unwanted, wandering the streets.  Many of them perpetuate the problem by breeding and having babies of their own.  Too many of them end up at animal shelters where they wait, hoping for a forever home.

At For Love of a Dog, all four of our dogs today are products of unintentional breeding.  Of course, I'm glad that they were born.  I can't imagine life without them.   However, from time to time, I wonder about their littermates.  I tend to doubt they all got so lucky.

So, in the midst of delicious spring fever, I'm thinking about spay and neuter.  Rudy will be heading to the vet next month for a bit of a snip to his boy parts.  None of our dogs will be contributing to the homelessness of another generation.

Spay and neuter your pets.  It's the responsible thing to do.

Japan Earthquake Tsunami Animal Rescue - How to Help

All of us at For Love of a Dog find it hard to comprehend the devastation in Japan following the recent earthquake and tsunami.  We've watched the video footage, viewed the photos, and read the stories, yet our minds still have a hard time believing what our eyes are seeing.  

Animal rescue efforts continue and the local rescue groups will soon be joined by international organizations.

We've already told you about the coalition Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue.  You can follow their updates on their Facebook page and donate via the widget on this blog.  Animal Rescue Kansai is the other major organization taking in homeless animals. We continue to search for good places to make our donations count.  Here's what we've found so far:

• Animal Refuge Kansai - ARK is accepting as many animals as possible who have been made homeless due to the earthquake.  Any donations given now will be used for the animals displaced by this disaster.
• Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support - a coalition of three groups:  HEART-Tokushima, Animal Garden Niigata, and Japan Cat Network.  They are providing rescue, shelter, vet care, and support of animals in crisis.  They are also coordinating animal rescue efforts.  You can donate here, as well as follow them on Facebook where they give frequent reports of animal rescue efforts in Japan.
• HEART Tokushima - a part of the JEARS coalition
• Animal Friends Niigata - a part of the JEARS coalition
• Japan Cat Network - a part of the JEARS coalition that also updates their web site with reports of rescue efforts.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare - will be sending emergency teams.
• Humane Society International - will be sending emergency teams and aid.
• World Vets International Aid for Animals - already on the ground in Japan with emergency response teams.
• Japanese Red Cross Society
• Crisis Response for Japan

Missouri Puppy Mills: Invasive Painful Vet Procedures Performed by Dog Breeder

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.

S K's Kennel, Bill and Sandra Sackrey, Brookfield MO
S K's Kennel remains both USDA and MDA licensed through 2011 despite ongoing violations.  They've accumulated repeat Animal Welfare Act violations for failure to provide adequate veterinary care for numerous animals, including dogs with missing teeth and a dog who was missing a portion of his jaw, and sick or dying puppies. Several underweight dogs "thin in appearance with visible hip bones and vertebrae" were found in April 2010, as well as dogs with matting so severe that urinary/ anal openings were blocked. A rusty scalpel and scissors were found at the facility in May 2010 - the licensee admitted to using these dirty instruments on his dogs
.
Shockingly, the violations at this facility continue to escalate: in Oct. 2010 the licensee admitted to a federal inspector that he performed dewclaw removal and tail docking on 1 to 2 week old puppies
without the approval of a vet. He also stated that he cleans the dogs’ teeth and "extracts them when necessary" - the licensee stated that sometimes he has to stop because of the excessive amount of blood or when the dogs try to bite down on his fingers. Other violations include dogs in need of veterinary attention, dogs with untreated dental issues - "a wet, brown to green discharge was present along the gumline," multiple expired medications, housing in disrepair (repeat), accumulations of grime and hair and more.


Here are quotes from the October 2010 USDA inspection report:

“The licensee stated that he removes dewclaws and docks the tails of 1 to 2 day old puppies, but he does not have any documentation showing that he is appropriately trained and qualified to perform these procedures.” (USDA inspection Oct. 2010)

“The licensee stated that he cleans the dogs‟ teeth and extracts them when necessary. A bottle of 'Anased' was present in the facility, which he states he sometimes administers to the dogs intramuscularly while cleaning and extracting their teeth. The licensee stated he sometimes has to stop the procedures and finish them later due to the presence of excessive amounts of blood or when the animals begin to bite down on his fingers, which could indicate that the animals are experiencing pain or distress. The licensee is not a veterinarian and is not qualified to administer anesthesia/ sedation or
conduct invasive, painful veterinary procedures such as dental extractions.” (USDA inspection Oct. 2010)
 
"The following medical items were in the kennel area ready for use but were expired:  A container of amoxicillin pills inside the same refrigerator used to store vaccines expired 1/2002;  a container of catgut suture that the licensee stated he sometimes uses on umbilical cords expired 9/2004.  Expired medical products such as suture may become contaminated and could result in infections in the animals."  (USDA inspection Oct 2010).

Missouri Puppy Mills: Euthanasia Plan - Club the Dogs

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.

 Walnut Creek Kennel, Jesse and Sonja Miller, La Monte MO

The Millers no longer hold a current USDA license, but still have an active Missouri state kennel license.  In fact, Walnut Creek Kennel still has ads listed on "breeder club" classified advertising sites such as BreedersClub.net, a front for various sellers which claim to have a "no puppy mills" policy.

In their BreedersClub.net ad, the Millers claim, "We are a family who enjoys raising puppies on our farm.  We specialize in raising well-socialized, well-loved, and well-cared for puppies!"

Yet, as reported in the 2010 Missouri's Dirty Dozen report, the HSUS shared what a USDA inspector noted during a pre-license visit to Walnut Creek Kennel in August 2008:

"The Program of Veterinary Care stated that the applicant would be euthanizing the dogs at the facility by clubbing the dogs."

The Millers were also cited in 2010 and 2009 for "attempted inspection" violations - instances when they were not available during stated business hours to allow inspectors to conduct their visits.  They subsequently cancelled their federal license, yet are still licensed by the state of Missouri in 2011.

Missouri Puppy Mills: Dirty Dozen Update March 2011

Photo courtesy of the USDA and HSUS

While Missouri Legislators debate the repeal of Prop B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, Missourians for the Protection of Dogs released a new report demonstrating major continuing problems in licensed puppy mills in the state.

The new report on "Missouri's Dirty Dozen" - reportedly some of the worst licensed puppy mills in Missouri - demonstrates that many of the worst puppy mills in the state are still licensed and in business six months after their histories were made public.  

Nine of the 12 Dirty Dozen puppy mill producers identified in October 2010 are still state and/or federally licensed in 2011, according to the new report.  According to their most recent USDA inspection records, many are still depriving dogs of the basics of humane care, such as shelter from the bitter cold, adequate food and water, and basic veterinary care for illness or injuries.

Vilolations, drawn directly from federal kennel inspection reports, include sick or dying puppies who had not been treated by a veterinarian;  dogs and puppies found shivering the cold;  dogs with oozing, open lesions and injuries that had not been treated by a vet;  puppies with their feet falling through wire cage floors;  and dogs so emaciated that their bones were clearly visible through their skin.  At Hidden Valley Farms in Greencastle, USDA inspectors found six puppies with "raw, moist, red" open wounds on their tails with "what appeared to be bone/cartilage" exposed to dirt and flies after the breeder allegedly performed botched home surgeries on them rather than taking them to her vet.

Six new kennels of concern have been added to the list. 

Check out the numbers:

License Status of Kennels Mentioned in the Dirty Dozen Report 

THE ORIGINAL DIRTY DOZEN

• Brandi Cheney & Diana Stephenson, S & S Family Puppies, Milan; Brandi Cheney, Circle B Farms, Huntsville STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Beverly Fields, B&B Kennel, Galt  STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Shannon Plymell, Windsong Kennels, Pattonsburg  STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Diana and Floyd Miller, Bar M Ranch Kennel, Spickard  STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Paul and Pollie Gingerich - Gingerich Farms, Bogard  STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Mary Ann Smith, Smith’s Kennel, Salem STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Cox, Marsha - Mar-Don Kennel, Chillicothe STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Peggy Ryan, For Heaven’s Sake, Reeds Spring STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Robert Dukes and Robin Dollins, Tiny Tails, Edgar Springs STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Bill and Sandra Sackrey, S K’s Kennel, Brookfield STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Brenda Walter, Hidden Valley Farms, Greencastle STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Jesse and Sonja Miller – Walnut Creek Kennel, La Monte STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

THE ORIGINAL DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

• Bonnie and Herman Schindler – Mettoville Kennels, Mexico STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED; all dogs sold at auction in Oct. 2010

• Sharon Owen, Poodles Plus, Auxvasse STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Wendy Laymon, Shadow Mountain Kennel, Rogersville STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED; ALSO AQUIRED NEW STATE “RESCUE” LICENSE

• John and Sharlette Tidwell, Ramblin’ Spring Kennel, West Plains (www.TidwellFarm.com) STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED; JOHN ACQUIRED NEW USDA “TRANSPORTER” LICENSE

• Jerri Vestal, Vestals Kennel, Livonia STATUS: STILL USDA LICENSED

• Joyce Young, Young’s Ozark Kennel, Pottersville STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Donald Schrage, Rabbit Ridge Kennel, Edina STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Barbara McCoy, Gone to the Dogs, Thayer STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

NEW CONCERNS: ALL THE KENNELS BELOW ARE BOTH STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Tina Carr – Simply Puppies, Hannibal  DEAD DACHSHUND, OTHER DOGS FOUND IN BELOW-FREEZING COLD

• Lou Cox – Lou’s Country Kennel, Chillicothe  DOGS IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES WITH WATER FROZEN “THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME”

• Joseph and LeRoy Detweiler – Sunset Ridge Kennel, Princeton:  SUMMER HEAT INDEX IN KENNEL OVER 114 DEGREES

• Rhonda Gear – Country Babies, Galt:  DOG WITH “VISIBLY PROMINENT RIBS AND SPINAL COLUMN”

• Ruth Zuspann – Zuspann Kennel, Edina: IMPROPER USE OF CONTROLLED VETERINARY DRUG AND IMPROPER/EXPIRED DRUGS ON DOGS

• Wilma Jinson – Jinson Kennel, Stella: “OBVIOUS VETERINARY CARE PROBLEMS” PER USDA INSPECTOR

Six additional kennels have been added to the update report; all are both state and federally
licensed.

• Dead dog found outside in bitter cold (Tina Carr /Simply Puppies, Hannibal)

• Frozen drinking water in all outdoor cages in 23 degree weather plus “excessively thin” mother dog with puppies that had died (Lou Cox / Lou’s Country Kennel, Chillicothe)

• Summer heat index inside kennel over 114 degrees, with dogs and puppies showing signs of heat stress(Joseph and LeRoy Dettweiler / Sunset Ridge Kennel, Princeton)

• “Visibly thin” dog, dogs in 20 degree temperatures, and facilities housing dogs that had not been cleaned in months (Rhonda Gear / Country Babies, Galt)

• “Treating” dogs with a controlled substance rather than seeking suitable veterinary care; use of improper and expired medications on dogs (Ruth Zuspann, Zuspann Kennel, Edina)

• “Obvious veterinary care problems” and one dog so matted “it was difficult to see his face.” (Wilma Jinson/ Jinson Kennel, Stella)

For the full Missouri Dirty Dozenreport visit the Humane Society of the United States web site.

Puppy Mill Bust: 74 Collie and Bichon Frise Dogs Rescued in Stone County Missouri

And some people say Missouri does not need the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act as it was originally written.... right.

Humane Society of Missouri rescuers have been busy.  Last week, at the request of the Missouri Department of Agriculture's request, they helped rescue dozens of Standard Collies and Bichon Frise dogs and puppies from a licensed dog breeder near Crane, MO in Stone County.

The dogs were livingt inside half of a double-wide trailer home on the property.  The portion of the trailer where the dogs were housed contained many wire crates with dogs and puppies living in their own waste.  Carpeting in the trailer was soaked with urine and feces. 

Following a routine inspection on February 17, the Missouri Department of Agriculture revoked this breeder's license.  Because dogs were in distress, they requested the Stone County Sheriff obtain a warrant for possible removal of the dogs.  They then requested the assistance of the Humane Society of Missouri.

Seventy-four dogs and puppies were living in their own waste.  Imagine a full grown Standard Collie living tightly crammed into a cold, filthy wire crate.  Unable to stretch or drink clean water.  It looks as though these canines haven't been seen by a veterinarian for a long time, if ever.  Nearly all suffer from internal parasites and will require treatment before they can be placed for adoption.

These dogs and puppies are now in the care of the Humane Society of Missouri where they are receiving vet care for parasites, encrusted eyes, matted fur (from urine and feces) and other ailments.

Donations are requested to help pay for their care.  If you would like to help, visit the Humane Society of Missouri's web site.  The HSMO is also requesting donations of towels, blankets,and rubber toys.  Items can be left 24/7 inside of the Receiving Entrance at the Macklind Ave location in St Louis, MO.

A disposition hearing to determine permanent custody of the dogs will be held February 28 in Galena, MO.  If the HSMO receives custody of the dogs, they will eventually be available for adoption.

If you are interested in adopting one of these dogs, you may call 314-802-5712 or check the Humane Society of Missouri web site for announcements.  Some of them may be available for adoption sometime in March, depending on how quickly they recuperate from their illnesses.

SAAF House - a New Spay Neuter Clinic in Springfield Missouri

Now, here's some good news.  There's a new low cost spay and neuter clinic in Springfield, MO called Saaf House.  Open four days a week, Saaf House offers reasonably priced vet care for companion pets.  Their web site posts prices for various procedures, vaccines and other services.

Saaf House is a project of the Springfield Animal Advocacy Foundation (SAAF), a not for profit formed in 2007 by folks from various local animal welfare agencies.  They have a big goal:  to make  southwestern Missouri no kill by 2018.  They aim to acheive that goal by reducing the number of animals coming into Animal Control, increasing adoptions, and educating the public about animal welfare issues.  Saaf House is just the latest in their arsenal of solutions to the problem of homeless animals.

SAAF members include:  the Animal Abuse Council, Castaway Animal Rescue Effort (CARE), Pet Connection, Spay Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), Springfield Greene County Animal Control, Canines 'N Cats Adoption Station.  Rather than taking in more animals and building more space to shelter them, these Missouri Ozarks animal organizations are implementing proactive programs that will save both money and lives.