Pet Shop Puppies

[corgimom]

I agree with you totally. They are trying to pass legislation now that would
surely stop someone like him from what he is doing - pretty sad. I know a
lady that bought a dog from him and this dog is now only 7 years old and
almost totally blind - she thinks this is a "normal" thing that happens to the
breed - how about bad breeding by Pretty Penney Kennels.

linda

[Jhemphill]

I read the artilce and the interview, this guy is an pompous, money grubing, degenerate, who we can only hope will meet his just rewards in the end for what he has done to these inncocent animals. Sorry for the rant, this type of person make my blood boil. If it was me and I could not get any satisfaction from the state, county, city goverment, I would contact an animal activist/advocatist group, I know some of them are over the top, but they are radical enough to go after this guy. I would also continue to bug the local Animal Abuse group and any other local group that could help. I bet as unethnical as this guy is he isn't paying his taxes correctly, to bad the IRS or local revenue department could not investigate him, and take him down like they did Capone.

[Michael Romanos]

Good. While the blood is boiling, contact the American Kennel Club and ask them to act on behalf of the canine fraturnity and arrange a round table discussion with interested parties to see what can be done about this guy and his puppy farm. Two things are needed - immediate action and then action that leads to a permanent solution.

[Jhemphill]

I did contact the Wisconsin Humane Society and also the a national group working to shut down puppy mills though out the US. Since I do not live in Wisconsin I can only do so much, but hopefully Linda will continue to press the local and state authorities to shut this monster down.

[corgimom]

There are representatives in our state that can be written to and I plan
on writing to them.

Corgimom

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Another thing, this scumbag probably belongs to dog clubs, probably including the AKC. What are they doing about it? Whether they are involved or not ie whether the scumbag is a member or not, the AKC should be making strenuous overtures to the State Government and local town/city authorities where this guy lives.

I seriously doubt that this so called breeder is a member of any dog club. In fact I'd be willing to place good money on it and not be afraid of losing a dime. Individuals are NOT and CANNOT be members of AKC. Even IF he is advertising dogs as AKC bred "Zorkerhounds," does not mean that he registered the litter or even IF the puppies are eligible for AKC registration. It would only mean that both parents were supposedly registered with AKC. More likely than not IF he is using any registry or registries, he would be using APRI, Continental Kennel Club or some of the various other alphabet soup of registries. IF he is not registering with AKC, then there is nothing AKC can do on any level.

ANY breeder who registers seven or more litters with AKC is automatically flagged for inspection as a high volume breeder. What ones needs to understand about AKC inspections is that they are performance based. This means as long as paperwork is in order, dogs are identified and conditions are basically clean, then a breeder will pass. It has not been that many years ago that an AKC inspector was limited to just checking paperwork, there was no allowance for them to report substandard care and conditions. That has changed and inspectors can make reports to local authorities. Another thing AKC implemented a few years back was the FUS (Frequently Used Sires) program which required any dog that sired more than 3 litters in one year or 7 (I think the number is) litters in a lifetime to be DNA profiled. When AKC did this, there was a mass exodus of the commercial breeding industry as well as high volume breeders like Pretty Penny (which my intuition tells me it is very likely has been suspended by AKC). Commercial breeders used to compromise 30% of AKC registrations (10% were hobby breeders/fanciers - the breeders one wants to buy from; the remaining 60% are from one time breeders, those who breed Fluffy and Muffy so the children can experience the miracle of birth, those who are so enamored with their own dogs and all their relatives want one just like it type breeders). IF he is not using AKC as a registry, then there is nothing AKC can do about him. Local kennel clubs and training clubs; depends on what weight and influence they may have with local authorities whether they might be able to get anything done or not. More often than not IF there is a news story about dogs and/or cats for that matter; the reporter will run to Annie Animalrighter who knows nothing about animal husbandry, individual breeds or even basic dog savvy for her "expert" opinion rather than anyone from a kennel club who would know something. That is the reality here.

From the little digging I did, it appears Pretty Penny sells directly to the public which is their out for not having to hold a USDA license. USDA standards of inspections are engineered based. If you go back and read the inspection reports on the kennel Darci came from and the first descriptions and impressions of Pretty Penny kennel, then you will get an idea of what is required by USDA. Surfaces have to be impervious to moisture - that is why dogs are kept on wire mesh or concrete. The number of animals per square foot in relation to size is clearly defined. There are requirements regulating filter systems. The code was included as a link on one of the Pretty Penny pages. These regulations will become more relevant a little later.

That government ever got involved in breeding dogs is a big reason for the mess we see today. We need government out of it There are more than enough laws on the books today to cover any situation or case of neglect, abuse or anything else that might come up IF (and that is the biggie) they are enforced. IF current laws are not enforced, what good will additional laws do? Plus they need to be enforceable, which many of the ludicrous things that are proposed and/or do get passed are not. I find it very hard to swallow that Pretty Penny is not in violation of some WI animal welfare or health statute, IF an inspector were doing their job thoroughly. In many locales, it is not the laws that are lacking, it is the inspectors or local authorities not doing their job.

Debbie

[corgimom]

Debbie, I was reading more info on Pretty Penny Kennels and it said that
he sells approx 1000 puppies a year and breeds 25 different breeds. I guess
there is another puppy mill in Wisconsin also called Puppy Haven Kennels -
I have no idea where that one is, but I guess it is one of the largest.

There are no laws here regulating them and that is why people set up "house"
here. People (groups) are trying to get laws passed, Humane Societies, etc.
but I read an article where the governor, back in 2004 vetoed something in
regards to that. I will have to go back and read it later.

Linda

[glencorgi]

Linda,

According to the ALDF (Animal League Defense League) - Wisconsin has some of the best animal cruelty laws in the US.

<http://www.aldf.org/state_rankings.asp>

Debbie

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Good. While the blood is boiling, contact the American Kennel Club and ask them to act on behalf of the canine fraturnity and arrange a round table discussion with interested parties to see what can be done about this guy and his puppy farm. Two things are needed - immediate action and then action that leads to a permanent solution.

What would make one presume or assume AKC would act on the behalf of the canine fraternity? I would not be surprised to find the proprietor of this puppy farm received a letter like this from AKC.

http://www.thedogpress.com/ClubNews/...upMillLett.asp
(For confirmation of accuracy go to <http://www.akc.org> and find the minutes for the delegates' meeting in March.)

February, 2006

Dear (insert breeder name here)

We value your business and the work you do as a breeder. In appreciation of the dogs and litters you have registered with us, we want you to be the recipient of a new special breeder service.

If you have any older dogs or litters that were not registered within the required time frame, AKC would like to waive the late fees for registering these individual dogs or litters. By mailing or faxing your applications directly to me, I will ensure that your applications are completed quickly and at no additional cost to you.

If it would be easier for your to fax your applications to the AKC rather than mailing them, please fax them directly to me at:

Fax: 919-816-4261

I will make sure that all our applications are processed immediately and mailed to you the next business day. Also, if you mail or fax more than 4 litter applications at one time, I will have them mailed back to you by an overnight mail service, free of charge. This new special breeder service includes all current applications, as well as late applications.

At this time, we cannot waive late fees for applications processed online, so please fax or mail your late applications directly to me.

Feel free to give me a call if I can be of any assistance with this special breeder service, and remember to look for more services designed especially for you in the near future.

Sincerely,

David Roberts
Assistan Vice President,
Registration and Customer Services

---------------

For many us involved in and who love purebred dogs in the States these are very trying times. The option of responsibly well-bred purebred animals is beoming increasingly in jeopardy and it is happening with the help of AKC.

Debbie

[Michael Romanos]

Look, it doesn't matter if puppy mill breeders are members of anything or not: the AKC is similar to the New Zealand KC - part of it is a political institution and a lobby organisation for the advancement of the treatment of dogs. So its to them that concerned people should be looking for leadership and for accepting the challenge to take matters such as puppy mill farms to the limit that one can go. One also needs to ask here, what are breed clubs and national breed organisations doing. A lot of people know which breeds of dogs that these scumbag breeders concentrate on. The system is falling down around the proverbial ankles because I would hazard a guest, no local or national breed club is taking up the mantle to force the AKC to take the kind of political measures that might put a halt to these puppy mill breeders.

It's all very well for Debbie to get on a high horse about Government. But it is a legislative commitment that bans any more than 20 dogs, say, on a property or properties of the same person/people, that would greatly help prevent the absolute worse aspects of puppy mill breeders.

The NZKC also lets us down on occasions and I also wonder why this guy with the Wheaten Terriers is allowed to operate - but I don't know what the NZKC has done about it. I could find out if anyone is interested.The president of the NZKC is well known to me - Lesley Chalmers who as some of you know, is a world authority on Corgis - especially Pems. If you take into account next weekend, over the past few weeks I would have contacted and spoken directly to Lesley several times - email, telephone and in person. BUt the AKC is only as good and is only doing its job to the level the members (clubs) allow it. If the clubs are slack, the AKC will be slack. It's the bottom up syndrum.

AKC could join forces with the SPCA (or whatever its equivallent in USA is called) and your national vets association - though your vets might be very happy to have puppy mill breeders around - to make representations to Government/s to put a closure to these terrible puppy mill farms.

[corgimom]

Debbie,

they don't enforce them in regards to breeders like this who sell to the general public. I was looking on the internet and in 2004 there was a bill
introduced that would make it legal for inspectors to come onto these
peoples properties, however, the former governor vetoed the law's funding
and our current Governor failed to restore the funding in the state's budget.
Also, the previous governor said people would have to pay higher prices
for their pet licenses and more tax on their pet food and people would not
want to do it. There is also a group in Wisconsin who does not want this
bill to pass and I am sure they are helping to support these politicians.

I see that Pretty Pennel Kennels has been in business since 1981.

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by corgimom

they don't enforce them in regards to breeders like this who sell to the general public. .

That's how they get out of having to have a USDA license. However that should not exempt them from basic animal welfare laws in the city, county and state. The key point you are reinforcing is "they don't enforce" the laws that are in place.

Debbie

[corgimom]

Debbie,

It said in an article on the website I was reading ,that the sheriffs dept. has been out to his place numerous times and that the Humane Society in Sheboygan gets about 25 complaints each year regarding this guy. The sheriffs dept said because of Wisconsins Vague laws their hands are tied,and there is nothing they can do about him

It mentioned that more people are going to come here to set up puppy mills because there are no current laws regulating them. Our current laws
are for breeders selling more than 50 animals a year for RESALE - these are the only ones that would need a license. There was no coverage for "direct sellers" like Pretty Penny who sell directly to the public through the classifieds. - and there was no provision for inspectors in the last bill that passed. That is just the way it is here - unfortunately.
So here in Wisconsin, people that care about animals will have to write
letters to our legislators and pay attention to who is up for election and
if they back this revised bill - that is the way that this law will hopefully,
someday change.

linda

[glencorgi]

Originally Posted by Jhemphill

I
I would contact an animal activist/advocatist group, I know some of them are over the top, but they are radical enough to go after this guy.

Like ALDF did the Woodley's in Sanford? (That's a local case in NC.)

Debbie

[corgimom]

There are activists already trying to go after him, but without the laws being
passed in the state, and clearly specified as to what the new laws cover
regarding puppy mill breeders, they cannot do anything to him.