USDA puppy mill report

All the major news sources regardless of geographic location or editorial slant (most from AP) are reporting that the USDA APHIS isn't doing its job in putting "puppy mills" out of business. If you do a Google search on "USDA puppy mill report" you get about 35,000 hits (I haven't found the original, however), but if you add in one word, "Amish" you'll get about 24,000. Ohio news sources have been reporting on the puppy mill industry by our local Amish for years. I think there have been a number of reports in recent years at the federal oversite level, at least 3 in this decade. Nothing changes. I don't think puppy mill operators have a lot of political clout or lobbyists in Washington, so something else is going on.

I'd like to point out something about the USDA and how it could have more staff and money to put these folks out of business. The USDA still offers 100% financing, no money down, home mortgage schemes, luring people, middle class and/or poor, into situations they really can't afford. Check out its "rural development" site--it's just amazing what it will do for you if you want to get out of the city. Regulating animals bred for sale is a bona fide agricultural arm of the government responsibility, in my opinion. Our security, health and welfare are directly related to the health and welfare of animals. Putting people into bad mortgages, a plan that brought us to this recession, is not.

3775

The Scarlet Letter - A

is for Amish. Someone should hang a big "A" on the back of their buggy. The Columbus Dispatch yesterday had an editorial about the terrible problem of puppy mills--the indiscriminate breeding of dogs, poor conditions, and the resulting auctions. Reading between and above the lines--Millersburg and Holmes County, the only words missing are, "Amish farmers."

But on Sunday, April 22, the Dispatch wasn't so reticent: "There are 186 USDA-licensed breeders in Ohio, and more than 100 of them are in Berlin, Millersburg and Sugarcreek, the heart of Amish country." The editorial in yesterday's paper says Holmes County licensed 478 kennels in 2006, a 40% increase. So a county license and a USDA license are not the same, if these numbers mean anything. Not only will these dogs not be healthy, but their resulting behavior problems will cause their early death at the hands of owners (who will have them euthanized) who wanted to save a few bucks by going to the pet store.

1659 Hollywood Dog

I've been on the prowl for a Chihuahua (female, puppy, brown) for my daughter. My grand-puppy died a year ago at age 18. I am sympathetic being an old softy about pets, but with my life experience, I know pets give back more than you can give, but that they are animals, not children. So I'm downloading photos and e-mailing breeders and decided to look at a Chihuahua rescue site. From there I find, Jinky, the Hollywood dog who has his own blog and was a rescue dog. In some of his photos he looks sort of Chihuahua-ish and in others I think one parent was maybe a dust mop. This site is a hoot. And it looks to me like Jinky's got a pretty good life. I think he's either got a movie or book contract.

Jinky and Mom

But now if you've finished looking at floating objects, there is a more serious part to this post. The number one killer of dogs is not disease, poisoning or hit-by-car; it is human behavior. People turn their pets out or give them to a kill-shelter when they can't handle their behavior problems, which are usually caused by poor breeding (puppy mills and backyard breeders who sell to pet stores) or neglect or abuse. The rescues (bless their hearts) have no problem placing the "adorables," who are usually young and well socialized. But the geriatric or arthritic or biters, are a real problem. Here's one story from Chihuahua Rescue of a young male rescued from a back yard breeder whose dogs were so in-bred and poorly socialized, that they're having problems finding people who want them, to no one's surprise.

Believe it or not, there is a dearth of prospective adopters who come to our kennel asking for Chihuahuas who bite, hide under furniture for days at a time and have tumors or chronic anal gland infections. However, with patience and careful screening, we do work to find qualified homes for these dogs, as we did with his brother and sister, and, finally BG. The foster home who had taken his 2 sibs, had an opening and was able to take BG and the sire of all three. In comparison of the 3 sibs, 2 of whom had been in a stellar and nurturing home environment since 8 weeks of age and BG who had been at Chihuahua Rescue since 8 weeks of age, BG was actually better adjusted! He displayed less stranger anxiety and was markedly more socialized with humans and other dogs! This is due to the loving and safe environment all dogs live in at Chihuahua Rescue, plus the exposure they recieve to caring, positive interactions with a variety of volunteers and staff. All the dogs at Chihuahua Rescue know that they are loved and cared for and we will never kill them because of a mistake made by humans.

Is Boy George looking for you?

For photos of puppy mills and backyard breeders (you'll find the results in the pet stores and at rescues) go here.