Posted on 07/01/2006 9:17:59 PM PDT by NellieMae
My aunt who has been a champion dog breeder for 50 years just had the Washington Co. VA animal control (acting on an anonymous tip) swoop down on her like she's some kind of criminal. She went to court yesterday because all of her dogs were confiscated. They charged her with inhumane treatment and animal neglect. All that the judge said she was guilty of was not keeping her animals absolutely clean. She's 76 years old. They were well-fed,healthy and all of their vaccinations were up to date.I heard on the radio today that animal control was giving them all vaccinations that they had already had and expecting her to pay for it.. All they had to do was pick up the phone and ask her about it. They just are acting on assumptions and not facts. They wouldn't let her have but 2 of her dogs back and with the stipulation that they be sterilized. Not a good thing for a breeder to be told. They also want her to pay $7500.00 In vet bills that were totally unnecessary. All you had to do was look at her dogs to see that they were fine. They also expect her to pay $5.00 per day per animal to keep them at the shelter..She loved all of her dogs and depended on the income she received from them to suppliment her social security check. She was too proud to go on welfare. Now she might have to since they took her income away. She's had to turn down several customers that wanted to buy a dog since this happened on 06-23-06. The animal shelter has several thousand dollars worth of her pedigreed dogs. She is totally devastated. I think that there is a conspiracy to put dog breeders out of business.Her vet thinks so too. This is the 2nd raid of this type in our area this month. I believe that her civil rights have been grossly violated. If there is anyone that would like to get involved to help stop this type of treatment of dog breeders, please contact me.
The animal rights people get more power in this country every year.
A local TV reporter spied on dog breeders with a hidden camera in her bag some years ago.
WGAL-TV's Susan Shapiro, who personally believed in "animal rights" according to a former colleague of hers, was out to expose "puppy mills."
Her reporting led to federal legislation sponsored by Senator Rick Santorum. I guess that's part of his plan to make himself more attractive to liberal female voters who are for abortion.
FWIW
I'm so sorry to hear about this. How many dogs did she have?
She must be an interesting woman, running her own business of dog breeding at the age of 76.
Are there others in the community that could help her?
You probably don't want to hear this but she needs to hire an attorney to sort this out. They will ignore her if she tries to deal with them personally, but with representation or a "mouthpiece" so to speak, she should be able to get this resolved quickly. I had a problem with the authorities at one time and they were trying to fine me but when my attorney came on the scene the fines and fees were never brought up again.
She may need to cut down on the number of dogs she's breeding. What kind of dogs does she breed, anyway?
Wish I could be of more help.
This article says that her dogs were in cramped cages. They were not. they raided her home early in the morning before her kennel girl arrived to clean for the day. They took these poor little dogs out of their air-conditioned home and away from the only person that they ever knew and left them to swelter for hours in pet carriers on the hot pavement with temperatures in the 90's.They caused one of the pregnant dogs to go into labor 2 weeks early and the last I heard she had lost at least one of them as a result.. They have over $40,000.00 worth of my aunt's dogs if you were to value them at the minimum price that they would be sold for.
I found her an attorney. This only happened on 06-23-2006 and she had to go to court this past Thursday. Her attorney was very good, but, he had less than 24 hours to prepare for the case.
I just read the news article someone posted. 140 animals and one 76 year old woman to care for all of them? I'm sorry to say this to you but that's a problem. One young strong man couldn't care properly for that many animals. Think of all the money she'll save now that she doesn't have to purchase food for 140 animals. Your aunt needs help and it looks like the State has stepped in to do what she couldn't do for herself.
I'm so sorry.
The link in #3 said she had 115 dogs. No reputable breeder has that many dogs. She was running a puppy mill.
She raises toy dogs: Poodles,Maltese, Chihuahuas, Pomeranian. She has been a professional breeder for 50 years. She's very well-known in the dog breeding community for raising some of the best quality, healthiest dogs available. A woman recently flew all the way from California to pick up a dog that she bought from her. She was in Miami for at least 30 years. No one that I know is more conscientious about her dogs.
Let me guess, she sells them to pet stores, right?
I knew this reaction was coming. I agree with you all about her having too many.Thsi was not a "puppy mill" though. People would call her wanting a certain breed that she was short on and she would breed her dogs and then they wouldn't call back. Older dogs are hard to sell so she would just keep them as pets. All of us in the family tried to get her to give some of them a way and she did a few. What really aggravates me is the way the county handled this. They should have issed her a warning and given her a chance to comply before they raided her home the way they did and publicly humiliated her the way that they did. She is better off without all of those dogs,but, they had no right to treat her as they did.
Absolutely not!!
Professional dog breeders specialized in one breed. Your aunt "specialized" in several and had over 100 dogs. I'm glad she was busted. I have no use for puppy mills.
I believe that it it getting that bad around here.
If she wants to have a thousand dogs that HER business.
No, it's not her business, she's only got a license for 20.
Good grief, are you crazy?
20 dogs for sale. She only sold puppies. The judge more or less agreed that she could own as many pets as she want. There is no such limit on pets.
Also, the authorities came early in the morning before she had an opportunity to clean after her dogs. NOT FAIR. Wonder what the floor of the animal shelter looks like early in the morning?
Soooo, she can own 1000 but only sell 20, that does not make any sense.
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