Mountaintop Natural Pets

Source: Freep.com, July 24, 2009

As many as 150 dead animals have been found in a house in Dearborn where authorities had previously found more than 100 live Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes over the past two days, according to Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad.

Authorities discovered the dead animals today when they searched the basement of the home in the 7800 block of Orchard and found several freezers. Criminal charges are being explored, police said. One charge that could result is aggravated animal cruelty, a felony which carries a four-year penalty.

Haddad didn’t rule out the possibility that others might be involved.

Meanwhile, the search for live dogs is continuing. The chief said several are believed to be hiding among the mounds of debris still present in the house.

Numerous large trash containers have been move onto the property to deal with the debris.

Haddad said he could not explain why the man, identified earlier as Kenneth Lang Jr., 56, kept so many live and dead dogs on his property.

“I can’t answer why anyone would do anything that went on in that house,” Haddad said.

He estimated that the collection of animals could have been going on for as many as four years. The discovery was prompted by an earlier complaint from a neighbor about a foul smell coming from Lang’s home.

Neighbors have expressed surprise about the discovery, noting that Lang was known for being meticulous about his yard. He also cared for the yards of several of his neighbors.

Lang was taken to Oakwood Hospital in Dearborn on Wednesday, but the chief said he did not know Lang’s current whereabouts. A hospital receptionist said earlier today that Lang had been discharged. A city official had said he believed that Lang had been transferred to another facility for psychiatric evaluation.

Haddad said Lang seemed confused, disoriented and unable to care for himself when police initially came to his house on Wednesday.

The live Chihuahuas all have been taken to the Dearborn Animal Shelter on Greenfield Road.

100 people file to adopt a Chihuahua

About 100 people have filled out adoption applications at the Dearborn Animal Shelter because of the influx of Chihuahuas found inside a Dearborn home this week.

Sandra Boulton, a spokeswoman for the shelter, said the interest in the dogs — all Chihuahuas or Chihuahua mixes — has been tremendous and has prompted the shelter on Greenfield Road to set up a tent outside to properly direct visitors as they arrive.

As of noon, the shelter had received 102 dogs from the house and more are expected.

Boulton said the shelter was already at capacity with about 388 animals before the influx of Chihuahuas began arriving. The dogs are being evaluated and must go through a process, including being vaccinated, sterilized and microchipped, before they can be released for adoption, possibly as early as next week.

While most of the current interest has been in adopting the Chihuahuas, Boulton said people can still help the dogs by adopting other animals at the shelter, including cats.

“It opens up more room for us to care for these little guys,” she said. “Any animal adopted out helps us.”

She also cautioned that the large volume of adoption applications does not represent completed adoptions, meaning that people should not hesitate to fill out an application if they want one of the dogs.

The center is continuing to request donations of money and small kibble dog food.

To donate, or for animal adoption information, go to www.dearbornanimals.org. Checks can be sent to the shelter at 2661 Greenfield Road, Dearborn, 48120.

*UPDATE*  The Dearborn Animal Shelter has stopped accepting pet adoption applications for the day.

The announcement comes in the wake of high interest caused by the large number of requests to help after the discovery of 112 live Chihuahuas in a house in the 7800 block of Orchard this week. Earlier today, Dearborn Police announced they had discovered more than 150 dead animals in freezers in the house.

The shelter, at 2661 Greenfield Road in Dearborn, is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. For information, go to www.dearbornanimals.org.

Shelter officials continue to request donations of small kibble dog food, money and office supplies.

Source: GazetteExtra.com, July 6, 2009

Jim Long has never considered himself an animal-rights activist.

But when he read about the conditions of dogs at so-called “puppy mills,” he wanted to take action.

“It’s not that I take a particular interest in animals,” he said. “I just don’t want to see them abused.”

Long of Sharon learned about puppy mills—large, commercial breeding facilities where puppies and mothers get inadequate care and little exercise or socialization—on the Internet. He started protesting pet stores that sell puppies because he believes that most puppies in pet stores come from puppy mills.

Pet store officials, including Mike Sardina, owner of Janesville’s Petland, deny that their puppies come from mills.

But Long wanted to do more.

“That’s when I came up with the idea of the truck, that it would really capture people’s attention and educate them,” he said.

Long certainly has succeeded on his first goal. He painted his pickup truck with anti-puppy mill slogans in April. The messages list the problems puppy-mill dogs face: “No exercise. No play. No vet care. Dirty food. Cage-wire injuries. Cruelty.”

But the most eye-catching part of Long’s truck is the cages stacked in back filled with fuzzy stuffed dogs. He wanted to show people how dogs in puppy mills are raised.

“I just couldn’t believe that it was legal to do that, that you could lock up a dog in a cage for its entire life and never let it out,” he said.

Passersby often give him angry looks before they realize the puppies aren’t real. Then some give him thumbs-up or messages of support, he said.

He tries to drive the truck as often as possible, often taking it to Janesville to run errands or parking it in areas he knows many people will pass.

Long knows there are many reputable breeders out there, he said. But he wants to let people know about the bad ones, he said.

Source: MyF0x.com, July 8, 2009

Source: TheNewsTribune.com, June 30, 2009

Owners of the Pasco Petland store on Monday denied charges the store gets its puppies from mills and brokers who mistreat animals that they crank out for profit.

“I never would’ve opened this (store) if there were shady things going on,” said co-owner Dan Miner. “I mean, there’s too much money at stake to do things like that.”

Miner’s comments were in response to a report the Humane Society of the United States released Monday that claimed more than 95 percent of Petland stores have bought dogs from large-scale brokers or directly from puppy mills in the past few months.

The Humane Society, a national animal protection organization separate from the Benton-Franklin Humane Society that operates a shelter in Kennewick, used public documents to trace shipments of more than 15,000 puppies from commercial brokers to Petland stores.

The Humane Society said the Pasco Petland — the only Petland store in Washington — gets its puppies from Mid-America Pet Broker LLC of Neosho, Mo.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this year cited the broker for buying from breeders without verifying that they were licensed, for using expired and incorrect medications and for using cages that were too small, the Humane Society reported.

Miner acknowledged the Pasco Petland gets the majority of its puppies from Mid-America, but he said the broker hasn’t mistreated animals as the Humane Society portrays.

“Absolutely not,” Miner said. “I would stake my building on it. I wouldn’t do business with them if that was the case.”

Miner said he wasn’t concerned with Mid-America’s past citations, saying just because a driver gets a traffic citation doesn’t mean they shouldn’t drive anymore. If anything, the citations showed the USDA was doing its job, he said.

He also showed a March 2 inspection record of Mid-America that reported no violations at the time.

All puppies sold at Pasco’s Petland receive three parvovirus shots before the store even gets the animals, and they receive physical exams from Coleman Animal Health Center before they are made available for sale.

Of the 700 puppies that have gone through the store since it opened last July, only three were found to have parvo, Miner said.

Nevertheless, the Humane Society recommended consumers not buy puppies from pet stores or internet sites, but instead buy from an animal shelter or a breeder’s facility that they can inspect in person.

Puppy mill dogs 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, the Humane Society said.

Source: DetroitNews.com, June 3, 2009

Police say a Birmingham woman accused of illegally housing “designer” dogs in a former auto repair shop wasn’t rescuing them — she was selling them on the Internet for a large profit.

But the woman’s attorney, Eric Buikema, said Tuesday his client’s only motivation was the safety of endangered animals. Buikema said accusations against the 38-year-old woman and her Itsy Bitsy Mini Dog Rescue operation are ridiculous, and until he determines the intentions of investigators, he’s not going to permit her to be interviewed by police.

“She has not been arrested, not charged with any crimes at all,” said Buikema. “They removed 30 dogs from a building where she was providing them with shelter, food and water.”

The building is a former auto repair shop in the 4500 block of Delemere, an industrial area in northern Royal Oak where police were tipped off about animals being warehoused illegally and possibly neglectfully, Royal Oak Police Sgt. Robert Riley said. The city’s animal control officer, police and members of the county Animal Control office visited the address Monday morning and removed 26 puppies and six dogs from a fenced-in area on concrete floor.

The animals were taken to a county facility where they are being kept “under lockdown,” seen only when they are fed and watered, Riley said.

“The animals were examined by a veterinarian and seem to be in good shape,” Riley said. “But because of the circumstances there is concern about animal cruelty and this all remains under investigation and it could result in criminal charges.”

Riley said volunteers at the Delemere address had no paperwork for any of the animals and no state license for operating a kennel, a violation of city ordinance.

“We are still looking into this but it appears to be a puppy farm,” Riley said. “We suspect it could be set up for the breeding of specific animals — designer dogs — like Pomeranians, beagles, Chihuahuas and Boston terriers and then sold off at a large profit for $300 or $400 each.”

Riley said while investigators have no record of sales of animals, they have found Itsy Bitsy identified on craigslist as a shelter/rescue group where people can go to adopt pets for a fee.

“So what? What’s wrong with that?” said Buikema.

“Would you rather some dog be endangered and left in an unsafe environment? She has been rescuing and keeping animals for several years and was recently ticketed by the city of Birmingham for having too many dogs at her home. That’s why about a week ago she obtained this vacant space. It may not be fancy but it’s better than them being taken somewhere and euthanized.”

Buikema said he did not know how his client obtained the dogs or what fees she might charge for adoptions.

He said he knew that they had been kept in a room with a cement floor, covered with newspapers, that was cleaned twice a day and animals were fed regularly.

“She takes in all kinds of dogs and some, like puppies, are easier to place than older dogs. She even had one dog with only three legs,” Buikema said.

“I think she just loves animals and saving them has become a full-time compulsion.”

Riley said for now, the animals will remain in the county’s care and may eventually be put up for adoption.

Source: KNDO.com, June 1, 2009

At the Benton County Fairgrounds on Monday, there were still a few dogs remaining from the almost 400 dogs rescued from a Kennewick puppy mill.

Around noon a few members from the Humane Society of the United States were still there trying to get things back to normal.

“We’re just doing tear down and clean up, leaving the facility in as good condition as we found it,” said Melissa Forberg.

The few dogs left will be housed at the Benton Franklin Humane Society. The same goes for a handful of dogs at Coleman Animal Health Center in Pasco.

Nine puppies there were just born and a few moms have had surgeries for an infected uterus.

“It’s going to take approximately 14 days to recover for those incisions to heal, for them to be adopted out,” said Dr. Todd Coleman, with Coleman Animal Health Center.

Doctor Coleman says many of them also have severe dental problems. One dog at Coleman Animal Health Center has only has three teeth left. Almost all of them have also now been rid of fleas.

“It’s hard to say how many are truly aggressive because of that fear factor that’s in there, they lash out at anyone because they’re so scared, they don’t know what else to do, they think they’re going to get harmed,” said Dr. Coleman.

But while some may be fearful, full recovery is just a matter of time.

“They need to go into someone who is more experienced who can give them that basic training before they can go on to become family animals, but I believe all these animals are highly adoptable,” said Forberg.

Staff at Coleman Animal Health Center say the puppies and new borns are likely to adapt faster to a family environment. Members of the Humane Society of the United States say these dogs will be safe to adopt, but it will take some time and special attention.

Source: NBCMiami.com, June 1, 2009

The Wizard of Claws, a South Florida pet store that has sold pooches to the stars, has filed for bankruptcy. The pet store was investigated last year for its treatment of puppies and the use of puppy mills. The Humane Society is suing on behalf of hundreds of pet owners across the corner who bought pets with behavioral and physical problems. Many had to be put down. And now the business may be shutting down for good.

Source: Heraldnet.com, May 27, 2009

GOLD BAR — A video taken by Snohomish County officials during the January raid of a suspected million-dollar puppy mill may be released to the media, a judge ruled Tuesday.

The video is evidence in a high-profile animal cruelty case.

Defense attorneys tried to block the video’s distribution, arguing widespread broadcast may hurt their clients’ chances for a fair trial.

Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Ronald Castleberry disagreed.

The video is scheduled to be released Thursday by the Snohomish County prosecutor’s office.

Jason and Serena Larsen, both 37, are charged with six counts each of first-degree animal cruelty.

Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies and animal control officers on Jan. 16 raided a home outside Gold Bar and rescued about 160 dogs. Many of the animals were covered with urine and feces. Dead dogs were found in a freezer. A mummified dog’s body was found on the property.

The video was taken by investigators raiding the home.

The Larsens lived in the house and were responsible for the dogs’ care, prosecutors allege.

The Larsens have said the dogs belong to someone else and they were led to believe they broke no laws. They said they were breeding the dogs for a Snohomish woman who allegedly earned millions of dollars a year, court papers said.

Local media have paid close attention to the case, often featuring images of the abused puppies. A Seattle television station filed a public records request for the video, sparking the legal wrangling. The Herald also has filed a records request in the case.

Mickey Krom and Gabriel Rothstein, lawyers for the Larsens, argued release of the video may bias a potential jury pool. They also said the video could inflame already high emotions and bring the Larsens harm.

Since being charged, the Larsens have received five threatening letters, according to a written statement submitted by Jason Larsen.

“One of the letters said that there were people watching us,” Jason Larsen wrote.

After hearing arguments about the video last week, Castleberry privately reviewed the video.

It is poor quality and is “not nearly as horrific or graphic as has been argued to the court,” Castleberry said. The judge said written descriptions of the alleged animal abuse was more disturbing than that portrayed in the video.

He ruled releasing the video, as required under the state’s public disclosure laws, shouldn’t interfere with the Larsens’ constitutional right to a fair trial before an impartial jury.

Even during headline-grabbing death penalty cases, lawyers have been able to seat Snohomish County jurors who hadn’t heard about the cases, Castleberry said.

The Larsens’ attorneys may ask for a change of venue if they believe an unbiased jury cannot be empaneled, the judge said.

The puppy mill investigation is still ongoing, Snohomish County deputy prosecuting attorney Jarett Goodkin said.

Following the Gold Bar raid, the investigation expanded to a Mount Vernon-area kennel, where 450 dogs were seized. A Snohomish kennel, Wags ‘n’ Wiggles, operated by Renee Roske, also is under investigation.

Jason Larsen has said the dogs in Gold Bar belonged to Roske. Roske has denied owning the dogs. She hasn’t been charged in connection with the case.

Authorities must redact images from the video that show personal financial papers, which are exempt from disclosure under state law.

The Larsens’ trial is scheduled to begin July 31.