Updated: Breeding misery
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This boxer was
housed in an
Oklahoma kennel
that has been
cited for numerous
violations of the U.S.
Animal Welfare Act. For more, visit the Companion Animal Protection Society's Web site.
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By OMER GILLHAM & CURTIS KILMAN World Staff Writers
10/21/2007
Last Modified: 10/22/2007 12:47 PM
The latest on this story: Puppy Profits: Purebred pedigrees can boost profits
Web purchase turns costly
For more: Search a database of U.S.D.A. inspection reports, watch videos and a slide show and read the other stories in the series.
Related stories:
Network rescues animals in need
Investigation finds issues in industry
Ten breeders and brokers, 473 USDA violations
Thousands of dogs being bred
and raised for sale have lived in
unsafe
conditions, even at some
licensed dog kennels.
Oklahoma is a puppy-mill state with some
unscrupulous breeders neglecting their dogs,
falsifying pedigree papers and knowingly
selling animals with defects and diseases, an
investigation by the Tulsa World has found.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s licensed breeders have been caught
with substandard
conditions at their
kennels, according
to records obtained
by the World through
the Freedom of
Information Act.
Between 2003 and
2006, nearly 20,000
animals lived in
unsanitary conditions and substandard pens or suffered from untreated
health conditions among other problems found by
federal inspectors, records show.
The affected animals are primarily dogs, but
inspection records include cats and other animals.
Oklahoma ranks behind only Missouri in the
number of breeders and brokers registered with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
There are 702 federally licensed
breeders and brokers in Oklahoma,
records show.
While there are conscientious
breeders in Oklahoma, there are a
large number of USDA breeders with
violations. At least 283 breeders and
brokers have received two or more
violations between October 2003 and
October 2006, records show.
That’s about 40 percent of the
state’s breeders and brokers, including
breeders who handle exotic animals.
The USDA kennels and hobby
breeders are not necessarily puppy
mills, which involve breeding a large
number of animals in unsanitary
conditions without proper veterinarian
care.
Many puppy mills are run by
unlicensed individuals, exploiting
a loophole in federal regulations
by raising and selling thousands of
puppies each year without oversight.
The secretive nature of puppy mills
makes it difficult to determine their
number and location. However, the
Tulsa World interviewed industry
officials who believe the number could
be in the hundreds.
Sherry Faulkner, of Bartlesville,
recently helped rescue 24 basset
hounds from disturbing conditions at
a puppy mill located in a remote area
near Westville in Adair County.
‘‘It was horrible and heart-sickening
to see the conditions these animals
were living in,’’ Faulkner said. ‘‘The
owner was very suspicious of us but
we just remained focused on getting
the animals out of there.’’
Faulkner is a member of Ozark
Mountain Basset Rescue. She said
the group received an anonymous
tip from a woman who said the dog
breeder would shoot the dogs unless
someone took them off his hands. The
group made the rescue in 100-degree
weather on July 29.
‘‘We drove up to a mobile home
with the entire property and dog pens
swallowed up by weeds that were sixfeet
tall or taller.
‘‘We found one dog dead along the
path we were walking on,’’ Faulkner
said. ‘‘We found another dog dying. We
later found out the dog had been hit by
a car driven by the man’s wife and had
been lying there several days without
being taken to the vet.’’
After rescuing the basset hounds,
Faulkner immediately took the injured
dog to the veterinarian, where it died
anyway, she said.
Additionally, two other adult dogs
and one puppy died, Faulkner said.
‘‘The dog pens were filthy and had
feces,’’ Faulkner said. ‘‘Every one of
the dogs were sick and living in filth.’’
Kena Fitzgerald also had a firsthand
experience with a puppy mill.
Fitzgerald, of Broken Arrow, was
called to do some work for a Wilburton
breeder but she soon realized she had
walked into a puppy mill.
‘‘The place was disgusting. There
were dead puppies on the ground and
it was 100 degrees,’’ Fitzgerald said.
‘‘They were dipping dogs for fleas and
throwing them back into the pen with
dead puppies.’’
‘‘I had heard about puppy mills but
seeing one in person was horrible,’’
Fitzgerald said. ‘‘It is one of the worst
things you can imagine.’’
Defining a puppy mill
While there are definitely puppy
mills in Oklahoma, there is a
distinct difference between a puppy
mill and a conscientious breeder,
said Gary Phillips, president of
Northeast Chapter of Oklahoma Pet
Professionals.
Phillips, of Adair, said conscientious
breeders are the norm, not the
exception. ‘‘The problem is that
unlicensed breeders and unscrupulous
breeders undercut the licensed
breeders who do it right,’’ he said. ‘‘We
have a lot of problems with backyard
breeders. They need to be stopped.’’
Oklahoma has become a puppy-mill
state due to its rural roots. The state
is in the middle of the ‘‘puppy belt,’’ a
group of states that supply thousands
of puppies to pet stores and buyers in
other states each year.
Within the puppy belt, the top
five puppy-producing states are
Missouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas and
Arkansas, according to USDA records.
The larger markets for these states are
New York and California.
With more than 1,500 commercial
breeders, Missouri is the king of the
puppy belt, records show.
Defining a puppy mill is somewhat
subjective but the Oklahoma
Veterinary Medical Association defines
it as: ‘‘A commercial canine or feline
breeding operation that mass produces
large quantities of pets in substandard
and/or overcrowded and/or
unsanitary conditions with little regard
for the pet’s health, safety or welfare
which frequently results in inferior
pets for the consumer.’’
‘‘We feel that there are a lot of
unlicensed breeders and puppy mills in
Oklahoma,’’ said Dr. Charles Helwig,
executive director of the association.
‘‘Since Oklahoma has no state
regulations for commercial breeders
we are a magnet for breeders and
unlicensed breeders.’’
Helwig and field experts believe there
could be hundreds of puppy mills in
Oklahoma. The size of such operations
ranges from 20 to 100 breeding dogs
each, industry officials said.
Many puppy mills are located
in rural areas away from municipal
ordinances and public scrutiny. Others
are hidden in residences or garages.
Breeding animals can also be housed
in gutted buses or make-shift pens that
include old refrigerators, junk cars or
adapted rabbit hutches.
Conditions include feces and urine
on the floor, animals with untreated
ailments, flea and tick infestations and hordes of flies, records show.
Many of the infected animals need
immediate veterinary care but do
not receive it, said Ruth Steinberger,
statewide coordinator of Oklahoma
Alliance for Animals based in Tulsa.
Animals have lost their eyes due to
maggot infestations or to untreated
ulcers caused by overpowering
ammonia fumes from urine, she said.
Other dogs have been subjected to the
butchery of home-style C-sections.
Steinberger is familiar with the
story of Betty Foster, a dog breeder in
Harrah. In July 2006, animal rescuers
removed 130 dogs from Foster’s
residence, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s
records show. While removing the
animals, rescuers found many dead
dogs.
‘‘I saw the pictures of the animals
coming out of there and it was horrible
to imagine what they had lived
through,’’ Steinberger said.
Dr. Kay Helms, a retired
veterinarian from Coalgate, treated
some of the animals from Foster’s
home.
‘‘Some of the females had ulcerated
mammary tumors,’’ Helms said. ‘‘The
animals had to be put down.’’
Foster, who is 77 years old, was not
charged with animal cruelty though an investigator said evidence would
support a charge, records show.
Foster said her age prohibited her
from caring properly for the animals.
‘‘I did not mistreat them but I just
got older and could not take care
of them like I used to so I called for
someone to take them off my hands,’’
Foster said.
Sick dogs shipped out
While it is difficult to measure
the exact number of puppy mills
in Oklahoma, the results of such
breeding operations are showing up in
other states.
Dr. Brian Green, a veterinarian at
Sleepy Hollow Animal Hospital in New
York, said he continues to treat sick
puppies bought in Oklahoma.
‘‘These are puppy-mill dogs with
worms or contagious diseases,’’ Green
said. ‘‘The majority were bought in
Missouri but there are a fair number of
Oklahoma puppies. I see their papers.’’
Green said he routinely examines
Oklahoma puppies that qualify for
New York’s puppy lemon law. The law
allows Green to issue a form known
as an unfit-for-sale certificate. The
certificate allows the consumer to ask
for a refund or have the pet store cover
veterinary costs.
An investigation of complaints by
the Oklahoma Board of Veterinary
Medical Examiners shows how a
dog breeder gets around a health
inspection to ship a sick or weak puppy
to a consumer in another state.
The breeder allegedly presents
a healthy dog to the veterinarian
before shipping it and then ships
an inferior or weaker animal, said
Cathy Kirkpatrick, executive director
Oklahoma Board of Veterinary
Medical Examiners.
‘‘We have reviewed some of these
cases and the vets are not at fault,’’
Kirkpatrick said. ‘‘When we show them
the case, the veterinarians say that the
puppy brought in for the health check
is not the dog actually shipped to the
customer.’’
As troubling as a sickly animal can
be for the consumer, the animals suffer
the most, said Dr. Melissa Montgomery,
a veterinarian with the Tulsa Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Montgomery said the life of a puppy
mill dog involves being kept in a small
cage for life, producing puppies regularly
and then being sold for $1 at auction
when the breeding years are over.
‘‘I do find that some of these
dogs have more than their share of
genetic diseases and infections but the
most disturbing thing for me is the
behavioral aspect,’’ Montgomery said.
‘‘Some of these animals are like the kid
that won’t look you in the eye. They
are just not there.’’
Montgomery said the SPCA took
in about 40 dogs last summer from a
breeding operation in Locust Grove.
The dogs suffered from neglect and
parasites.
Animal-cruelty investigator Bob
Baker said many Oklahoma breeders
continue to offer substandard housing
and inadequate veterinary care.
During the past 25 years, Baker
has investigated a variety of issues
including dog fighting, cock fighting
and sacrificial cults across the United
States. But puppy mills are his main
focus.
‘‘I have been to Oklahoma several
times and the biggest problem in
Oklahoma is substandard housing and
pens,’’ said Baker, who serves as an
investigator for the ASPCA of New York.
Federal law does not require a
breeder to register with the USDA if
the person sells animals directly to the
public. That means that a person can
raise and sell an unlimited number
of puppies at the retail level without
USDA oversight.
Breeders who sell puppies
wholesale to a broker or pet store
must obtain a USDA license. Hobby
breeders are an exception if the
breeder keeps three or fewer breeding
females on the premises.
Baker said money is the main
motivator for bad behavior among
some dog breeders.‘‘There is big
money in the business, but it is sort of
like the drug business,’’ Baker said.
‘‘You can shut down a puppy mill but
they move down the road or show up
again somewhere. As long as there is
money in it, they will do it.’’
USDA violations
Records show USDA inspectors cited
Oklahoma dog breeders with the
following number of violations by
category between 2003 and 2006:
Facilities and enclosures: 1,255
violations
Cleaning, sanitation, housekeeping,
pest control: 335
Record-keeping requirements: 243
Attending veterinarian/adequate
vet care: 167
Improper identification of animal:
110
Feeding/water requirements: 79
Miscellaneous: 44
Records
and database
analysis by
Curtis Killman
Research
by Rachele
Vaughan
Omer Gilham 581-8301
omer.gilham@tulsaworld.com
Curtis Killman 581-8471
curtis.killman@tulsaworld.com
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Tulsan, (10/21/2007 9:07:20 AM)
This story is just too sad for a Sunday morning. I saw these little guys' pictures and thought this must be a feature on animal shelters. What an unpleasant surprise to learn of these terrible puppy mills. Anyone who would hurt or neglect a helpless animal needs serious psychiatric help and even more serious punishment.
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C.G., Tulsa (10/21/2007 10:04:45 AM)
Sickening is the only word I can think of. We need more enforcement people on the job and much stiffer penalties. We also need to come up with some better regulations.
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Joe, Tulsa (10/21/2007 10:27:42 AM)
Oklahoma has long been a poor example of caring concern for the animals. I have been to many breeders and have yet to find one Oklahoma breeder to have the quality of facilities, education or standards as I have seen in the neighboring states of Kansas and Missouri, both have state license and state inspectors. Oklahoma it's time you took care of your breeding industry problems.
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jessica, tulsa (10/21/2007 12:07:00 PM)
This is horrible to read, I had no idea the breeding in Oklahoma had this much cruelty. Where are the laws to protect the animals? Why are WE not bringing this to a vote to protect the animals? I rather pay a little more in taxes (if needs be) to protect an animal from cruelty conditions like I just read. To think the dog I purchased from a so called legimate breeder my have been breed in a puppy mill like this is a horrible feeling. Why are we looking over this? To think people are making money by slaving animals. This is a slave trade business and Oklahomans are supporting it by not taking the time to put PROPER REGULATIONS AND LAWS to protect not only the animals but the consumers from this. I would be horrified to find out the $650 I spent for my dog went to support this business and I will do my part and investigate the breeder I bought my dog from to ensure of this. I hope any one else that reads this will do the same.
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If law enforcement would put the same amount of money, time, and effort that they put in to chasing down pot smokers and meth heads, they might make a dent in this business and the creeps who engage in it. Then, the public could turn to a campaign that would outlaw all breeding--an activity that feeds only selfish human needs and does NOTHING for the animals. The use of the word "conscientious" to describe this activity is entirely inappropriate, if not laughable.
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Lulu, Jenks (10/21/2007 2:55:42 PM)
Every animal I have ever owned came from the animal shelter or an animal rescue organization. I guess pure bred animals are nice but "mutts" are much healthier and have less personality problems. Adopt an animal from the shelter or rescue organization and you will have a friend forever. They are so thankful to have a good home they can't do enough please. If people would not support the breeders or "Luv A Pet", this problem wouldn't exist!
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Jason, Broken Arrow (10/21/2007 3:13:09 PM)
People with low education, skills and at the lower end of the socio-economic scale are attracted to the puppy mill business because of the seemingly easy money that can be made. Unfortunately, Oklahoma has a lot of citizens who qualify for this category and have the unstable personality disorders necessary to be attracted this type of business without caring for the welfare of the animals. While I am a libertarian conservative who loathes more "nanny" laws and taxes, law enforcement and the government really needs to drop the hammer on these people who are borderline psychopaths. Anyone who has such disregard for the life of an animal, is not far away from having total disregard for human life. I think the OK state gov. should: 1. Issue a moratorium on breeding licenses. 2. Roll up and discontinue the licenses on 75 percent of the breeders already in place. 3. Rigorously prosecute and enforce the laws in the books. 4. Get the media and public behind this movement so that it becomes as stigmatised as child molestation. 5. Enact laws that pave the way for Govt and Non gov't aid organizations to seek retribution for costs and expenses in civil court. 6. Appoint an Animal Rights Czar that can be the voice and image of the state gov't in it's crusade against these low lifes. Those are just a few ideas. I'm sure others can come up with more and better ones that would curtail this problem without costing taxpayers that much.
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Susan, (10/21/2007 5:45:58 PM)
This article should be used as a text-book example of "hyperbole' for aspiring writers to avoid. I wonder about the connections of the person who authored this piece, because I see Big AR written *all* over it. OMG, there were FECES in the pens...call the National guard!! Don't even try to tell me that the person writing this article was not injecting a healthy dose of bias. I am deeply disturbed by the message this article sends; that somehow the problem of animal neglect is a) rampant and b)that virtually all Oklahoma animal breeders fall into this category and c)it is in need of immediate attention before the world comes to an end. None of these are truly the case, but it sure makes good copy, doesn't it? And as usual, we see more and bigger government touted as the answer to all ills; never mind that throwing regulations at such problems seldom helps. (Because the people who really ARE a problem are already breaking the law, people, and they will simply ignore any new laws just like they are ignoring the present ones.) All it does is make things worse for the people who are already not causing a problem in the first place; but that won't stop the do-gooders from raving for such regulations anyway. Then they can all go home and hug themselves with satisfaction that they have done something tangible about the problem. And as usual, the ones who get hurt are the law-abiding, caring dog owners who were never a problem in the first place. I wonder just how much the person who wrote this article, as well as the many who commented asking for 'more laws' actually *understand* about so-called 'licensed' breeders. I wonder, for example, how many are aware that in order to raise dogs in a manner that will pass USDA inspections, certain things that MANY of us take for granted, such as having the pups raised in the house close to people where they can receive proper socialization, are AGAINST THE RULES... You must house the dogs in a SEPARATE facility, just like any other kind of LIVESTOCK. That's right, people; your vaunted USDA's licensure requirements are far better suited to the *commercial production* of pets as livestock, (remember that the USDA's primary mission is the oversight of agriculture, not pets) and the rules are very clear. Can't keep your dog meds in the same fridge with your food; has to be a separate refrigerator. Can't raise the pups in a basket by your bed; have to be housed in a SEPARATE building, etc. Raising pups in your HOUSE? Oh, wait... those would be those so-called "back yard breeders" that you people rag on about. Don't seem so bad now, do they? No, more and bigger government is not going to solve this problem. Not to mention, the way this article is written one would expect to see a "puppy mill" on every street corner in Oklahoma. In fact, the truth of the matter is that commercial breeders make up a vanishingly small percentage of the dog breeding population, and the majority of breeders do care and are providing proper care to their pets. Yet this article is a clear indictment of all breeders in this state. The people who are engaged in the business of 'shutting down puppy mills' are remarkably plastic in their definitions. And before we get started, yes I *do* know what a puppy mill is, and I have seen such situations myself. There are people who should not be entrusted with the care of stuffed animals, yes they do exist and such behavior is horrible, but it is *not* the norm of care at the overwhelming majority of breeder's homes. To be truthful, there are a LOT of so-called animal saviors out there who are unable, or unwilling, to make the distinction. What is 'filth' for example? Are we talking about a systemic problem, or one or two piles of poop in an enclosure? How many of you are aware that excited dogs will void, and that even if your runs have been picked up in the past thirty minutes, having a stranger arrive on the premises is enough to 'get them all going,' so to speak? So the intrepid animal saviors arrive, and oh my gosh! there's poop in the runs! Oh, no! Clear
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"Oklahoma is a puppy mill state." That is the FIRST line of this piece. If I were a breeder in the state of Oklahoma, I would be INCENSED at this blatant exaggeration. Reputable breeders are by far in the majority, in Oklahoma as elsewhere. I note that there were even a few who made this point in the article, but somehow their comments are largely overlooked in the rush to judgment in calling Oklahoma a 'puppy mill state.' No, Oklahoma is not a puppy mill state. Oklahoma is an AGRICULTURAL state, as are the others cited above, and it is centrally located. This is why so many dog breeders live here. And as for them being 'rural,' why wait a minit! Are we going to berate them for following the LAWS of the larger cities and taking their dogs outside city limits so as not to overrun the pet limit ordinances? No, Oklahoma is NOT a "puppy mill state," but the author of this article is almost as bad as the people being knocked here. Bad form!!!
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"You saw these little guys pictures." Which ones? The one of the boxer in the roomy pen with the SCRUPULOUSLY clean stainless steel dishes? OK, he doesn't look real happy, but then there is some strange guy with a camera pointed at him; maybe he is camera shy. Or were you talking about the dachshund with no sign of disease or neglect? His bowl looks pretty clean too, as far as that goes. I grant you that I don't much approve of raising animals on wire, but neither of these pictures does much to make the author's case. There are real puppy mills out there; how about we spend out time targeting them (most can already be shut down under current laws) and leave everyone else alone?
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I have worked with rescue groups and animal shelters all my adult life. These breed for greed puppy millers are guilty of abuse & neglect in every case. How do I know? I have seen the conditons of these mills firsthand. I also know the effects this kind of "treatment" has on the breeder dogs. They are held | |
