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View Full Version : Humane Society Buys out a puppymill....


S13SilviaGirl
07-23-2008, 05:28 AM
The Wisconsin Humane Society is buying one of the largest dog breeding facilities in the nation, and plans to close the kennel and find new homes for the more than 1,100 dogs there, the society announced Friday.

The action appears to be an unprecedented step in the campaign by U.S. humane societies against puppy mills.

"We have not heard of this ever being done by a local facility," said Cory Smith, program manager of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States. "You see these places and it's heartbreaking. So when you know that people are making a living by this, this approach seems like a logical step - to use financial means to get the animals out of there."

Puppy Haven Kennel in Markesan, about 90 miles northwest of Milwaukee, will close after selling its dog breeding business to the Wisconsin Humane Society for an undisclosed amount that Humane Society board member Tony Enea called "pennies on the dollar." In a statement, the society said the kennel's owner, Wallace Havens, was "willing to substantially discount the sale of the business because the dogs would be retired and placed in good homes."

Victoria Wellens, executive director of the Wisconsin Humane Society, said at a news conference Friday that new programs will be developed to help the dogs taken from Puppy Haven become more socialized and adoptable.

"None of these dogs has had a toy or been cuddled," Wellens said.

While in operation, Puppy Haven sold about 3,000 dogs a year. The dog breeds included pugs, beagles, poodles, miniature schnauzers, Shih Tzus, American Eskimos, Yorkshire terriers and mixes known as "designer breeds."

Havens was suspended and fined by the American Kennel Club in 2006 over conditions at his kennel, according to Daisy Okas, a spokeswoman for the AKC.

"AKC inspected Mr. Havens and found some dogs that were in overcrowded conditions, dogs with matted/dirty/neglected coats and a dog that had been injured with no evidence of receiving veterinary care. Also, he had issues with missing, incomplete and incorrect records and problems identifying some dogs," Okas said in an e-mail. "We gave him the opportunity to correct these problems and request a reinspection. He sent in his reinspection request, but then canceled the day the inspector was driving out to conduct the inspection. Therefore, AKC suspended him. Suspension means he can't register dogs with us."

The Humane Society of the United States also received complaints against Puppy Haven and Havens, according to Kathleen Summers, deputy director of the U.S. society's Stop Puppy Mills Campaign.

"I have had complaints about him from local shelters that say he would discard his leftover breeding stock when they couldn't breed anymore," she said. "He would bring them to the shelters and it was clear they had spent their whole lives in a cage. There were hundreds of dogs on wet floors, freezing with no temperature control in the winter."

Havens, speaking from his home in Kingston, said he sold the Puppy Haven assets to the Wisconsin Humane Society because he is 72 years old and "I'm ready to retire."

"I've been dealing with the Wisconsin Humane Society for years, and they have helped our sick puppies. They are very good about finding them homes," he said. "Some folks are good with dogs and not with people, but the society is nice to people and animals. They don't run us down."

When asked about past complaints about the conditions at Puppy Haven, he said: "Our dogs have been better taken care of than in a home. They have a run and food all the time."

The Puppy Haven dogs will be transported to the Wisconsin Humane Society over several months and will get medical treatment before being put up for adoption. Some of the dogs will be available for adoption in a few days.

The Wisconsin Humane Society is asking for contributions to help pay for the costs of the dogs' care and adoption.


Thought all of you dog lovers out there would like to see this.

shmiddy
07-23-2008, 05:41 AM
score 1 for peta

Mister.E
07-23-2008, 06:45 AM
score 1 for the dogs. puppies fuckin rock and shit like puppy mills just kills me. hopefully all of the dogs find good homes

ThatGuy
07-23-2008, 07:33 AM
A step in the right direction.

Down with Puppy Mills!

renegade_ewok
07-23-2008, 08:13 AM
Breeding dogs is all good, but when you do it with only profit in mind and you start getting deformities, you got issues.

Thats really bad around here in Amish country in PA where there are a ton of puppy mills. Born without eyes and shit... goddamnit.

YoungGun
07-23-2008, 09:43 AM
This is good news, I hope they buy out some more.

exitspeed
07-23-2008, 09:47 AM
Yea Lisa, that humane society is right by me. They've had lines of people waiting for puppies when they get them in. They can only bring in so many at once.

Nicole and I have been real tempted at getting another Yorki. But we're not sure about 3 dogs.

spngr311
07-23-2008, 10:04 AM
This is good news, I hope they buy out some more.

+1

Buying dogs from puppy mills should be a crime. There are so many excellent dogs available at the Humane Society shelters and other organizations, there is no need to buy a dog. I mean, you can get puppies of any breed from a pound, and if a pound/shelter doesn't have one, they will keep an eye out to find what you are looking for.

jackjack
07-23-2008, 10:47 AM
AWESOME.

finally.... some GOOD news.

rock on.

SexPanda
07-23-2008, 07:15 PM
You know, if they were complaining about the puppies never being cuddled or anything, they could have saved alot of money. Just give me like, 10 bucks an hour, and have me go in a play with the puppies for 8 hours a day. Seriously. That job would ROCK.

And I hate peta. Those people make me sick. Now, if there was a peta for just dogs, i'd be down 1000% to join that. IDC about cows, or chickens or lab rats. Dogs FTW.

Mi Beardo es Loco
07-23-2008, 07:38 PM
I have 5 dogs. 3 English Bulldogs and the other two were destined for death if we didn't take them. One was the runt and his brothers and sisters weren't letting him eat and the other we saw cowering on the side of the soft shoulder as a puppy on the 15 freeway in Victorville. We also have 2 cats and we took in their mom and dad as strays. After their first litter we got them spayed and neutered and gave away all but 2 cats. I love animals and to torture ANY living being is heartbreaking to me, let alone a domesticated animal.

dirtdiggler666
07-23-2008, 07:44 PM
one thing i cant stand seeing is dogs in pet shops and in malls, impulse buying a hat/shirt or whatever is ok but not a dog.

and im not sure put the puppy mills supply pet shop/malls

S13SilviaGirl
07-23-2008, 08:01 PM
Dirt, they do supply the malls with dogs and cats. Sad :(

dirtdiggler666
07-23-2008, 08:23 PM
ya thats what i thought thanks for the info tho very sad

and im sure more than half the dogs that get bought from malls because it was in impulse buy end up at the pound

WangonwWarrior
07-23-2008, 08:26 PM
We got tons of those in alabama. Only we do it with people.... not dogs:bs: J/P had to do it

S13SilviaGirl
07-23-2008, 08:35 PM
ya thats what i thought thanks for the info tho very sad

and im sure more than half the dogs that get bought from malls because it was in impulse buy end up at the pound

yepp, a lot also end up getting very sick and dying as well. :down:

http://stoppuppymills.org/

that is a great link about the conditions inside a puppymill. :( these ppl need to be put in the same conditions in my opinion....