If Your Going To Be Gone All Day and Want To Keep Your Dog Cool

This is a great way to make sure your dog has some cool water and lots of fun on a hot day by freezing some of his or her favorite toys and put them in a dish outside for him or her.

The Purest Form of Love....

Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation

According to the The Alliance Speaks newsletter :

Public Awareness Helps Decrease Puppy Mills

Increased national awareness of puppy mills and where pet store puppies come from is also making a considerable difference here in Missouri. Consumer outrage over sick puppies purchased from pet stores, combined with the educational work of dedicated animal advocates across the country, has raised the public's knowledge of puppy mills and has brought needed attention to the issue. As the public becomes more aware of the conditions under which many pet store puppies are raised, pet stores have come under pressure to change their business practices. now the USDA inspection reports are online, it is easy to learn the conditions of the breeding facilities where pet store puppies come from. In addition, it makes it easier to trace the origin of the sick puppies sold in pet stores. Several animal welfare groups have even documented the conditions at many breeding facilities with photographs and videos and trace the puppies in specific pet stores across the country. Such exposes, along with reports from consumers who purchased sick puppies, have led to protests and media stories exposing the pet stores like PAMPERED PETS who was owned by OVELLA LANGE and whose own son runs a "rescue" in the very facility that she had so many violations and cs still selling cruelty to animal inspections that her breeding license was taken away from her for 5 years. She had to sell all her animals and give up her business due to all the violations and cruel and inhumane practices. Now her son lives in her basement and runs a "rescue" out of the same facility and he even at one point was one of her store managers. REALLY and we wonder why our state is the WORST PUPPY MILL STATE IN THE NATION. Here is why folks............. Throughout the country sick puppies are being traced back to Missouri breeders.

   As a result, numerous pet stores have been listening to peoples concerns and have STOPPED SELLING PUPPIES. Petco and PetSmart are leaders in refusing to sell puppies and supporting rescues. Hudson highly recommends everyone using these stores for you pet needs. Petland is still selling puppies from horrible breeders who have tons and tons of violations and cruelty to animal inspection reports. In Hudson's opinion NO ONE SHOULD EVER GIVE PETLAND ANY BUSINESS UNTIL THEY STOP SELLING PUPPIES !!!!

NINE PEEVES THAT DOGS HAVE ABOUT HUMANS

'1' Blaming your farts on me..... not funny... not funny at all !!!

----------------------------------------------
'2'
Yelling at me for barking.
I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG
--------------------------------------------------
'3'
Taking me for a walk, then
not letting me check stuff out.
Exactly whose walk is this anyway?

--------------------------------------------------
'4'
Any trick that involves balancing
food on my nose. Stop it!

--------------------------------------------------
' 5 '
The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw.
You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo what
a proud moment for the top of the food chain.

--------------------------------------------------
' 6 '
Taking me to the vet for 'the big snip', then acting
surprised when I freak out every time we go back!

--------------------------------------------------
' 7’
Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests.
Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet .

-------------------------------------------------- ' 8 '
Dog sweaters. Hello ???
Haven't you noticed the fur?
--------------------------------------------------
' 9 '
How you act disgusted when I lick myself.
Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous.
--------------------------------------------------
Now lay off me on some of these things.
We both know who's boss here!
You don't see me picking up your poop do you?


EVERY DOG HAS HIS DAY.
A DOG ALWAYS OFFERS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
CATS HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT!


This is how Hudson feels about all these Designer dogs which every shelter is full to the brim with. Need a great designer dog go no farther than your nearest shelter !

What To Do If You See A Dog Locked Inside A Hot Car

It is not unusual to hear in the news that a dog has died due to the lack of common sense from their owners and being left trapped inside a car. It does not matter if it is for a few minutes or if the person believes it is not hot enough, an animal should never be unattended in a vehicle. Some people argue that leaving the window partially open is enough for ventilation. According to PETA.org, on a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to between 100 to 120 degrees in just minutes, and on a 90-degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 160 degrees in less than 10 minutes. The following are steps that should be followed in case an animal needs help out of the vehicle.

The following information has been obtained from My Dog Is Cool and Dogs in Hot Cars

1. If you see a dog inside of a car, write the description of the car: color, model, make, and license plate number.
2. Have a friend or another person keep an eye on the dog. Don’t leave the pup alone until situation is resolved!
3. Go to the stores around the parking lot and have the owner paged in the store.
4. If no one responds call local humane authorities or police.
5. If police does not respond or too slow and the dog’s life appears to be in imminent danger, find a witness (or several) who will testify your argument
6. Take steps to remove the suffering animal, and then wait for authorities to arrive.

USDA wants stricter regulations for breeders selling pets on the Internet

The USDA wants to make sure if you buy a pet online, you're getting one that's healthy and treated well.

 

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Reporter: Lauren Matter,

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - The USDA wants to make sure if you buy a pet online, you're getting one that's healthy and treated well.

A new proposal would change regulations on how pets are sold on the Internet.

The USDA wants to make sure the breeder selling on the Internet is given the same inspections as the breeders you meet in person.

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The way people find the newest 4-legged member of their family is changing.

Springfield Veterinarian Denise Roche has been taking care of animals for 20 years.

She says it still surprises her how many people are finding their pets online.

"We start looking and searching and typing in the search engine and find something and that's it and we want to get that pet," says Roche.

Roche says that anticipation is how problems can happen.

That's why she agrees with the USDA's proposal to change the way Internet pet breeders are regulated.

"It really needs to be buyer beware and do your homework," explains Roche.

Someone who did that homework is Abbey Turnbough.

She found her dog, Yoko, on Facebook.

"I just couldn't resist her, she looked adorable and I had to contact him," says Turnbough.

But even after asking the owner common health questions, she says she was still a little worried.

"It was a little nerve-racking. You never know with a dog if they're going to be really nice or if they're going to like you," says Turnbough.

Luckily for her, the Internet found her a perfect, healthy match.

But that's not always the case.

"You can have congenital heart problems. You can have hip dysplasia, that'll show up later on when they're older, knee problems, or dental disease," explains Roche.

And Roche says these health problems aren't only found in pets bought online, that's why it's always important to remember if you're searching also search the right questions to ask.

"I would be aware of people who don't want to provide you references," says Roche.

"I love her, she's a really great dog," Turnbough says.

Turnbough says she had such a great experience, if she's ever searching for a friend for Yoko, she knows where to look.

"I think as long as I checked it out and make sure there's papers and that someone has had experience with the dog, then yeah," says Turnbough.

If the proposal passes, anyone selling dogs online would have to open their doors to the public so buyers can see the animal before they buy them.

If they choose to not allow that, the breeder must get a license and will be inspected by the USDA.

The change would only affect dog owners who breed more than four females and sell them over the Internet or phone.

The proposed change does not affect backyard breeders who sell puppies from their homes.

New Puppy Mill Law Introduced In Albany Would Improve Standards At Breeding Facilities

The Humane Society press conference in midtown Manhattan for the Stop Puppy Mills Campaign to announce the introduction of a new puppy mill legislation in NYC. Activist Amanda Hearst. (Photo by Pearl Gabel for The Humane Society)

The people at the Humane Society of the United States are still fighting the good fight against puppy mills, and today they—along with Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Friends of Finn members Amanda Hearst and Georgina Bloomberg—announced the introduction of a new bill (A.10150) in the New York legislature. The bill would strengthen standards of care for dogs in these large-scale, commercial breeding facilities, aka puppy mills. The HSUS reminds us why they're advocating for change:

In puppy mills, dogs are typically kept in cramped, wire-floored cages, produce litter after litter of puppies for their entire lives, and never set foot outside their cages. The proposed bill will require basic humane standards such as solid flooring, annual veterinary care and breeding frequency and age limits.

And the HSUS' president, Wayne Pacelle, addressed the lax laws in New York specifically, saying, "New York state lacks effective laws to oversee and dismantle abusive puppy mills. Rosenthal’s bill will put requirements in place to prevent puppy mill operators from taking shortcuts that cause suffering and privation for dogs, and it’s another example of her tremendous leadership on animal protection issues.”

This week is actually Puppy Mill Action Week, so help spread the word about puppy mills and encourage people to adopt a shelter dog. And now, some horrific examples illustrating why puppy mills should be held more accountable.

• In 2010, a puppy mill operator in Romulus, NY subjected 78 dogs and 15 puppies to a long and painful death by locking them into a makeshift wooden box and piping in exhaust from a gas engine. The brutal killing of the nearly 100 dogs resulted in a mere $500 fine.
• A Dundee, NY commercial breeding facility has amassed numerous federal violations over several years, including failing to provide food to emaciated dogs, failure to provide veterinary care to dogs with medical conditions, allowing the feet of puppies to pass through wire cage floors, and rodent infestation.
• Another Dundee facility has repeated violations for unsanitary conditions, feces and urine build up, dogs with matted fur and skin conditions, and keeping dogs in constant darkness.
• A Clyde, NY puppy mill has been cited repeatedly by federal inspectors for unsanitary facilities, failure to provide veterinary care, and multiple dogs dying from unknown causes.
• A Seneca Falls, NY facility has numerous federal violations for multiple dogs with untreated medical conditions, dogs with matted fur and with excessively long nails that were “splaying outward,” and build up of feces throughout the kennel, including inside the feeders.

My dog sleeps about 20 hours a day.
He has his food prepared for him.

He can eat whenever he wants.
His meals are provided at no cost to him.
He visits the Dr. once a year for his checkup, and again during the year if any medical needs arise.
For this he pays nothing, and nothing is required of him.
He lives in a nice neighborhood in a house that is much larger than he needs, but he is not required to do any upkeep.
If he makes a mess, someone else cleans it up.
He has his choice of luxurious places to sleep.
He receives these accommodations absolutely free.
He is living like a King, and has absolutely no expenses whatsoever.
All of his costs are picked up by others who go out and earn a living every day.
I was just thinking about all this, and suddenly it hit me like a brick in the head.......

I think my dog is a member of Congress!

Maybe Connecticut Needs To Jump On Board All The Cities Who Are Just banning Pet Stores

A bill that would allow new pet owners to keep their animals and still be compensated for veterinary bills passed the Connecticut Senate yesterday. Lawmakers gave final approval for legislation that will establish a Connecticut “pet lemon law.”

Under the new law, pet shops that sell a dog or cat that becomes ill or perishes from an illness that existed at the time of sale would be required to reimburse the customer up to $500 for veterinary treatment, and would call for penalties in cases where congenital defects are diagnosed within six months of purchase.

State Representative Fred Camillo introduced the concept of a pet lemon law on the floor of the House in 2009, and applauded the passage of the bill, which will now go to the governor’s desk.

“This bill is about business accountability, consumer protection and, above all, the basic human compassion for animals,” said Rep. Camillo. “When someone decides to adopt an animal, they are looking to make a worthwhile addition to their family, home and life. Too often you hear of the horror stories of the animal becoming ill from a genetic defect, which can lead to costly medical bills.”

Way to go Missouri Department of Agriculture and Chris Koster

Morgan County dog breeder cited by Missouri Attorney General

GateHouse Media Inc.                                                                                                  

Missouri's attorney general has stepped in and filed a lawsuit against a Barnett dog breeder. Attorney General Chris Koster claims Lisa Oldendorf, who owns Oldendorf Boxer, violated a number of provisions of the Animal Care Facilities Act and the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act.

The attorney general's office is asking a Morgan County judge to grant a temporary restraining order, preliminary and permanent injunction and civil penalties.

Koster, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, alleges Oldendorf operated the commercial breeding facility without a license, failed to provide an adequate waste disposal and drainage system in the sheltered kennel building, failed to identify her dogs or keep records of their identification and allowed the ambient air temperature to fall below 45 degrees.

Koster also alleges Oldendorf failed to failed to maintain an effective program for the control of insects and rodents and failed to keep the concrete floors in the indoor and outdoor portion of the sheltered facility impervious to moisture.

Dog hurt dragging owner out of path of oncoming train

Dog hurt dragging owner out of path of oncoming train

I Will Be Saved (An Anti-Puppy Mill PSA)

New home for dogs to open soon in St. Charles 

 

New home for dogs to open soon in St. Charles

Roy Sykes

ROY SYKES/ JOURNAL Kim Brown, executive director of Five Acres, shows Apollo, an American bulldog who arrived just as the first dog runs were being installed in the new kennel area.

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A day at Five Acres Animal Shelter

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Workers last Wednesday were putting the finishing touches on the 4,000-square-foot new home for dogs at Five Acres Animal Shelter, 1099 Pralle Lane in St. Charles.
As music from AC/DC blared through the new sound system in the $600,000 addition to the shelter, Executive Director Kim Brown stood inside the front entrance pointing out what still needed to be done before the dogs would be moved in, which was expected to occur on Monday.
Brown said the shelter had not announced a date when the public could view the dogs in their new kennels, but a VIP open house is planned for May 21.
Counter tops still needed to be installed. A cat condo near the front door wasn't in place yet. The gift shop in the shelter's current building hasn't been moved yet.
The new building's 32 indoor kennels were being erected while Brown talked about the effort it's taken to build more space for the no-kill shelter's dogs.
"This transition of construction has been challenging," Brown said. "We're working around the contractors. We've maintained our capacity the whole time, and the dogs and staff and volunteers have been patient. Customers have been really understanding because they have to walk past construction to get to the dogs. But they see the new building and are excited about that, and hopefully they'll come back and get another dog."
Five Acres' staff are always trying to find more ways to lessen the stress on the dozens of dogs and cats in their care. The lobby in the current building is filled with cages and dogs. A large dog occupies Brown's own office, and space for new arrivals is at a minimum.
In the new building, dogs will be introduced in the meet and greet rooms. Each new indoor kennel is separated by a solid wall, so the dogs won't be able to see each other, which will reduce their barking and anxiety. Before the new kennels open, customers have to find an open space in the laundry room or crawl into the cage with dogs they might want to adopt.
"When our customers come in, that dog that comes up to the cage or the cat that comes over and sits on their lap, a lot of times is who they want to take home," Brown said. "They say, 'They picked me.'"
The dogs and cats that show up at Five Acres don't get to pick where they go. They also don't decide how they arrive.
During a hail storm earlier year, Five Acres staff arrived that morning to find a gray German shepherd mix tied to the shelter's gate. Susie was pelted by hail until staff took her in. Her owner didn't leave a note.
Aside from a bout of kennel cough, 7-year-old Susie greeted a visitor Wednesday with a bark and wag of the tail, which wagged faster the more her head was rubbed.
Julie Mahler was at Five Acres Wednesday working as an intern from Lewis and Clark Career Center in St. Charles. Mahler, a junior, has worked at Five Acres 2 1/2 hours each day Monday through Thursday for three weeks.
The dogs were still in their outdoor pens as Mahler went from cage to cage to offer attention to each dog. She admitted she wanted to work at Five Acres because she's an animal lover. Mahler cleans cages, takes dogs for walks, feeds them and gives them attention.
"I have plenty of favorites," Mahler said as she petted one of the shelter's pit bulls. "I have too many. I can't wait until (the new building) gets done. It will look great and be good for the dogs."
More space also means the need for more volunteers. Five Acres relies a great deal on its 350 volunteers. Since the capital campaign to raise money for the new dog shelter started, volunteers have helped with painting and landscaping in addition to their normal duties caring for the animals.
"They do everything our staff does, and a dozen things staff doesn't do," said Brittany Broombaugh, director of volunteers at Five Acres. "They answer phones, walk dogs, socialize with dogs and cats, help gather donations, take dogs to the vet. We couldn't do what we do here without our volunteers."
On April 23, Five Acres won the $5,000 third-place prize in the Monsanto Grow St. Louis program, a contest to benefit local nonprofit agencies. House Rabbit Society of Missouri finished first and won $15,000. Wentzville Special Sports, an athletic program offered through the Wentzville School District for students and alumni with special needs, won $10,000 for placing second.
Broombaugh said Five Acres' winnings and a private donation match of $5,000 would be used for veterinarian fees. That $10,000 amounts to 20 percent of the shelter's expected vet fees for 2012, she said.
Social media websites like Facebook were instrumental in helping Five Acres gain enough votes from the public to finish in the top three.
"I felt with our community effort and numbers we had in the volunteer program we could get support behind us," Broombaugh said. "The top four spots were bouncing around quite a bit and we settled into third the last few days, but it was close enough that we were right on the edge of falling out of the top three."
Once the new building opens, Five Acres will be closed on Mondays. The shelter will be open 2-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
"It saves us a little on the bottom line and gives us time to do some administrative work," Brown said about being closed on Mondays. "We'll be open longer on the weekends to make up for being closed that day."

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/stcharles/news/new-home-for-dogs-to-open-soon-in-st-charles/article_ab2cdccd-64e9-581b-a611-315030893f0a.html#ixzz1tuHEKyUM

Missouri Puppy Mills: Dirty Dozen Update March 2011

Missouri Puppy Mills: Dirty Dozen Update March 2011

Photo courtesy of the USDA and HSUS

While Missouri Legislators debate the repeal of Prop B, the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act, Missourians for the Protection of Dogs released a new report demonstrating major continuing problems in licensed puppy mills in the state.

The new report on "Missouri's Dirty Dozen" - reportedly some of the worst licensed puppy mills in Missouri - demonstrates that many of the worst puppy mills in the state are still licensed and in business six months after their histories were made public.

Nine of the 12 Dirty Dozen puppy mill producers identified in October 2010 are still state and/or federally licensed in 2011, according to the new report. According to their most recent USDA inspection records, many are still depriving dogs of the basics of humane care, such as shelter from the bitter cold, adequate food and water, and basic veterinary care for illness or injuries.

Vilolations, drawn directly from federal kennel inspection reports, include sick or dying puppies who had not been treated by a veterinarian; dogs and puppies found shivering the cold; dogs with oozing, open lesions and injuries that had not been treated by a vet; puppies with their feet falling through wire cage floors; and dogs so emaciated that their bones were clearly visible through their skin. At Hidden Valley Farms in Greencastle, USDA inspectors found six puppies with "raw, moist, red" open wounds on their tails with "what appeared to be bone/cartilage" exposed to dirt and flies after the breeder allegedly performed botched home surgeries on them rather than taking them to her vet.

Six new kennels of concern have been added to the list.

Check out the numbers:

License Status of Kennels Mentioned in the Dirty Dozen Report

THE ORIGINAL DIRTY DOZEN

• Brandi Cheney & Diana Stephenson, S & S Family Puppies, Milan; Brandi Cheney, Circle B Farms, Huntsville STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Beverly Fields, B&B Kennel, Galt STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Shannon Plymell, Windsong Kennels, Pattonsburg STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Diana and Floyd Miller, Bar M Ranch Kennel, Spickard STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Paul and Pollie Gingerich - Gingerich Farms, Bogard STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Mary Ann Smith, Smith’s Kennel, Salem STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Cox, Marsha - Mar-Don Kennel, Chillicothe STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

• Peggy Ryan, For Heaven’s Sake, Reeds Spring STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Robert Dukes and Robin Dollins, Tiny Tails, Edgar Springs STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Bill and Sandra Sackrey, S K’s Kennel, Brookfield STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Brenda Walter, Hidden Valley Farms, Greencastle STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Jesse and Sonja Miller – Walnut Creek Kennel, La Monte STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED

THE ORIGINAL DISHONORABLE MENTIONS

• Bonnie and Herman Schindler – Mettoville Kennels, Mexico STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED; all dogs sold at auction in Oct. 2010

• Sharon Owen, Poodles Plus, Auxvasse STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

• Wendy Laymon, Shadow Mountain Kennel, Rogersville STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED; ALSO AQUIRED NEW STATE “RESCUE” LICENSE

• John and Sharlette Tidwell, Ramblin’ Spring Kennel, West Plains (www.TidwellFarm.com) STATUS: STILL STATE LICENSED; JOHN ACQUIRED NEW USDA “TRANSPORTER” LICENSE

• Jerri Vestal, Vestals Kennel, Livonia STATUS: STILL USDA LICENSED

• Joyce Young, Young’s Ozark Kennel, Pottersville STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Donald Schrage, Rabbit Ridge Kennel, Edina STATUS: STILL STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Barbara McCoy, Gone to the Dogs, Thayer STATUS: NO LONGER LICENSED

NEW CONCERNS: ALL THE KENNELS BELOW ARE BOTH STATE AND FEDERALLY LICENSED

• Tina Carr – Simply Puppies, Hannibal DEAD DACHSHUND, OTHER DOGS FOUND IN BELOW-FREEZING COLD

• Lou Cox – Lou’s Country Kennel, Chillicothe DOGS IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES WITH WATER FROZEN “THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME”

• Joseph and LeRoy Detweiler – Sunset Ridge Kennel, Princeton: SUMMER HEAT INDEX IN KENNEL OVER 114 DEGREES

• Rhonda Gear – Country Babies, Galt: DOG WITH “VISIBLY PROMINENT RIBS AND SPINAL COLUMN”

• Ruth Zuspann – Zuspann Kennel, Edina: IMPROPER USE OF CONTROLLED VETERINARY DRUG AND IMPROPER/EXPIRED DRUGS ON DOGS

• Wilma Jinson – Jinson Kennel, Stella: “OBVIOUS VETERINARY CARE PROBLEMS” PER USDA INSPECTOR

Six additional kennels have been added to the update report; all are both state and federally
licensed.

• Dead dog found outside in bitter cold (Tina Carr /Simply Puppies, Hannibal)

• Frozen drinking water in all outdoor cages in 23 degree weather plus “excessively thin” mother dog with puppies that had died (Lou Cox / Lou’s Country Kennel, Chillicothe)

• Summer heat index inside kennel over 114 degrees, with dogs and puppies showing signs of heat stress(Joseph and LeRoy Dettweiler / Sunset Ridge Kennel, Princeton)

• “Visibly thin” dog, dogs in 20 degree temperatures, and facilities housing dogs that had not been cleaned in months (Rhonda Gear / Country Babies, Galt)

• “Treating” dogs with a controlled substance rather than seeking suitable veterinary care; use of improper and expired medications on dogs (Ruth Zuspann, Zuspann Kennel, Edina)

• “Obvious veterinary care problems” and one dog so matted “it was difficult to see his face.” (Wilma Jinson/ Jinson Kennel, Stella)

For the full Missouri Dirty Dozenreport visit the Humane Society of the United States web site.

You might also like:

• Missouri Dirty Dozen Puppy Mills: Urine and Feces Raining Down on the Dogs
• Missouri's Hall of Shame Dirty Dozen Worst Puppy Mills in the State
• Missouri Puppy Mills: Euthanasia Plan - Club the Dogs

Caroline Viola writes. When we understand just how much money the AKC gets from online registration, we see WHY they are hesitant to support any attempts to change. The unsuspecting customer believes that when a pet store says, "our puppies are AKC registered", they believe all is well. The AKC does NOT verify health, living conditions OR breeding practices. They only state that the puppy register... ONLINE is a purebred. That's a LOT of money AKC gets from these houses of horror. Pet stores decieve people BIG TIME and this is why we need to keep outting the info AND the photos and videos out there. It is not to be gratuitous that we show what goes on, but to show the truth. Only when people see with their own eyes will they scream, "I had no idea this is what really goes on" and they will support our efforts.

USDA Plans To Regulate All Large Dog Breeders

According to The Alliance Speaks newsletter put out by the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation the USDA plans to regulate all large dog breedeers. Dr. Gipson also told the Alliance that by the end of the year, USDA will be issuing new  rules that will require dog breeders who sell multiple puppies over the internet to be federally licensed and regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This will be the first time that retail sellers of dogs will be required to meet federal humane standards of care for their dogs. Currently, Internet sellers are exempt from the federal Animal Welfare Act which only covers breeders for the wholesale market such as those breed dogs for pet stores. This is a significant development as many wholesale breeders have merely switched to selling over the internet to advoid federal regulations and inspections. In Hudson's opinion these dispicable puppy millers have no moral compass and are just heartless money hungry people who love to slither between every crack in the system and in Missouri we have tons of cracks !!!  

The Alliance Speaks Spring 2012 newspaper for Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation

According to the Alliance Speaks the Missouri Department of Agriculture Increases Enforcement Efforts

A lot of credit goes to the state department of agriculture which has dramatically stepped up enforcement efforts of the Animal Care Facilities Act as well as the new Canine Cruelty Prevention Act. The department has recently hired more inspectors ( which last count Hudson had was 13 for the entire state) four more than was reported in 2008, and added an investigator and a full-time veterian. More importantly, the Department under the leadership of Dr. Jon Hagler has noticeably re-focused its efforts on making the welfare of the dogs a priority. These efforts have resulted in a substantial increase in number of citations. Hudson would love to know that number if anyone has it as so many need to be done. Such actions are responsible for the closure of many inhumane puppy mills. We still have tons to go to even begin to make a difference. Missouri is the #1 Worst Puppy Mill State in the country.

Shame on Missouri for allowing this to happen at the expense of so many breeding dogs who suffer everyday at the hands of these greedy, heartless, backwards thinking rednecks who don't have a conscious :(

Puppy Mills’ Damage to Mental Health

Puppy Mills’ Damage to Mental Health

Puppy Mills’ Damage to Mental Health

Many subtle things go into canine behavior. Have you ever had a dog with significant behavior problems even though you did everything right? Not just a minor lapse like a snatched sandwich, but issues such as anxiety, fear, impulse control, aggression, obsessive-compulsive disorders? Just like people, dogs are bundles of influences, a mixture sometimes called GEE: genes, environment, and experience. “Good genes” might give a dog a leg up on trainability and dealing with its environment; and dogs, like people, can also inherit trouble.
A recent study touches on the crucial second and third parts. It shows a remarkable correlation between the age when a puppy leaves its mother and whether it has behavior disorders.
Researchers led by Italian veterinarian Ludovica Pierantoni checked in on two groups of adult dogs: some who had been separated from their dam and litter for sale or adoption at 30-40 days old, and some who had been acquired at 60 days. They found that the dogs separated young were significantly more prone to unwanted behaviors: excessive barking, fear on walks and around strangers, stranger aggression, and destructiveness.
That socialization period for dogs is critical. It’s when these highly social animals get their start on life. In a mere 2.5 to 14 weeks—some researchers think the window may be even shorter—a puppy tunes into signals from its mother and littermates to establish a secure base for exploring its world and gaining confidence.
Puppies raised to be sold are hurried into the marketplace and robbed of these vital interactions. The Italian study reported that a significantly higher proportion of dogs bought from pet stores showed destructiveness, excessive barking, toy possessiveness, reactivity, fearfulness, and aversion to strangers. They theorized that these dogs had come from puppy mills—and we know puppy mills supply virtually all pet shop puppies—and called for intervention:

Behavioral intervention can address the development of problem behaviors and improve the dog’s relationship with the owners, ultimately reducing the number of dogs that are relinquished or abandoned.

Intervention sounds hopeful, but the damage may already be done. Many studies have pointed out the permanence of puppy trauma and poor socialization. Because a bad start is such a big obstacle in the broad struggle to keep dogs healthy and in happy homes, it’s clear why it’s so important to stop supporting the pet shops or online vendors/brokers who work with puppy mills.
Breeders who rush pups out the door also have mother dogs living in chronically stressful environments. They develop lifelong problems too, as I’ll get to in a moment.
What happens in early life matters on a deep level—cell deep, in fact. Severe stress or trauma causes stress hormones (glucocorticoids) to be released and affects the structural development of the hippocampus—the part of the brain that handles associative learning and integrates that learning into cortical function. Among lab rats, prenatal and ongoing chronic stress causes shrinking of the hippocampus and difficulties in controlling fear. Scale that up to dogs and you realize that investing in adequate socialization—60 days—with littermates and dams is a small price to pay if it saves pups from a lifetime of fear or abandonment.
A related sort of trauma, that of dogs used for breeding, shows through in Franklin McMillan’s recent research on puppy mill breeding stock. You can find it in Applied Animal Behaviour Science. McMillan gauged their mental health by comparing the psychological and behavioral characteristics of 1,169 rescued former puppy-mill dogs (70 percent female, 30 percent male) with those of 332 pet dogs that had no mill history.
The most striking difference was in their level of fear. Dogs coming out of puppy mills exhibited far more fear in response to people, other dogs, and stairs. Some seemed to have learning disabilities: less trainable and less energetic. They were worse at house-soiling and compulsive behavior. Heartbreaking too, the mill dogs were more fearful of being touched, and more prone to “star(ing) intently at nothing visible” and “shadow chasing.”
For many of these victims, the fears continued even after years in their adoptive households. The authors say the most likely reasons are “stress-induced psychopathology and inadequate early socialization and/or lack of exposure to environmental stimuli normally found in the lives of typical pet dogs.” In other words, the lack of any normal canine life. For either the mother dogs or their puppies. I’m sure that the more you learn about the real face of puppy mills, the more you’ll shun them.