Talking Dogs Blog at For The Love Of A Dog: Missouri Puppy Mills: Dirty Dozen Update .....

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.