In honor of September being Puppy Mill Awareness month, we thought it was only fitting to share some of our puppy mill experiences as well as some facts. It still continues to surprise me at how little people in this South Eastern Kentucky area know about puppy mills and the fact that they exist right in our own backyards. In fact, this news segment was just aired this past week placing 3 local flea market puppy mill breeders under investigation...you can watch that video here:
Flea Market Dog Breeders Under Investigation
Of course we all know people go out and sell dogs at local flea markets...the puppies are just so stinkin cute and lets be honest, many people by on a whim. But think about it for a second...have you ever seen the parents of those flea market/pet store dogs?? No? Well there's good reason for that! Many of the parents live like this. They are used to breed over and over again with no medical care, no routine pet care, no grooming, no socialization...they are bred, their babies are taken (usually earlier than they should be) and then they are set up to breed again. Many are also malnourished and in very poor health. How do I know this is true? How do I know this is happening here? Well..unfortunately I have seen it first hand...
Justice for Abused Animals - Corbin, KY
McCreary County Puppy Mill Case
Back in 2013 I received an urgent phone call right at the end of my school day. A puppy mill breeder had been in court that morning, being charged with animal cruelty, and receiving two years probation. The puppy mill breeding dogs had already been removed from her property and taken into rescue. That same morning a tip came in to JFAA that the lady had a second breeding location where she was keeping many more animals. It would take a team of us to bare, witness, and eventually rescue the animals on that 2nd property...here are some of the things we saw.
Just after the news story was broadcast this past week we received another urgent call. Someone, presumably a breeder, had dumped over 20 dogs on a back Clay Co road in the middle of nowhere. Rescuers where needed to help catch the dogs so that they could be taken in rescue. WPEL drove over to help. By the end of the night, 16 dogs had been gathered and were taken back to London. They would be transported to Lexington, Woodstock Spay & Neuter Clinic the following morning for veterinary evaluation.(Woodstock Spay & Neuter Clinic Facebook)
Dogs Abandoned on Road - Clay Co, KY
The following day while doing this news interview, another dog was found, now known as lucky 17. See video here: Dogs Rescued After Being Abandoned
Looking at the dogs...it is easy to see that a breeder decided she no longer wanted them..or was afraid someone was onto her...
Several of the dogs had medical issues including; pneumonia, fleas, mites, ear infections, eye infections, upper respiratory infections, and more... they are being treated by Woodstock Animal Foundation and Kentucky S.A.V.E. you can visit both of their pages to find updated info on the dogs as well as ways to donate and/or adopt.
So what is your point?
We want people in this area to understand how bad this really is...and until people STOP buying from these breeders at the flea markets and online, it will never end. Find out more facts and statistics at the following pagesNational Puppy Mill Project
Humane Society of the United States
Please help end puppy mills..don't buy from a breeder at a flea market or online...
and report suspected puppy mills to Justice for Abused Animals or at the following:
