Puppy Mill Experience Leaves Me Blue
I got a call about a week ago from a breeder who wanted to donate some poodle/lab mix puppies to our assistance dog organization. I talked with her for quite awhile on the phone and learned that she's donated dogs to other organizations, as well. She sounded like a winner. And then I saw her operation.
My first clue that something wasn't right was when I asked to see the parents and she hesitated. In fact, she wouldn't let me see the dam, citing kennel cough as the reason. She did let me see the sire, a standard poodle, and I was horrified! She let him out of his crate (which he probably rarely leaves) and he did nothing but cower and move in circles. He wouldn't approach me. His coat looked terrible, and he wasn't the only one. The entire garage was loaded with crates of adult dogs that looked neglected, to say the least.
Then I saw the puppies...all six litters of them. There were 5 week old doodles in a plywood whelping box with no paper, towels or bedding. They were walking in their urine. There was a pregnant dam, whose water had just broken. Once again, the plywood was soaked and there was no bedding.
She brought the puppies out from the litter she wanted to donate. They were 16 weeks old, and I'm not sure they had ever been out of their crate. The couldn't stand up straight. They wouldn't approach me.
What's crazy is that this woman lives in a very nice house. It was SPOTLESS! She works for a vet.
I didn't take the puppies, knowing that their lack of socialization couldn't be reversed. It was a depressing day.
I'm taking action on Monday.
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That's so sad! All those poor doodles. It's getting bad with the labradoodle breeding. So many Australian breeders have worked so hard to perfect the labradoodle standard and so many American breeders have taken it and run with it, breeding for money and not for health, temperment or advancing the breed. I read an article about the AKA possibly accepting the labradoodle as a breed. However, they are going to categorize Australian and American labradoodles. The labradoodle would have to meet a strict set of standards (such as being multi-generational). It's no wonder people get upset about "designer" dogs being bred when it's under circumstances like this!
Posted by: Trisha | March 12, 2007 at 09:04 AM
I can't believe that someone who supposedly loves dogs could treat them that way. How can that be possible? And why did the lady want to donate the dogs, rather than sell them and make money on them? Labradoodles are popular! So sad...
Posted by: schnoodlepooh | March 19, 2007 at 01:55 AM
How horrible! I find it amazing that someone who works for a vet could treat dogs that way! You said you were going to take action...I hope you were able to get someone to listen.
Posted by: Therese | March 19, 2007 at 02:39 PM
This story is absolutely appalling! Such cruelty! Did you report this woman? And what happened?
Posted by: ishkabibble | March 28, 2007 at 04:30 PM
That's just horrible. I can't believe that.
Posted by: Gladys | May 22, 2007 at 06:04 PM
I would not have been able to wait to take action. I think I would have used my cell, right then & there, and called the police to report the animal cruelty. Then, I would have slapped that woman, or maybe locked her into one of the crates, so she could see what that felt like.
Posted by: Julie | June 28, 2007 at 09:54 AM
That is absolutely awful. :( Those poor dogs, I hope she gets busted. I have a recently adopted collie girl from a collector, she is amazingly well adjusted but is wary of people.
Posted by: Cynthia Blue | November 24, 2007 at 07:28 PM
Well, at least you are able to take action... Where I live, all we can do is to take the pups away and try to find suitable homes for them. When they are not pure-bred, it's 5 times more difficult to do this, as no one wants to adopt mixed races or street dogs..
Very sad.
Posted by: Magissa | December 26, 2007 at 03:44 PM
Firstly - you should be rescuing puppies - NOT buying them.
How many puppies died alone in their cold concrete cells while you were merely visiting this breeder?
Hundreds of thousands.
The more people who support breeders - the more reason for these selfish people to treat animals as objects that make them money.
Set a precedent - and show your blog viewers that you really do indeed TRULY care about dogs - and adopt, don't buy.
Posted by: RP | August 21, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Now looking for information about the puppy broker...
Kimberly Dildine (William)
4dKennels
3551 County Road 65793
any one knpws of them???
Posted by: Catherine | October 22, 2008 at 07:56 PM