In The News

Nearly 150 Dogs Rescued from Freezing, Deplorable Conditions of Substandard Douglas County Puppy Mill

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 23, 2004 - The Humane Society of Missouri, working in cooperation with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Douglas County Animal Welfare League, is rescuing nearly 150 mostly purebred dogs from an alleged substandard puppy mill outside Macomb, Missouri. Many of the breeds are large, including St. Bernards, Great Pyrenees and Mastiffs. Smaller breeds include Shelties, Pomeranians, a Pug and Basset Hounds. Sadly, deceased dogs were also found on the property.

The Humane Society of Missouri received a call late Wednesday evening from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office requesting assistance rescuing the animals from the deplorable living conditions. The dogs were kept in dilapidated wire cages, many with several animals to a cage. What food that was available was also covered in feces and the drinking water was frozen. Many of the dogs have severely matted fur.

"This is an emergency rescue. The animals are living without shelter or what shelter they do have is inadequate. In these freezing temperatures this is a life-threatening situation," says Debbie Hill, director of Rescues and Investigations, Humane Society of Missouri.

The owner surrendered the dogs only after being served with a warrant from the sheriff's department. The dogs are in the custody of Humane Society of Missouri rescuers and will be transported to the Humane Society of Missouri's St. Louis headquarters where they will receive immediate medical attention.

It took three hours for the rescuers to load 145 dogs. The temperature was 20 degrees.

"The Humane Society of Missouri doesn't take a holiday. Any time animals' lives are threatened we are going to do whatever is in our power to save them," says Hill. "Our own staff is at risk working in these extreme cold temperatures. We are taking every precaution to make sure that everyone makes it back to the shelter safely."

The Rescue Team Arrives in St. Louis

Director of Veterinary Services Dr. Donald Bridges examines a rescued dog.

Once the rescue team made the four-hour drive back to St. Louis, a triage team received the dogs and puppies. Fluids were immediately given to dehydrated animals. Everyone was vaccinated and de-wormed.

Veterinarians examined each dog, prescribing treatment plans that would address each dog's individual health needs; these plans will be followed by the staff until the dogs are adopted. For dogs with chronic conditions due to their previous neglect, treatment will continue after they are adopted for the rest of their lives.

The triage process takes four hours and the dogs are bedded down for the night. For the rescue team, the workday was 19 hours long, ending around midnight.

 

Adoption Center Director Cyndi Nason feeds a tiny Sheltie pup. The mother was not being fed properly, which caused her pups to be malnourished.

Statewide Investigator Allen Miller and a rescued Pomeranian wait their turn in the triage line.

The Road to Recovery
Thanks to volunteers from Second Chance Sheltie Rescue, some of the Shetland Sheepdogs were among the first to be groomed. Volunteers arrived on Christmas Eve to remove dirty, matted fur and bathe the dogs. Remarkably, the rescue group offered to foster and find homes for the neediest shelties, including several who are deaf due to improper breeding practices. One tiny sheltie girl suffered an elbow fracture long ago that never received medical attention and as a result, healed improperly. The kind volunteers at Second Chance Sheltie Rescue are funding the expensive surgery to remove the useless limb.

This sheltie suffered a broken elbow that was never received medical attention, so it healed improperly.	A deaf sheltie - one of many rescued - has his ears cleaned.

Special thanks go to Sue Kraus, Tasha Cooley and Kate Headrick, volunteers from Kennelwood who donated grooming services.

 

After initial triage health exams, the dogs receive ongoing attention. Ears are cleaned, nails are trimmed all the while the dogs are handled, spoken to and socialized with people, possibly for the first time in their lives.

Thanks to Volunteer Nick Campbell for bathing the Mastiffs.

Getting Ready for the Big Adoption Preview
Our surgery suites are busy with the rescued dogs receiving spay or neuter surgeries.
Many of the dogs also needed a visit with the dentist for cleanings and extractions.

Adoption Preview
Meet the rescued dogs on Tuesday, February 1, 2005 from Noon 7 p.m.
Location: Humane Society of Missouri
1201 Macklind Ave. in St. Louis 63110

This is your opportunity to meet the dogs rescued from the Douglas County breeding facility and apply for adoption. This is a preview only no dogs will be adopted on this day. All prospective adopters must complete an adoption application and be interviewed. Interviews will take place the following weekend.

Please remember that these dogs were used to breed puppies for sale and have never been pets. Humane Society of Missouri personnel are doing our best to socialize them, but many are still skittish of people, unfamiliar with walking on-leash and not accustomed to using stairs. They are learning basic obedience commands and, although they are being walked by our dedicated volunteers, are not yet house-trained. Great care will be taken to place these dogs in caring and patient households.

Breeds include: Great Pyrenees, Giant Mastiffs St. Bernards, Shetland Sheepdogs, Basset Hounds, Shih tzus, Pomeranians, Collies, Cocker Spaniels and one Pug.

Tuesday, February 2, 2005
Adoption Preview

More than 1,500 people attended the adoption preview to meet the rescued dogs.

Adoption counselors explained to prospective adopters that these rescued dogs had been used to breed puppies for sale and had never been "traditional pets."

More than 500 adoption applications were received and would be carefully reviewed over the following days.

Volunteers from purebred dog rescue groups were on hand to talk to prospective adopters about breed characteristics.

Counselors would interview more than 100 candidates the following week who were willing to own a special needs pet requiring extra care, patience, training and ongoing medical care to treat any chronic health conditions.

Going Home!
Every application was carefully reviewed by our staff to ensure that prospective adopters thoroughly understand all that was involved in caring for these rescued dogs.

Adopters needed to understand that these dogs had never been around children and cats. They were not trained in obedience. Many were not housetrained. Would anyone want these special-needs dogs?

Yes! Let's go home!

How You Can Help
These dogs were rescued from a substandard puppy mill. Missouri is home to nearly one thousand licensed puppy mills whereas most states have fewer than a dozen.

Read State Auditor Claire McCaskill's report from December 16, 2004.
Read State Auditor Claire McCaskill's report from February 15, 2001.

• Write to your legislators. Tell them to pass and enforce laws to curtail breeding at Missouri's substandard puppy mills.
• Adopt your pet from an animal shelter or rescue group.
• Report animal abuse/neglect: (314) 647-4400 or e-mail.
• Make a financial donation to help offset our rescue costs: (314) 951-1542 or donate securely online.

Buyer Beware
Male and female dogs used in substandard commercial breeding facilities to produce puppies for sale are usually not cared for properly. If the parent dogs are not being fed, watered or groomed, chances are they are also not receiving adequate veterinary care. Rescuers often encounter breeding dogs with broken limbs that have healed improperly on their own without medical attention. Tumors are only discovered once the matted dogs are shaved. Dental disease is often prevalent; bacteria from the diseased teeth can enter the bloodstream and, over time, affect every organ in the dog's body.

If the health of the parent dogs suffers, so does the health of their offspring, the pups sold to unsuspecting buyers. Often chronic health problems from poor breeding do not surface in the puppies for months or even years, long after the purchaser has become attached to the pup.

If purchasing a puppy from a breeder, be certain the breeder is reputable. Meet the puppy's parent dogs, examine veterinarian records and visit where all of the dogs live. Be suspicious of any breeder who doesn't let you see these things.

Reputable breeders will screen you as carefully as you screen them, as stressed by the American Kennel Club:

A responsible breeder makes sure that every single puppy goes to an owner who will provide it with the same love and devotion for life that the breeder has provided for the first eight or ten weeks. This means careful screening and evaluation of each person or family interested in getting a puppy.

Furthermore, according to the American Kennel Club, a reputable breeder will be available for the puppy's entire life:

As a breeder, you have to be there with advice and support for all... situations. You must answer questions, provide resources, and assist with any problem. You must be willing to take back any dog you have bred, at any point in its life, for any reason. You must have a commitment to the puppies you brought into the world for the whole of their lives.

Looking for a purebred dog?
Register your Breed Interest and receive an e-mail if/when matching animals arrive at our shelters. Learn more.

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Judicial Update

On August 25, 2005, as witnesses for the prosecution stood ready to testify before the judge in a bench trial, the owner of the substandard breeding facility, Shari Holmes, pled guilty to one count of animal neglect, a class C Misdemeanor.  She was sentenced to a 15-day suspended jail sentence, two years of probation and fined $300, the maximum allowable fine for this offense. 

This action closes the Humane Society of Missouri’s investigation into her unlicensed breeding facility from which these dogs were rescued on December 23, 2004.