80 Dogs Killed Legally
What is wrong with people? Seriously. I just came across this story and was reminded of the depths to which humanity can go.
Two Berks County commercial kennel operators shot and killed 80 dogs after dog wardens ordered some of the animals be examined by veterinarians, state dog law enforcement officials said Tuesday.
And because they broke no current Pennsylvania law by slaughtering the dogs, animal advocates and some lawmakers are outraged.
Elmer Zimmerman of Kutztown shot 70 dogs after an inspection last month, officials of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement said.
His brother, Ammon Zimmerman, operator of a kennel next door, shot 10 of his own dogs, officials said.
These are kennel owners! You’d think they were in this profession because they love animals. How naive of me to think that. It’s all about the dollar.
“We went out on July 24 and inspected Elmer’s kennel. There were various kennel violations we said we’d be citing them for, and the warden ordered vet checks on 39 dogs,” said Jessie Smith, deputy secretary of the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement. “(Elmer Zimmerman) told the warden, ‘I think I’m going out of business.’ We suggested that he surrender the dogs, but he was not agreeable to that. Then he called the warden back over the weekend and said he shot the dogs.”
He brutally shot them because he couldn’t afford to take care of them. Why not just give them up?
Still, she said she doesn’t know why the Zimmermans chose to kill their breeder dogs rather than turn them over to any of the dozens of shelters, rescue groups and others willing to take even sick and ailing animals discarded by commercial breeding kennels.
“Unfortunately, under current law, kennel owners may kill their dogs for any reason, even if it is simply to save money,” H.B. 2525’s prime sponsor Rep. James E. Casorio Jr. of Westmoreland County wrote in a Friday press release in response to the Zimmerman killings.
The incident has outraged animal advocates and strengthened resolve of backers of House Bill 2525, which seeks to improve life for dogs living in the state’s commercial breeding kennels. H.B. 2525 includes a provision that would prohibit commercial breeders from shooting their own dogs by requiring euthanization by a veterinarian.
If you live in Pennsylvania, let your local representative know that you support this legislation.
Well, I live in Pennsylvania … and you can bet I will be knocking on each and every legislators door in my districts and neighboring ones,and the ones I can’t reach will be getting written correspondence that this is insane and something best be done.
OMD!! I can not believe this! I know Eddie’s mom will getting some answers.
Our little Kiki came from a breeder like this, they were going to put down all 20 where she was at. The vet was able to talk them into surrendering them or they were all going to be put down. They had been cited also but were mainly going to put them down because they weren’t producing anymore.
These people told one of the rescue volenteers these dogs were livestock and income for them and nothing more.
Laws like this “kennel owners may kill their dogs for any reason, even if it is simply to save money” have to be changed.
It is a sad very sad reflection of humanity in this world. The law deems these animals as property and nothing more. If it is your property, you have the right to dispose of it any way you see fit as long as you are not breaking the law. The problem is two fold - 1) Cat/Dog breeders/kennels need to have the law reflect this is not simple property for them. Hold them accountable for the violations even if the dog has been put down. The violations existed and if the animals are no longer around that does not absolve them of the original conditions. 2) If a rescue/shelter is willing to take on the animals, then surrendering them should be the prime objective and not killing the animals because it will get them off the hook with no consequence.
This type of thing is happening all over the place in many states such as VA., GA., AR and so on. I have already read and heard about this horrendous act. If you want to know more about this type of thing and where it’s happening go to our fellow Dogster’s mom’s website. She gets all this info as it comes off the wire.
http://petloverstips.com/ForTheLoveoftheDog/
As if puppy mills are not already bad enough you need to research to see the things these dogs go through when the owner DE-barks these wonderful creatures to keep them quiet. No, I don’t mean surgery. That’s too humane. Just be next to a commode. It will make you physically sick.
They should be hung up by their privates!!!
This is outragous.. I can not believe these people have the right to do that.. Do you mean to tell me if we chose not to have our loved pets put down we could take them out back and shoot them?? And get away with it? That is simply crazy.If you can get in trouble for injuring a pet then you should be in Jail for killing one.. How these to men can sleep at night knowing what they did is beyond me.. I am sick to my stomach.. This needs to be stopped.. These pets are not property to most of us they are our children and we would do anything for them..
I will be looking into my own state to see what the laws are..
Unfortunately, Horst, anyone who has that many breeding dogs is a puppy miller, and they aren’t exactly known for being in it for the love of the animal and not the love of the dollar.
I just don’t understand these people. How can they do this?!!! It just breaks my heart.
All well said. I see many here have fought long and hard to better the lives of dogs, cats & etc. I see many who have had to endure their own personal battles including myself.
The post that nailed it on the head was Jasmine. Kudos for saying so much with so few words and totally understood.
Here in Hammond,Louisiana. they put down the whole kennel because of a decease I think it was the parvo virus. or something like that.so instead of checking the dogs to see which one were sick they just killed all of the animals .I think it was over 80 for sure.The animal rights people are on it now.
thats horrible!!!! how can some one just take a life, animals feel pain too!
This is just too sad…What is wrong with these people? You all are right… Dogs are just not stuffed animals, THEY ARE LIVING THINGS just like us! They do not deserve that and they feel pain too. That should be against the law and those people are sick. This is so heartbreaken and i cannot believe what i am reading. Dogs deserve better than this!
Being an old country girl, this does not surprise me at all. I do not agree with such treatment or breeding practices, however it is perpetuated by everyone who chooses to purchase an animal at a flea market, pet store, BYB, puppy mill, internet (sometimes puppy millers) or classified advertisement in the newspaper (also sometimes puppy millers). There are so many BYB’s and puppy mills in our area, it is hard to drive a mile without seeing such an operation at someone’s home. It is the mindset. It’s how they were raised, and it’s how they are raising their children. Most times we cannot change their behavior, but we can change ours.
I’ve gone to flea markets and handed out flyers showing deplorable conditions at puppy mills right in front of people selling puppies out of a crate. I’m always asked to leave, but I open at least a few eyes while I’m there. I choose the people who are tempted to buy the poorly treated pups. I do it in front of Walmart whenever someone decides to sell their pups in the parking lots as well. I’m not a very popular person, but I don’t care.
Not only do we have to have tougher laws with stiffer penalties, we have to educate young people. The change we’d all like to see is not coming within most of our lifetimes. The change lies in future generations. Teach them by speaking out. Teach them by example. Teach them lovingly or they won’t listen. Open some eyes, dog lovers!
I hate to say it, but it’s cultural. I know farmers who neuter their own dogs without veterinary aid or medicine. Many farmers treat their dogs as livestock and run their farms like a business. Obviously these men were puppy millers, but the bottom line is still the same. It’s unimaginable for people like us to look at dogs as nothing more than livestock and not as the family members that they are.
These men were over the top. I do believe that they need to pay for what they did.
Wow, all that guy had to do was surrender them to a shelter. The shelter would have made do and even if they killed them it would have been better than a bullet to the head. Karene — I don’t agree with any of that, I’ve known farmers to do the same and it’s increasingly horrible to submit an animal to neutering without anything to ease the pain.
I’m a fortunate SPCA dog. I was there fur a long time but i got saved why can’t these pups be saved? INSANE PEOPLE
This made me SO MAD! Some “breeders” they were, HUMPH!
THAT IS NOT RIGHT! Every dog and animal deserves a Chance!
Barbarian!