Backyard breeders, the term according to Wikipedia is used to describe “people who breed animals without selection for important genetic traits. Usually describes those who allow animals, particularly dogs to procreate regardless of physical or genetic health as opposed to breeders who intentionally screen and select their brood for important characteristics.”

Yesterday in Cherokee County (GA) a kennel was raided and 134 dogs were removed. The authorities had been notified after receiving a complaint from someone who had purchased one of the dogs at a local flea market.  Yes, I did just write flea market. The dog had sarcoptic mange, a skin condition which can be transferred to humans.

One of the kennel’s owners, identified as Garnelee Richards, has agreed to surrender the state pet dealer’s license she has had since 1996, Sims-Green said.

Richards also is being cited for inhumane treatment of the dogs, which were among 162 animals – including one bird – found at the kennel, she said.

Inspectors spent part of Monday and Tuesday at the kennel and found several problems, including inadequate waste disposal and unsafe enclosures that had “wires poking out,” Sims-Green said. Some of the dogs had no shelter and were being left out in the cold, she said.

The kennel was last inspected in August 2008 by the agricultural department.  At the time there were a few issues, but nothing as serious as this time. Unbelievably, 28 dogs were left in the care of Richards’.

If someone surrenders their pet dealer’s license  I question how they  could be left with 28 dogs? If for no other reason, there must be an ordinance limiting the number of pets allowed.

* Pic Elissa Eubanks/ eeubanks@ajc.com

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He may have been pandering to his children but if there’s one thing Senator Barack Obama will learn, there’s no going back on commitments when kids and puppies are involved.

I’m sure many of you already know, the junior senator from Illinois promised his kids they would be able to get a dog if he is voted into the White House in November of this year.

This has dog lovers around the globe intently watching the race for the next President of the United States just to see what type of dog the kids are going to get. I’ll put dollars to donuts that he’s still going to be getting the kids a fuzzy little ball of fun even if he loses.

I think this is one of those great teaching moments that come along every once in a great while. What if the Obamas were to go to a local shelter to pick out their dog or opt for a dog rescue organization to select their dog of choice? What a great message that would send.

That’s why when I found out what the Best Friends Animal Society was doing to promote this very thing I got so excited. They’ve set up a website www.ObamaFamilyDog.com to petition the Senator to go down the rescue path rather than the purchasing one. The website has great information on why adoption is such a great choice and you’ll be amazed at the wonderful things this organization is doing to create “a better world through kindness to animals”.

The ObamaFamilyDog.com site was created as a response to The American Kennel Club which quickly identified a list of five possible “pure” breeds that the Obamas could buy from a pet store or breeder.

Best Friends’ has a different thought…

“With millions of homeless pets still being killed in shelters every year, they’re proposing that the Obamas NOT buy a dog – instead, that they adopt their next dog from a shelter or rescue group.”

Anyone who’s looked into how pet stores get their dogs is appalled when they find out about the realities of puppy mills and backyard breeders. This is not directed at ethical breeders, but at those who breed their dogs without thought to the welfare of the animal, the offspring and the future owners. It truly disgusts me.

Ted has previously written about the little known world of puppy mills and backyard breeders that were exposed by Oprah on her show. In that piece he makes a great point.

“..if people simply knew about puppy mills and backyard breeders, we could kill all their business.”

He’s right. If someone were to watch the Oprah show on puppy mills, I guarantee they will be adopting their next best friend.

As a Dogster member, chances are you more aware of this problem than the average person, or dog owner. I urge to take this opportunity to influence the education of the world on dog rescues by helping the Obamas make the right choice. Go sign the petition now.

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Last week Oprah re-ran an amazing show on puppy mills. She had investigative journalist Lisa Ling showing all the heartbreaking undercover footage of what puppy mills are really like, such that anyone who saw it will never consider buying a dog again. She showed amazing rescue people doing amazing things to deal with the swelling number of unhomed pets, and she interviewed the Fort Worth Animal Shelter which has no choice but to euthanize 17,000 dogs a year, almost 3 times as many as they are able to rehome. =(((( She had her vet on and the head of the HSUS who both said “spay and neuter.” She shared links to how people can get politically involved in abolishing puppy mills.

When the show re-ran she read a letter from the Governor of Pennsylvania pushing legislation for monitoring and oversight to mills. She made thousands of people cry and she made thousands of people commit themselves to fixing this awful problem. Oprah cried. Oprah publicly stated she will only get new dogs from shelters and never “buy” again.

But Oprah is not the one person I’m writing this entry about who did so much to raise awareness on puppy mills and add strength to the abolish movement. The person I want to talk about is Bill Smith, the founder of Main Line Animal Rescue, the leader of an amazing organization. He and Main Line put up a billboard just off the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago that read, “Oprah-please do a show on puppy mills; the dogs need you.”

As much as we all hate puppy mills the hard reality is that most people don’t even know what they are or even that they exist. Most dog lovers don’t even know about them. Oprah said she was confused when she saw the billboard because she didn’t know what a puppy mill was.

So a 21-woof salute from Dogster to Bill Smith and the Main Line Animal Rescue. We’ve always thought if people simply knew about puppy mills and backyard breeders we could kill all their business, but haven’t done a good job voicing that to people BEFORE they get a dog. We’re re-emboldened to do all we can do.

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