Spring 2022 Volume 1 Issue 1
PROVIDING SECOND CHANCES TO ANIMALS SINCE 1870
One of the Country’s Most Notorious Breeders Shut Down, Thanks to Your Support! Within 50 days of each other, our Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) rescued nearly 150 dogs from substandard breeders from Hickory and Douglas Counties who would have liked prospective buyers to think they were purchasing a perfect pet. While the puppies did look adorable, most of these rescued dogs, especially the adults, carried emotional scars and health issues that would take months to heal. Your generosity meant dogs from Standard Poodles to Yorkies all received the medical care they needed and a safe haven until they were ready to be adopted. Happily, every one of the 97 dogs rescued from Hickory County is now in a loving home. The Douglas County rescue was a victory on several levels. This substandard breeder has been featured in national media as an example of why Missouri consistently ranks as the worst state in the country for puppy mills. For six consecutive years, the owner was infamously named to the “Horrible Hundred,” a national list that ranks the worst dog breeders in the country.
HSMO was asked to attend the breeder’s court case by the Missouri Department of Agriculture where the judge would rule on a future for the kennel. The Canine Cruelty Prevention Act (CCPA) enacted in Missouri now gives regulators more tools to deal with substandard breeders. Imagine our joy and relief when the judge found the defendant in contempt of 2020 consent judgment and ordered the dog removed immediately. Our ACT team found deplorable conditions at the kennel when they arrived to remove the dogs. Females had been bred their entire lives — one litter right after the other. Puppies were crammed into small cages with wire floors and little headroom. What was equally heartbreaking was their mental condition. Many of the adult dogs and puppies were so traumatized by their neglect that they were terrified of humans. Because of your support, we could bring these dogs to safety where our veterinary team and shelter staff could tend to the infections, open wounds and matted coats.
Each dog will get the care and attention it needs to become a loving companion for some lucky adopter. This joy is made possible by you. hsmo.org | longmeadowrescueranch.org | amcma.org | StLLostPets.org
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