My neighbor is running a puppy mill, how can I stop it?

Question

I called the humane society on him, they said they'd send the dog warden out (he's totally useless, he doesn't give a care unless the dogs are running loose), but I think he is getting bribed. He's got so many dogs it's terrible! They are all chained up (there was at last count 30 dogs there!). He doesn't take them to the vet EVER (we saw him shoot a bunch of his cats because he didn't want to get them fixed!), and he's running an illicit business. The ASPCA and other organizations won't come out because we are so far away. This is in Pennsylvania, btw. Any suggestions about what I can do to this totally irresponsible person? You should see the poor dogs, he barely feeds, they are NEVER taken for even a SINGLE walk, and it stinks like dog poop something awful.

Calling the cops is not an option (although they know him- he was convicted of indecent assault on a 14 year old girl in town), because even with real crimes they hate coming out here. I'm totally serious. The state cops get bent if you call them! Plus, they'll just refer it to the humane society anyway.

Also, unfortunately the vet (she's right down the road about a mile!) knows ALL about this loser. It's such a shame, it's like if you are in the boonies no one seems to care and they get away with murder! Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I'm still reading. It's good to see SOME people care! :)

Answer 1

I would try your local health department and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) they are both supposed to inspect any kennels that have more than 10 dogs (I think that it is 10), and then certify the kennel. If they come out and inspect, and the guy doesn't pass (with what you said he won't), they will shut him down, and possibly fine him.

Also, I would try contacting your local police department or even your local media to try to help.

Answer 2

Maybe you can call the national humane society; but if they are just going to send the same guy out, that won't work.

Perhaps you should tip off the local news. They would probably be very interested and could expose the issue to the public.

There was a huge dog/cat mill up the road, and the woman's neighbor pretended she was interested in buying a dog so she could get inside and secretly take pictures of the awful conditions. Then she took the pictures to the police, and the national humane society sent about 100 people to come rescue and clean up all those poor animals. Good luck!

Answer 3

How to stop a puppy mill
Actions anyone can take

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Get your facts straight. Know at least approximately how many breeds are raised at the facility, whether or not it is clean, if the dogs run together or are housed separately, whether the dogs have regular preventative and necessary veterinary care, and whether the operators sell to pet stores, brokers, laboratories, or the general public.
If possible, get a friend to accompany you to the suspect business for your safety and to corroborate your observations
Make notes about the conditions when you return home and be prepared to send those notes to the appropriate officials. Be prepared for bureaucracy to grind slowly and to restate your observations several times. Observations, not heartache, not hysteria, not an emotional outburst.
Contact your local humane society and health departments and describe the conditions you have seen as specifically and unemotionally as possible. The humane society can act in cases of abuse and neglect (which in Ohio means lack of food and shelter) and the health department can deal with threats to public health from fecal contamination, dead dog bodies, etc.
Contact: Dr. Valencia D. Colleton
US Department of Agriculture,
2568-A Riva Road, Suite 302
Annapolis, MD 21401- 7400
[phone]
to find out whether or not the breeder has a Class A or Class B license (a necessity if the facility sells to pet stores, brokers, or laboratories and makes more than $500 annually from such sales). The USDA will be interested if the breeder has a license and is not following the guidelines for housing, sanitation, and veterinary care or if the breeder is not licensed and grosses more than $500 per year selling puppies wholesale. If these conditions are not met, USDA can by law do nothing. No matter how much your sensibilities are offended by the plight of overcrowded, undernourished neglected puppies, they can do nothing.
Contact: American Kennel Club Inspections and Investigations Department
51 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10010
[phone]

If the breeds are AKC recognized and the breeder advertises AKC registered puppies. AKC will be interested if dogs are constantly running together, especially if dogs of different breeds are housed together and the business also sells mixed breed puppies, for this may indicate that record keeping regulations are being violated.
AKC is a purebred registry and can deal only with record keeping and identification transgressions; they can suspend violators from further registration of purebred dogs, but they cannot prevent them from breeding and selling puppies. [More on the AKC]

If the dogs are UKC registered, contact: United Kennel Club
100 East Kilgore Road
Kalamazoo, MI 49001-5598
[phone] Popular UKC breeds that are not also AKC recognized are American Pit Bull Terrier, and Jack Russell Terrier.
Raising and selling dogs is a business for profit for many people. There should be no stigma attached to earning money by selling dogs; problems arise when the dogs are poorly bred, housed in poor conditions, denied proper medical care, are sick when sold, or are advertised falsely

Answer 4

If your local shelter and the ASPCA have been of no help, your next step is probably to get the police involved.

You can make an anonymous call and they'll come out to see what's going on.

Getting the police involved might just be the "motivation" the dog warden needs.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Personally you need to ask your self how do you know he is running a puppy mill?
1) can you smell the animals = Unsanatary condition health ministry needs to know for deseases and other infectious concerns
2)Noise = There are noise polution concerns that you can file with police.
3) Licence = are they leagal in all there paper work .
4) Humane treatment = Are they loving the animals and taking good care of them? Are the living conditions for there dogs (shots,deworming,veternary appointments
5) If 1,2,3 are in question = Do they have young children that they care for are they at risk of desease or attcks(Rotwielers,Pittbulls,)

To run a puppy mill is illeagal unless they are on a farm.

To me i suggest shooting the owner ;) just joking

But You could make a video and send it in to local TV or to the organizations that you contacted.

Looks like you did all you CAN do LEAGALLY. Personally if he cant sell them he wont bother making them.

Answer 6

What is your local media outlet? Big newspaper? TV? Film the dogs---get video and send it to a reporter who is looking to make a name for himself. Or see if a local channel has an investigative reporter looking for stories.

Some of the channels around here will run a "promo" type ad about their reporters who investigate everything and anything.

Shots of mistreated dogs and the drama of no one stepping in to help would definitely be a big story. Document what you can and search for a channel or paper.

Once something like this hits the news, the dog warden will have to do something.
Good luck.

Answer 7

I would be looking to go over the head of the local "animal warden" if he is obviously not doing anything about this. I would also be attempting to get photos and videos on a regular basis to prove what it looks like there. If local law enforcement isn't doing the job, then send the videos and photos in to your local tv station and maybe they will bring attention to this and someone will finally put this guy out of business instead.

Answer 8

I would contact PETA. I don't know if they can help or not, but they could offer suggestions. I asked them about something like that once and they were quite helpful.

Are you inside city limits? If you are... I would think there is a statute stating how many animals one can have (in my city it's 3 dogs max of you have to apply and pay for a kennel license).

Another route might be to call the local health department. If he's got that many animals... I'm sure it's a health issue. They might be more willing to deal with it than the animal control people.

Answer 9

Something smells bad in this story. The duty of the SPCA.....HUMANE SOCIETY.........or ASPCA is to check out any and all complaints...If they won't ........do this.........Get a camera with telescope lens (if needed) take pictures.........Send e-mails if possible to anyone and everyone with cc to yourself. That way they are dated, or, write letters and make copies.

Then use your MUSCLE...........Take all of that information to the news media..............These people just hate it when they have to be on TV for being incompetent.

Remember to pity the poor animals..........It's not their fault they stink or live in poop.
God gave man dominion over the animals. They are our responsibility.

Good Luck to you and the animals, Merry Christmas

Answer 10

I would suggest calling your local sheriffs office and see if they will do anything that is awful what that person is doing and no one will do anything about it,,, I hope this has helps and I hope some one will do something soon for the sake of those poor dogs,, Im glad you are trying to save them at least someone is trying to help them