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Reannah Rose
Mrs.DeBock
27 September 2016
English 4
Animal Cruelty
On estimate, about 2.11 million animals are sold that stem from puppy mills (Baxley).
Meanwhile at shelters, 3 million other animals are being euthanized for the absence of room and
not enough adoptive homes (Baxley). Female dogs at puppy mills are being bred at every
opportunity with little to no time to recover. After a few years, the female dogs cannot produce
the way their bodies used to, which then results in euthanization. Many dog breeders are being
convicted of animal cruelty however some of them are being released and granted back their
rights to breed animals. When the public stops adopting from online and local pet stores and
maneuver towards animal shelters, this will stop animal cruelty and people like James
Montgomery, who succeeded from getting his animals taken away from him.
In Langely, British Columbia, dogs are being nursed back to life after recovering from a
horrible environment. In total, 97 animals who were rescued, 33 of them were puppies, and 64 of
them were other animals (66 Dogs Rescued In Raid Ff B.C Puppy Mill). Veterinarians in
Vancouver have been working long hard hours to care for the animals that have experienced
abuse and neglect. Marcie Moriarty, an enforcement officer, announced that the animals have
suffered from the following: broken limbs, infections, the absence of eyes or ears,
malnourishment, and physiological issues (66 Dogs Rescued In Raid Ff B.C Puppy Mill).
Moriarty claims that the public should research the breeders before adopting and to educate
themselves on the problems puppy mills are creating (66 Dogs Rescued In Raid Ff B.C Puppy

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Mill). For instance, as Moriarty already states in the article 66 dogs, "A key step in shutting
down puppy mills is for those who are purchasing animals to be educated and aware of the signs
of unscrupulous operations. Although Langely has much to accomplish, the veterinarans are
continuing to take one step at a time till puppy mills are stopped. Thus, people who are looking
to adopt should research the breeder and be educated to notice any unsuspicious behaviors.
When a breeder is charged with animal cruelty they often have to pay a fine and lose
rights to be a caregiver to animals. However, this case with James Montgomery is strangely
different. Montgomery payed a fine of $5,500 for his first offense of animal cruelty, he then
attempted a second time which classifies as a class C felony (Kakesako). To make matters worse,
Montgomerys daughter quickly contacted authorities after witnessing the conditions the animals
were in (Kakesako). For example, they were housed in an underground bunker that consisted of
no lighting and were kept in wire cages stacked on top of each other; this resulted in feces and
urine to fall through to the cages beneath them (Kakesako). The animals were left without food
and water during the long, hot summer months; however, under a plea agreement, Montgomery
was granted back his rights to breed animals again. Fortunately, those animals were rescued and
are now on their long road to recovery.
Puppy mills are continuing to be funded all around the world; nevertheless, the state of
Kansas is known for abusing and neglecting their animals. It is also known to have 14 of the 100
worst puppy mills in the year of 2016. Recently, a woman by the name of Morgan Hammond
rescued a dog from a puppy mill in Kansas (Ryan). While going through the long hard process of
adopting her new pet, she realized that it had a cracked nose, was ten pounds underweight, and
had a missing toe (Ryan). Although, Morgans puppy is not alone, it is one of the lucky ones. A
couple months ago, a breeder in Hays, Kansas was under investigation after a mother dog was

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found with only five out of her eleven puppies. Another breeder in Clifton, Kansas had
underweight dogs with backbones and ribs visible (Ryan). Due to all the mishaps in Kansas,
breeders in the state are required to have a license in order to work legally. Fortunately, the state
is on its way to bettering its facilities. For example, the state now has four different inspectors in
charge of 950 facilities, each making sure the buildings have adequate shelter, food, water,
sanitization, and exercise standards (Ryan). According to Ryan, Hammonds puppy is doing
much better, has gained ten pounds, has much softer skin, and is very active. Within this process,
Hammond says she has learned one thing and that is Adopt, dont shop.
It is always a heartbreaking moment when a person witnesses an animal that is in
desperate need for love, and affection. Or when someone witnesses a basket full of kittens that
are unable to open their eyes due to the mistreatment they endured. According to McBride, she
had met with a team member of a rescue team named Suzie Goldsmith who witnessed horrible
environments. For example, in Mississippi, more than a dozen dogs being rescued from attending
a home that was dirty, hot, and bug infested. Goldsmith stated, All they want to do is be held,
the owners never touched these animals it was all money based to them (McBride). While
rescuing these animals Goldsmith took real footage showing one of her team members wearing a
mask and bringing out a basket full of kittens that were unable to open their eyes (McBride).
Goldsmith argues that her teams goal is to get these animals ready for adoption within three
days, which means the animals need to go through vaccines, either spayed or neutered and have a
bath. Organizations like these help our society realize that they can save animals from puppy
mills by adopting from a shelter rather than online and at the local pet store. With doing so puppy
mills will not gain any money and in,result they will have to shut down.

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Countless reports go out each year about the mistreatment of animals. But, does anyone
ever know what happens to those who have mistreated them? A great dane named Maximus is
albino, deaf and blind. Before Maximus met his new forever home, he was mistreated and was
only weighing 50 pounds, also, he suffers from the lose of sight and hearing (McDonald). Almost
a half-year later Maximus is weighing a little more than 100 pounds with a healthy diet
(McDonald). Maximus was not the only great dane that experienced abuse and neglect, two other
great danes did as well, along with finding two puppies left for dead 15 miles away from the
puppy mill. Although the owner of the puppy mill claims that he was away with his wife on a
honeymoon for a couple days, reports say that the neglect happened way before they left
(McDonald). Maximus and the two other great danes live a very healthy lifestyle despite their
disabilities.
To help promote awareness to society about the problems animals face every year due to
puppy mills, more organizations like the Grove City Council should be organized. Ted Berry, a
councilman in Ohio had a two hour long meeting conversing about puppy mills (Rinehart).
Within the discussion, him and many others came up with the idea that they should have voted
on prohibiting pet stores to sell animals that come from high volume breeders (Rinehart). With
doing so, pet stores would have no choice but to get their animals from a shelter or from the
Humane Society. The Grove City Council feels as if they vote on this, and it passes, the amount
of puppy mills will slowly deteriorate (Rinehart). Lara Lansee, a council women with the Grove
City council worries that pet stores are getting their animals with high volume breeders that treat
their animals poorly (Rinehart). However, the Grove City Council has no intentions on rushing
their votes. The council wants to be certain that everything they have planned out, goes in order
to save the many lives of the animals (Rinehart).

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All in all, puppy mills have not only killed thousands of animals, but it has created
violence within the communities. Within the research, people who are shopping around to find
their animal need to stop shopping, and start adopting, just as Morgan Hammond had stated.
With doing so it will stop high volume breeders such as James Montgomery, who was charged
with a class C felony after officials got the report of animals being housed at an underground
bunker, with no food or water. When the public stops adopting from online and local pet stores
and maneuvers towards shelters, this will stop animal cruelty and people like James
Montgomery, who succeeded from getting his animals taken away from him.

Works Cited
66 Dogs Rescued In Raid Ff B.C Puppy Mill. Toronto Star (Canada) 10
Feb.2016: Points of View Reference Center. Web 15 Sept. 2016
Baxley, Jaymie. Human Society halfway to goal. Robesonian, the (Lumberton, NC) 28 Nov.
2015: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 4 Oct. 2016.

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Kakesako, Gregg K. Alleged Puppy Mill Operator Faces Animal Cruelty Charges For
Second Time. Honolulu Star-Adviser 06 July 2016: Points Of View Reference Center.
Web. 20 Sept. 2016
Kelsey Ryan, Lara Korte. Kansas Third In Horrible Hundred List Of Puppy Mills.
Wichita Eagle, The (KS) 28 July 2016: Points of View Reference Center. Web 20 Sept.
2016.
McBride, Ashley. Boca Group Rescues 42 Dogs From Mississippi Puppy Mill. Palm Beach
Post, The (FL) 21 Aug. 2016: Point of View Reference Center. Web. 20 Sept. 2016.
McDonald Zack. Maximus Finds New Home, But Some From Puppy Mill Await
Adoption.News Herald, The (Panama City, FL 07 June 2015: Points of View Reference
Center. Web. 20 Sept. 2016
Rinehart, Earl. Grove City Puppy Mill Bill Pulled For More Work. Columbus Dispatch, The
(OH) 02 Feb. 2016: Points of View Reference Center. Web. 21 Sept 2016.