October 4, 2014 Version 11

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1 October 4, 2014 Version 11 1

2 Problems with pet store suppliers Supplier to The Family Puppy formally located in the Macomb Mall, in Roseville. Marlin Bontrager 2084 W 1150 N Rome City, IN Photo Credit: Noble Cty Zoning Marlin Bontrager was The Family Puppy s largest puppy supplier from 2009 to Bontrager had 177 adult dogs in June 2012 and his kennel was cited for direct violations, including not seeking veterinary care for a sick puppy and recorded temperatures that exceeded 87 degrees inside the shelter. Dogs were heavily panting and puppies were stretched out on the wire floor trying to stay cool. Bontrager was cited for six more violations involving dogs with painful eye problems without veterinary care, excessive accumulated feces that was sitting so long under the dogs wire floor that beetle shells were found and clogged drains causing strong odors. Bontrager has a history of violations going back to 2008 for substandard housing, shelter, primary enclosures, cleanliness, feeding and vet care. USDA Inventory : Adult Dogs Photo Credit: USDA 2012 Photo Credit: USDA

3 Supplier to The Family Puppy formally located in the Macomb Mall, in Roseville. Verlyn, Weslyn, Deborah Weaver 6910 W. 100 S. Topeka, IN Photo Credit: USDA 2011 Verlyn and Deborah Weaver were a primary supplier to The Family Puppy s primary from 2009 to The Weavers were cited for multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act, including for inadequate veterinary care, yet the store continued to work with this supplier. Weaver was cited by the USDA veterinarian in 2011 for a pregnant dog with a buildup of a thick, dark crust on her teeth and for dogs not receiving proper dental care. USDA Inventory: Adult Dogs 3

4 Supplier to The Family Puppy formally located in the Macomb Mall, in Roseville. Lavern Whetstone Outback Enterprises County Road 22 Goshen, IN Photo Credit: Elkhart Cty Zoning Lavern Whetstone was a primary supplier to The Family Puppy from 2008 to Whetstone was cited in 2010 for not seeking veterinary care for an animal that was in pain and suffering. That year, Whetstone shipped over 100 dogs to The Family Puppy. Once told by the federal inspector to seek veterinary care for a dog, the kennel had a non-professional remove the membrane of a dog with cherry eyes. The store continued to work with this breeder despite continued citations for noncompliance. USDA Inventory: 40 Adult Dogs 4

5 Supplier to The Family Puppy formally located in the Macomb Mall, in Roseville. Leroy Hochstetler 1575 N N Shipshewana, IN Photo Credit: USDA 2011 The Family Puppy added Leroy Hochstetler as a new supplier in On August 13, 2012, a female miniature pinscher puppy was found with very blue, hazy eyes and a yellow discharge from her eyes. The licensee had not contacted the attending veterinarian to evaluate the condition nor recommend a treatment plan. Failure to consult the veterinarian and provide appropriate care resulted in extended suffering for the puppy. USDA Inventory: Adult Dogs 5

6 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Lisa Cox P.O. Box 162 Hodgen, OK Le Flore County Photo Credit: USDA 2013 Lisa Cox (Hodgen, OK) shipped two Dachshunds to the Little Pet Shop (Utica) via Pinnacle Pet broker. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel has 50 to 66 adult dogs. # of Adult Dogs:

7 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Bobby Owens 740 E Blackjack Rd. Atoka, OK Black Jack Kennel Atoka County Photo Credit: USDA The Black Jack Kennel (Atoka, OK) shipped a yellow lab puppy to The Little Pet Shop (Utica) via the Pinnacle Pets broker in The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel has between 19 and 25 adult dogs. Citations include: dangerous enclosures, junk near enclosures and excessive brown material on the dogs teeth. # of Adult Dogs:

8 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Bill and Mona Paulsen P.O. BOX 281 Washburn, MO Prairieview Kennel County: Barry Photo Credit: USDA The Paulsens (Washburn, MO) shipped a Gold Morkie puppy with Grade 1 Luxating Patella to The Little Pet Shop (Utica) via the Pinnacle Pets broker in It is unclear if this defect was disclosed to the public. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel has between 45 and 76 adult dogs. Citations include: long toenails and a buildup of grime and feces. # of Adult Dogs:

9 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Daniel Kuehne Nystrom Ave. Reading, MN Photo Credit: USDA Daniel Kuehne (Reading, MN) shipped a yorkie/bichon and maltese/bichon to The Little Pet Shop via Fulton Enterprises broker in The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that kennel has between 232 and 365 adult dogs and has been cited for repeat and DIRECT violations of the Animal Welfare Act. # of Adult Dogs:

10 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Mark Wehling 526 Volney Rd. Monona, IA North Winds Kennel Clayton County Photo Credit: USDA Mark Wehling (Monona, IA) shipped a Pomeranian puppy to the Little Pet Shop (Utica) via the broker Fulton Enterprise in The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel had between 5 and 40 adult dogs however, the kennel s license had been cancelled in # of Adult Dogs:

11 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Gina and Noland Boer 3271 Coolidge Ave Rock Valley, IA Den Boer Kennel Photo Credit: USDA Gina Boer (Rock Valley, Iowa) shipped a Havanese/Pomeranian mix puppy to The Little Pet Shop via the Pinnacle broker in The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show Boer was cited for REPEAT violations related to barns with no insulation, no heat, no cooling and no shelter structures for the dogs. The barn has holes in the roof where the rain can easily come through and reach the dogs. There was a buildup of old food and excreta underneath the grated floors of the enclosures, as well as dust, dirt and a buildup of grime on the enclosures light fixtures and objects. # of Adult Dogs:

12 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Cheryl Gray Highland Rd. Havana, AR Cedar Creek Yorkies Photo Credit: USDA Cheryl Gray (Havana, AR) shipped a Biewer Yorkie to the Little Pet Shop (Utica) via Pinnacle Pet broker in The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel has between 54 and 63 adult dogs with many violations: 23 beagles do not have protection from the elements; missing wind/rain breaks; a mother cat, Curly-Q, had drainage from both eyes, one of her kittens was small with eyes closed and not thriving, and the kennel did not have any written documentation that the kitten was being evaluated by a veterinarian; the kennel was housing short hair/hairless cats outdoors; a puppy s feet were dangling through the raised flooring; there was an accumulation of hair and waste materials in the primary enclosures, affecting 66 adult dogs. # of Adult Dogs:

13 Supplier to The Little Pet Shop in Utica. Anita Gustin 941 C R 215 Berryville, AR Kings River Kennel Photo Credit: USDA Anita Gustin (Berryville, AR) shipped a Malti-poo to The Little Pet Shop in Utica via the Pinnacle Pets broker in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports show that this kennel has between 255 and 265 adult dogs. Citations include: two Italian Greyhounds do not have enough head space to move around and the out buildings with wire floors have broken wires. # of Adult Dogs:

14 Supplier to Pets and More in Lenox. Clearwater Kennels (former owner of Happy Tails Kennel) Hwy 10 Cushing, MN Photo Credit: Companion Animal Protection Society Interstate Health Certificates indicate that Pets and More has annually purchased and received a high volume of dogs from Clearwater Kennel. Since 2010 Deleo has imported 2,066 puppies (approximately 60 per month). Clearwater s USDA inspection report earlier this year included 4 indirect violations. According to the nonprofit advocacy group Animal Folks MN, this facility is the largest breeder/broker in Minnesota with violations covering several years. The February 2014 violations included a strong ammonia (urine) odor, rodent feces near the dogs food, and excessive dog feces in the enclosures that left limited areas for the dogs to walk or stand without coming into contact with their own wastes. Listed on the HSUS report 101 Puppy Mills in 2013 and # of Adult Dogs: 700 adult dogs and 108 pups 14

15 Dog Buyers Beware: Heartbreak Comes With Sale of Unhealthy Pets Metro stores sell stock from breeders cited for violations By STEVE NEAVLING FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER 7/12/2006 The moment she laid eyes on them, Jennifer Moodie fell in love. But a day after she paid $900 for two Yorkshire terrier pups at a Utica pet shop, one went into seizures. The pup, named Jasper, spent the next four days attached to IVs at a vet's office and died in Moodie's arms within two hours of coming home. "His blood-sugar was so low that he had brain damage," said Moodie, 25, of Northville. Moodie sued Utica Pet Supply, where she bought the dogs, and received her money back for Jasper in an out-of-court settlement. The other pup, Kaylie, spent her first few months coughing and vomiting before bouncing back. 15

16 Those dogs were among thousands shipped to metro Detroit pet stores in recent years from large out-of-state breeders, many of which have been repeatedly cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for raising puppies in substandard conditions. Veterinarians critical of large breeders say puppies raised by them - like Moodie's - are often inbred and housed in squalid, close quarters that expose them to genetic diseases, parasites and deadly viruses that may not surface for years. Most dogs from large facilities go through life without any reported health or behavioral problems, but those with problems can leave pet owners with hefty vet bills - not to mention the heartache of seeing their dog die or become debilitated at an early age. That happens often enough that some animal lovers now refuse to buy from pet stores, saying the risk of getting a dog from a troubled breeder is too great and consumer protections too weak. Store owners, however, defend getting dogs from breeders. Some say reports of unhealthy conditions at large, licensed facilities are an anomaly, contending that those breeders are far superior to unregulated backyard breeders. And by purchasing from large breeding facilities, the stores receive a wide range of breeds and money-back warranties for sick or dead pups. Owners also note the USDA - which is responsible for regulating commercial breeders - has not shut down any of the facilities they buy from. "I'm very content with the quality of dogs we sell," said John Geoth, 47, co-owner of Utica Pet Supply, one of metro Detroit's largest importers of dogs from large out-of-state breeders. Geoth said he buys all of his dogs from Happy Tails Kennel, a Minnesota breeding operation that is the target of an ongoing federal investigation for housing dogs in squalid conditions. Since 2002, the facility has been cited numerous times, with violations including confining dogs to cramped, filthy cages and selling puppies less than 8 weeks old. But Geoth says the product is still superior. "We're putting out a companion animal that is unsurpassed by anyone," he said. Where the puppies come from More than 3,500 puppies arrived at metro Detroit pet stores last year from the country's largest breeding facilities and brokers. More than 80% of those dogs were supplied by the nation's eight largest exporters - and all of them have had multiple citations by the USDA in the last five years. In addition to Utica Pet Supply, which imported 400 dogs, the other big importers in metro Detroit last year were Family of Pets, with shops in Troy, Roseville, Novi, Waterford and Livonia, and Petland, another major pet store chain. Family of Pets imported more than 1,350 dogs from four facilities with multiple violations; Petland, more than 600 from cited facilities. Jim Kurdziel, co-owner of the Westland Petland store, said people within the franchise visit facilities they buy from and would stop buying dogs from anyone who mistreats animals. The Free Press looked at the most recent USDA inspections of the eight largest breeders of dogs 16

17 sent to metro Detroit, some dating to 2002, others as recent as this year. Those inspections have found various problems. Dogs have been confined to overcrowded cages, surrounded by flies and feces and exposed to harsh weather. A report from a November USDA inspection of Happy Tails, the largest exporter of dogs to metro Detroit, documented dozens of dogs crammed into cages that were too small and had floors that exposed the animals' feet and legs to injury. Inspections in 2002 and 2003 at the same facility found similarly substandard cages and feceslittered kennels for 120 adult dogs. The facility also sold puppies before they reached 8 weeks, the minimum age required under federal law. Reports on the more than a dozen other out-of-state breeders that account for the last 20% of dogs sent to metro Detroit could not be obtained, and USDA officials declined to comment. There are no public records tracking dogs sold at metro Detroit pet stores that came from instate breeders, but animal welfare groups say Michigan does not have a reputation for abusive breeders. I cried for over two hours' People who buy dogs with health problems typically have two courses of action - they can sue the pet store they bought the dog from or they can formally complain to the state Department of Agriculture. Since 2000, at least 65 Michigan residents have taken action against the Petland, Utica Pet Supply and Family of Pets. Most alleged they were sold sickly puppies and some claimed to have been misled about the breed of the dog. Many had paperwork showing the dog came from an out-of-state breeder, but it is not known whether all the complaints involved out-ofstate dogs. While the number is relatively small, Karlene Belyea, executive director of the Michigan Veterinary Medical Association, said she believes few owners take action even when a dog falls ill, dies or become debilitated later in life because of the conditions they were raised in. Most, she said, don't know they have legal recourse. "It's so sad when people bond with these puppies and then find out there are significant health problems because the dogs were bred by a bad breeder," Belyea said. Since 2000, at least 10 people have filed lawsuits or complaints against Utica Pet Supply for selling sick puppies; some died soon after they were bought. Yetiva Allen of Flushing, who filed a complaint with the state Department of Agriculture against Utica Pet Supply shortly after she said she spent more than $1,000 on vet bills for a wheaten terrier pup she bought there in July The dog developed arthritis and joint problems in November 2005, causing her to limp and sometimes collapse. "She's had bouts where she just lies on the floor and whines and cries," said Allen, whose dog came from Happy Tails. "Once it lasted 12 hours." 17

18 At least nine people have filed complaints with the state Department of Agriculture since 2003 about sick puppies from Family of Pets. Bridget Polk, 38, of Mt. Clemens said the schnauzer mix she bought from Family of Pets at Macomb Mall in Roseville was bouncy, adorable and a perfect companion. But she said when she found her dog came from Happy Tails, a breeder whose history she knew of, "I cried for over two hours." Although Polk hasn't had any trouble with her dog, she filed a complaint with the state this year, saying the store led her to believe the puppy didn't come from a large breeder. The store denied misleading her. "This is an industry that is counting on consumer ignorance and impulse," said Deborah Howard, founder of the nonprofit Companion Animal Protection Society, which monitors breeders and has campaigned to warn consumers of the risks of buying dogs from stores that buy from large breeders. "It's all about the cute puppy in the window." 'She wasn't herself' John Stottele, the owner of Family of Pets, declined to be interviewed but said in an that he and his veterinarian have visited Happy Tails and found no problems. "If Happy Tails or any other professional breeder were to have their license suspended or revoked by the USDA, we would no longer purchase puppies from them," Stottele wrote. Family of Pets also bought more than 50 puppies last year from Pick of the Litter, a Minnesota breeder cited by the USDA in January for broken, substandard and overcrowded cages; animals exposed to wind and rain; dirty feeding and water bowls, and no proof of veterinary care. Parvovirus, an often deadly disease that attacks a dog's digestive system, is among the ailments that spread easily under those conditions, and a state Department of Agriculture inspection of the Roseville Family of Pets store in March 2005 found an outbreak of it. Pick of the Litter owner Kathy Bauk declined to comment on the conditions of her facility, saying past publicity has subjected her to harassment from animal-welfare activists she considers dangerous. Meanwhile, Barbara Ann Quinn bought a yellow lab from Family of Pets in Novi and within an hour of bringing it home its rectum began bleeding. A vet diagnosed the puppy, named Bailey, with parvovirus. Quinn estimates the vet bill ran up to $1,500. It is not clear where Bailey was bred. Although Bailey survived, Quinn said she wasn't a typical lab after that. "She isn't as big," said Quinn of Warren. "Her coat isn't as glowing. Bailey wasn't herself for a long, long time." Contact STEVE NEAVLING at or sneavling@freepress.com. 18