Georgia puppy mill bust - video

March 4, 7:27 AMAtlanta Dogs ExaminerSandy Weaver Carman

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 A puppy mill operating in Atlanta's back yard was busted yesterday, flooding Atlanta Humane Society with one hundred and thirty four dogs, mostly small breeds.

Citing unsanitary conditions and inhumane treatment, which included unsafe wire enclosures and dogs with no shelter from the cold, Richards Kennels, located on Hester Drive in Cherokee County, lost its license to keep those dogs yesterday. State Agriculture Department inspectors confiscated the dogs and accepted the surrender of the owner's state pet dealer license.

At this point you might be wondering why the Agriculture Department has anything to do with dog kennels, and that's a great question. It's because of Georgia's farming background, and the fact that many farmers also kept animals for sale. Making the inspection process more streamlined made sense, so the State Agriculture Department oversees farms, food processing plants, and anywhere that animals are kept and will eventually make their way to the public by means of a sale or adoption.

Georgia's Agriculture Department does a good job, in spite of the peanut-processing black eye it's sporting currently. This is a big state and the inspectors are kept busy, but they do follow complaints received. In this case, a complaint was received from a puppy buyer and the Ag Department stepped in, saving those 134 dogs from a pitiful life and keeping the Atlanta area from being flooded with more puppies from the kennel, which had been in operation since the middle 90's.

In many cases, the dogs are in worse conditions than those at Richards Kennel. Several years ago in Bartow County, a puppy mill specializing in Siberian Huskies was busted. If the dogs had water at all, it was green and slimy. Many were tied to trees and had no shelter. Food was thrown on the ground, sometimes out of reach of tethered dogs, and dead dog bodies littered the property.

The puppies produced from puppy mills such as these end up being sold in the newspaper, at flea markets, online and in pet stores. People who buy puppies from these places are supporting those who keep dogs in such misery.

Where to go to get a puppy?  Go to a reputable breeder, who will not be found selling their puppies in the newspaper, at flea markets or at pet stores. There's a resource box on the main Atlanta Dog Examiner page on the right-hand side linking to all of the Atlanta-area kennel clubs, where good breeders tend to congregate.  To return to that page, click the orange "Go To Sandy's Page" button above or below this story.  If your family is wanting to add a pure-bred puppy, start by contacting the kennel clubs, where members are expected to adhere to a code of ethics that includes care and disposition of any puppies they breed.

Want to help stop puppy mills? There's an organization called Prisoners of Greed that would love to have you as a member, volunteer or donor. Their website is a fountain of information about the miserable conditions these dogs endure and what can be done for them.

If you'd still consider buying a puppy from the paper, internet, flea market or pet store, please watch this video first. If there's a heart in your chest, it will show you exactly why puppy mills should be outlawed.

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