I Spent the Night with a Walrus

I just got home from Missouri this afternoon after transporting 2 very sweet cane corso dogs to a rescue in southern WI.  We got into town late last night and the rescuer was not able to get them until today.  So, we booked a room at a budget pet-friendly hotel and camped out for the night.  These dogs are very large and weren't too excited about the prospect of being kenneled for the ride.  I knew if I took them out, I'd never get them back in alone, so we had to wait for their new foster mom to come in the morning.

This is not Wally, but he looks similar.

I quickly found out that anything below 4 feet that was made of paper, plastic or smaller than a breadbox was fair game to be shredded when I sneaked out to get something from my car.  When I returned, about 3 minutes out, every brochure, tag, notepad, the soap, and most of their dog food was spread all over the floor.  They also knocked over their ice bucket filled with water at least 3 times and yes, there were 2 pee accidents which I cleaned up as thoroughly as I could.

These two characters were very affectionate and docile.  They stuck to me like glue.  When I crawled into the bed, they became very upset because I would not let them come up and they wanted me to be in sight, so I put the bedspread on the floor, folded it over me and had my two guardians sleeping next to me, one on each side.  The big male, who I called Wally, because he sits like a walrus, snored like a drunken sailor.  The more petite girl rested her head on my butt for a while (I'm a stomach sleeper) before she drifted off to sleep.

This morning, I sat on the floor with them while waiting for their foster mom and I told them that their lives were about to change in a very wonderful way.  Now they would be able to go for walks, participate in family activities, chase balls and chew rawhide instead of paper and plastic.  The big male was locked on my eyes the whole time I talked and at the end of my speech, he licked my cheek with his huge tongue. I choose to believe it was a kiss. What a sense of relief and happiness I felt as they drove off with their rescuer.  A good life is ahead of them and I was so fortunate to help them get started.

 Now I have 4 sleeping dogs in my bedroom, all of whom were elated to see me return home.  Life is good.

Drove to Mexico

Whew...I'm beat.  Drove from De Pere (Green Bay) to Mexico, MO today.  It took over 10 hours and I didn't get lost once.   I got a book on CD that made it seem to go a little faster, but once you hit MO, you're on county and state highways and it's very desolate.   I want to get up early tomorrow and hook up with some of the other rescues so I'm going to leave it at that.   I am anxious to go see these sweet little dogs we're here to rescue too.   Good night.

Word from the Trenches

One of the rescuers was able to get a rare Cane Corso out early and said she was in remarkably great shape. It's rumored that Mrs. Shindler is fond of this breed so she may have gotten a bit of extra attention...as opposed to NO attention, as in the case of the other dogs.

"Just got home with my cane corso. She's just gorgeous, and SOOOO sweet! She is a tad bit shy, but will climb onto my lap if I sit down with her...All the corsos (corsi?) are out now, and the three I saw seemed to be sweet and in decent shape. I think mine's a bit thin, but we'll remedy that!  She seems to be fairly well adjusted. If you approach her too quickly or walk by too fast, she hits the ground. I had to work her up the 3 steps into the house (front half, back half, front half, back half. lol!) No concept of the leash. She sticks pretty close to me in the house and yard. She did well in her crate in the car, and didn't seem at all afraid to explore the house. Her little stub wags a LOT. No problems with the other dogs or the cats yet, and she'll let me check her teeth, handle her feet, and roll her over. She's sprawled out on the floor next to me right now. All in all, I am quite pleased (and very pleasantly surprised!). Michelle said hers hid behind the couch when she got her inside."

We are also told the Westie's that came out early were clean and in reasonably good shape. Obviously the Shindlers are trying to make a good impression. It will be interesting to see how the remaining 700 dogs in the auction are presented.


Fox News Report - The worst of the worst
This is a news expose from earlier about the breeder supplying all these dogs to the auction. The other woman mentioned is the Shindler's daughter. This story and others were part of the pressure brought to bear on this breeder resulting in their decision to leave the "business" before Prop B.

The auction site contains this message from the breeder:

SELLER’S STATEMENT: Since most of you know that I’m into my second battle with cancer, I can no longer spend 12-16 hours a day with my dogs as I’ve done so for years. Herman’s heart problem does not allow him to do this either. The dogs have been so enjoyable to us, it hasn’t only been our work, but our hobby as well. The quality and personalities of our dogs speak for themselves. They are well socialized and loved, so please, treat them likewise. We’ve spent almost 50 yrs with the dogs and the industry trying to pass experience and professional knowledge on to help other breeders in pediatric care, and traveling to D.C & Jefferson City working legislatively for the industry. It’s time for everyone to step up to the batter’s box and carry on (thanks to those who are doing this). But we’ll certainly miss our fellow breeders, the industry network of people and our four legged friends. When my battle is over, perhaps I’ll be able to travel and teach seminars to help, if God is willing.  Thank You, Bonnie Schindler

Personal note...what a CROCK!  How can someone twist reality so much?  Normally I would have some sympathy for anyone with cancer, but my sympathy is all used up on these dogs.  God will be the judge of this situation and right now it seems like He's on the side of the rescuers and the dogs.

After the passage of Prop B, dogs will be dumped by the hundreds by existing breeders and they will be worth nothing at auction.  Wonder if the decision to get out early is more about the financial benefits...seems a little ironic.  The rescues will have to continue...this is only the beginning!

Keepin it short tonight

I'm busily making last minute arrangements for my trip to MO this Thurs.  I am a member of a Yahoo rescue group who is actively working to bid on these dogs to get them away from the commerical breeders but not to bid against each other.  Lists are forming and meetings are being set up.  I'm trying to help with that effort.

On an unrelated note, Shadow, my little foster dog from HEA had a large lump between her shoulders surgically removed today.  It appeared to be benign...good news.  She also had a dental and only lost 1 tooth.  She came home with a ravenous appetite and is now resting comfortably next to me on the bed.  When she heals up, she'll be ready to find her forever home and someone will be very lucky to adopt this sweet little gal.  I'll post her picture as soon as I have one.

The Debate on Auction Dogs

Best Friends Animal Society, a very large and politically active rescue in Utah is a leader in the no-kill movement.

They felt compelled to post their

POSITION AND RESPONSE REGARDING THE OCTOBER 2010 SCHINDLER AUCTION.   Under normal circumstances, I would agree with most of their position points.  This auction is different, though.  The sheer quantity of dogs being auctioned is staggering.  This is just the beginning of the "dumping" that will occur when Prop B passes and these commercial breeders must reduce their "stock" in order to comply with these more stringent requirements.  This horrible situation has gone for so long that it will take a long time for the dogs currently in the system to cycle out.  As that happens, rescuers are rallying to meet the needs of the dogs who will lose the only home they have ever had...a home in hell to be sure.  There is an obligation to find an alternative for these dogs to end the misery they currently face.  If we just turn our backs on these auctions, the dogs are not just going to continue on...they will die from starvation, inhumane euthanization, abuse and neglect in numbers even higher than now.  Look at what happened in Nazi Germany when people became afraid or were politically coerced into ignoring the plight of the Jews in the concentration camps.  Certainly these are not people, but the crimes and holocaust  suffered by these dogs are just as sickening.  Politics be damned.  It's all about the lives of these dogs and generations to follow.  Perhaps our grandkid's generations won't ever hear the word "Puppy Mill"...imagine.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

The GOOD...Kansas spent the first 2 1/2 years of her life in a puppy mill prior to being rescued by a wonderful group called the Bernese Auction Rescue Coalition (BARC). We adopted her three weeks after her rescue.



The BAD ...Our undercover video exposes dog auctions used by puppy mills. They dump dogs used for breeding they no longer want or to acquire new dogs to replenish their breeding "stock".



The UGLY...not for the faint of heart! Prisoners of Greed:


HUA - Prisoners of Greed from Rebel Interactive on Vimeo.

Why this Auction? Why Now?

Missouri is the "puppy mill" capital of America, home to more than 4,000 shoddy and inhumane dog-breeding businesses, by one estimate. Puppy mills flourish here for a number of reasons, among them: uneven enforcement of the rules, and remote, rural landscapes that allow poor or illegal practices to escape detection. The hills and hollows of the Ozarks have the state's highest concentration of puppy breeders.  

Missouri will vote on Prop B on November 2. I'll use another rescuer's post to explain the particulars of that proposition:

Prop B will be in addition to current law. Almost all MO commercial breeders are USDA licensed and under ACFA USDA regs apply to them. USDA does not require solid resting surfaces (ACFA does but again this applies to only about 2 % of breeders who will be affected by Prop per numbers given by MoDA). Otherwise, ACFA and USDA regs are pretty much the same and under them it is currently legal to keep dogs caged their entire lives--there is a provision for exercise but all that's required is the breeder have an excercise plan on file from their vet--there is no way for an inspector to know if the dogs are receiving such or not. Also, now "exercise" can be met by housing dogs together as long as each dog has the minimum space (6" taller, wider, longer than the dog) if housed separately. There is nothing in the current law that states the dogs ever have to be let out of their cage. As for dogs housed individually, they need only be given twice the minimum space to meet the exercise requirement and again never have to be let out of their cage. Thus, it is perfectly legal for breeders to keep dogs in wire cages stacked on top of one another their whole lives. Prop B would prohibit wire floors and the stacking of cages. As far as temps, current law states temps shouldn't be below 45 or above 85 during a 4 hour period--no inspector is going to stay 4 hours at a facility so that provision is totally unenforceable. Prop B sets temp max and min without the 4 hour provision. Current law allows dogs to be bred every heat cycle; Prop B would limit such to twice in an 18-month period. Current law states a vet must visit the facility annually; Prop B states the vet must hand check every dog and can't just to a walk-through. Prop B also calls for prompt vet treatment. Also, Prop B creates misdemeanor crimes for violations unlike current regs which have administrative penalties only. I have a letter from USDA stating such (and remember, 98% of these breeders are governed by USDA, not ACFA)---that their only recourse is to revoke a license which takes a minimum of 1 to 3 years. With Prop B people like the Schindlers would be held accountable for neglecting animals; now, nothing is happening to them and their violations have been noted in inspection reports for almost a year.

Prop B is expected to pass and will result in more breeders selling off or "voluntarily releasing" their dogs. This is the case with the Schindlers even before the passage of Prop B. An auction catalog of 800+ dogs with Prop B looming is not likely to be seen as favorable to breeders who will already have too many dogs, so these dogs are expected to be obtainable for rescue for a reasonable cost. We could sit by and wait for these dogs to be given away for free but we run the risk that they would instead be euthanized by such sophisticated methods as a brick to the head, starvation or carbon monoxide poisoning. No one wants to see that happen.
Some rescues, such as Best Friends, are opposed to pulling dogs from auction as they believe it encourages breeders to breed more dogs for auction profits. Under the current legislation (pre-Prop B) breeders use these auctions like people use trading card auctions. This is a special case...800+ dogs are just too many to ignore and we have the opportunity to free them now from a life of hardship, torture and worse.
Here's a true horror story to help you understand the "why now?" component: An Amish commercial kennel owner in New York rigged a hose up to a farm engine to euthanize 93 dogs that he had been ordered to have tested and treated for brucellosis. 93 dogs die in Amish breeder’s gas chamber ...
The yoder in this article recently had is day in court. He was ordered to pay $4.50 for each dog he slaughtered. That's a whopping fine of almost $420!

This says it all.....

PERMISSION GIVEN TO SHARE AND CROSSPOST WE STILL NEED RESCUE AND DONATIONS

Wanted to update those of you who have already stepped up to help us save as many of these Mexico Missouri puppy mill dogs as possible and to ask you to keep this request going. Today is October 17th, 2010 and already we have commitments for 154 of the close to 800 dogs being auctioned off. There are many other rescues who will be attending and stepping up to help as well but we have a long way to go to save them all. The auction is Oct 29th and 30th so we have less then 2 weeks to obtain additional rescue commitments and additional funds to take on this mission.

Since the time of our original plea we have found out that there will be a vet in attendance who can do rabies and provide health certificates so that we can legally transport these dogs across state lines. The auction company tells us that cost will be approx $25 per dog. We are also aware that there will be dogs we can save for as little as $5 but in order to save others the price will be much higher. In order to figure a budget for this we are figuring $50 per dog for the bid and the rabies and health certificate. That being said, the cost based on those figures of the 154 dogs who have commitment will be $7700, hopefully we will have more that average less then that but we won't know until we are there in the thick of it. This does not include any transportation costs, boarding, urgent medical care, supplies such as crates, food, vaccinations, medication, bowls, bedding, leashes, etc.


We need to continue to circulate this in order to get additional rescue commitments as well as additional funds. We have a chip in account set up, you can click here to donate http://sscr.chipin.com/missouri-mill-dog-auction-rescue. If you can reach out to make a rescue commitment please email myself at gliderdance@yahoo.com or my partner Susan Turturice at miskeira@sbcglobal.net.

If you would like to donate supplies or would prefer to mail your donation you can send it to:

SSCR
308 Frederick Lane
Raymore, MO 6408

Together we can save these dogs from continuing on in the cycle of puppy mill and offer then a chance at a real life filled with love and hope. If you have any questions about what we are doing or how fund will be distributed or used please email us. Thank you all so much for what you have done and are continuing to do to save these dogs. They deserve life....

This is the link to the auction site with the details of the auction and the dogs being offered there http://www.swkennelauction.com/index_files/Auction3.htm



This is the link of a recent news story about the efforts of the rescues to save them http://www.examiner.com/pet-rescue-in-wichita/puppy-mill-dogs-go-up-for-auction-missouri-group-seeks-help-to-save-them?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4cbaf6ccb42832f2%2C0

This is additional info on the Shindlers who are the operators of this mill
http://www.fox2now.com/ktvi-fox-files-puppy-mill-mexico-071310,0,4501363.story

Susan and Carolyn
Something Special Castaways
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/MO499.html
Missouri Moderator-OTRA Transport

(The dogs in these photos are a few of 55 puppy mill survivors confiscated by the State of Missouri on October 9th, and brought to the Marshall Missouri Veterinary Clinic for safe haven until rescue or adoptive home placement could be found. As of today, all but 17 have either been placed with rescue or have been adopted into loving forever homes! If you or anyone you know can help the remaining 17 small breed puppy mill survivors, please call the Marshall Veterinary Clinic as soon as possible at 660-886-2231.

Please help us rescue more of these innocent souls!!!

Where to Begin

I signed up for an internet group related to stopping puppy mills in Wisconsin which led to another group, Auction Dog Rescue. I signed up just wanting to read some of the posts to find out more about the group. I came in right in the middle of a great plan undertaken by rescue groups all over the country who are attempting to "pull" as many dogs as possible from 800+ canines who will be auctioned due to the closing of a puppy mill in Missouri on Oct. 29 and 30. The mill is being voluntarily closed (sort of) by the millers Herman & Bonnie Schindler who are notorious for repeatedly violating the rather loose Missouri regulations.

On November 2, Missouri voters will have the opportunity to vote on Prop B which more strictly regulates commercial breeders. It is hoped these regulations will put more breeders out of business. But, now for the business at hand.

After reading a lot of posts and grappling with the reality that I can't provide a home for a puppy mill dog (I already have two small dogs and 2 foster dogs from HEA), I felt a strong desire to do SOMETHING to help with the rescue that will happen at the end of Oct. I got in touch with a rescuer, Carolyn Hadley,Something Special Castaways, Missouri-OTRA Transport. Carolyn and her partner Susan have been in touch with rescues all around the country and have made arrangements to "pull" about 170 dogs from the auction by bidding on them for other rescues. They are coordinating their transport to new locations for foster, shelter, adoption and rehabilitation. Carolyn has allowed me to "tag" along and has answered my questions about many of the posts on the group. She has also agreed to meet me at the auction and let me chronicle my experience with finding out what happens at a dog auction/rescue.

I will blog about the preparation for the auction and my trip to MO and try to describe the issues and concerns of the rescuers. Missouri has the most puppy mills in the country. Dogs are treated like livestock. Many are bred continuously until they are no longer able to produce. Their puppies are sold on the internet to shipped to unsuspecting buyers who the breeder never even met. The breeding dogs are kept in substandard conditions that are pitiful. Many are sick and in desperate need of regular hygiene such as grooming, bathing and nail clipping. Wire crates cause feet to become cut and splayed. Eyes are lost when poked by sharp objects inside the crates. I hope this blog will inform people about the horrors of puppy mills, but more, I want to inspire with stories of the rescuers, those selfless animal lovers who advocate and help those who can't help themselves. Puppy mills have no place in a modern society.Recent posts have focused on the need for rescues to be able to identify themselves to other rescues so they don't bid against each other for the same dogs. After much discussion about the advisability of being identified as a rescuer, it was agreed that the breeders knew the other breeders so if you weren't one of them, you would be assumed to be a rescue. Most agreed this was something not to be flaunted, but it was decided that a bright green shirt would be used to identify rescue bidders. It was also agreed that if a particular breed rescue was trying to pull all of a certain breed, the other rescues should allow that to happen without interference.

One of the rescuers took the auction catalog (like the kind you see at a household auction, except it describes living creatures), and made a spreadsheet with breeds, gender, age and number available. There are also notations about the possibility of pregnancy in some of the females and the prediction of the next heat showing they would be ready for breeding again soon. Using this spreadsheet allows the rescues to commit to pulling a number of dogs so others will know these are being taken care of. Some breeds are completely covered, but lots of dogs remain in breed categories such as beagle, german shepherd, jap. chin, poms, bichons, chihauhaus, lhasas, havanese, min pins, schnauzers, shih tzus, yorkies, as well as many others. Having this list has been extremely helpful to the posters who are getting commitments from other rescues. They will bid by proxy for these rescues. Once the dogs are pulled, they will be transported to the rescue who committed to them. It is hoped that the rescuers that are not breed specific will be able to pull from all of these breed categories.

I am particularly concerned about the 45 yorkies that remain uncommitted. My little Bubba is a yorkie and I have a soft spot for them (well all dogs really). I am going to need someone to duct tape my arms to my sides and I'll have to sit on my hands. This is going to be heartbreaking if some of these dogs don't get pulled. They are suggesting that the unclaimed dogs will likely be euthanized by such high tech methods as being smashed in the head with a brick or gassed with carbon monoxide. The lucky ones might be treated to a bullet. I can't bear to think about it.

Dogs crossing the state line need to be vaccinated and have a signed health certificate. The auctioneer is providing a vet to do this at the cost of $25/dog. Something Special Castaways, arranged for Help Fido, a non-profit that helps with medical cost, to generously sponsor a rescue package which consists of DHPP, Rabies and Health Certificate. Missouri Licensed vet Dr. Mike O'Brien will be on hand to provide this service both days for $5 per rescued dog. He will most likely have to locate off the auction site as this is another big money maker for the commercial breeders. They want to squeeze out every last dime before releasing these fragile babies. Having a vet in place to provide these services will keep more funds available to pull more dogs. Great work SSCR, Help Fido and Dr. Mike.

What did we do before the advent to social networking? This ceates inroads in connecting these rescuers and their partners, but it's the ingenuity of the rescuers that has created this sophisticated venue for communicating to most effectively help the dogs. Tell your dog to give your computer a kiss before going to bed tonight. Then become a follower of Canine Rescue Heros.

Welcome to Canine Rescue Heroes

For as long as I can remember, I have loved dogs. My first dog Moriah was an Old English Sheepdog who slept on my twin bed. I have had a dog living with me for most of my last 45 years. I currently have a cairn terrier, Gizmo and a yorkie, Bubba. In 2008 I began volunteering for a no-kill shelter, Happily Ever After Animal Sanctuary, patterned after Best Friends in Utah. Animals at HEA are guaranteed a home if an adopter can't be found. Some have issues that make them "hard to adopt" but they have a life and it is not taken from them just because they have been abandoned by humans. In fact, the humans who care for the HEA dogs are totally committed to giving them the best life they can provide under the circumstances. They try very hard to find a forever home or make them feel as if they are in one. Those who stay are treated with respect and love...more on HEA later.

I currently have two dogs, Gizmo, a cairn terrier Bubba, a yorkie.



I have had the good fortune to foster two dogs who found homes. Bernie, a pom shown below, was  a possible puppy mill dog who came from a hoarder situation and it took 3+ months to get him to let me touch him.  He now lives happily with a family.
















I also had Benni, a poodle/shih tzu, seen here with Gizmo lounging at the pool. He was recently adopted by a great retired couple who live close by.  He visits often.

Princess is a current resident.  She's an old gal who is completely deaf.  She was surrendered to HEA when her elderly owner went to a nursing home.  She's my first "girlfriend".  I also currently have Shadow, a schnauzer mix, whose picture will be posted soon.

Reggie and Carol are my friends. Reggie comes over daily for social time with all of us while Carol works.





I signed up for an internet group related to stopping puppy mills in Wisconsin which led to another group, Auction Dog Rescue. I signed up just wanting to read some of the posts to find out more about the group. I came in right in the middle of a great plan undertaken by rescue groups all over the country who are attempting to "pull" as many dogs as possible from 800+ canines who will be auctioned due to the closing of a puppy mill in Missouri on Oct. 29 and 30. The mill is being voluntarily closed (sort of) by the millers Herman & Bonnie Schindler who are notorious for repeatedly violating the rather loose Missouri regulations.

On November 2, Missouri voters will have the opportunity to vote on Prop B which more strictly regulates commercial breeders. It is hoped these regulations will put more breeders out of business. But, now for the business at hand.

After reading a lot of posts and grappling with the reality that I can't provide a home for a puppy mill dog (I already have two small dogs and 2 foster dogs from HEA), I felt a strong desire to do SOMETHING to help with the rescue that will happen at the end of Oct. I got in touch with a rescuer, Carolyn Hadley,Something Special Castaways, Missouri-OTRA Transport. Carolyn and her partner Susan have been in touch with rescues all around the country and have made arrangements to "pull" about 170 dogs from the auction by bidding on them for other rescues. They are coordinating their transport to new locations for foster, shelter, adoption and rehabilitation. Carolyn has allowed me to "tag" along and has answered my questions about many of the posts on the group. She has also agreed to meet me at the auction and let me chronicle my experience with finding out what happens at a dog auction/rescue.

I will blog about the preparation for the auction and my trip to MO and try to describe the issues and concerns of the rescuers. Missouri has the most puppy mills in the country. Dogs are treated like livestock. Many are bred continuously until they are no longer able to produce. Their puppies are sold on the internet to shipped to unsuspecting buyers who the breeder never even met. The breeding dogs are kept in substandard conditions that are pitiful. Many are sick and in desperate need of regular hygiene such as grooming, bathing and nail clipping. Wire crates cause feet to become cut and splayed. Eyes are lost when poked by sharp objects inside the crates. I hope this blog will inform people about the horrors of puppy mills, but more, I want to inspire with stories of the rescuers, those selfless animal lovers who advocate and help those who can't help themselves. Puppy mills have no place in a modern society.