The Truth About AMISH COUNTRY

The Amish (and Mennonite) community are known as "The Gentle People". Amish Country is known for its wonderful restaurants, craft shops and well-kept Amish farms. Beautiful fields where bearded men in wide-brimmed hats lead teams of shaggy plow horses tilling the soil. Hay fields dot the rolling hills of Amish country, and the fields that sustain the simple lifestyle are mostly bare. But one crop the most important crop to some remains: Puppies.

Be warned ... the Amish life that is depicted for tourist is nothing like the reality. There is animal abuse among Amish in the form of puppy mills. A simple Google search for Amish puppy mills will return thousands of hits. For farmers, a big crop of dogs can gross up to $500,000 annually, with successful operations netting six figures. For critics, the men in the suspenders and bushy beards are masking a cruel form of factory farming behind the quaint and pure image of the Amish culture.

In areas of the U.S. where Amish dwell, there is a high number of puppy mills. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement lists 243 kennels in Lancaster County. Pennsylvania, 98% of them owned by Amish. Holmes County, Ohio, has 470 kennels -- more than any other county in the nation.

Do you know what puppy mills are?
Puppy mills are mass dog-breeding operations. They have been around for decades, but they continue to be a problem because unsuspecting consumers keep buying those adorable puppies in the pet store window or recently on some Internet sites and ads in local newspapers. But many times, these chanels masquerade the truth ... they are dogs purchased from puppy mills.

These canine breeding facilities frequently house dogs in shockingly poor conditions, particularly for breeding stock animals who are caged and continually bred for years, without human companionship and with little hope of ever becoming part of a family. After their fertility days are over, breeding animals are commonly killed, abandoned or sold to another mill. The annual result of all this breeding is hundreds of thousands of puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

Daily existence for these dogs is a life of neglect, abuse, torture and suffering, and when they have outlived their usefulness, an often brutal ending! Disease, malnutrition, dehydration, sickness and death flourish in cramped filthy cages, freezing in the winter, scorching in the summer. Females bred and over-bred from their first heat cycle through every subsequent one until their bodies are so used up and broken down that death is a welcome release for them. They never know a kind word or a gentle touch. And this description barely scratches the surface of the cruelty. 

Do a Google on the Amish and puppy mills. Look at the pictures and read the newspaper articles that come up. Nothing has changed despite attempts to change the laws.
While the Amish landcape is among the most beautiful in the world, the puppies bred at the mills NEVER see the outside of wire cages that are usually stacked on top of each other in dark barns.

We are not throwing ALL the Amish into the same category. Actions of a select few is might sound prejudiced, but hold on! The puppy-mill breeders might be just a small fraction or a very small percent of the Amish population, but the majority of the population have chosen to ignore what is going on in their own backyards. NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO THEM! And we must remember the words of writer, political activist and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel... "to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all." And the Bible itself says, in James 4:17, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.


"IF" the Amish faith opposed this mass production and torture of dogs, I would hope the people would rise up and take a stand.

But as they say, MONEY TALKS. The Amish have been allowed to continue their inhumane treatment of animals without pressure from the rest of the population because of the money that tourism brings to Amish businesses.

Most people who visit Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and Holmes County, Ohio go there to experience the Amish Culture. Yes, the Amish in general are a hard working, modest people. But ethical? NO! Hypocritical? ABSOLUTELY. Selling your religion for tourism bucks and international trade does not seem ethical to me. On top of that, they have others ("the English" as they call outsiders) post on the internet for them. Isn't it amazing how these Godly people who shun the outside world have no qualms about using a third party to do what God has forbidden them from doing. I would say that the majority of Amish are living double lives or have double standards.

The Amish continually breed poor quality pups and keep their breeding animals in a state that defies decency. They all should be barred from dog breeding as all they breed is poor quality dogs. They get away with it because people think that religious people would never do anything bad. We can't let their religion exempt them from humane treatment of animals!

SHOCKING!!!
In Berlin, Ohio, if it weren't for the constant yelping of 313 dogs confined in stacked cages in a room closed off to the auction block, it may have appeared to an outsider as just another run-of-the-mill day at the Amish Flea Market. But the Buckeye Dog Auction has grown into anything but run-of-the-mill. Some breeds are able to fetch more than a few thousand dollars, while others can net hundreds of dollars for the seller. The auction and the success of local breeders has convinced others to forsake their farm livestock for canines. Apparently, there's more money in dogs than cattle.

The auction house takes in a $10 registration fee for every dog to go on the block and a 10 percent commission on the sale. Mixed breeds will sell for as little as $25 while a purebred female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel might sell for more than $5,000.

Missourians VOTE YES! on Prop B

Talk about an exciting night...

When I first checked in the vote was 49 yes - 51 no, that changed to 50/50 and now at about midnight I received this message.  Prop B passed 51-49!
Hallelujah!  God has smiled on the dogs and the rescuers at last.  Now the work can really begin!

Email from:

Missourians for the Protection of Dogs / YES! on Prop B

Dear Sara,

Thousands of dogs will soon enjoy a better life -- and they have you to thank.

Missourians voted YES! on Prop B, and chose to save dogs suffering in Missouri puppy mills.

You made this victory happen. Whether you donated to keep our TV ads on the air, spent your nights phone banking for Prop B, hit the pavement with leaflets, gathered signatures from registered voters, or engaged your friends and family in Missouri -- you helped show millions of Missouri voters what Prop B would mean for dogs.

We are grateful to the citizens of Missouri for voting to crack down on puppy mill abuses and establish common-sense standards for the care of dogs at large scale facilities. Finally these creatures will have relief from being crammed into small and filthy cages, without veterinary care, exercise, or human affection. If we can do it here in the nation’s largest puppy mill state, we are more likely to see similar reforms enacted in other states, where the industry is not nearly as strong and entrenched.

Dogs should be treated like family pets, not like breeding machines or a cash crop. We look forward to working with commercial breeders to transition to more humane systems and setting a new high bar within this industry. Missouri lawmakers and state officials should heed this message from the people, and immediately step up enforcement efforts to crack down on inhumane breeding operations.

How dogs are treated is so important to all of us -- and even more important to the dogs who have been suffering every day in Missouri’s puppy mills. Together, we fought for a better life for puppy mill dogs, and together, we won.

Thank you,




Barbara Schmitz
Campaign Manager
Missourians for the Protection of Dogs / YES! on Prop B

P.S. For the latest news and next steps, please continue to visit YESonPropB.com.

Prop B will go to voters Nov. 2

I am worn out from reading posts on the auction dog group site which has whipped up a frenzy of negativity and unfounded accusations based on what happened this weekend with the dogs going for such high prices.  I still haven't completely digested the scene at the auction or processed what happened and I think I will refrain from talking about any of that until I do.  

On this evening before the vote on Prop B in Missouri, I can't help but think of the dogs I met this weekend at the auction in Mexico, MO.  I hope their fellow breeding dogs will benefit from this Prop and that it will result in many more dogs being available for rescue.  I hope the voters of Missouri are bright enough to see that the hype about this Prop being a government attempt to take away their rights is false.  You can read more about the discussion here:  Prop B - The Truth Debunked

Below is an explanation of Prop B in a nutshell.  I can't imagine why any responsible breeder would have a problem with these requirements.  There were signs all over MO saying to "Vote No on Prop B".  It scares me that uninformed people won't realize what they are voting about.  Tonight, I hope divine intervention will help these poor suffering dogs.

What Is Prop B?

Proposition B (the Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act) will vastly improve the lives of dogs in commercial breeding operations in Missouri. It will limit the number of breeding dogs to 50 per facility and require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each breeding dog under their care with basic humane animal care, including:

• Sufficient food and clean water;

• Necessary veterinary care;

• Sufficient housing, including protection from the elements;

• Sufficient space to turn and stretch freely, lie down, and fully extend their limbs;

• Regular exercise; and

• Adequate rest between breeding cycles.

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!

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.

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.