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Oprah Profiles ALDF v.
Woodley—Rescue Redux
In 2005, ALDF won the biggest
civil action to stop animal cruelty in American history, rescuing more than
300 dogs from a North Carolina animal hoarder. In its June issue, O, the
Oprah Magazine, catches up with a crew of the case’s spunkiest
survivors.
The Two Stories below
must not be copied or re- produced in any way, the stories belong to
Puppymillrescue, Inc and the authors.
We funded the
rescue below which indirectly lead to the ALDF case above the Two women who wrote about it dis
not wish their names
published. They sign the stories
( A volunteer rescuer ) but we will now call them
by pseudonym's for copyright protection purposes.
My footsteps through
a Puppy Mill
By Cindy Doe.
What I had
Witnessed that day nothing could have prepared me for the sights I seen
and the stench that I will never forget.
It began in
the first building I entered.
The
lightening was very poor but yet well enough for me to see the horrid
conditions these cries were coming from. The smell was so bad that it
brought your whole stomach up in your throat. And stung your eyes so bad
that it blurred your vision to a degree.
There were dogs everywhere crammed into very small wooden box's that were
no more then 5x3 in size.
In each one of these boxes there were anywhere up to 5 or more dogs in
each,
Stepping on each other and trampling to get to the end for me to touch.
There was one box full of Chihuahuas and one very tiny very pregnant
girl that was being trampled to death. There were line after line of
these makeshift boxes in a small building with no windows no
ventilation.
I left that building and walked around to the back side of the building
and there were larger dogs out side in pens they were in mud-holes with
empty food & water dishes, Some did not have even dishes in there pens.
they were covered in the mud they were forced to live in. As I walked by
them they all just begged at there fences for me to come and give them a
soft touch of a human hand, And maybe they were hoping I had some food
for them to eat.
As I walked into the next building there were even more dogs lined in the
same boxes. there were tiny ones from Chihuahuas to very large Boxers,
All in the same size box. The large dogs did not even have the space to
turn around not to mention lay down to rest if they had wanted to. I
went into 4 buildings of this each one seemed worse. There were dogs
that were very ill and needed vet care.
I remember well one Boston Terrier that will stay with me for ever, His
eye was so swollen with infection it hung out of his head, the size of a
Plum. Many of the Boston's had severe cheery eye. Others were just so
matted and grown out I could not tell what breed they even were. There
were dogs with many cuts and wounds that were infected.
There was just no end to the horrors I seen that day and the stench.
I just wanted so badly to free them all. Even out in the wild they would
have a better chance of survival. How one sleeps at night that are
millers I will never understand. For I know each night I go to bed I
still see the same picture in my head of all these poor innocents
begging for me to take them out. That day will be embedded into my heart
forever.
I whispered to them that I would be back. ( A volunteer rescuer)
Inside View of a Puppy Mill in North Carolina through the eyes of a
rescuer.
By
Donna Doe
As a rescuer
pretending to be a breeder, going inside a large multi breed puppy mill
was an emotional roller coaster from sadness to disgust and horror.
Having to keep an emotionless face and not react to what I saw and
learned was the hardest part.
It is difficult
to get inside a puppy mill and if you should find one contact
PuppymillRescue. Please do not attempt to go in to see for yourself, as it
may ruin the hard efforts of those who have already gained access.
When I
arrived, there was an eerie silence and a strong acid smell engulfed the
entire yard. The miller talked about the dogs as we headed to one of
several buildings. The dogs heard us approaching and they began to bark
and whine.
As I stepped
inside a building a stronger putrid smell took my breath. My eyes started
watering and with the dim lighting it took a couple of minutes to see the
dogs. The barking was deafening.
There were
small dogs, Poms, Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Pugs, crowded in rows of small
wooden boxes that were too high for them to see over. Their world was only
wooden sides. Dogs were circling and stepping on each other as they
frantically jumped up trying to see over the top, some begged for attention,
and some were motionless. Some cowed in fear.
On the other
side were mostly larger breeds crowded in small inside boxes that opened
into small outdoor runs.
One little
pregnant Chi was being trampled and the miller said the pups would be born
in the next few days.
When the miller’s back was turned, I was able to give a few a kind
touches. When inquiring about a particular dog, the miller’s hand would move
in circles just above the dog’s heads. This created more panic as they tried
to escape from the hand. The miller grabbed the dogs by the hair or which
ever body part could be caught as they were handed to me for inspection.
When held the dogs remained motionless in fear. There were toothless dogs
and some with only a few rotten teeth.
The miller explained how she stuck
her finger inside their mouth to remove loose teeth and as it was easy,
there was no reason to pay a vet to do this.
We entered another building much the same as the one before. I will
forever be haunted by a Boston Terrier mom with one tiny pup in a small
wooden box. The mother was frantically jumping for attention, but she was
stepping on the pup. The miller kept screaming at her to stop and said that
the other pups were trampled to death by the mother dog. I walked a little
further down the rows of dogs hoping that if I moved away the dog might stop
jumping and the miller would stop screaming at her. The screaming continued
and as I turned,
I saw the miller pick up a long
wooden board (2x4) and it rose above the miller’s head.
The miller
noticed me watching and as the board swung down the miller’s arm moved
slightly to the side and the sound of a hard hit against the top of the box
echoed throughout the building. Feeling horror and anger, had the dog been
hit my cover would have been blown as I could not have remained indifferent.
Realizing that the board was there for a purpose, I have no doubts that it
had been used on this dog. The pup’s cries were pitiful and I walked over
and saw this mother dog with eyes tightly closed flattened on the floor
against the back of the box trembling in terror. She did not look at me or
make a sound. She did not move again while we were in that building.
As we were leaving the
building, I noticed a tiny female min pin in a small wire cage placed away
from the other dogs. A rear leg was at a weird angle. The miller said the
dog hurt her leg, but she was fine. I asked if a vet had checked her leg and
the response was no. This tiny girl trembled in silence. When the miller
walked away, I reached thru the wire and softy touched her. This girl tugged
at my heart.
The miller showed me Shih Tzu, Yorkie, and mixed puppies, all sizes and
ages. The miller would bring out arm loads of pups
from an area I
had not seen. They were covered with dried feces and fleas. As the miller
held them, they never wiggled or moved, but remained motionless in fear.
Around the buildings were many dog pens with small and large breeds. Their
enclosures were mud with several inches of standing water and feces
everywhere. The larger dogs only had metal barrels for protection from the
cold and rain.
Around the buildings w ere many dog pens with small and large breeds.
Their enclosures were mud with several inches of standing water and feces
everywhere. The larger dogs only had metal barrels for protection from the
cold and rain.
The other buildings in this mill were the same or worse conditions, but
housed different breeds. There were numerous dogs with eye injuries, large
cherry eyes, infected eyes, and skin infections, which were obvious at a
glance.
The dogs rescued from this
mill have had no teeth, no lower jaws, broken jaws, broken bones and were
matted with feces hardened hair. One little Pom was so badly matted on his
rear end that he could not go to the bathroom. Some dogs have Heartworms,
intestinal worms, and some with medical problems that required surgery. All
were filthy with fleas. We now know that some lived with constant pain and
without vet care. Millers do their own medical care, if any, in order to
save money. This was explained by the miller.
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