×

Delta County bust: Puppy mill horror must be stopped

Puppy mills are horrific places and if anyone needs proof of that, they should visit the Delta Animal Shelter’s Facebook page and look into the face of a dog recently rescued from a suspected local puppy mill.

It began with troopers from the Michigan State Police Gladstone post checking on a horse in a roadway on Monday. The event ended with 134 dogs being seized at the alleged puppy mill.

Troopers from the post originally were sent to check on a horse in a roadway, which resulted in the puppy mill bust in which 65 adult dogs and 69 puppies were seized from a residence in Maple Ridge Township in Delta County.

Troopers said many of the dogs were pregnant or recently had a litter, with some dogs suspected to be malnourished and in poor health.

Possible criminal charges will be sought with the Delta County Prosecutor’s Office regarding the operation’s owner.

The shelter, located in Escanaba, was to help the poor animals.

According to the shelter’s Facebook page, the dogs were covered in flies and had “terrible” fly strike wounds. The dogs were to be vaccinated, dewormed, treated for fleas and receive medical care.

“These dogs are scared — they’ve never been inside — never on a leash,” the post reads.

Breeds removed were golden retrievers, a standard poodle, goldendoodles, Australian shepherds, Aussie doodles, mini-Aussies, German shepherds, Yorkshire terriers, teddy bears, a pitbull/cane corso mix, several chihuahuas, a few Boston terriers and yellow, black, white and chocolate Labrador retrievers.

These dogs need good, loving, medical care. All this, of course, takes money. To donate, visit the shelter’s Facebook page.

Puppy mills are commercial dog-breeding facilities where numerous dogs are raised in poor conditions and unethical breeding, resulting in unhealthy — and presumably unhappy — animals.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in its “Puppy Mills 101” primer, said the dogs are bred in these poor conditions to keep the puppy industry in business. This means producing the highest number of puppies at the lowest possible cost.

They accomplish this through the use of tiny cages, poor veterinary care, no grooming, no playtime and nonstop breeding, among other practices. Because they’re raised in bad conditions, these puppies often arrive in pet stores with health issues.

People who want puppies should adopt from a shelter or rescue organization, or find a reputable breeder. They should take the time to research and not buy on impulse or availability.

Putting puppy mills out of business would relieve a lot of misery in the canine world, In the meantime, we salute law enforcement and places like the Delta Animal Shelter in rescuing and helping the unfortunate dogs in a puppy mill.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today