Awareness can only help….

[ELERICKSON40]

Thank you for everyone's input because I also purchased Trixie from a Pet Store and that video made me sick!!!!!! I would not trade her for anything and I am hoping that we have no issues with illness with her. I also did not know about puppy mills!! I would have never supported any type of breeder who knowingly abuses or neglects his animals. I have been known to call animal neglect on my neighbors when I watched a puppy who had no water when it was 95 degrees outside!!! (I used to go and give him water every day). I have become so much more knowledgeable since joining this forum and for that I am appreciative. I do plan on getting another B and will do my research before doing so.

[ELERICKSON40]

I would also like to add that I paid a lot of money for Trixie and thought I was getting a registered dog that was at the top of the breed!! I don't know if anyone else has ever been ripped off like this (I feel like going to that pet store and raising hell) but it makes me feel dump and stupid!!!! I have had many dogs over the years and we bought all the other ones from breeders and visited the homes so I guess I should have known better but I truly had no idea that these pet stores purchased these dogs like they do!!!!

[Mantis]

However, Mantis, I am not sure what you are suggesting by your comment "reach out and help a puppy mill Basenji"? Do you mean once they are rescued from a mill situation?

I am sorry, there is a BRAT discussion on another forum discussing a potential bust of a puppy mill in the future. I would suggest that anyone who feels the need to contribute to helping basenjis- keep an eye on the brat site, or email me and I can put you in contact with the person who mentioned it.

[Quercus]

@Mantis:

I am sorry, there is a BRAT discussion on another forum discussing a potential bust of a puppy mill in the future. I would suggest that anyone who feels the need to contribute to helping basenjis- keep an eye on the brat site, or email me and I can put you in contact with the person who mentioned it.

Let us know, as things unfold Betsey! I bet there would be a lot of folks here who could help in different ways.

[Mantis]

Here is what was sent to me:

An auction at a similar puppy mill will be held in Missouri March 7. Tonya, Yvonne, Finkles and I all have puppy mill dogs we are currently fostering. None of us have room for more. Please let me know if you are willing to foster a dog from this up-coming auction, especially if you live within a day's drive of MO. (It is very difficult to place fosters more than a day's drive away.) The rehabilitation of the puppy mill adults can take weeks to months, while pups are easily placed. They have advertised 6 adults, 4 females and 2 males, for sale. We do not know if their 15 pups will be sold at the auction.

For those of you who are considering adopting a puppy mill basenji like this please be aware that it is a tender pursuit. My puppy mill rescue was one of the younger pups (1-1/2 yrs) in a group and she took a lot of time to mentally heal. Basenji experience is a major bonus. Another basenji in the house helps the healing process as well. Sometimes the other dog can communicate what you cant. What I provided my girl was positive and repetative training, a loving home and complete and utter security. She always new she was safe. She loved and interacted with the 10-15 basenjis at the dog park and learned to socialize. She had food aggression, seperation anxiety from Caesar and took 2 years to potty train. Everything was managable. Fed seperate, spent time socializing, and took her to the bathroom like I would a puppy! Cake!

I will never forget my first meeting Beta (tearing up here). We went to the Newberry rescue in Gainesville that had rescues. We brought Caesar with us who was around 2yrs at the time. They brought in Beta and she immediately peed on the floor with blood in it. **Caesar went directly to her and started kissing her head.**Caesar didnt even kiss me back then! She was probably 14lbs,couldnt stand straight, feet swollen 3x the size from standing on her cage maybe?, bones showing, urine stains and had a very submissive personality. That was it for me. We came back in a few weeks once her meds and healing was done and that was it. The two were glued together for the rest of her life.

[Quercus]

So, this is more of an auction situation than an actual PM bust?

Either way, best of luck to all involved.

[ELERICKSON40]

I would be curious to know where in Missouri this auction is being held because our Trixie came from Missouri (if the paperwork I have for her is correct) I do have the breeders info on these papers. Just kind of curious?! I would love to go to Missouri and get one of these poor B's but being in Florida would probably not be too close!

[Mantis]

from my knowledge that is limited in so many ways, this sounds like a puppy mill selling out to close or be shut down. I have no more information than what you see and am not the rescue coordinator by any means. When I hear more I will share it.

[tanza]

There are a number of auctions that go on all the time in the MidWest. It is either that a puppy miller is going out of business and selling everything and sometimes a bust… but I think if I remember from one of our BCOA and BRAT members, Jennifer that attends auctions when she can, most are from going out of business and some for "trading" stock... She has purchased many dogs from auctions (Basenjis) and helped get them placed.

Is this something new that BRAT is doing? Purchasing from Auctions?

[sharronhurlbut]

BRAT only tries to get b's from puppymills that are closing.
We try to get them out of the endless breeding cycle.
BUT going to a puppymill and buying a basenji just makes them seem
more desirable to the pm breeders.
So, those poor dogs are just stuck in he**.
Sigh.

[sharronhurlbut]

Sorry, I meant to add that not only are funds to bid for these dogs needed, but foster homes are as well.
Its tough as these dogs are so bent re the way we see our beloved pets, that it takes time for them to just get used to being inside, or the sounds of daily life, things like dishwashers, cooking dinner, just people talking or laughing.
Sometimes its takes months, sometimes they only make small improvements, and that is all you get, sometimes they bloom.
But oh, I think it so important to get them out of the puppymill breeding cycle.
Sigh.
If I was Queen of the World, all animals would be cared for and loved.

[tanza]

I know when Jennifer goes to an auction, she will not pay high dollars for a B.. and tries to get them in "buy a group" situation.. especially if there are pups, but she says those are the hardest to get… usually it is the "old" used up bitches or stud dogs that go cheap... and please do not get me wrong, I am not saying that they do not deserve a chance for a happy home... only stating facts as they have been told to me.

[sharronhurlbut]

Oh, yes, Jennifer does go and do what she can.
what a saint I start crying when I see the videos, I don't know how I couldn't "go postal" at the auctions.
The one saving grace for b's and usually they only go into season 1 a year.
These "so called" humans who use dogs this way, want the most bang for their buck.
I think any dog that can be taken from there, even if its just given a kind death, is better off than living in that he**.
Don't get me wrong, I know if we had more foster homes, Jennifer could probably save more.
One dog at a time…and change the laws re puppymills. Yes, education as well.
That is all we can do.

[lovemybaroo]

This video is absolutely gut-wrenching and it broke my heart :(. It just makes me sick to think this goes on everyday, and so much more often than we know about. That man should be shot. Dogs have been good to him, but he hasn't been good to them. The saddest part was the look in their eyes. Despite the absolute horror they are put through most of them still look like they are smiling and just want to be loved. This was very disturbing, but we all need to be aware. Thanks for posting.

[dmcarty]

You know - I asked Carrie Jones who did so much work with the big Kansas City Rescue what year it was. I was prompted to do so because, I noticed that there was a year when the number of registered basenjis dropped on the AKC site.

I wondered if there could be a relationship - I know that many people used folks on their waiting list to find homes for those rescues (myself included) I know that some people didn't breed because there was just too much saturation of rescues and without homes for the pups to go to - many of us don't breed. Of course there is also the resurgance of fake registries that also could have impacted AKC registration but, I've often felt torn in that rescuing - even though it helps that particular basenji - could have the unintended consequences of supporting puppy mills - if too many basenjis were languishing in shelters - there wouldn't be a market for the mills. If more of use that are reputable had homes for potential babies we would breed. So essentially the puppy mills keep producing because there is a market because reputable breeders are not.

Ouch - that much connecting makes my head hurt. Obviously not something that I can document but it was interesting for me - that's what happens when it's 17 below 0

[Mia]

ok I could only watch 33 sec of that video. If I watched the rest I would seriouly have to get my CSI skills hunt those people down and caged them up like the bad people they are! It is a society problem as alot of people see buying a dog as a fun activity to do that week! At least when you contact a breeder or a rescue agency you've most likely put some thought into it. I think pet stores are mostly impulsive purchases and should all be put out of busniess! Correct me if I am wrong but here in Orlando the only thing I have ever seen at a pet store are birds and smaller animlas such as rodents and snakes. I have never been able to go into a pet store who had puppies, because I would bring them all home!

[sharronhurlbut]

It makes me sad that good breeders aren't breeding and the puppymillers and byb are.
I don't know how we can do anything about byb but puppymillers can and should be shut down or regulated out of business.
I know folks don't want any more regulations, but this awful business needs something and that is all I can think of?
Any other suggestions to make it stop???

[lvoss]

It is not that people don't want to see puppymills regulated better, it is that legislators don't want to regulate puppymills because they bring in tax dollars for the states that have these large mills. So legislators propose legislation that will not effect puppymills at all and instead make it more difficult for responsible breeders to breed. Which will only decrease the supply of responsibly bred puppies and increase the pups born in these horrible mill conditions because there will still be demand for the puppies.

[lvoss]

Even though it is a slow process the only way to stop mills is to make it unprofitable for them. That means raising awareness and educating buyers so they will not buy a dog from petstores or the new virtual pets stores that are selling these mill dogs. If they mills can not sell their dogs then they will not breed.

[Mantis]

I still like the idea of a Scooby Doo steak out and steal! All of those Amish people and their pretzels!! By god, set the basenjis free!!