"Stupid Rescue people" is a bogeyman for a puppy miller who's painted himself into a corner. Seems like someone's a little too "in tune" with the rhetoric of the Kennel Spotlight (cf. the June/July 2010 issue, pp. 14, 16-17 here in pdf form, keeping in mind that this publication is basically written for and by USDA commercial breeders; note, also the names of Thunder Ridge's "house dogs" and how they match up with the house dogs at Rock Creek).
"Breeder" and "Rescue" are not opposite entities at all. I am neither a breeder nor a "stupid Rescue person," though I support both responsible breeders and rescues. I have also DNA Fanconi tested my spayed female who will never be bred. Speaking for myself, I feel as strongly as I do about holding myself and breeders to higher standards (and nobody claimed "perfection") because I HAVE screwed up in the past and purchased a pet from a less than ideal source. My breeder was all honey and sugar as she was making her sale, but had I seen her conducting herself as this Rock Creek Kennel's "spokesperson" does, I would have been horrified and would have run far, far away.
The most respected breeders on this forum do not have two faces, one for "customers only" and one for fellow breed enthusiasts. If these truly are your "favorite" breeds, you can do better by them – and the people that will inevitably become attached to them.
(This feels like a lot of wasted effort... again... but maybe it will be eye-opening and educational to someone else who stumbles across this thread. All the information that I have posted is currently or was at some point publicly accessible.)
We have 4 dogs come back in 16 years for genetic reasons. We had a westie pup that was alergic to grass, we had a shiba with a level 1 heart mumor that didn't show till 5 months of age, we had morkie come back that got cancer at age 6, we had a westie come back that a tumor at age 7. We took everyone of them back and replaced there dog with another puppy at our cost. So don't tell me I don't care about my dogs or customers. You may think I make a ton of money on my dogs but you are far off. I wish I made half of what you think we make.
So 4 dogs in 16 years out of ??? 100+ puppies? Not really bad numbers, but it looks like the owners of the dogs had to return the dogs in order to get a replacement, am I reading that correctly?
So 4 dogs in 16 years out of ??? 100+ puppies? Not really bad numbers, but it looks like the owners of the dogs had to return the dogs in order to get a replacement, am I reading that correctly?
That is what I got out of the information. What owner after having a dog for 6-7 years wants to give it up to get another puppy. I know I wouldn't and I bet that is why the incidence of giving an affected dog back is so low. I also wonder what happened to those dogs that were given back, because I can almost bet they weren't given a proper chance at life and were instantly euthanized as not to be a financial drain on the kennel.
See you people think you know all the information. You jump to conclusions before you get the facts. You can call me names and say crap. But if I call you names or don't state facts you call me more names. This is why we don't deal with Rescues. You all think you are better. Instead of working with a breeder you would rather make fun of or call one names before you know the truth. We watch what we breed to try to not have any genetic defects. We stand behind all of what we breed. No the dogs were not euthanized. I try very hard not to euthanized any dog/puppy. The dogs that were returned became our house dogs and were given proper vet care. As all of our kennel dogs. They are properly vetted every year. Including rabies. This is going to be my last posting becasue you people could careless about tring to walk someone though changes. You just want to bad mouth someone. So you can all do whatever you want because I have better things to do that listen to lies from you.
I don't understand the whole 'this is why we don't deal with rescues' crap. This is not just a rescue website. There are many wonderful responsible breeders on this site. I believe we have tried to 'work with breeders' but it is up to the breeder to understand where we are coming from. Being evasive to questions does not help. I am glad that you took in those dogs and they are now your 'house dogs'. Good luck with your 'kennel' and Buh-Bye!
Even though he accuses all of us of not having our facts straight, he is by far the worst offender. Most involved in this conversation are not rescue people. Several are breeders and others are just concerned fanciers. He can't wrap his head around the fact that some peope believe being responsible means being proactive not reactive. That.means actively staying current not making changes 5 years after the means to prevent disease was released. If he truly cared at all for these breeds he would be seeking the most up to date information and nt waiting for his buyers to tell him what he should be doing.
Even though he accuses all of us of not having our facts straight, he is by far the worst offender. Most involved in this conversation are not rescue people. Several are breeders and others are just concerned fanciers. He can't wrap his head around the fact that some peope believe being responsible means being proactive not reactive. That.means actively staying current not making changes 5 years after the means to prevent disease was released. If he truly cared at all for these breeds he would be seeking the most up to date information and nt waiting for his buyers to tell him what he should be doing.
Exactly….if conciously breeding he would have known of the updates on fanconi as soon as they came out and like you said been pro-active about it.
However, as we all know, they are not the only ones that "cry" when challenged about breeding….. and it is pretty amusing that he keeps referring to "you rescue people" and as lvoss and others have pointed out, most that are commenting are breeders, however responsible ones...
Sure agree with the pro-active instead of reactive.
I stumbled upon this thread because I was trying to research Rock Creek Kennel in Meriden, KS because I had a bad feeling about them. We were looking to get a basenji pup earlier this year and found Rock Creek Kennel online. I was immediately skeptical as one of the first things I was told about purchasing a puppy is to be weary of breeders who will ship their puppies and accept PayPal straight from the website. We called the number from the Rock Creek website and had a number of questions to ask. We were told the information was on the website and did not receive any info from the man on the phone. We continued to do our research and found a breeder we are 100% confident in.
I can't find too much about this kennel online except what has been stated on this thread already. I do find it extremely alarming that "Rockcreekk" is so confrontational to people who love the breed as you would expect him to. When I had questions for the breeder we used she always had a lot of good, pertinent information to educate me. I also believe Rockcreekk is lying about Harold Buzz Powell, the sex ofender living in Meriden, KS. On the Rock Creek Kennel Facebook page they show off their newly painted office. This "office" is the same house that is shown on Google Maps for the address where Harold Buzz Powell is known to live.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=169979489750486&set=a.103994123015690.8662.100002153087698&type=3&theater
http://www.homefacts.com/offender-detail/KSSOP15025/Harold-Buzz-Powell.html
My motivation to responding to this it to warn other puppy buyers of Rock Creek Kennel. If you want to go and check it out and you feel comfortable buying a puppy from them perhaps we're all wrong but please do your research. If no one buys from them then they won't have a business. Just be a smart consumer.
Thank you for the post Shiya. If we can even stop one person from buying from a puppy mill it is one less 'sale' than they get. I am glad you found the information useful and confirmed your hunch about the breeder.
And if that information is correct it would make sense for him to want to work for himself rather than an employer because he'd have to disclose his sex offender status….either way...this guy makes me sick
Thank you, Shiya, for validating that the "crazy rescue people" aren't on a witch hunt. As several people have already stated, most of us on this forum are not officially rescue people, but we are in LOVE with the basenji breed. Sometimes when new people post on this forum about getting a new puppy, a long-term member will ask questions about who the breeder is (as what happened on the first part of this thread). I hope that new members understand that when someone asks "WHO?", "we" are not judging your decision, we just want to make sure that you understand the risks involved with using fly-by-night breeders. (And by risks, I'm referring not only to the initial puppy's health, but the long term effects of genetic diseases like Fanconi. It must be heart-wrenching to watch your beloved dog grow up, and then succumb to a disease that you had no idea even existed until it was too late…. 
As for Rock Creek Kennels,the facts are on public websites. Since the owner of a FB page can delete photos at any time, I've downloaded the photos and attached them, so that IF RockCreekkk wants to come back and explain their situation, they can do so based upon facts, and without a machine gun filled with false counter-accusations. You can make your own decision whether the "office" is, in fact, the same house found on Buzz Powell's page (coincidentally, both buildings are #211).
At the end of the day, this thread was initiated by a person who spent several hundred dollars on a sick basenji, and this new basenji owner came here for HELP and advice. There was no witch hunt to seek out the Rock Creek Kennels, but when this person came onto this forum with spit and vinegar, several of us wondered WHY? While I've never personally met any of the breeders that belong to this forum (i.e. Tanza in California, Sherwood in Georgia), these breeders KNOW about basenjis, and since basenjis aren't as predominant as other breeds, they operate in a tight circle. Many forum members here belong to the Basenji Club of America (BCOA), which is a non profit group dedicated to educating the public about the breed, and a place for dedicated breeders and basenji lovers to network. If you look at the Breeder referral list on the BCOA page, you will recognize several names from this string as supporters of the BCOA. (www.basenji.org)
In my mind, that's part of walking the walk, and talking the talk. If you are a long term RECOGNIZED breeder by the BCOA, then I feel that you have "earned" the right to inquire about breeders who suddenly pop up on the internet as basenji breeders. I feel that these BCOA recognized breeders not only have the qualifications to ask those hard questions about testing and dog genetics, but they also have the personal experience to state how many puppies is too many…. without mud slinging, but based upon being experts in their field.
Just because someone posts on the internet that they have 16 years of experience with dogs... that fact alone does not constitute that they have the experience to properly care for puppies.
You stated earlier on this thread:
This is going to be my last posting becasue you people could careless about tring to walk someone though changes. You just want to bad mouth someone. So you can all do whatever you want because I have better things to do that listen to lies from you.
You have it wrong: People on this forum don't care less, they care MORE- and not necessarily about YOU, but about those little creatures called basenjis. If you're no longer associated with Buzz Powell, then you should disassociate with him on this web site, too. If you truly want help "walking through changes", there are MANY people on here that would be willing to help you… IF you are serious about changing!
You must decide: do you want to become a legitimate dog breeder, or remain a puppy mill with over 60 puppies in "inventory"?
While I do not have a problem with a person's breeding practices being brought up on the forum, I feel uncomfortable about a discussion turning to a person's private life. Perhaps we should stick with commentary relating to the dogs and their welfare. Thank you.
I agree, Robyn.
There's plenty of dirt on this kennel without having to ask anyone to make judgments on his private affairs. I would like to request that details irrelevant to this breeder's business and legal practices be struck from the conversation. [Edit: If other forum members feel that I have crossed an appropriate line, I will remove my content too; specifically, my intention in posting the identifying face photo of the Harold Buzz Powell "look-alike" was to help identify the owner of this kennel since its public version of its own history has been less than truthful.]
I have never seen so many Stupid people in my Life. You people come on here without all the facts and bad mouth someone and don't even know what you are talking about. I did some checking of my own and found out this Harold Buzz Powell doesn't even live in Meriden, KS any more and has for awhile. Yes, we happen to be renting the same house he use to live in. We had been searching for an office for awile and when it came available for rent we grabbed it. House do not come available for rent in Meriden very offen. Call the Sherriffs Department and you can verify this information. I did. I am not and have never been Harold Buzz Powell. Get your facts straight. Also Diania Rentrap is this so called lady thatsays her puppy had worms from us. I to this day have NEVER seen a single piece of paper to state this. The vet paperwork that we have and that was sent to us state the puppy was in great health and stated that. No where did it state the puppy had worms. Also with our Health Guarantee the puppy/adult dog does not have to come back to us to get a new one. When the puppy/adult passes then they can get a new one. The ones that came back was because the people couldn't afford the vet care for what was needed. You people can call me a puppy mill all you want. Get your facts straight. Yes, we may behind the times alittle on some of our test. We strip test instead of DNA. That is all changing this year but it takes time. Doesn't happen over night. At least we test. There are alot of breeders that don't even do that. We offer a Lifetime Gauarantee against any genetic defect but you all seem to complain about that too. Most breeders only offer a 1 year. Just seems to me that all you people want to do is complain about some thing. Also we Never deleted any pictures off of our Facebook page. What comments and pictures goes up there stays up there. You people really need to grow up. You don't care about tring to work with a breeder to change things all you want to do is find something and complain about it. I have better things to do than sit here and deal with your petty complaining about facts that aren't even true. You should check into things and get the facts straight before you go off on someone.
It takes a few weeks to get the cheek swabs and get the results and they have been available since September 2011. The linkage test since 2007 so there is not excuse for not having dogs tested before breeding. Again strip testing is only as good as the day it was done. If money is an issue and people can't afford to test they should not be breeding
I did some checking of my own and found out this Harold Buzz Powell doesn't even live in Meriden, KS any more and has [sic.] for awhile.
Well, it seems like the official Kansas Bureau of Investigation website would agree that Harold Buzz Powell hasn't lived in Meriden for "a while" – since 3/28/2012, which is coincidentally, right around when all this information here came to light. It's also interesting that they now list the previous address as an "employer" address. I sure do wish I had taken a screen capture when the official Kansas State website listed the 211 E Palmer address as the place of residence.
I'm also not sure how you refute the eerie coincidence that Rock Creek Kennel shares the same house dog names (Snowflake the Bull Terrier, Stevie the red and white Basenji, specifically) as Thunder Ridge Kennel in that issue of Kennel Spotlight I referenced above.
Also we Never deleted any pictures off of our Facebook page. What comments and pictures goes up there stays up there.
I lack the Photoshop skills to fabricate the photo I posted of the Harold Buzz Powell look-alike posing with Tinker the Doberman, captioned, "My Ugly Mug… and sweet Tinker when she was a pup," a photo which is clearly no longer visible in Rock Creek Kennel's albums.
But this is getting tedious. I can't believe this is still going on. You have problems that are beyond my capacity to address. I hope you can get the help you deserve in good time. I'm just sorry for your dogs.
Curlytails I'm not the one who needs help. Its you who needs help. Maybe instead of making false claims you should get your facts straight. In 16 years of raising dogs I've never been treated this way. I bend over backwards for my customers. Yes, we do need to make a few changes but instead of tring to work with someone and point them in the right direction you accuse them of stuff that has nothing to do with them. You want me out of breeding well I'll have a vet herre in the morning to put down all the dogs so that way I'm not breeding. So go **** yourself. I'm done with all this ****. You have made the last false claim about me and my kennel. I'll send you pictures of all the dogs after the vet puts them down. May you go to HELL for this.
You don't care about tring to work with a breeder to change things all you want to do is find something and complain about it. I have better things to do than sit here and deal with your petty complaining about facts that aren't even true. You should check into things and get the facts straight before you go off on someone.
Alright, Rock Creek, lets look at FACTS:
Yes, we happen to be renting the same house he use to live in. We had been searching for an office for awile and when it came available for rent we grabbed it. House do not come available for rent in Meriden very offen.
1. As you admit, the screenshot I posted above validates the house location at 211 E Palmer as YOUR "new office" for Rock Creek Kennels.
Amazing coincidence that in a smidgen of a town (with an estimated population of 813), there happens to be only ONE available house to rent that presumably a "former dog kennel owner" left and a "new dog kennel owner" assumed to lease.
2. According to the KBI website: Mr. Powell now lives in Paola KS, which is 94 miles away from his "current employer" .
On public records, I found the tax records for this address. It is one house on 13 acres (zoned Agricultural).
3. According to the KBI website: Mr, Powell now works at 101 E M St in Meriden KS.
Neither Google maps nor Mapquest recognizes "M St" as a valid street address, so I went to the Jefferson County website to try to determine if this is, in fact, an address. No. "M Street" does not exist.
4. Rock Creek Kennel's admitted BUSINESS office is located at 211 E Palmer Street. According to the Jefferson County Website, here's another
FACT: this property is zoned as Residential, and is on a small piece of property (50 x 100 feet).
http://www.jefferson.kansasgis.com/tax/TaxDetail.asp?Parcel=173-07-0-30-12-002.00-0
What I don't know is where Rock Creek Kennel maintains their inventory of 60+ puppies? I don't have that FACT: do you care to enlighten us, Rock Creek?
5. FACT: You may have "16 years of experience" with dogs, but your business called "Rock Creek Kennels" did NOT exist on the world wide web until 11-30-2010. Coincidentally, Thunder Ridge Kennels was investigated by the USDA in March 2010 and their license was cancelled by the USDA on 10-6-2010.
http://www.statscrop.com/www/rock-creek-kennel.com
http://acissearch.aphis.usda.gov/LPASearch/faces/CustomerSearch.jspx
These, Rock Creekkk, are FACTs, or as I clearly stated, "Coincidental events".
On several of your posts, you have made cried foul because people here are not TRYING to help you.
Another FACT: you did not come to this forum proactively to ask for help! You haven't introduced yourself as a "new breeder" with questions or concerns about best practices. No, you arrived on this forum to defend your practices.
Why was this string started again? Very simply, because one of YOUR puppies SUFFERED from "Giardia and a BELLY FULL OF WORMS". The owner of this puppy came here for HELP, not to complain about you!
I've taken the time to post all of these links so that when someone in the future Googles "Rock Creek Kennel", they will see this thread. Readers can read all of these posts and make their own decisions if you are legitimate and your best interests are based on profit, or if you are truly concerned about the basenji's breed posterity.
And as my kids would say, the horse is dead. Peace, out.
Its funny this person who said they got a puppy with a belly full of worms has NEVER EVER been back on. Hmmm wonder why that is?? Its because they have NO Proof. They just came on to start a problem. Also Where Mr Powell lives or works is No Concern of Mine. I could care less. Seem like you only care about him and have nothing better to do with your life. Meriden is a small town and Houses do not come available for Rent Very offten. We needed a office intown and as soon as a house came available we rented it. I could careless who had it before us. We are there Now and Love having an office in town. Our Kennel is 10 miles away. Right Between Meriden and Valley Falls off K-4 Hwy. Our Kennel is located down 5 miles of Gravel Road. Alot of our Customers Do not like Coming down Gravel and out State Inspector Recommended that we have an Office for pickup off site. There was a Shelter Last Year that had to put down a bunch of dogs due to Parvo and Distemper. So August of last year we stared looking and found a place. Excuse me for not checking with you first. Why should I come on here and ask for help when all I've gotten since I joined is people making false statments toward me. Not 1 of you has offered to help steer us in the right dirstion. You all state who things should of been done this way or that. We after tomorrow you won't have to deal with our Kennel or our Dogs. Our vet won't come out to put down our dogs because he says I'm over reacting to you people. Well I've had it so I have a vet coming out from topeka. I'm don't with you people. You don't know your ass from a hole in the ground. You want to accuse people of stuff and not know what you are talking about. Also I looked at the internet too and called the Sherriffs department too. Its not M street is E Main Street. I could careless where this man lives or works. Sounds like you need to get a life and leave him alone. The Sherriffs department said that too. I faxed them this entire thing. They asked for a copy so I gave it to them. Leave the poor guy alone. What he or anyone else is doing with there life should be No Business of yours.
