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Speak out for better treatment of dogs in
Pennsylvania puppy mills
Pennsylvania is known by many as the "puppy mill capital of the East."
And for years Pennsylvania residents have called upon their legislators
and regulators to clean up the cruel puppy mills that brutalize dogs and
tarnish the state's image.
Last December, changes were suggested to improve the outdated kennel
regulations used to inspect commercial breeding operations in
Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanians are now able to shape the future of puppy
mills in PA by sharing their thoughts on those suggested improvements.
Make sure your voice is heard in support of better treatment for dogs in
puppy mills.
If the proposed regulations are approved, dogs in Pennsylvania puppy
mills will be provided with more space, will have better protection from
the elements and will have time outside of their cages for exercise.
Please mail or fax your comments in support of these new regulations
today. (Emails are not accepted.) Your letter need not be long or overly
detailed but should voice support for the new, more humane regulations.
Comments can be submitted to:
Department of Agriculture
Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement
Attn: Sue West
2301 North Cameron Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9408
Fax: 717-772-4352

Please call 1-800-PA-DUTCH and tell them you and your families will
not visit Lancaster County until they clean up their act and shut down
puppymills!

I had the opportunity to speak at the Puppies are Biodegradable Art Exhibit in Philadelphia, PA. I
met many wonderful artists who depicted their artwork in expressions of dogs living in puppymills.
Above are two paintings that were exhibited for sale. Below was the speech I read expressing my
personal story and experiences in puppymills.

Good evening,.
I am about to tell you what inside a Lancaster Puppymill is like,
and after I will explain how I developed relationships with the “so called breeders” to let me
witness what I have seen.
As I arrive on the farm, I can hear dogs barking in the distance.
It sounds like alot of dogs and the barking is constant the whole time I am there. The miller comes
out greets me and then we head into the barn.
As I am walking through,
I can see 30-40 cages on each side of me stacked on top of one another.
The stench is so over-whelming, I clench my teeth together so I wouldn't gag.
As we walk pass the cages I try to look ahead not wanting to see the faces of the dogs I am leaving
behind.
Every step ahead, I hope the next cage will be the one the miller opens, but it isn’t. So we continue to
walk ahead and eventually he stops.
Opens the door.
Grabs the cowering dog from the back of the cage..
And The miller says,
"Well, this is the one, she couldn't give me anymore pups
so we don't need her."
I take the dog from him and I realize she is missing her ears.
I hold her tightly to my chest as my heart beats rapidly,
I turn and walk fast out of the long barn trying to hold back my emotions so the miller doesn’t
realize how much this is effecting me.
I put the dog into my van and we go back in to get the others.
The others aren’t much better.
I start to realize all the dogs he is giving me are very malnourished.
They’re nothing but skin and bones,
their teeth are rotted from lack of nourishment.
They are covered with feces and urine,
their nails are so long they curl under and the hair is so matted I can't tell the difference from the
dogs front to the back.
Some are oozing pus and blood from their severe skin infections.
As I am making these trips in and out of the barn
it gets harder and harder to compose myself.
I come to realize that there is no ventilation ,
it’s extremely hot & there’s no light just a few windows.
That also means no heat in Winter.
I glance into the cages and all I see is green water,
and some sort of food that is covered with maggots.
I see wire cages with no bottom platforms so the dogs in the top cages
defecate on the bottom ones.
The feces is piled up under the cages so high it becomes the bottom of the cages.The wire cages are
broke and the loose ends are cutting the dogs paws.
I think to myself this is what these poor dogs live like day in and day out.
Some dogs are so cramped into the cages they cannot even turn around. .
The dogs who can turn around are circling in a repetitive motion
so fast it seems like they have gone mad.
Dogs trembling from being so ill .
These people are so cruel and mean and
they are teaching their children to handle the dogs in the same manner.
I have seen their children hit the dogs threw the cages with sticks and
throw rocks at them thinking this is entertainment.
As I make my way out of the barn with the last dog,
there is a dog lying in a cage listless,
looking dead.
I ask the miller if I can have that dog also.
He replies, “no we aren't done with her yet.”
She looked so hopeless like she gave up on life and any chance to be free.
Even though I felt horrible leaving her behind,
she gave me the sense that it was ok to leave her and help save the others.
I will never forget her face.
I knew at that moment my life had changed and vowed to her
I would never stop freeing other dogs from these prisons.
Even though no words were spoken between us,
she understood.
That is when I asked the miller if he knew any other breeders
that would surrender dogs to me as well.
I started receiving calls from several other Amish puppymillers
willing to give me dogs they can no longer profit from.
Deep down inside I knew it was a sign from that beautiful girl I left behind.
That was June 2005 and it was my first experience in a mill.
I thought this was one of the worst mills in Lancaster,
but to my amazement it was not.
Since then I have made monthly trips from New York to
Lancaster and have been to over 40 mills .
I realized the horrendous conditions are in every mill.
Even though it has been rewarding for me because I
have personally pulled out over 700 dogs from these
horrible conditions,
at the same time I have left thousands of others behind.
Rescuing these dogs is not the solution.
The laws need to be changed and enforced so that the miserable
lives of these dogs will end. We can all do something together.
There is strength in numbers.
We need your help in educating others about this ongoing problem.
Tell all your friends and family members to make phone calls,
write letters and send emails to the
Govenor of Pennsylvania..
If we don’t fight for these helpless animals
they will never win their rights they so deserve.
The right to have clean water on a scorchering summer day,
or room to move around and be comfortable, to be loved and admired
for their unconditional love they give so much to us in return.
I have made this trip here tonight and I make my monthly trips
because I will never give up hope.
I will never stop fighting this injustice for these dogs.
The looks on so many of their faces have been etched in my mind forever.
My life has changed since doing this but I feel it is meant to be.
This is my path I have been led to.
My dream is to have my own shelter where I can mend
these dogs back to health and find them permanent homes.
Right now with the help of so many rescue organizations,
they help me vet, foster and adopt.
I receive updates and emails with their pictures
of their happy endings in their new loving homes.
I feel good knowing I gave back their life.
A life to live as a normal dog.
L. F. A.