BBB's efforts to put out of business illegal breeders selling sick dogs

When I went to the breeders to buy a new puppy to replace my dead Dolly 1,I was appalled at the conditions of Dolly 2's breeders when I arrived at their site. They are an old couple lived in a small house trailer. There must have been about 30 dogs on their property. There barely was room for the man and woman to live in. There was a large fenced yard for the adult dogs to run in, but most of the dogs were inside the trailer, some loose and some in cages. I had to get our puppy out of that situation.

I took Dolly 2 to the vet before I brought her home. We discovered Dolly 2 was infected with the giardia parasite and immediately started medical treatment. Two evenings ago, Dolly 2 started coughing and gagging. I took her and Maddy to the vet. We discovered that the giardia parasite had been cured, but she also infected with coccidia parasite and she's being treated medically for that. Dolly 2's coughing turned out to be Kennel Cough. She is getting medicine to treat that. I have to watch for signs of the cough in Maddy. Taking Dolly 2 out of the situation in which I found her may have saved her life.

I took both Dolly and Maddy to the vet today. Maddy is showing signs of having contracted the Kennel Cough from Dolly 2. Now both dogs are on medications. So far, I have spent nearly $500 in medical treatments and exams due to the breeeders selling sick dogs. It's worth the expense, but it shouldn't happen.

I told the Vet I was having trouble finding someone who will investigate the breeder's conditions. The Humane Society said they don't have jurisdiction. The Animal Protection group never returned my call with all of the information. The Vet advised me to contact Animal Control in Moriarty (50 miles from my home). They will investigate and give the breeders an opportunity to correct their conditions before they are shut down. I will call them today and see what happens.

I called and left a message for the sheriff of Moriarty's county animal control. I received a telephone call the next day from the sheriff and gave him all the details of my experience with the breeder of Dolly. He said there had been another report about them and the 32 dogs in the house trailer.

It seems the breeders have been selling illegally without a state-county license and had been warned they need to comply. Their license hearing last week was postponed due to a lack of Board quorum. Lucky for me that it will be on October 2nd. The sheriff asked me to have my vet FAX all of the detail records on Dolly's treatment as well as Maddy's kennel cough. He also asked for copies of my dog treatment bills. He said he may also require an affidavit from me to strengthen his case, which I will be happy to provide.

He thinks the breeders should cover all of my expenses. I told him I hadn't asked for a refund because my goal was to get my puppy out of that place and to protect the other dogs.

The sheriff will visit the breeders today and tell them to clean up their act---and that he will recommend to the Board that their license application be denied.

He also told me he has no budget for helping to clean up elderly breeder's facilities and there are no local organizations able to do it.

He told me the breeders are building a new large home for them to move into. Apparently, selling sick dogs are financing it.

I also got a call from the Animal Protection asssociation today. I reported my conversation with the sheriff about Dolly's breeders. They will support license denial for them. She thanked me for my efforts.

I received a call from my Vet yesterday that all tests on Dolly and Madison indicate both parasites are gone as well as the kennel cough.