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Monty Kaufman and his wife opened their store in Westport more than five years ago because they wanted to offer a quality store that didn't sell animals from puppy mills. As a bonus, they got to be around puppies.
And when they moved the store from Westport to Norwalk last fall, they kept the name, even if it is now a little misleading. Friends suggested changing Puppies of Westport to Puppies of Westport Avenue. But that was awkward, and Kaufman was firm: He wanted to send a message – the Westport Coalition Against Puppy Mills did not drive him out.
But they have been under siege from a committed group of animal activists, who protest the business relentlessly and followed the store to Norwalk. They protest across the street on most Saturday afternoons, and at one point even put up a sign to be seen throughout the week. (The sign was removed last month.)
Kaufman is frustrated, saying he is careful about where he gets his puppies. He has been to visit many of them, he said. He employs 11 people, one of whom is licensed to be a veterinarian in South America, he said, adding that other pet store owners think he is crazy to have such a large staff. Special cages allow more than one puppy per space, so they can be socialized. In addition to the Plexiglas in front, there is a cage door in the back, so the puppies have openness on two sides.
"We take such care of them," he said. "We spend thousands of dollars a month on medicine. If a dog gets sick, it goes right to the vet. Many pet stores, a dog gets sick, they don't treat it. They let it die."
He said the store has sold more than 3,600 puppies. The coalition has three complaints on its websiteabout Puppies of Westport; one is from 2006, another from 2007. The most recent complaint is a year-and-a-half old, alleging that a dog had Giardia and that it is not a purebred.
Kaufman said he has papers for the dog and admits it's possible that puppies have parasites. He could prevent that, but it would mean keeping one puppy to a cage. He says insects can be treated, but psychological problems are another story.
All of his breeders are in Missouri and are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He monitors their inspection reports. "I can show you the inspections of every single one of the breeders we ever had, and the totality of the violations that occur in there is under 10," he said. "Our breeders don't have repeat violations."
Violations include problems such as an expired bottle of medicine on a shelf, weeds growing outside or a feedbag left open. If he sees a violation, he calls the breeder, as he did this month. The man had perfect inspections in 2009 and 2010, but this time the inspector found two poodles with matted hair and one with a leg injury, according to Kaufman. The breeder said he likes to let the dogs have long hair in the winter. The injured dog had been in a fight and had been treated at the vet, he said.
Kaufman said he couldn't take more puppies from the man until he had two more perfect inspection reports. "I have actually done more to help puppies than all of those demonstrators combined," he said, "because when I find a problem I call these guys up, and I ream them."
Protestors say that even with USDA approval, breeders that supply to pet stores are not taking good care of the dogs having the puppies. They say that a dog could spend its entire life in a cage the size of a dishwasher, and the USDA would approve of the conditions.
"We talk to every one of our breeders and establish that their dogs have runs," Kaufman said. "Their dogs are taken out in runs. Many of them are air conditioned; many of them have heating all the time."
Kaufman said 9 percent of puppies are purchased from pet stores, while more than 20 percent are purchased online. There are no regulations for people selling online, as they are considered retailers. He doesn't understand why the activists are targeting Puppies of Westport, "probably the best pet store in the United States."
"They should be going after the online sellers of puppies," he said. "They should be going after changing the laws. They should be doing all kinds of stuff. Standing outside on the street for hours — they could have built multiple houses for Habitat for Humanity. They could have saved dogs. The money they spend."
He is outraged by tales of irresponsible breeders, too. "The bottom line is I agree with them, and I want to shut down the puppy mills," he said. "But to say that nobody can buy a dog at a pet store and to say that nobody can breed dogs, which is ultimately where they want to go, is just ridiculous. The worst puppy mills are in Pennsylvania. We have never bought a dog from there."
Have you bought a dog from Puppies of Westport? Leave a comment below.
Comments (40)
kellie123:
I purchased a puppy from a different store located here on Long Island, called Canine Corral http://www.caninecorral.com/
I also purchased a Coton De Tulear by the same breeder as you, Sherrie Zuspann back in 2005.
My dog apart from a few problems has been a somewhat healthy dog with his only issue (as of yet, fingers crossed) being allergies.
I wanted to say I am so sorry to hear of your awful experience with your puppy and subsequent puppy too from this breeder. My dog, while a wonderful dog is NOT a Coton De Tuelar and I never received papers for him like I was supposed to. Cody is more like a bichon/poodle mix.
I have since gotten a Coton from a reputable breeder and have done loads of research into this breed and know my dog from Sherrie Zuspann isn't one.
Wish I could go after the store for never having received the papers and for paying $1500.00 for a dog that isn't what I thought. We love our dog dearly but will never set foot into a puppy store again. It is just too heart breaking. To know that these dogs and their parents come from horrible conditions and see that they suffer daily at the hands of people whose only purpose in life is to benefit from the sale of dogs they don't give a rats ass about.
If you want to contact me, you can at ddesousa@optonline.net
Yah, and I'm the Pope. Last posting? Let's see if that idiot will respond. She will.. It's a disease they have, they can't help it.
AGAIN, NO ONE CARES except a few about your vision. AND I'LL REPEAT IT AGAIN - WE CAN CARE LESS WHERE POW GETS THEIR PUPPIES.
But we all know they don't get them from Puppy Mills. That's for certain and is proven.
I feel bad for the owners. It's like having a little old lady coming into their store - pointing to a Golden Lab and she's insistent that she's looking at a Poodle.
The owners can explain over and over again, until they are blue in the face, but at some point, they just throw their hands in the air.
To the Owners: NEVER GIVE UP on these moronic individuals. They have an illness and its spreading. You have to feel back for them.
Simply, keep your noses clean, like you have, and the "GOOD" will prevail.
They are the work of Satan, spreading their ill words. You must pray for them and hope they will be healed. And I think it's horrible that one of them is having an affair on their husband. (It's amazing what you can find out!!)
With much love and support,
Dominick.
AGAIN, WHO CARES WHAT YOU PEOPLE THINK.
AGAIN, WHO CARES WHERE THESE DOGS ARE COMING FROM.
THEY NEED HOMES AND YOUR ORGANIZATION WILL CAUSE THESE ANIMALS TO BE PLACED IN CAGES FOR LIFE.
WHO CARES, WHO CARES, WHO CARES, WHO CARES......
LONG LIVE, POW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Coalition member challenged us to produce proof of a statement from the Humane Sociey of the United States about the life of an ant being equal to the life of a child so here it is:
Michael W. Fox, was a senior officer of the HSUS for 26 years from 1976-2002 after which he assumed the position of Senior Scholar, Bioethics; Here are four direct quotes of his and their source:
"The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration."
(In Inhumane Society, 1990)
"We are not superior. There are no clear distinctions between us and animals."
(Washingtonian Magazine, February 1990)
"The life of an ant and the life of my child should be accorded equal respect."
(Associated Press, Jan. 15, 1989)
"Human care (of animals) is simply sentimental, sympathetic patronage."
(Newsweek interview, 1988)
"Man is the most dangerous, destructive, selfish and unethical animal on earth."
(Quoted in The Intellectual Activist, Sept. 14, 1983)
Any more questions?
No surprise that Allison would ignore over 90% of the points raised in our response to her first rant. It continues to boggle the mind that she knows of other nearby stores open now as well as closed now but open for years after we opened (and she learned all about "puppy mills") that buy puppies totally indiscriminately, lie about their origin, fail to properly care for them, one present owner arrested for animal cruelty!, another store shut down and quarantined by the state! and all regular buyers from both Hunte and Lambriar who have been labeled by "pet shop puppies" - a site that Allison reveres, as being the PRIMARY source of the problem puppies they uncover.....AND YET SHE CHOOSES TO FOCUS ALL OF HER EFFORTS ON PUPPIES OF WESTPORT BECAUSE WE SAID WE DON'T SELL PUPPIES FROM PUPPY MILLS AND WE SAID THAT WE OPPOSE THEM!
HOW DOES SHE EXPLAIN THAT SHE BEGAN ATTACKING US BEFORE WE EVEN OPENED OUR DOORS OR HAD A WEB SITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And using that same logic, we suppose you would not have had much of a problem with Hitler if only he was more open about the fact that he was systematically exterminating millions! You must think that everyone is too stupid to see through your ludicrous excuses!
Just the fact that you have used your web site to viciously attack us personally with charges that have absolutely nothing even remotely to do with puppies is all that anyone needs to know in order to conclude that you are a conceited, narcississtic, self righteous, irrational, stubborn, cruel, evil, closed minded and deplorable individual who wants to impose her views on everyone else with total disregard for the way in which the message gets delivered.
It's great that you finally admitted the fact that your group is a classic example of the NIMBY phenomenon. Do you not realize that it is not something to be proud of? Do you not know that NIMBY means people who are only interested in what goes on in their backyard and don't give a damn about what goes on in other people's neighborhoods as long as it doesn't affect them! You and your group have consistently voiced this rationale but you have finally said it definitively. You do not care that we are one of the finest puppy stores around- all you care about is that we are in your backyard.
We couldn't care less about what you do with the other 166 hours of your life each week, however we truly feel sorry for anyone who has to spend a good portion of that time with you.
For my final post, I’d like to thank Dominic for perfectly exemplifying the problem of consumer’s lack of awareness about puppy mills and the connection to pet store puppies. You could not have done a better job and you personify our greatest challenge.
Your logic about the plight of the puppies you see in stores is common, but flawed. They don’t have to be there. They are bred specifically for stores. This is not “oops my dog had a litter, I need to find them homes”! They should not be bred in the first place. Why breed puppies just so people can feel sorry for them in the stores?
When you say “without these stores, these poor dogs would be stuck in cages the rest of their lives “ and “stores are avenues to take them away from the so called puppy mill and bring them to a loving home” – keep in mind that the only avenue that will help puppy mill dogs is to stop buying their spawn. The parents of the puppies are stuck in cages the rest of their lives,regardless. The more puppies people buy, the longer their misery continues. These “poor dogs” will never get out until they are no longer productive – at that point, they are disposed of. Why inflict this cruelty on dogs, forcing them to produce puppies under inhumane, stressful conditions, over and over? Especially when there are good breeders, breed rescue and millions of puppies killed in shelters.
It’s ludicrous, but your sentiment is common. As you say, you don’t care about dogs and you don’t have to. There are obviously many people like you and we won’t change everyone, but there are those, that would not buy if they knew the truth. I can appreciate that your puppy has brought you nothing but happiness – that’s what dogs do and is why we owe it to them to give them more than a cruel puppy mill life.
As for POW, there’s no point repeating the same old stuff. There’s no one else to educate here. Your #s on Zuspann don’t match what we found in Hartford. You bought from them both Sherrie and Ruth in late 2007/early 2008. We have USDA reports from May 2007 that are far from clean. The violations include not even providing the 6 inches of cage space taller and longer than their bodies. 80% of the dogs were severely matted, some with open wounds and lesions and more. Inspectors ordered Zuspann to take one poor listless yorkie with wounds to the vet immediately. Can only imagine, how long he suffered. I’m sure you saw the most horrifying recent reports before they shut down. You can feel good knowing they might now be finally gone, but how can you feel good reading their current reports knowing that you sold their puppies and enabling them?
I’m not interested in your hypotheticals and trying to follow our logic. Your claims that you seem to know what I do with the other 166 hours of my week are ridiculous. To try and simply state this once and for all -- you opened a store with a unique selling proposition (no puppy mills), which I questioned and still do. No other store that I know of does that. No other store posts a sign in the window like you did. You got my attention on that one. I knew about puppy mills before you opened, but you encouraged me to learn more. I did not like what I learned. The more I learned the more motivated I became and the fact that I live here and pass your store frequently reminds me every day that we need to do more. Ever hear of NIMBY?
See you tomorrow!
I am living proof this is a very sick store and owner. I purchased a Coton de Tulear from Monty Kauffman back in 2008. The small dog can home sick. We immediately took it to the vet and nothing worked to get the dog better. 1 week later as it got worse, we ended up in Norwalk Emergency Animal Center. It got so bad that we ended up with 15k in bills from this center trying to save our dog. It got to the point the dog ended up on 100% oxygen support. He was so sick he could not stand. However, when we came to visit everyday he somehow found the strength to stand up when he saw us. It was heartbreaking. Mr. Puppies of Westport refused to pay for any vet bills and told us to "bring it back to him sick and he would treat it himself." Are you kidding me? Really........The TOP vets in CT could not save this dog. How would be able to? He called him 100 times about this.....he would not return our calls. He is selling dogs and it's your problem if they come home sick, the vet bills, and the animal abuse they endure from being shipped at such a young age and God forbid the poor mother of the dog. We were told our dog came from a "Breeder" and had papers. It ended up the dog came from Sherrie Zuspann, who now has her business shut down, even though no dogs were removed, she STILL sells them on-line. Our dog ended up dying as one day in the 24 hour care center he reached his last breath and gave up. I went back to the store in rage and emotionally horrified. It so painful I could not even talk about it for years. When I was there I saw another Coton that looked just like mine. I saw on her tag she had the same birthday and was from the same breeder. Thus, this was his sister. I could not leave her there and also wanted a piece of my sweet dog that had just passed away. I did not pay him a dime. I took the dog and walked out. He is a VERY sick person, he is a liar. ALL his dogs comes from these type "breeders." I love my dog, the one I took, she is so wonderful and I can't imagine life without her. She was very sick also with the SAME thing...however, this time we were able to cure. Around 6 months old she had a cherry eye pop out....NOT from a pure breed parent as he said....we had extensive surgery to repair that so she looks normal now and not like an alien. Monty has cost our family not only at least 20k but the emotional damage and abuse to these dogs is beyond anything I can write here. I will never be able to express the devastation we experienced and it really upsets me to read on-line about this breeder is MO my poor dog came from. I actually would love to find a way to purchase my dog's mother from Sherrie Zuspann. If anyone has any ideas on this.....please post how. Please BEWARE of Puppies of Westport and his owners (husband and wife) FYI: They had just returned from their Bahamas vacation during all this time by dog was dying....living it up on blood money from the dogs in the puppy mills and from the poor dogs that die.
I have to say this... AND TRUST ME, so many others think this way.. just like, you have your thoughts on puppy mills.
I CAN CARE LESS where the dogs come from.
So, the puppy stores stop buying from them, so? They will just open up their own retail stores and sell them locally where they are at.
WHO CARES?
The dogs will still come and they need love. Your organization claims that you love dogs... Well, these stores are an avenue to take them away from the so called horrible conditions and bring them into a loving home.
These stores should be commended.
Without these stores, these 'poor dogs' would be stuck in cages the rest of their lives.
THUMBS UP TO PUPPIES OF WESTPORT.
If I had a farm, I'd buy 200 of them from you!
Keep up the great work, Monty!
Monty,
I'm sorry that I got so upset on here. I just feel bad for you guys.
You've brought so much happiness to my household and to my family by having that store.
What pissed me off the most was these idiots you have on here, claiming that I'm YOU on here.
It just ticks me off, like you mention, that they repeat and repeat the same crap over and over again.
The only way I can sum it up is that you're dealing with people who have dementia or something.
In their mind (loose), they believe what they want to. I guess they have the right to believe, but I ALSO BELIEVE that they are treading on border line harassment.
It's no different when you walk in to see your grandmother in a nursing home and she doesn't know who you are. She calls you by someone else's name and when you correct her, she doesn't want to listen.
So what do you do? Just go along with it to pacify them.
Again, Monty, sorry if they think I'm YOU on here. It's just amazing how if anyone who wants to side with you, they cry like little children.
- Dominic
Ok now your threatening me...
Just please answer the two questions I asked.
Ms. Lamb-
By continuing to write the same nonsense over and over you are doing an excellent job of demonstrating your ignorance.
You have admitted that you and your group post comments using aliases.
We have tried to explain over and over that we do not need to emulate you as we stand behind every comment that we post.
You continue to believe that anyone who posts a comment that disagrees with you must be us or an employee when this is absolutely not true and you have no basis upon which to make such a claim!
We cannot stop those who wish to write something here and we do not condone name calling or those who seek to confront you. We gave up on attempting to have a rational conversation with you and your group some time ago as it is clearly futile.
You appear to think that you are helping your cause by continuing to 'demand' answers to your questions when all you have to do is re-read our earlier posting in which we answered your questions!!!!
We hope you will continue to post and continue to demonstrate your false accusations so that everyone can better understand some of what we have been dealing with for the past five plus years.
It would appear that you are one of a very small group that is amused by your repeated rants. Keep it up and you may be banned from being able to post on your group's web sites in the same way that anyone who disagrees is blocked from making a comment.
ONE MORE TIME - When we have something to say to you it will be posted as coming from Puppies of Westport. You can continue to make up whatever fabricated claims you wish if it makes you feel better about yourself.
OH, AND LAMB .. Do me a favor, go get some firecrackers and stick them where the sun don't shine, because that's the only bang you'll ever get to enjoy.
I'M NOT ONE OF THE OWNERS.
Dream girl,
Have you ever seen his bank accounts? How do you even know he's rich? And if he is, good for him.
I wanted a PUPPY that my children and I can raise. I don't need someone else's sloppy seconds, thank you.
GET OVER yourself.
Once again dodging the two questions I asked- lets see, now you have three different identities?
1. Specifically who are your breeders?
2. Why won't you give them beds?
Linda Lambert-so you don't have to say we are sneaking around with OUR names, AHA! Good detective work! Yes, many people use names on the internet that aren't theirs but none are so creative as you, who is lets see so far-Westport Mom, Dominick (who probably works for you) and "earning a living"...I think it is, but don't quote me-but you tend to anyway-just answer those two questions! The protesters changed my mind from buying a puppy from you, I searched for the truth and found it, please let me hear some truth from you and answer my two questions!
Yes, I earn a living too!
Ms. Lamb,
Although I disagree with much of what Lacey Fisher has said and the fact that she has made a decision to go after Puppies of Westport based primarily on its proximity to where she lives, I respect her as someone who is obviously a dog lover and certainly committed to a cause even though she could accomplish so much more if she pursued those who should be punished and shut down for their transgressions. We also think she is a fine artist. You, on the other hand may be committed, but it is also clear that you should be 'committed' for so many of the irrational rantings by which you obviously continue to amuse yourself.
You are doing such an injustice to the cause of those you seem to agree with.
The Coalition has access to every breeder we use. Unfortunately, they do not accurately identify when we stop buying from substandard kennels. We agree that we have made a few mistakes and we have corrected them. However, I did answer your question yesterday when I told you that we have purcased from over 80 breeders in the last three years that have not had a single violation of any kind listed on their inspections.
We are regulated by State and Federal authorities and we have no obligation to respond to requests from individuals who have demonstrated an inability to accept facts. You hve had nothing to say about the dozens of valid points raised in both the article and the various postings below it.
We will tell you again that we do not know who Westportmom, making a living, or Norwalk Native is. We have not seen any postings by a Dominick. If you do not understand that the postings under our name demonstrate that we are comfortable standing behind every word that we have written without fabricating aliases for them, then there is nothing that any one could say that would convince you otherwise.
By the way, more than half of our puppies have beds and most of the others have soft rubber mats. We love and care about our puppies and they certainly don't need you to be their advocate.
Ms. Lamb,
Although I disagree with much of what Lacey Fisher has said and the fact that she has made a decision to go after Puppies of Westport based primarily on its proximity to where she lives, I respect her as someone who is obviously a dog lover and certainly committed to a cause even though she could accomplish so much more if she pursued those who should be punished and shut down for their transgressions. You, on the other hand may be committed, but it is also clear that you should be 'committed' for so many of the irrational rantings by which you obviously continue to amuse yourself.
You are doing such an injustice to the cause of those you sem to agree with.
The Coalition has access to every breeder we use. Unfortunately, they do not accurately identify when we stop buying from substandard kennels. We agree that we have made a few mistakes and we have corrected them. However, I did answer your question yesterday when I told you that we have purcased from over 80 breeders in the last three years that have not had a single violation of any kind listed on their inspections.
We are regulated by State and Federal authorities and we have no obligation to respond to requests from individuals who have demonstrated an inability to accept facts. You hve had nothing to say about the dozens of valid points raised in both the article and the various postings below it.
We will tell you again that we do not know who Westportmom, making a living, or Norwalk Native is. We have not seen any postings by a Dominick. If you do not understand that the postings under our name demonstrate that we are comfortable standing behind every word that we have written without fabricating aliases for them, then there is nothing that any one could say that would convince you otherwise.
By the way, more than half of our puppies have beds and most of the others have soft rubber mats. We love and care about our puppies and they certainly don't need you to be their advocate.
Re: The owner of Puppies of Westport Trying to Make a Living
He's rich enough. Save your money. Adopt from a municipal
shelter, a breed rescue group, a not for profit adoption group.
There are purebred dogs in all of these. No need then to buy
from puppy stores. No need to buy from puppies of Westport.
FROM FACEBOOK:
"Boycott Puppies of Westport
My immediate attention is given to the goings-on in my own community, but there are many pet stores, like Puppies of Westport, that sell puppy mill puppies. If you are not in the Norwalk area, but near a store you'd like to protest, I can offer some suggestions on how to get the ball rolling.
February 15 at 1:01pm
Patrick Moore likes this."
THESE PEOPLE ARE MONSTERS. HOW RECKLESS ARE THESE PEOPLE?
"If you are not in the Norwalk area, but near a store you'd like to protest....." SERIOUSLY? Without even 'researching' them, you are suggesting to people to PICKET for the hell of it?
ANOTHER example how disillusioned these people are. So shameful. The more I RESEARCH this coalition, the more upset I get - RECKLESS & UNSUBSTANTIATED.
You are right dreamgirl, we didn't think that you actually meant what it seemed that you meant. But now we understand. You are obviously proud to be what PETA would refer to as just another animal. You may think that an ant is as important as your child and that no one should be allowed to breed or own a pet, but that doesn't mean that everyone else has to agree with you.
To POW - It does not surprise me that you wrote you could
not understand my comment. Either you are trying to dodge
the issue here or really do not understand. The point is
animals can not speak for themselves so we must.
I have no disagreement with PETA. Thank you.
I really could not have said it better myself.
Dear readers,
I want to take the time to thank this reporter for allowing the owners of POW to provide their side of the story.
As a silent follower of this long drawn out debate, I have to finally provide my view on this. I am an owner of a dog that I purchased from POW last year. The reason I purchased this dog was through all the commotion from the “Coalition”.
It was they, who shed light on the fact that there was a puppy store in Westport. After weeks of research, I found that there were baseless claims brought against these owners and I didn’t feel that it was fair. Therefore, my children wanted a dog and I felt comfortable enough to purchase him from POW.
I honestly believe the coalition is fighting a losing battle. They went as far as to pry into the owner’s lives and drudge up personal situations that should remain PERSONAL.
Additionally, they deliberately placed these ads across the street from the store to cause POW to lose income. Also, they have yet to ever provide video proof of dogs leaving a puppy mill and end up at the door of POW.
There is no doubt in my mind that the owners, knowingly or unknowingly were purchasing puppies from mills in the past, but they have rectified this. They have taken so many precautions to keep bad publicity away by ‘doing the right thing’ and I feel that the coalition is simply dwelling on the past.
As Christians and children of God, don’t we all make mistakes? Don’t we forgive? If one of the picketer’s sons were arrested for drugs or DUI, should we forever bring that up in their faces? No – of course not. You learn from your mistakes and you move on, as POW owners have.
With all the antics this group orchestrates on a weekly basis, I feel discredits them completely.
What was the icing on the cake for me was the fact that I was on a funeral a couple weeks back for my dear friend, Mrs. Bonnadio. The morning of the funeral, the funeral director drove by her residence, which led us to the intersection of Puppies of Westport.
As the procession took a turn and passed the picketers, I found out that the director screamed out the hearse window to have them drop their signage, out of respect. I can’t believe they had to be told to do that. And after a bunch of cars drove by, they picked their signs back up and that’s when I drove by.
REALLY people?
To this day, many mourners of my dear friend’s funeral still talk about this.
I really don’t understand how this group can take so much time out of their weekend for such a ridiculous and baseless claim of purchasing from Puppy Mills.
My opinion is, their husbands are having a grand old time without them and are glad they are out there picketing, keeping their nagging mentality away from the homestead.
In closing,
My final thoughts are this: If the Coalition had concrete evidence of their claims, this store would have been shut down YEARS AGO. It’s evident from POW’s prospering business that their noses are clean and providing the families of Norwalk and its surrounding towns with a beautiful healthy dog, just like mine.
To the owners of POW, THANK YOU for bringing so much happiness to my house and standing by your devotion of loving and placing these puppies!
- Dominick
And for those members of the Coalition who aren't sure if this is a real posting, I'll be at POW on Saturday, 10AM if you want to meet me.
The owners have plenty of SANE and competent supporters who can write their own reviews.
"home enjoyBest in Show
View Track Best in Show
by Jacqueline Burt03/05/10
9-week-old Golden RetrieverShe's not Sadie the Scottie, the new Westminster winner, but she sure is cute! This 9-week-old Golden Retriever is winning hearts at Puppies of Westport on 420 Post Road West for her gentle, cuddly nature--and she's looking for a home. For the price (which includes shots) and more info, call 203-222-5400."
Just saw this with a pic of a cute puppy. Thought it was an add. Can you please tell us who the breeder is so we can look it up. Thank you.
Let's see, you are obviously Stella Drakoulis, another of the merry band that regularly attacks Puppies of Westport but doesn't have the courage to post their actual name. As for your ridiculous comment on the Golden Retriever posting which makes absolutely no sense, you are no doubt aware that Puppies of Westport has not been at 420 Post Road West for over 8 months. We have no idea what puppy you are referring to and have no idea why you would post this as a comment here.
It just doesn't add up. But the AD you referred to has only one "D" in it!.
To Dreamgirl:
Sorry, but we have absolutely no idea what you are trying to say, but here is the support for the HSUS position on the rights of animals to sue along with some eye opening quotes from the President of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals:
At their national convention in 1980, the Humane Society of the United States formally recognized that “…there is no rational basis for maintaining a moral distinction between the treatment of humans and other animals.“ The Convention resolved to “pursue on all fronts…the clear articulation and establishment of the rights of all animals…within the full range of American life and culture.”
A 1990 HSUS fundraising mailer stated “The Humane Society of the United States has long been in the forefront of advocating the recognition of rights of and for animals.” At its national conference held in San Francisco in 1980, the membership of The HSUS formally resolved to "pursue on all fronts ... the clear articulation and establishment of the rights of all animals ... within the full range of American life and culture."
The mailer emphasized the need for animals to have legal standing in courts of law: “Animals are viewed as having no inherent capacity to invoke the protection of the state, and their entire legal status is underpinned by constitutional doctrines that deny them recognition as "persons. Access to the courts is such a powerful right and would pose so revolutionary a threat to the established order that it will probably be among the last of animal rights to be recognized, requiring statutory, even constitutional, changes.”
Another well known animal rights group, PETA goes much further. Here are six quotes from PETA President and Co-Founder Ingrid Newkirk and where they can be found:
“We feel that animals have the same rights as a retarded human child because they are equal mentally in terms of dependence on others.”
The New York Times
“In the end, I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.”
Newsday
“The bottom line is that people don't have the right to manipulate or to breed dogs and cats... If people want toys, they should buy inanimate objects. If they want companionship, they should seek it with their own kind.”
Animals
“One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild ... they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.”
The Chicago Daily Herald
“Pet ownership is an absolutely abysmal situation brought about by human manipulation.”
Harper's
“There’s no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. They’re all animals.”
Washingtonian Magazine
Referring toPuppies of Westport statement of March 28th
"the HSUS, which is committed to giving animals the right
to sue people". Animals cannot sue people on their own
behalf. It's impossible for them to do so. So people
such as POW are the voice of the voiceless.
Therefore, your words do not justify, add substance to,
nor defend your words and actions if for no other reason
than logic in any way, shape, or form.
To Linda Lamb
We have not placed an ad of any kind on ANY of the Daily papers that you refer to. The last ad of any kind that we have placed was the radio ad that your group attempted to have pulled off the radio four months ago!You are apparently even more delusional than we originally thought.
Is it that you are so upset that a responsible reporter wrote an accurate story that portrays Puppies of Westport in a positive light that you have created some false reality that has you believing that we purchased an ad in exchange for a positive story? Or maybe you think that the story is so positive that it is actually an ad as opposed to a news story?
You and your group had no problem with Ms. Chapman's fact checking ability when she wrote last week's story in which we did not have the opportunity to offer any input.
Sorry, the story was not bought, however, your continued postings are more effective at promoting our business than any advertisement ever could!
As for our breeders, your group, as you well know, has access to every one of them from the CT Department of Agriculture's Animal Control Division- and I suppose that we must be farmers since we are regulated by the CT griculture Department!
We have used over 100 breeders over the last three years and over 80 of them have not had a single violation identified during that period. We continue to carefully monitor all of our breeders and while we might make a mistake once in a long while, we admit it and we correct it and we go after the breeders that do not meet our standards.
Thank you Puppies of Westport and fictional Westport Mom, I would like to meet you, I can't imagine who will come out of your store on that one, the people that read this are not so dumb, Monty- we know its you, or your wife-Nice big add you bought in the Daily Norwalk too! Its probably in this paper also, guess the paper is not to thorough to check out sources when they need people to advertise.
I asked two questions you are avoiding answering by your diatribes!
1. Where specifically do you get your puppies, what are your sources and when did you get them?
2. Why do you not give the puppies beds? Is it so people will feel sorry for them night and day -wire on their feet, yeah that shows lots of love and caring...
Just for a little extra info. yes, my daughter and son protest every weekend and I had to start bringing a camera to film the foul mouthed employee of Puppies of Westport, who continually swore in front of them and at us, if you think I am bringing them in, they want to go, know the ropes of Facebook better than I, and in doing so have learned empathy for all living things.
Can I say the same for your daughters Monty?
My only interest in this dispute is that I am planning to buy a puppy for my daughters and this site has helped me to decide where that puppy will come from. I have been extremely impressed by Puppies of Westport and the restraint they have shown in dealing with those who attack them almost constantly.
After reading Nancy Chapman’s first article, I empathized with the protestors and was looking elsewhere for a puppy, however I still wanted to hear Puppies of Westport’s response to all of the charges against them. When Nancy’s follow up appeared yesterday I realized how important it is to hear both sides.
I can’t believe that I have also read all of the comments posted by the store along with those posted by their ‘accusers’. The article was more than enough to convince me that Puppies of Westport is an asset to our community but the comments are even more revealing.
These people call the store owners liars and despicable and make all kinds of demands of them. They denigrate breeders as ‘farmers’ and they have the nerve to threaten the store with personal attacks that have nothing to do with their business. Ms. Lamb is particularly galling by pretending to be appalled tha her daughter got mentioned when she is the one who originally brought her daughter into it by blaming her for an improper posting on a web site!
My children may be reading this so I can’t use the words that I would be using if I were the owners of Puppies of Westport in response to all the dirt that these protestors continue to throw at them!
What is crystal clear to me- and it should be to anyone else who reads the articles and all the comments- is that there is a group of people who have nothing better to do than keep attacking this local business and there is virtually no limit to what they are willing to say and do. I will be going to Puppies of Westport with my children to buy a puppy this weekend and I hope the protestors will be there so I can tell them how misguided I think they are.
I should thank you to not talk about my daughter, is it time we dug up the dirt on your personal life and what an upstanding citizen you are!
Give us the name of your breeders- and give those puppies beds, they are on wire night and day!
To Horsegirlk-
Just 9% of all dogs acquired annually come from puppy stores. If there were no puppy stores tomorrow and everyone who would have bought from a puppy store were to adopt (which would never be the case as most of those buyers would end up buying puppies through less regulated channels) you would only impact the number of dogs in shelters by just 10%!
We would be willing to feature shelter dogs in our store, but thanks to the CT lemon law passed last year, we would be obligated to pay $500 in vet bills for any dogs "adopted" from our store for free! Shelters and pounds face no such obligations.
Urging an end to puppy breeding in order to save more shelter dogs is the same as telling people that they cannot have children as long as there are so many children out there in need of parents!
All of the animal activists regularly cite their precious right to freedom of speech but somehow think that others should not be given the freedom of choice to decide where and how thay would like to acquire a puppy.
The argument that pet store puppies end up populating pounds and shelters is absolutely false. An extensive American Veterinary Medical Association study conducted just last year in conjunction with a major university vet school found that barely two and a half percent of all dogs brought to shelters had originated from pet stores. The same study found that puppies acquired for $100 or less (including for free) and that dogs adopted from shelters and pounds were twenty times more likely to end up in a shelter than a puppy from a pet store.
And in the only study of its kind ever conducted, Cornell University Vet School (the most prestigious vet school in the United States) found that puppies acquired from pet stores were healthier than puppies acquired from any other source!!!
We agree that there is a need for education about adoption and we actualy do our part by referring customers who find our prices too high to the Connecticut Humane Society, their local animal control facility as well as PAWS. But on the subject of education, you ought to focus on where a significant amount of money that could be used for education is readily available.
The Humane Society of the United States has over $140 million dollars in assets and collects over $120 million annually but less than 1/2 of 1 percent of the money it raises goes to local shelters, pounds or humane societies. Over 20% of it's money goes to staff salaries and pensions. Another quarter goes to all sorts of lobbying efforts. More than one quarter of its monies goes to fundraising which puts it at the bottom of all charitable organizations. In the last year for which tax returns are available, the HSUS spent 93% of the money it raised in New York State on fund raising activities in that state keeping a whopping 7%!
Best of all is that the HSUS raised over 25 million in response to ads urging innocent people to help them "save the MIchael Vick dogs" even though the organization and HSUS President Wayne Pacelle urged that all of those dogs be euthanized as they could not be rehabilitated. Well, all of those dogs were rehabilitated (without any HSUS money) but it actually gets better...because after the Philadelphia Eagles hired Michael Vick and contributed $50,000 to the HSUS, Wayne Pacelle stood next to Mchael Vick and suggested he had learned his lesson and should be forgiven!!!!!!!
And as for the HSUS initiative that has pet shops agreeing to stop selling puppies, you should know that not one of the over thirty such stores that signed the pledge in CT had ever sold a single puppy prior to signing the worthless pledge!!!!
So you can continue supporting the HSUS, you can continue raising funds and spending hundreds of person hours to protest places like Puppies of Westport, you can continue to believe that you can solve the puppy population problem by eliminating pet stores, you can continue to urge that people who choose to purchase a puppy rather than adopt one should be forbidden to do so OR you can face facts and focus on closing the Internet loophole, going after the UNLICENSED breeders who get away with true animal cruelty, expose the HSUS for the embarrassment that it is, and go after the licensed breeders who have dozens of pages of serious and repeat violations rather than trying to eliminate all puppy breeding which is like throwing the baby out with the bath water!
Keep the comments coming, and we will continue providing responses
Lacey Fisher (who runs the Boycott Puppies of Westport Site and who threatened to boycott the radio station for running our ad) is an example of someone who knows enough to be dangerous but not enough to be accurate.
Two items:
First, All young puppies require multiple and expensive vaccines and inoculations until they are 16 weeks old. All puppies should receive regular deworming and parasite prevention medication. Our puppies are given a variety of high quality nutritional supplements to boost their immune systems and help avoid hypoglycemia and as I regularly explain, we never hesitate to provide all of our puppies with the highest level of veterinary care. Young puppies are no different than infants, some will get sick regardless of their source or the care that is provided. The fact that Ms.Fisher would have you believe that our puppies are from puppy mills because we spend a lot of money on medicine and veterinary care is yet another example of how our opponents attempt to twist everyting into something that supports their outrageous claims.
Second, Ms. Fisher chose to leave out the most outrageous requirement of Proposition B in Missouri which was largely drafted by activists seeking to put all of that state's breeders out of business. It contains a provision that would prohibit all breeders from administeing any type of medicine or veterinary treatment including eye drops, antiseptic, wound dressings, etc. without the presence of a veterinarian! This obviously unduly burdensome requirement would make it economically untenable for any breeder to survive. And oh yes, in the event that a breeder administered eye drops to one of their puppies it would be worse than a misdemeanor and would incur a $100 fine per incident per puppy. Anyone who maintains that such a provision has any goal other than to harm all breeders is being less than honest. But when it comes to pursuing their cause, the animal activists are all too often comfortable with sacrificing the truth to pursue their agenda
To Lamb52 otherwise known as Linda Lambert- the one who wrote that every one of our breeders had horrible violations in a letter to the Norwalk Hour- something even Lacey Fisher admits is not true!
Let's see, you would have us believe that since your adoption experience went as it did, that has to mean that all of the statistics we quoted earlier must be wrong. You have got to be kidding as well as fairly embarrassed. But you are also the one who attempted to distance yourself from a libelous posting attributed to you on the web by saying you were "not going to let my daughter" post on your behalf anymore!!!
And as for every single puppy that has ever spent more than a few months in our store-- every single one has either been sold at a huge economic loss in order to give the puppy a home or simply adopted by someone who we investigated prior to permitting them to take the puppy.
There are bound log books required by the State of CT and they consists of consecutively numbered pages of which none may be removed and these books contain information on every puppy that enters our store (as required by law) and it is regularly examined by an officer of the CT Department of Animal Control. We care deeply about every puppy and strongly resent any attempt to question our absolute commitment to insure that every one of our puppies is ultimately sold or adopted. You and your ilk are the ones who ought to be ashamed of yourselves for being so reckless with the truth and making so many unsubstantiated and false claims.
To Lacey Fisher,
Unlike you, we will not resort to calling you despicable and a liar even though it is most assuredly deserved.
Now you say that you are not focused on "educating the public on the Lemon Law" but when the City of Norwalk ordered your malicious sign removed from the bus shelter you and your group were quick to argue that its purpose was to perform a public service by informing the public about their ability to recover $500 in vet bills from a puppy store. That argument was nothing more than a subterfuge as the portion of the sign that referred to the lemon law occupied way less than 5% of the sign's total area! But it was a nice try even though it was obvious that one would have to be a fool to believe that argument.
And do you think that people are so ignorant as to believe your logic that since breeders are regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture that means that they are farmers as opposed to breeders?????
You just might want to know that the USDA is responsible for just a few "non-farm" items such as school lunch programs, radiation safety, animal imports and exports, our national parks, forestry services, radiation safety, food safety, animal exhibitions, animal cruelty, and dozens of other critical responsibilities that go beyond "Old McDonald"!!!!
As for Rhonda Gear, you are, for once, absolutely correct. We admit that we made a mistake by buying a total of 8 dogs from her over a three week period in late 2010. Once we discovered that oversight, we not only immediately severed our relationship with her as well as the broker that had brought her to our attention. We also proactively sought to damage her ability to continue breeding by contacting a total of five brokers and web sites through which she marketed some of her puppies and managed to get two of them to blacklist her and a third to require full disclosure of her inspection reports on their site. Unlike you, we are able to admit a mistake. Somehow you are so delusional as to believe that we "kept Rhonda Gear in business" by buying a total of eight puppies from her. And although we acknowledge our mistake and we stopped buying from her almost six months ago (after a total of 8 puppies) you continue to write about her inspections that were conducted AFTER we had cut her off completely. We suppose we can look forward to reading many future Rhonda Gear inspection reports in the same way that you continue to refer to inspection reports of breeders that we stopped buying from over two or three years ago and before they actually had a poor inspection.
You are also responsible for one of the most ludicrous statements we have heard in some time. After admitting that "you never said that all of our breeders were bad" (that blatantly false assertion was made by Linda Lambert in a letter to the editor of the Norwalk Hour last month) you actually argued that although a breeder might have a good inspection today it is always possible for them to become a bad breeder in the future!!!!!!!! So we guess you would like us to proactively stop dealing with all good breeders since they have the potential to go bad at some time in the future!!!!!
Using that logic, Lacey Fisher just might discover a cure for cancer???????
As for the audacity you demonstrate by expecting us to provide you with all kinds of information because you want to see it, we have to inquire about who died and made you Queen? The fact is that we have been repeatedly examined and inspected by the the CT Department of Animal Control, that big USDA farming organization and the American Kennel Club and we have passed all these inspections. In addition, when the Westport Coalition filed a complaint with the CT Department of Consumer Protection claiming that our statement that we were against puppy mills was an "Unfair Trade Practice," all charges were dismissed as having no basis in fact by the head of the Unfair Trade Practices Division.
Sorry Lacey, you just can't handle the truth
Those of us in rescue realize that puppies coming from out of state, especially those coming from the Mid-West, South and PA, are originating from puppy mills. Even if the middle man is not from these areas, these pups are still coming from mills. Has the owner of Puppies of Westport told anyone how much he pays his broker or "breeders" for puppies? Or how much does the broker pay for the puppies and then charge Puppies of Westport? How much profit is Puppies of Westport making? This is a business and not about love of puppies. No reputable breeder sells puppies to a store or a broker.
What total bullsh*t! They opened a puppy store because they had a bad experience buying a puppy. HA! I unknowningly bought an expired item at the market, that didn't compell me to open my own Stop-n-Shop! They sell puppies because there's big money in it. Missouri along with PA are among the worst states with puppy mill violations. Their puppy store is the best in the country? What?! Did they inspect every puppy store in the country along with every puppy mill?
Total denial, narcissistic, grandiose bullsh*t.
We want to thank Ms. Chapman for giving us the opportunity to present our side in response to the 'relentless' attacks of a small group of animal activists who began their attacks well before we ever opened our business!
We anxiously await the imminent comments of those opposed to Puppies of Westport and are prepared to respond as needed.
There are a few items in the present story that require some clarification and/or additional detail.
The Protest sign that was removed was taken down at the direction of the City of Norwalk in that it failed to meet "community standards." However, the outrage expressed by the activists following its removal as an attack on their right to free speech is nothing less than hypocritical as they engaged in an organized attack and threatened a boycott against Coast FM radio station just two weeks earlier demanding that the station remove ads that we had purchased to promote our legitimate business!
We do not get "all" of our puppies from Missouri, however, Missouri is home to the majority of all USDA licensed breeders and it is the Coalition that proudly takes credit for the 2010 CT law that REQUIRES evey CT pat store to obtain puppies exclusively from USDA licensed breeders! It must also be noted that there is not a single USDA licensed dog breeder in all of CT!
Much of the information relied upon by the activists is from the Humane Society of the United States which is primarily a lobbying group that contributes less than one-half of one percent of the more than 100 million dollars it raises annually to dog shelters and rescue groups. For more information about the HSUS, which is committed to giving animals the right to sue people and whose number two officer has stated that "the life of an ant is as important as the life of my child" please consult www.humanewatch.com where you will be most unpleasantly surprised.
The activists consistently claim that their primary purpose is in educating the public about the provisions of the recently passed CT puppy lemon law, the entire contents of which is prominently printed on the back of the contract for every puppy we sell. We have nothing to hide. Or customers also get our home and cell numbers so that we can be easily reached with any questions. This open communication policy is in stark contrast to the various 'restricted' web sites of the activists that strictly limit the ability of anyone who disagrees with them or who simply seeks to provide an answer to something they post to leave a comment.
Finally, if you have any questions about this very complex and highly emotionally charged topic, we urge you to resist believing the dozens of false accusations that have been leveled against us and invite you to visit us to learn more about our business and to see the kind of quality operation we run. We also you invite you to compare us to all other means by which you can select and acquire a puppy.
The internet gives everyone the ability to post anything on the web with no assurance that the information is accurate. Main Street Connect which publishes "Dailies" in many towns has the opportunity to raise the quality of some of what gets posted and it is most positive if Nancy Chapman's article is any indication of their commitment to accuracy even in those sitations where there is a highly vocal and committed group of activists willing to do and say almost anything in pursuit of their agenda.
"...the Coalition that proudly takes credit for the 2010 CT law that REQUIRES evey CT pat store to obtain puppies exclusively from USDA licensed breeders!..."
-We, the Coalition, are proud to have supported and worked hard to help pass the law in 2009. We do not take full credit for it.
"Missouri is home to the majority of all USDA licensed breeders..."
-the 'delicate and fragile pups' (direct quote of Mr Kaufman) are packed in crates and shipped hudreds or thousands of miles all over the country, like vegetables.
See article below for an example of puppy transports...
July 09. 2009 10:24PM
Delivery driver faces animal cruelty charges
MISSOURI MAN IN DUDLEY COURT
By Linda Bock TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
lbock@telegram.com
These two puppies are shown in the back of a delivery truck that authorities say was unfit for the dogs. (Courtesy Webster Board of Health.)
WEBSTER — A Missouri man was arraigned today on animal cruelty charges after police said they rescued weak, limp and sick puppies from his van.
John T. Clayton, 44, of Missouri, told authorities he had left from Missouri Monday night, and the puppies had not been walked since then, police said. Police said the puppies were crammed into small cages surrounded by animal waste, filth and flies in a locked box truck parked in front of a Main Street pet store yesterday afternoon.
In Dudley District Court today, Mr. Clayton pleaded not guilty to the cruelty charges. Bail was set at $1,000.
Mr. Clayton's lawyer, Peter C. Lamarine of Southbridge, said in court that Mr. Clayton is being unfairly labeled as an animal abuser. Mr. Lamarine told Judge Neil G. Snider his client comes to Massachusetts each Tuesday and Wednesday to transport animals.
Mr. Lamarine said a U.S. Department of Agriculture inspector recently gave clearance for the shipment of animals. He said the animals were naturally distressed given the commute from Missouri.
Mr. Clayton “has been doing this for one and a half years and grew up on a farm,” the lawyer said. “We're vilifying this gentleman when, frankly, we don't have all the facts yet.”
Assistant District Attorney Scarlett Scannell, noting Mr. Clayton lives out of state, asked for $10,000 bail. She said he is serving a three-year probation term that began this year. His previous offenses include endangering a child and a drunken driving arrest from the late 1980s.
Ms. Scannell told the judge the case is more significant than the dogs lacking water. She noted paramedics transported seven puppies to Webster Lake Veterinary Hospital.
Before his arrest, Mr. Clayton had just delivered 10 puppies to Elite Puppies, 172 Main St., and had delivered nine puppies to Laughlin Kennel in Oxford, according to police. He may have dropped off puppies at some other New England locations as well.
The case unfolded after two people drove by the delivery box truck when it was parked in front of Elite Puppies on Main Street about 2:45 p.m. The two people heard barking dogs and sensed the dogs might be distressed. They flagged down a cruiser in the area and called an animal rescue organization.
Police Sgt. Michaela N. Kelley went to Elite Puppies and spoke with employees.
“From there it went downhill for Mr. Clayton,” Sgt. Thomas V. Ralph said in an interview this morning. Swarms of flies surrounded cages filled with puppies in poor health, according to police reports, and there was animal waste in and around the small cages. Some puppies appeared to limp, and one puppy was completely unresponsive, according to police. There appeared to be about five puppies in each cage. When she saw the condition of the puppies, Sgt. Kelley contacted the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to assist in her investigation. She also called Webster EMS and paramedics to check on the puppies.
About half the puppies were initially taken to the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton, and the others were taken to Webster Lake Veterinary Hospital on Thompson Road. The 10 puppies delivered to Elite Puppies remained in quarantine in the back of the store, according to police.
The owner of Elite Puppies, Jennifer Gardner, said in an interview this morning the store does not bear responsibility for the condition of the dogs. She said the incident has led to death threats against her. Ms. Gardner said the puppies in her store were healthy, and she had no problems with the puppies delivered yesterday. Elite Puppies is a family-run business that deals with private breeders, according to the company's Web site.
“My puppies are fine,” Ms. Gardner said. She has owned the store for three years. She said she has not had problems with the delivery driver and the puppies came with water. “None of my dogs were sick.”
Ms. Gardner declined the Telegram & Gazette's request to have photos taken of the puppies delivered yesterday. Board of Health officials inspected the store yesterday, and officials from the state Department of Agriculture are conducting an investigation of the store today, according to authorities.
Sgt. Kelley said Mr. Clayton last night declined to answer questions about the puppies without a lawyer present.
MSPCA Officer Christine Allenberg was the first to arrive at the scene. Lt. Alan Borgal, director of law enforcement for the Animal Rescue League of Boston, later mobilized a team to respond, including Dr. Martha Smith, who performed onsite veterinary evaluations, according to Animal Rescue League spokeswoman Jennifer Wooliscroft. She said all 27 puppies were transported overnight to an undisclosed Animal Rescue League hospital in Boston, where they will remain for the time being. The puppies are primarily designer and toy breeds, according to Ms. Wooliscroft, and there was one Weimaraner. She said the condition of the puppies is still being assessed. Most of the puppies appeared to be about 5 weeks old, according to authorities.
“It's too soon to tell their condition,” Ms. Wooliscroft said. “No water, no sanitation — they seemed weak and dehydrated.”
A clerk magistrate went to the scene and a search warrant was issued, according to police. There were at least 51 tags in the van, and Sgt. Kelley said there may have been 51 puppies when the van left Missouri Monday night. Police seized 24 puppies yesterday that had not yet been delivered. The puppies came from different states, according to the information on the tags.
Mr. Clayton allegedly told Sgt. Kelley that he had been on the road since Monday night, and the puppies had not been walked since then.
Puppy Ship is the name of the Missouri-based company that brought the puppies to New England, police said.
A manager at Laughlin Kennel in Oxford, who would only identify herself as Christine P., said nine puppies from the same van were delivered about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. She declined to give her last name.
“The driver really does a great job for us,” Christine said. “We haven't ever had any issues with him.”
She said he brought a huge water jug for them to fill Tuesday night. The manager said the Oxford kennel typically gets a delivery of puppies from Puppy Ship every week.
“As far as I know, he picks up puppies from Missouri,” Christine said. “Wow, it freaked me out when I heard this; we never have any issues with him.”
The manager said any dogs delivered to the kennel are quarantined for two days and a veterinarian checks them before they are put up for sale.
Todd Davis, a representative of Puppy Ship, was in court this morning awaiting Mr. Clayton's arraignment. In a telephone interview, Mr. Davis said he planned to post bail for Mr. Clayton. Puppy Ship is a USDA-licensed company, according to Mr. Davis. He said there are strict guidelines for providing animals with adequate water, food, ventilation, adequately-sized cages and clean conditions. He said Mr. Clayton is a longtime driver for Puppy Ship.
“All these things we followed and we try to go above and beyond,” Mr. Davis said. “We are inspected on a regular basis and we have never had an issue.”
Mr. Davis said he was treated hostilely by the animal rescuers, and not permitted to go near the truck to care for the puppies.
“I think we are a target of a very sensational group of folks who are offended with anything to do with puppies,” Mr. Davis said. “I am really disappointed in what went on here.”
Authorities took custody of the truck.
“We'll fight this on the grounds of an illegal search,” Mr. Davis said. “All of us care very much for the welfare of animals.”
Brian Lee of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.
"Much of the information relied upon by the activists is from the Humane Society of the United States which is primarily a lobbying group that contributes less than one-half of one percent of the more than 100 million dollars it raises annually to dog shelters and rescue groups. For more information about the HSUS, which is committed to giving animals the right to sue people and whose number two officer has stated that "the life of an ant is as important as the life of my child" please consult www.humanewatch.com where you will be most unpleasantly surprised."
-Link to NEW YORK TIMES (6/10) on Center for Consumer Freedom, whose logo is on the home page of Mr Kaufman's recommended humanewatch website.
-www.nytimes.com/2010/06/18/us/politics/18berman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=berman%20ccf&st=cse
"...gone after groups like the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine and Mothers Against Drunk Driving..."
Monty, what kind of people go after MADD?
-Link to Charity Navigator for people who do not believe that the Humane Society of the United States & the ASPCA are not reputable charities.
***www.charitynavigator.org/
Google Search Results-Charity Navigator - America's Largest Charity Evaluator...on HOME page, BROWSE by Category, ANIMALS,then Animal Rights, Welfare, and Services (241)...HSUS & ASPCA both rated 3 out of 4 stars).
Monty, please provide website/link/anything-at-all that shows that anyone related to the HSUH ever made that ant comment, which is obviously nowhere to be found on the HSUS site as it was never said.
It's interesting how the owner of POW goes after demonstrators, claiming that he does more for the welfare of puppies than they do!
I would beg to differ - selling puppies for profit does not a dog lover make! As far as I am concerned, no dogs should be bred, period! Millions are dying in shelters across the country, dying at puppy mills, and those that aren't killed, are waiting for a last-minute reprieve from death, languiishing for a home of their own!
With the economy as it is, people are forced to give up their pets because they can't afford to feed them, or have lost their homes and shelters and landlords don't accept pets. Pure-bred dogs are vailable at all shelters, and fropm adoption organizations. Customers assume that because they're "buying" a dog at a pet shop, the dog will automatically be healthy - NOT By the time they have spent good money at the vet, they have come to love the puppy and don't want to return the "damaged" merchandise to the pet store!
Yes, many puppies are from puppy mills, not from "reputable" breeders.
I'm sorry, anyone that sells to a 3rd party and does not conduct a search and interview with their puppy buyers is NOT a reputable breeder. If you are buying from someone that would sell to you to make a profit, you are encouraging people to produce puppies just for the money with no care for the animal. This makes you no better than that person selling you a dog.
Stop selling puppies as a 3rd party. Start competing with your dogs and respect the work it takes to call yourself a breeder. REAL quality breeders love their dogs not the money they make from them.