Wisconsin Humane Society buys, closes puppy mill

[PeaceNikki]

By JACKIE LOOHAUIS-BENNETT
[e-mail]
Posted: July 18, 2008

The Wisconsin Humane Society is buying one of the largest dog breeding facilities in the nation, and plans to close the kennel and find new homes for the more than 1,100 dogs there, the society announced Friday.

The action appears to be an unprecedented step in the campaign by U.S. humane societies against puppy mills.

"We have not heard of this ever being done by a local facility," said Cory Smith, program manager of animal sheltering issues for the Humane Society of the United States. "You see these places and it's heartbreaking. So when you know that people are making a living by this, this approach seems like a logical step - to use financial means to get the animals out of there."

Puppy Haven Kennel in Markesan, about 90 miles northwest of Milwaukee, will close after selling its dog breeding business to the Wisconsin Humane Society for an undisclosed amount that Humane Society board member Tony Enea called "pennies on the dollar." In a statement, the society said the kennel's owner, Wallace Havens, was "willing to substantially discount the sale of the business because the dogs would be retired and placed in good homes."

More at link: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=774130

Yay for the WI Humane Society! :)

Quick facts about the mill:

Puppy Haven Kennel
Location: Markesan
Dogs sold annually: 3,000
Breeds: Pugs, beagles, poodles, miniature schnauzers, Shih Tzus, American Eskimos, Yorkshire terriers, "designer breeds."

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Yay! is right. I am going to send them a donation.

[yellerpup]

2. Now that is some positive action.

Thanks for the story PeaceNikki.

[blondie58]

3. good for them- that is great

puppy mills disgust me. An animal is not a 'breeding, money making factory'. My parents just adopted a dog from the lab rescue. Poor Maggie had been in a mill in KS and was found on the side of the road. She had outlived her usefulness to them, so they dumped her along the side of the road. It is thought that she had had six litters, in fact her teats were still swollen. She is almost blind, having cataracts, but what amazes me is her sweetness. Animals never bear a grudge- they just love.