by Mike Fry

Recent news reports of violations cited by the USDA at a Minnesota puppy mill have me upset. And I am not just angry at the McDuffees, owners of the puppy mill who have been given repeated warnings -- over a five year period -- that they were not in compliance with the Animal Welfare Act. I am also angry at the absurdly low bar that is established by the Animal Welfare Act. I am also upset with the USDA for doing nothing about the McDuffee's apparent 5-year-long failure to meet minimum standards required to maintain a USDA license to commercially breed and sell dogs. Beyond that, I am angry at the Morrison County Commissioners, who recently granted Gary McDuffee a permit to establish a new 600-dog breeding facility, apparently taking at face value Gary McDuffee's statements that he has never had a complaint about his facility. One violation of the McDuffees reported in the press recently really got to me - the failure to provide the minimum six inches of head room to the dogs in their cages. Six inches of head room. That is the minimum space a commercial breeder must provide for a breeding dog to maintain a USDA commercial breeders license; six inches. That is all. But even worse, fail to meet that terribly low minimum requirement -- for a period of five years or more -- and you get to keep your license. So what do minimum standards mean? One of the reports cited by the press regarding the McDuffee facility went into more detail. It described rusty wire cages that were two feet square, and which housed multiple dogs. Feces and urine had accumulated without being cleaned to a point where the McDuffees were repeatedly cited for failure to clean. How is it that operations like this continue to thrive in Minnesota? How is it that facilities that fail to meet even the lowest minimal standards get to keep their licenses? How is it that people who operate this way are granted new permits to operate new facilities? Hopefully, we will learn the answers to these questions. The McDuffee situation is shedding a lot of light on a very dirty industry in Minnesota. It is time to ask some pretty tough questions.

This dog was rescued from a puppy mill by Hearts United for Animals. Dirty, sick and matted, this poor dog was part of the commercial production chain suppying pet shops in the United States.

On 05/24/2006 B said: look at writing under picture This photo was not taken at McDuffeys if you read the caption

On 04/20/2006 kerri said: disgusted I am ashamed to report that one of my family members has just purchased a puppy from a puppy mill. I was shocked on Easter to find out the adorable face I was viewing on their monitor screen, was coming to us from a mill. I berated my family all day and shared with them some of the horror stories I had heard in regards to puppy mills. There are so many wonderful animals in this world there is no need for this type of breeding. I urged them to never consider purchasing from them again, as I did not have the heart to refuse that little face full of hope now. If we all speak out and try to convince people to use other methods to get pets, we may just put these assumed felons out of business!!

On 02/11/2006 Denise said: These questions need to be asked at the Court Trial I hope the Nelson's lawyer asks these very same questions at the court trial...and presents poster-sized pictures of what puppymills look like that depict how these animals live under violations cited to the McDuffies. It is time for Americans to enmasse in protest to the Federal gov't, especially the USDA who has undermined so many animal laws to bend over backwards for the large agri-business lobbyists and these despicable mill operators. The MC Record recent report writes that a moratorium has been placed on new kennel permits but that McDuffies will not be affected...and then states(GET THIS!)...the McDuffies will get their permits revoked only if there are NEW VIOLATIONS!!...good grief they haven't even corrected the ones from 5 years ago. We have got to step up the pressure and not let this tragedy become another horrible reality for 600 dogs.