WASHINGTON — Federal investigators have uncovered grisly conditions at puppy mills around the country where dogs were infested with ticks, living with gaping wounds and in pools of feces, according to a disturbing new report that placed the blame on lax enforcement.
Investigators say the Department of Agriculture agency in charge of enforcing the Animal Welfare Act often ignores repeat violations, waives penalties and doesn’t adequately document inhumane treatment of dogs.
In one case cited by the department’s inspector general, 27 dogs died at an Oklahoma breeding facility after inspectors had visited the facility several times and cited it for violations.
The review, conducted between 2006 and 2008, found more than half of those large kennels — known as puppy mills — had already been cited for violations flouted the law again.
Tuesday’s report (http://tinyurl.com/365mjd4) recommends that the animal care unit at the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service immediately confiscate animals that are dying or seriously suffering, and better train its inspectors to document, report and penalize wrongdoing.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, noting that the investigation was conducted before he was in office, said Tuesday the department takes the report seriously and will move to immediately improve enforcement, penalties and inspector training.
The investigators visited 68 dog breeders and dog brokers in eight states that had been cited for at least one violation in the previous three years. On those visits, they found that first-time violators were rarely penalized, even for more serious violations, and repeat offenders were often let off the hook as well. The agency also gave some breeders a second chance to correct their actions even when they found animals dying or suffering, delaying confiscation of the animals.
The agency placed too much emphasis on educating the violators instead of penalizing them, the report added.
The inspector general also noted that some large breeders circumvent the law by selling dogs over the Internet.
In Washington
Washington was not among the states noted in the report released Tuesday.
In January, a Gold Bar couple were sentenced to a year in jail for their role in a puppy mill. Jason Dean Larsen and Serenna Lynn Larsen pleaded guilty last year to six counts each of animal cruelty. Serenna Larson was approved to serve her time in work release.
In addition, the couple were ordered to pay nearly $31,000 in restitution to Snohomish County for the cost of caring for the more-than 150 dogs seized.
Last year, a Mount Vernon-area couple, Richard and Marjorie Sundberg, were charged with felony animal cruelty in Skagit County, where officials rescued more-than 450 dogs from the couple’s property. Officials have linked the Skagit County case to the Gold Bar investigation.
A state law that took effect Jan. 1 makes it illegal to have custody of or own more than 50 breedable dogs older than 6 months. Requirements for the care of those dogs are included in the law.
Snohomish County laws limit commercial breeders to no more than 25 dogs.
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