Push To Stop Puppy Mills In Noble County
On Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2013, the Noble County Zoning Board of Appeals plans to meet in Albion, Ind., to review six dog breeding kennel Use Variance and Special Exception applications.
Kennel operators are requesting to kennel more than four dogs and dog advocates are petitioning the zoning board to say no to large-scale commercial breeders. Link to online petition.The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Noble County Office Complex, 2090 N. SR 9, Albion, in the basement. Dog advocates are asked to attend this meeting.“We’re asking the zoning board members to make Noble County a puppy mill free zone and say no to large-scale commercial breeding,” says Pam Sordyl, of Puppy Mill Awareness Southeast Michigan. “Michigan has adoption programs in place and regular shipments from Rome City’s mass-production puppy operation works against our efforts to place homeless animals.”
One applicant, Marlin Bontrager of Rome City, is kenneling over 170 adult dogs per his Oct. 22, 2012, USDA inspection report which is in violation of the Noble County Zoning Ordinance.
USDA photos taken during a June and October inspections reveal disturbing images of animals living on top of accumulated feces and suffering from series and painful eye issues.
The Indiana USDA inspector has been visiting the kennel regularly since June 2012 citing direct violations which include not seeking veterinary care for a sick puppy.
Also in June, the USDA inspector recorded temperatures in the 90’s inside the kennel. Dogs were heavily panting and puppies were stretched out on the wire floor trying to stay cool.
Inspections continued in October where Bontrager was cited for six more violations involving dogs with painful eye problems without veterinary care, excessive accumulated feces that were sitting so long under the dogs wire floor beetle shells were found and clogged drains causing strong odors. Inspection reports can be viewed online.
Bontrager has a history of violations going back to 2008 including: housing, shelter, primary enclosures, cleanliness, feeding and vet care. Prior Inspection reports can be viewed online.
Bontrager supplies puppies to out-of-state chain retail stores such as The Family Puppy in Michigan, Hug a Pup store in Illinois and Petland in Fort Wayne per PetShopPuppies.org.