Hillsville, Virginia was declared a disaster area in early November.
Why? County officials had seized more than a thousand dogs from a mass breeding farm (also known as a puppy mill) on November 2nd. The initial count went up after a few more litters were delivered, leaving Carroll County, Virginia with more than 1100 dogs on their hands.
The Humane Society of the United States spent five months working undercover at Horton’s Pups before asking county animal control officers to take action. The breeding farm is thought to be the largest puppy mill ever. The operation sold purebred dogs to pet stores, animal brokers, and online pet sellers. Though the owner did have a license to have 500 dogs in his business, Humane Society investigators found more than double that number — plus unsanitary conditions where breeding dogs were kept in rabbit hutches. Adult dogs were untrained, not housebroken, dirty, unkempt, and full of parasites.
The puppies were well treated and healthy — after all, a puppy mill’s operation depends on the sale of cute, wiggly puppies.
Many breeding operations are legal and are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, too many unregistered operations fly under the radar, allowing puppy mills to operate under inhumane conditions. Adult dogs are bred over and over, pumping out litter after litter for the owners’ profit. The Humane Society reports that 2007 has been a year of increased action from sate and local agencies to stop puppy mills and prevent animal abuse.
What will happen to the dogs from Horton’s Pups? More than a dozen animal rescues have stepped up to help. The dogs will be cared for and adopted into loving, responsible homes.
And the poor, overworked momma dogs will never have to have another litter. Shelters will spay and neuter what animals they can and require new families to spay or neuter the pets they adopt.