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An open letter to our Indiana Legislators:
There are Puppy Mills and back yard breeders in
the state of Indiana that continue to operate in ways that are
physically and emotionally damaging to animals. These animals are
kept in horrendous conditions with the absolute minimum requirements
by law.
I am the Founder/Executive Director of Indiana
Petite Paws Rescue, Inc. We are a toy dog breed rescue. On
February 2, 2008, we
took in 21 toy breed dogs from a voluntary turn over of a puppy mill
in southern Indiana. These dogs were in horrible condition the day
they came to my home. The smell was nauseating; their fur was
matted to the skin. Seven of us spent 5 hours shaving down and
bathing them. We had them all vetted with issues of ear infections,
ear mites, lice, mal nourished, worms, internal parasites, tumors,
Mammary cancer, skin infections, infected teeth, healed wounds and injuries. One
approximately 10 year old Yorkie had an umbilical hernia, that
should have been repaired when she was a puppy. This same dog was
full of cancer so far gone we had no choice but to put her out of
her misery and have her put to sleep.
Indiana’s anti cruelty laws are laughable not
to mention wide open to interpretation. The law states: “A person
having a vertebrate animal in the persons custody who recklessly,
knowingly, or intentionally abandons or neglects the animal commits
cruelty to an animal, a class B misdemeanor” If a person does not
feel they are committing neglect does that make it OK? The laws
need to be updated and/or changed. These 21 dogs were indeed
neglected, mistreated and in need of medical attention. Having only
the bare minimum such as food and water, forced to live in a cage in
their own urine and feces expected to mass produce puppies litter
after litter and suffer through life is an unforgivable crime and we
have to do something.
I hope you will do everything you can and make
it a priority to ensure that laws will be improved to include
critical provisions to protect our pets and give them the legal
protection they deserve. I care very much about pets, and these
issues are extremely important to me.
Thank you for your consideration.
Barbara Beck
NW Indiana |
