We all know how much HSUS loves to put on their logo attire and grab an armful of puppies to parade before the TV cameras so they can yell RESCUE! immediately followed by SEND MONEY! And while I believe HSUS is a misleading, dishonest anti-pet organization who does the opposite of rescue, I do support the general idea that neglected pets living in horrific conditions should be helped. So here’s the thing: If HSUS is truly taking suffering dogs away from these vile living conditions, why don’t they show it? I mean, wouldn’t it be good for fundraising? They sure seemed to like the idea when they tried to fundraise off Fay (a disfigured dog they didn’t have).
The HSUS “rescue” of 206 dogs, 31 chickens, 12 ducks, 9 horses, 3 geese, 2 guinea hens and a parrot (and a partridge in a pear tree) from a home in Edgefield Co, SC yesterday yielded the following:
Many of those dogs have eye and skin infections and dental problems[.]
“It’s simply unacceptable for dogs to be housed in such cruel conditions,” said Kim Kelly, South Carolina state director for The HSUS.
“They were living in just deplorable conditions. A lot of them had some pretty serious health issues, which the veterinarians are looking at and documenting.”
[…]
“It’s pretty tough to see animals suffering like this, and we really want to be able to help them as much as we can.”
And yet, these are the dogs HSUS chooses to show the media:
While it’s impossible to see inside these dogs’ mouths or examine their skin up close, and most of us are not vets anyway, they look ok in the video. They appear to be clean and fuzzy and accustomed to being held by people. If they were truly suffering in deplorable conditions and are afflicted with serious health issues, it’s not evident to me in these images. And knowing how HSUS makes use of deceptive advertising ploys, it makes me question the whole story. I hope they didn’t just take 206 dogs et al away from someone because they were being bred.
Kim Kelly, again:
“The situation we found today demonstrates the need for stronger laws in South Carolina.”
It’s not illegal to breed pets or to keep them clean and fed. I don’t know what laws have been broken here but once again, I question whether it was necessary for HSUS to remove every last living thing from this property. Could the owner provide better care for fewer pets perhaps? Could HSUS have offered education and assistance to improve the living conditions? We don’t know many details of this case but we do know that HSUS has an anti-pet agenda and does nothing to actually rescue pets. All these animals will be left at various financially strapped shelters and rescues, already full of pets in need, and HSUS will be sending out donation pleas to pad its $100 million bank account. Win?
Does it struck anyone else as odd that in situations like these, the quoted health conditions are ALWAYS ‘skin conditions’ and ‘dental issues’?
Then when they show the animals, there is little evidence of such. In a hoarding situation, I would expect to see more serious and evident health problems like starvation, untreated fight wounds, untreated tumors, etc.
But it’s always just skin— and I have a very difficult time believing that skin issues are justification for killing the animals because of their ‘severe’ medical problems. Perhaps in a very severe case of mange, but if that were the case I would expect the media to jump all over it and have pictures of such a severely afflicted animal.
and, unfailingly, the conditions are “deplorable,” but never shown.
Even an extremely severe case of mange is treatable, curable
Hoarders may be able to take care of their animals (keeping them fed), that does not mean the animals best interest are at heart or the person doesn’t have a mental illness. But this wasn’t a hoarder, this was an industrial dog farm that produced puppies to be sold on the internet.
it is the south. it is hot.. they don’t call them “hot spots” for no reason.. you are correct about Fay.. and of course who can forget the pleas to send money for the care of Vicks dog.. they didn’t have them either.. but hey.. a little white lie brings in a boatload of money
yep, and that’s what they are all about – bringing in a boatload of money
those dogs do NOT look like they have serious health issues, but of course, what would we know
so tired of these place$ taking advantage of people and their concern for animals
and how many animals will lose their lives to make room for these new ones?
I’ve learned to hate SPCA, HSUS and PETA because of things like this. MCPCA and a local ACO tried to steal my dogs from me a few months ago, even though they admitted there was no evidence of ill treatment of them. The rhetoric they spouted was likely pounded into them in a brainwash by the above organizations. I have resources and was able to get some influential people to provide immediate help so didn’t lose my dogs, but I did flee the state of MA for a safer, less animal rights extremist place.
That white pup sure looks pretty clean to me! If the adult dog had a skin problem, I would not be carrying it that close to me. Many breeders now are suing if the raid and taking of animals were not done legally. One report states that the location where the animals are being held is secret. Most of the dogs look pretty good in the video. Here is the report: http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2012/sep/12/1/volunteers-are-treating-200-dogs-from-p-56897-vi-143644/
Here is another report that shows bones in the yard:
http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2012/sep/11/6/breaking-news-puppy-mill-busted-edgefield-county-ar-4526544/
HSUS will shill ’em and kill ’em.
There is a good chapter on HSUS lies and betrayal in the new book “Little Boy Blue” by Kim Kavin. The author actually experiences the for herself that what they say isn’t actually what they do. (I won’t spoil it by saying more).
Please look at the local stories and photos
Edgefield Daily
http://www.edgefielddaily.com/johnston091112.html
Here is the link to the story in the Edgefield Advertiser, which has
lots of pictures
http://www.edgefieldadvertiser.com/2012/09/animal-rescue-by-ecso-husu/#jp-carousel-2947
Here is link to WRDW News 12 story
http://www.wrdw.com/news/crimeteam12/headlines/Arrest-made-after-alleged-puppy-mill-bust-in-Edgefield-Co-169363876.html
Neighbors, Woman Who Helps Expose Edgefield County “Puppy Mill” Speak Out
WJBF News Channel 6’s Ashley Bridges has exlusive information on an alleged “puppy mill” in Edgefield County was busted this week. She also talks to the woman who investigators worked behind the scenes for months to expose the “puppy mill” and its owner.
http://www2.wjbf.com/news/2012/sep/12/exclusive-neighbors-woman-who-helps-expose-edgefie-ar-4533554/
====
Condition of the animals pulled by Charlie Chappee in July (which were reported to HSUS) were awful. This will come out in the court case.
===
The rumors of the upcoming raid had been out for over a week, the puppy mill woman I believe heard the rumors and, like she had done before, moved animals and/or killed them (the oldest and sickest). She actually had called the undercover girl the Wed before the raid and once again told her ‘I’ve got to get rid of some dogs, if you want any come get them’.
All I know is, THANK GOD this puppy mill was finally busted!
Thank you for sending the photos from the local paper. Some of the dogs were in outdoor kennels, others were in rabbit hutches and a number seem to be roaming free on the fenced property. I don’t like to see dogs living on wire – whether at animal shelters or on someone’s property. But since they were not all housed that way, I again ask whether HSUS could have offered education and assistance to help the owner provide better care for a smaller number of animals.
And all the animals looked clean, brushed and had no signs of major medical issues visible to the naked eye in a photo. I have only a small group of dogs myself but if you dropped by at some random time, you would probably find ear mats and/or those annoying little mats in the underarm area and/or dogs who think it’s fun to play in mud puddles. IOW, I’m not at all sure my own pets would leak as clean and well brushed as the ones in these photos.
If the owner was reaching out for help to decrease her number of animals, why wouldn’t HSUS respond to that and help her? Perhaps with education and assistance, the owner could have emptied out the rabbit hutches, made improvements to the larger kennel runs and provided a better quality of life to fewer dogs.
In short, I just do not see the need to take every living thing away from this person. I mean, were the geese suffering? Were the dogs who had free run of the property suffering? I can think of a number of animal shelter employees who I believe fall into the category of “should never be allowed to own so much as a gnat” but I’m not sure that was the case with this owner. I see another missed opportunity for HSUS to actually help animals.
Wonder if the neighbor was after the $ 5000 bounty that HSUS is offering.
As long as the money keeps rolling in, they’ll keep doing the same thing. Over and over. Every chance they get.
You got that right.
>>”And while I believe HSUS is a misleading, dishonest anti-pet organization who does the opposite of rescue”
OMG – I’m so relieved. I thought I was the only one that thought that. HSUS is no better than PETA.
I’ve often wondered if the AR crew actually run their own puppy mills for photo ops and to further their agenda of ending pet ownership.
That’s how much faith I have in the HSUS. They’ve raided too many breeders, especially of APBTs, and killed every last dog before going to court, not that most cases even get to trial due to lack of evidence.
Breeders? Or Millers? A source or 2 for your claims would be most helpful.
Its easy for those who make a living off the backs of these animals to post their comments. I don’t care how you feel about HSUS and the other groups, but do you really believe that they paid off the neighbors who saw the conditions and smelled the burning flesh. Piles of bones were discovered. In PA they fine the bones in the files as they use the dead dogs for fertilizer. I am not sure what HSUS did in the past but at this point they are working with the local groups and the dogs do not go to them but to their rescue partners who are registered with them. As a rescue group you can actually become a rescue partner and when there is a bust once the dogs have been released be given the dogs who need placement. Its very easy for those who don’t want the commerical breeding industry to see the light of day to talk about HSUS and other groups, but it doesn’t change what is going on everyday to these dogs and dogs like them.
Do you have proof of burning flesh and bones or is this just hearsay? When you mention “registered rescue partners” who are you talking about? Certain shelters? If you are, there is solid evidence that shows how HSUS has repeatedly transported dogs and cats to kill shelters where they have been killed or their fate is unknown. These same shelters have also been known to kill animals currently in their care to make room for animals transported by HSUS. This is called displacement killing.
I’m the president of a cat rescue group and I can assure you that we make no money at all by rescuing and rehoming cats. We do it because we care about the cats and we can’t stand to see them needlessly killed by regressive shelters who refuse to implement proveable life saving programs and services i.e. the programs and services of the No Kill Equation. HSUS opposses No Kill at every turn even though there are upwards of thirty-two successful No Kill communities across the country who have 90% or better live save rates. Any good that HSUS does is completely undermined by the evil they do.
Do your own independent research and then tell us if you still think that HSUS is the bomb.
Diana Riglet
President Foster Paws Rescue
President MANX (Mankind Advocates No Kill Excellence)
Publisher Critter Magazine Upstate, SC
I know for a fact that at least close to 80 of these dogs were taken directly to a “no kill” shelter after they were released. The majority of them are already adopted into homes. Some others have required expensive treatments and surgeries. HSUS is reimbursing the shelter for these, as well as paid for ALL of the vaccines, heartworm tests, deworming and flea meds, and other meds etc…that the animals received right after they were seized. As I said before, I am not employed by HSUS and don’t claim to know all their ins and outs, but I have seen first hand that, at least in NC and SC, HSUS does give money to local shelters that assist with these seizures.
Carol, you’ve got a lot to learn. Hope that HSUS doesn’t turn up at your place with their jack-booted thugs.
I don’t know if it’s coincidence or not, but my add for this page says:
Only 1% of donations to the Humane Society of the United States ever make it to local pet shelters.
Find out more about the scam: humanewatch.org
Very relevant-thanks for reminding everyone of this fact.
Just a general FYI: I do not accept advertising. Any ads seen by readers (I do not see ads as site owner) are placed by WordPress in exchange for its free basic service. For anyone who doesn’t wish to see ads, you can get free adblockers online to use with your browser.
Per Vania’s statement above, it’s actually less than 1/2 of 1% per HSUS 2008 tax return: http://humanewatch.org/index.php/site/post/less_than_one-half_of_one_percent/
Meaning that if you cough up the $19 a month Wendy Malick is shilling for (which = $228 over the course of a year), a whopping $1.03 will reach a shelter.
I’m sure that $1 will help out the already overwhelmed shelters HSUS dumps these animals at.
I attended an “advocacy” meeting at the Greenville Humane Society, SC organized by HSUS a few months ago. Kelly and another HSUS shut me down when I asked what HSUS was doing to assist shelters in SC to implement programs/services of No Kill. In addiiton, a cat rescue group volunteer from Spartanburg approached Kelly after the meeting to ask for help to try and assist Spartanburg Humane Society change its extraordinarily high kill rate. Kelly promised to look into the situation, but of course never did. It should be clear with all the evidence on hand that HSUS is a sham animal protection group whose only interest is maintaining their authority as the go to advocacy group. The end game is to protect their multi-million dollar donor base NOT to protect the animals.
Diana Riglet/President MANX (Mankind Advocates No Kill excellence)
I looked at the pictures, and yes I noticed the bones. As for the allegations of burning flesh- it takes an enormous heat to render a body– though so-called “shelters” find a way to do it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the bones are from meat, period. Perhaps deer.
The animals I saw– dogs, geese, horses— looked clean and well-fed. They all had water, though some of the water looked like their was an algae issue. (And if the woman knew for a week they were coming, wouldn’t she have changed the water?) They seemed to have food (evidenced by their weights), water, shelter and containment. Isn’t that what the law requires? Or does it have to be pretty too?
And yes, HSUS is offering $5000 reward to people who turn in “puppy mills,”– but I’d be surprised if they don’t find a loophole to wiggle out of paying it. Sorry if you don’t get your check, Carol!
HSUS will add the 250 animals to EACH of their PR/fundraising tallies for 2012: 250 animals “rescued” and 250 “direct care” recipients. They will beg for money to “defray the costs” of their (volunteers’) brief involvement. Included in those costs are fundraising expenses, press release writers, HSUS media outreach staff, videographers filming their next TV ads, and lawyers who threaten to sue those who can’t fight back against HSUS’s efforts to silence critics of this and siimilar operations.
Last year’s “rescue” of 700 cats from a Florida hoarding siituation earned HSUS over $1 million in emergency contributions, despite the fact that the real work was performed by Red Rover, local shelters and rescues, veterianarians from the University of Florida, Petsmart and others. Amazingly, HSUS lawyers managed to get custody of the cats and hoodwinked the locality into reimbursing them for their “expenses” – over $700,000 tax free dollars. Of course, HSUS never fails to mention this case when challenged about where donations really go.
Most of all, HSUS uses these cruelty case animals as props for “desperately needed” legislation. Their state lobbyists never fail to bring that up in the initial press release and media interviews. After all, why spend money on the dogs when shelters are merely “bandaids” and won’t even be needed when HSUS legislation confronts the root causes of cruelty and abuse. HSUS used this argument to justify their Vick dog and Fay/Faye scams, claiming that if not for laws HSUS passed, Vick wouldn’t have been charged and his dogs never rescued. And the 500 dogs the Missouri Humane Society and others saved in 2009 would have remained with dogfighters if HSUS hadn’t made their rescue possible.
What a sick organization!
Do you have any information on how many people were working full time to take care of these animals, or how large the property was? Considering the round number of 200 dogs, that’s 400 to 600 piles of poop per day to clean up and dispose of; 100 to 200 water dishes to rub or brush out and refill; 200 meals to fix and 200 plates to wash; a multitude of small groups to exercise…. On a monthly basis that’s 200 to dose with heartworm preventative or ivomec, 200 to apply flea killers to, 200 sets of toenails to cut, 200 pairs of ears to check… In the winter that’s 200 sets of bedding to provide for doghouses and to continue to replenish or keep clean… In the spring that’s 200 doghouses to clean bedding from and disinfect… It’s hot in South Carolina and the sun moves around during the day. With dogs kept outdoors, unless they are in heavy shade such that they never feel a ray of sunshine they need to be moved from place to place during the day… If they are in heavy shade they need a few minutes of sun each day. Fleas are a horrible problem in the south in dirt with that many dogs… need to be able to move them from place to place to periodically treat the ground… Unless all dogs are separated from one another by more than wire there is the occasional fight leading to injury that requires veterinary care. With that many dogs there are always some with problems that require daily nursing and effort. You can’t buy rabies vaccines at the local feed store, or show up with 200 dogs on Saturday morning at the local rabies clinic. To imagine the number of foxholes to be filled each day with a large number of under-stimulated dogs on a dirt surface boggles my mind. In addition, since these dogs were being sold I assume there were multiple litters of puppies present, which require a great deal more care than adults. I’m not saying they weren’t taken care of, because I haven’t seen the evidence. I’m just sayin’, and I haven’t listed half of the considerations in taking care of 200 dogs.
The entire property is about 9 acres. The part in the back where the dogs were in the kennels, cages, tied up and in hutches is about 4 acres. No one got to see that except her workers and presumably her friends. The woman who tipped off HSUS (purely by showing them the condition of dogs SHE rescued from there in July) only got to see the ‘back’ on her last visit (about a week before the raid) She’d have 1-2 people working part time, plus her son and husband. There was no bedding in the dog houses, most of the dog houses were barrels. Some cages had no barrels. There is a big question about rabies vax which is part of the investigation. This woman’s ex husband is a local vet.
To the person before who was asking why HSUS didnt ‘help educate her’, good grief. She has allegedly been breeding dogs for 29 years according to her website. She was allegedly busted in the adjoining county (at that time they were dacshunds which were seized) and moved to Edgefield Co 6 yrs ago. If she hadnt gotten ‘educated’ by now that its not good to keep dogs in this fashion, I dont think HSUS could have made her ‘see the light’.
It may be that HSUS has done other puppy mill busts that were wrong. This one however was righteous. We can only hope that she will get some jail time and that this will make legislators pass licensing laws like in the adjoining states so these facilities can be inspected on a regular basis. I can guarantee you this, if she gets off and tries to reopen anywhere near here, every move she makes will be monitored.
And I really cannot imagine how anyone, particularly those who consider themselves animal advocates, could see even the pictures posted on the stories and not be horrified at the conditions these poor dogs were kept in. I really have nothing more to say to you people who condone this type of thing.
Mary Lou-
I finally got around to looking at the news articles/links you put up. You’re right; the conditions did look pretty bad. I hate when people cram animals into those cages like that, even bunnies. Animals should be able to roam free. And the bones are quite disturbing. Having said that; however, I still can not condone the actions of the HSUS. What the HSUS likes to do is raid these properties, have a big public outcry in order to get support (i.e. donation $) and then they take the animals back to some shelter nearby where they are killed because of overpopulation. So even though one situation isn’t great, at the home, the situation with the HSUS isn’t much better. It’s not like they take their time to find homes for these animals. They drop them off at a shelter nearby and away they go. Meanwhile, they get to look like the heroes. Then the shelters have no place for them, so they kill them. Have you read up on their organization? If you haven’t, you really should. They, PeTA and the ASPCA are all the same in this regard. People educate yourself on this before you donate to them or support them in any way. Just wanted to throw my .02 in there. Have a nice night.
Jessica, I have indeed read up on HSUS. I was NOT a supporter of HSUS.I was leery of them. However, from my first hand knowledge of this situation, and from observing what has happened SO FAR, it was very professionally done, the people from HSUS are very professional and caring. And yes, many of us locals are monitoring the situation and will follow what happens to the dogs. The local (private no kill) SPCA will be taking 50 of the dogs. There are several other no kill rescues involved. as ‘partners’. What I do know is, Edgefield County, a tiny rural county which does not even have its own animal shelter, would not have been able to even remove the animals without help and certainly has no place to put 200 dogs. We did have a local farmer take the horses. So when you bash HSUS, think of this. Exactly WHAT would you have done? Let this nightmare continue right down the road from you? See the pitiful animals that the eventual whistleblower was pulling on her own? Hear the nightmare stories from people who worked there about piles of dead animals? And do nothing? NOW there is hope for those animals. And hope for other animals in puppy mills in this state (and I know of another one in the next county) that licensing laws will finally be passed and put some of these SOBs out of business.
Mary Lou- As I said, they definitely needed to get out of that situation, but I do worry about them losing their lives with the HSUS anyway. If they end up finding homes for them, then great, I have no issue with that. But this blog has posted countless stories, just like this one, where the animals suffered a bad fate in the end. It’s sort of a “fool me once” kind of situation. But I hope for the animals sake that we are all wrong. I guess only time will tell.
Did anyone ever TRY to educate her? Or did they just swoop in, take away her animals and instill fear of animal welfare advocates in her? The only “light” HSUS causes people to see is that money is the root of all evil.
While I do not necessarily agree that one family/person/house/whatever should be able to have 200 animals like that because chances are their needs aren’t going to met as well as they should be (unless you have at least 5 people working there daily doing everything), I think it would be better to be there than dead at a shelter.
Ugh. I hate the H$U$. What is it going to take to destroy them, PeTA, etc? Is it a matter of educating more individuals who donate to them? Or are they just such large corporations that it doesn’t even matter now if people donate or not, we are stuck with them? If they were just large corporations, I’d have no issue with any of them. But I can not donate to people who will turn around and kill animals, while making a profit off of their suffering, or claiming that we shouldn’t own such animals in the first place and hope to kill them out of existence. Hopefully more and more individuals will find out just how awful they really are. And I also hope that more shelters will become no-kill shelters, because if you can differentiate between the no-kill shelter and places like the H$U$, people will notice the difference and will stop gravitating towards the kill shelters like H$U$ and PeTA. But if people are unaware of no-kill shelters and think all shelters do it anyway, then they may not see a problem with H$U$ because to them, they are all the same.
The No-Kill shelter in SC that I volunteer at is probably going to take some of them and they are already overcrowded. Sigh…
I hate the HSUS (especially since they buddied up with Michael Vick) but without them—in this situation—those dogs would still be there. Local law enforcement did nothing.
Charlene of Charlie’s Angels Rescue worked undercover on this. This is what she posted on Facebook on Tuesday:
“This has been an emotional day for me. I had been pulling dogs out of a puppy mill for several months now. I had been unable to discuss the true extent of the dogs and the conditions that I had been dealing with. Well it has all finally come to an end. After gathering enough evideince against them, they were finally raided and shut down for good today.
I can’t explain the feelings I get now looking at the pictures of all those dogs that I had seen with my own eyes up close and personal. The dogs that I had to leave behind everytime I was able to save just a few. There was nothing I could do to save them all until the time was right. I had to bide my time and get whatever dogs I could and do it with a smile on my face. I had to turn away from all those faces locked up in those cages and pretend it was okay to keep them that way. I couldnt blow my cover. It was the only way to get what was needed to save them ALL. It took time and it took patience, but most of all it took willpower (that I did not know I possessed), to see that and then go home with only a few and knowing I had to leave the rest to sufffer another day.
I sit here and continue to cry with such an overwelming feeling of relief, knowing that all these babies are in a safe and clean envirnment for the first time in their lives. They will never have to live in their own filth again. They will have clean water, soft beds and grass to walk on. Some of these dogs have never seen grass, never walked on grass…All they have known is a small rabbit hutch with bars and wire for a floor.
So for those that have asked were so many of my rescue dogs have come from..now you can see…”
https://www.facebook.com/CharliesAngelsRescuePage
The [expletive deleted by moderator] who ran this puppy mill did the same thing in Aiken county and moved to Edgefield after being busted. I don’t think you really understand how bad it was here. She was not a hoarder. She bred dogs to death. She deserves not one iota of compassion from any of you.
You might want to back off of the criticism of HSUS this time. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
Lynne, Using an expletive to refer to this person is not acceptable here.
Even if HSUS “rescues” dogs from hell itself, they still drop them at shelters and rescues who are already struggling with numbers of pets and finances. Displaced pets are killed. “Rescued” pets are killed. This is not something I will ever back off criticizing.
Better to let the dogs suffer in puppy mill then, I guess. Don’t worry Miss Manners, I won’t be back to visit your blog and will no longer link to any of it. You belittle people like Charlene who put their time and efforts into saving these dogs. That is shameful.
No I don’t. You are out of line.
What is shameful is HSUS waltzing in, doing their publicity thing, then waltzing back out, without really helping the animals they expound to help – did they donate any money for their upkeep?
You’ll see these poor animals next on HSUS’s ads for money.
Exactly! I will be interested to know if HSUS is going to give ANY $$ to pay for the upkeep of the animals that will be going to my local shelter. Not holding my breath though.
I don’t understand why everyone is making the HSUS the issue here. HSUS will go on no matter how much vitriole is spewed upon them. The issue is the animals. Some keep saying some of them will be killed in shelters. What about all the diseased puppies she has sold who will end up in shelters? What about all the puppies who will be discarded to shelters once they are no longer cute? Did she screen the people she sold to? Did she have a contract they would give these puppies back if no longer wanted instead of dumping them in shelters? Had the parents been checked for genetic diseases and given clean bills of health? There are good people out there working to help these animals and see that as many as possible get a good home, where they will not be kept in a wire cage to trot back and forth like zoo animals and be bred to death. I don’t know if HSUS has given money to help them or not. Have you? What good are you who are doing nothing but criticizing HSUS doing for these animals?
Jo, no one here is unhappy that HSUS came in and raided the place. The concern is that HSUS will rush in, “save puppies”, wave for the cameras and get their photo op, then pack up their gear and their millions of dollars and leave. They’ll continue to fundraise on the pictures, but will they even know or care where the dogs actually ended up?
The point is, it’s not a rescue if the dogs end up dead.
I am thrilled that the dogs are out of that situation. I applaud EVERYONE who made that possible. I am so pleased that HSUS has the resources to do these kinds of large scale rescues.
But (and it’s a biggie), they have a tendency to dump these animals on local rescue groups and into shelters, rather than continue to use their vast (and they are VAST) resources to get them into homes and safe situations. It’s all very well to rush in with the colors flying, but when the cameras are off, are they following through with the rescue? Or are some of their “rescued” animals going to end up dead in a shelter (or other animals killed to make room for them in that shelter)? Are some local rescue groups going to be given dogs and nothing more (food, money, publicity to help bring in donations/adopters)?
If you’re going to take the glory (and fund raise on it ad infinitum), you should take the responsibility of follow through, too.
I would add to mikken’s good comments my concern that there is no education or assistance offered to the owner. This woman obviously likes to have pets. She will get more. And since HSUS spent zero resources on working WITH her, the next group of animals she gets will probably be cared for in exactly the same way except she will go further underground and probably not bring dogs to the vet and such for fear of HSUS swooping in.
In the vast majority of cases, you will never stop people from getting more pets. Why not open a dialogue, keep tabs on them, offer ongoing support and assistance to improve the care they provide and prevent another bad situation developing?
Let me say, once again, that Callie Abel was NOT a hoarder ‘keeping pets’. She was breeding for resale. And she was pretty dang far underground this time which is why it took us so long to get her busted. Without HSUS, it wouldnt have happened. Edgefield County does NOT have the $$ or manpower. And she KNEW that, thats probably why she moved here from Aiken Co after busted there. Also, as I’ve said before, she did NOT need any ‘education’, she knows exactly what she is doing. Heck, her ex husband is a vet.
And again, we locals WILL follow what happens to the seized animals. So far they are going to no kill shelters. I dont know if funds will be given from HSUS to the shelters but I dont know if they’ve even asked.
I am all for HSUS getting publicity for this! I want more puppy mills in small rural counties that have no resources to do it themselves busted.
It’s my understanding the Edgefield County Sheriff’s office called on the HSUS and the Humane Society of Charlotte to assist them in removing the animals. They did set up a temporary shelter for the animals and are providing vet care. Petsmart Charities is supplying the food. So they are helping. Just like the puppy mill bust in Gatesville,TX of the 200+ rottweilers breed specific rescue needs to step up and help with their breed. When the rottweilers were seized everyone kept saying the Houston SPCA would kill them all because that’s what they do. They Sweep in, seize the animals from nice people and kill them”…well only a handful were euthanized and those were suffering from advanced stages of disease. Rottweiler people were there everyday taking care of those dogs to make sure it didn’t happen.
My point is the animals need to be the main focus here, anyone local should be out there volunteering [photos, bios, walking, feeding ect] also contacting rescues for when these animals are released.
This woman was not a sweet animal loving lady who took in strays for “pets” and became overwhelmed. She was running a puppy mill and could care less about proper care of the animals, all she cares about is the money she makes off them.
In March of this year, HSUS raided a puppy mill and brought along Georgina Bloomberg, daughter of billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg. Pacelle also brought heiress Amanda Hearst to a Mississippi raid a year or two ago. Hearst, Bloomberg, a Kennedy daughter, a Forbes, and other megabucks socialities then formed “Friends of Finn” to raise money for the HSUS puppy mill campaign. Last year’s lavish fundraising gala they helped arrange was called “To The Rescue.”
HSUS honchos, aware of the adverse publicity their Vick, Fay/Faye, Katrina, Alabama 44 and other scandals have garnered, have no choice but to avoid – or cover up – the killing of “rescued” animals. HSUS may even decide to cough up some money, but it will be accompanied by a press release and a donate button. HSUS can no longer directly involve their “Director of Animal Cruelty Policy for the Emergency Rescue Team” J.P. Goodwin in the case. But why is this pit bull killing enthusiast who had a major role in the Vick and Fay/Faye frauds – and defended the Wilkes County massacre – their emergency rescue expert?
The majority of HSUS staffers are lobbyists, fundraisers, activists, media hounds, and money counters. These employees do what they are paid to do all day. Until that changes, HSUS will continue enriching themselves at the expense of the animals.
I’m replying to Shirley’s comment first about rehabilitating this puppy mill person. This woman is not a hoarder who is to be pitied. She is not a hoarder because it is part of the clinical definition of hoarding that hoarders do not discard their possessions. This woman is a person who considers animals objects to be used to make her living and her profit margin is valued above their care. In this neglect case, as well as in other cases of animal cruelty and neglect, I believe the individuals should be court ordered not to acquire more animals, and then I believe they should be placed on a registry of animal abuse and neglect so that enforcement and the entire community will be aware when they move into an area. Ideally, this should be a national registry similar to the sex offender registry. Hoarders, which this woman is clearly not, should probably be placed on the registry as well, because although they might benefit from long term psychotherapy and monitoring, very few counties have the resources to provide it.
Jim, I am not the expert that you are on the activities of the HSUS. I am aware, however, that all charities, including local humane societies, are often guilty of padding their coffers at the expense of the animals. They all need watchdogs to help keep them on the straight and narrow. Probably, the criticism they have received has somewhat improved their practices over time. That being said, however, if HSUS would help me get animals out of a horror situation I would use them. I wouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
Finally, as well as attacking the HSUS, I would like to see some well known No Kill advocates do something with regard to this situation other than attack HSUS. Isn’t it the role of the No Kill advocate as well to rally the community? Provide us with the information about where the animals are going and how we can donate, volunteer, foster, rescue, and adopt, and we will help them, irregardless of what HSUS chooses to do.
I never said she was a hoarder. Why does the word hoarder keep coming up? Is this one of those tactics where someone just makes up something because they have no argument against the actual statement?
The term hoarder is being used because you refuse to call her what she is – a puppy mill breeder. These 200 animals are not pets. These are blood drenched victims for her own greed and profit. You have no problems jumping down HSUS throat, but you give an animal torturer a pass. You are blinded by your ideology. HSUS is deeply flawed and and there are legitimate things they do that deserve sunlight. This case is not one of tjem
I am not giving an animal torturer a pass. What I am saying is that HSUS does not rescue animals. I am saying that this person obviously likes to keep animals and will do so again.
Jo, the HSUS is guilty of far more than padding their coffers at the expense of the animals. Do not compare HSUS’s fundraising tactics with other animal organizations or “all charities.” There are many, many animal and other charities that do not exploit their special status. Surely you know this. I’d say that CharityWatch.org’s D and F rated groups (under 25% of charities rated) need watchdogs. And those F and D (HSUS is a D) rated players raising $100 million or more a year deserve multiple watchdogs. Equating HSUS with animal charities in general is like equating Michael Vick with Tom Brady, MAS with Austin Pets Alive or Wayne Pacelle with Nathan Winograd. HSUS is in a class all it’s own, which is why experienced animal advocates on this blog continue to criticize them. HSUS fraud hurts legitimate charities in all fields – of course, countless animals. Take Hurricane Katrina.
HSUS volunteers helped save around 2,000 animals in the weeks after Katrina, but did not cooperate with more experienced groups on the ground because they didn’t want to share publicity and donations. HSUS even refused to share the list of animals that needed rescuing, knowing they would drown or starve to death in misery (they did). HSUS left New Orleans 5-6 weeks after Katrina struck, taking at least 80% of the $20 million raised with them. Worse, HSUS continued to beg for “emergency donations” for ‘Katrina pets” into the following year. (I got one in January of 2006). Best Friends saved around 4,000 animals and stayed through November 2005; HSUS took credit for all of those and all cared for by North Shore Animal League, the ASPCA and even the newly formed Animal Rescue New Orleans’ (while refusing to help them). Pacelle only ended his Katrina fundraising campaign after the Louisiana Attorney General, responding to countless complaints from HSUS volunteers, local shelters and some well-known national groups, opened a formal investigation. HSUS couldn’t back up it’s words about where the money went (and still can’t) with actual documents or other demonstrable evidence. HSUS lawyers resorted to the pathetic loophole/tiny print online disclaimer that they weren’t raising money for Katrina, but for their disaster fund as a whole. The criticism from Katrina and succeeding scams did not improve their practices over time – it emboldened Pacelle to use similar tactics for future disasters and to turn cruelty cases into mini-Katrina publicity and cash infusions.
HSUS regularly tells law enforcement offices in every state that they will deploy if needed. Fine, but there is no excuse for a $200 million group to beg for “urgently needed” funds or issue more than one or two press releases in a case like this. They should QUIETLY GIVE GENEROUS CASH ASSISTANCE to those involved in the case and STFU about it in their press materials.
I believe that you are giving this woman a pass Shirley, because at the beginning in the comments you said: “In short, I just do not see the need to take every living thing away from this person. ” Look at this video and tell me you still want to stand on that statement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAn3Wts-dXY&feature=share&list=PL43796356A6DFD781
Do you continue to stand on that statement or do you not – yes or no?
I used the word hoarder because you continue to assert that a puppy miller can be ‘helped’.
Jim I don’t spend my time researching charities. Thank you for the information. I work hands on and I see both the suffering and then the results of my spending right before me. That is the role that I prefer in helping animals just as you have your preferred role. I post occasionally on the internet because I care about animals. From now on, however, I will be sure to leave that to you ‘experienced animal advocates’.
Okay, as much as I deplore the money the HSUS spends on other than animals – after viewing the rescue, I do see why those animals needed to be removed and taken care of. I only hope that the legislator from SC was serious about shutting down all of these puppy mills who are keeping animals in such deplorable conditions. (No, I’m not against responsible breeders, so don’t even bother to go there.) And maybe, just maybe, the legislator needs to have a look at the “shelters” in the state, too, and see some very similar horrific conditions.
It’d be something if HSUS would stop at that, but their gameplan is the complete elimination of pets / livestock –
Pacelle’s statement – “We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding …One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”
I understand completely. And don’t get the mistaken impression that I am supporting the H$US – but the dogs and puppies in the video were not being well cared for and needed to be “rescued”. How many will actually survive and go on to be adopted and how many others will be displaced by killing is also to be determined. I, however, do not agree that the owner of this place needs education. It was pretty evident that she was the worst kind of breeder, simply interested in making money on the lives of the dogs.
As is HSUS
This makes me furious. You are making judgements as to the conditions of these animals and their environment based on a few select views and pictures taken from the media and HSUS. I know what this place was like, as I was one of the volunteers during this raid. The place was deplorable and sickening. The house was wall to wall garbage, feces, and cockroaches. The nursing moms were kept in rabbit hutches with feces piled up 3-4 inches on the wires, which were also so wide that the little puppies couldn’t walk on them without their legs falling through. The food bins were too tall for the puppies to eat out of, so they climbed in and ended up pooping in their food. The stench was unbearable. The chickens, duck and geese were living in the mud under the rabbit hutches, with no food at all and disgusting brown water. All these birds were rail thin…something you can’t see easily but you can feel. Any of the breeds of dogs with long hair were matted to the point where they could hardly see, and some had mats that were pulling their skin and causing sores. They all had so many fleas that in some of the white dogs it looked like they were covered in pepper. There was one dog that was paralyzed! She was living in an outdoor run and couldn’t even walk. She was dragging herself around. Of course, she was so matted that you couldn’t even tell what was wrong with her at first. There were dogs that you could see every bone in their body they were so skinny and others who all their hair was falling out. There were ruptured eye balls, and teeth falling out. And piles of dead animal bones, some of which were small and look liked dog bones. This lady had been convicted of animal cruelty in another state a few years ago, and was prevented from ever having animals in that state…so she crossed the state lines and started all over again.
I don’t know the ins and outs of HSUS, don’t work for them and don’t want to argue about what they do with their money, but in THIS CASE they saved a lot of animals from years of misery. The volunteers and HSUS workers that were there were tireless and compassionate and devoted. They hugged these little babies, and gave them baths and haircuts and fresh food and playtime. I don’t see how you can berate and belittle and criticize these people in this situation. They made a difference in all of these animal’s lives.
Thank you Carole … as a neighbor who had been trying to get Callie busted for years, I really appreciate the HSUS taking action. A correction though, Callie was busted in the adjoining county, Aiken County, (not another state) about 8 yrs ago, at that time she was breeding daschunds, the doxies were removed but I dont believe she was actually charged with anything, she lost her AKC certification, so moved to the next county and started this mess. We are all furious that ALL she got was 7 counts of ‘ill treatment’ of animals when there were 300 animals. And all she got was $50 fine per charge, and she gets to retain her 3 personal animals if she cleans up. We do NOT understand why she wasnt charged with 300 counts, at $50 per count THAT would have meant jail time for her. She’ll; probably just move to the next county. We are trying to get the politicos to pass licensing laws but who knows if that’ll get done. But at least the animals are safe now.
Thanks for setting me straight as to the facts of this person’s past Mary Lou. I am also disappointed and dismayed at the courts willingness to just sweep this whole thing under the rug and plea bargain with her. But, like you said, at least these 200 animals have a chance at a better life now.
This from the Edgefield Daily online : Editor’s post: I spoke with Chief Magistrate Brenda Carpenter on Wednesday, and in her defense, she agreed to the plea that was worked out between the Sheriff’s Office, Abel’s lawyer, and
the HSUS. It is rare that a judge departs from a plea all parties signed off on. I disagree with most plea deals worked out be it in Magistrate Court or General Sessions Court, but that is irrelevant. I’m not a judge.
There were no felony charges brought and Abel was not charged for operating a puppy mill. Whether or not that will change in the future (which I doubt) has nothing to do with the charges Able faced in Magistrate court on warrants issued prior to the raid – they were used to obtain the search warrant for the raid.
I still think that stiffer penalties should have come from this, and they may still, but if Abel does not complete her part of the plea within 60 days, she could face up to 210 days in jail. So there is hope.
http://www.edgefielddaily.com/wanderingminds.html
Other comments in Edgefield Daily :I am outraged over the $350 fine that was placed on the puppy mill owner. How could Brenda Carpenter give her such a fine. If she was going to be just fined why wasn’t the cost of all the agencies coming down here with all their rigs and the medical care that had to be given to the animals considered? $350 doesn’t even pay for the cost of feeding the animals. I just emailed Sen. Knoxx and hope he shows more of the same outrage now that he did when they went into that puppy mill. This is a disgrace.
web posted September 26, 2012
Charlie Chappee had been taking dogs from Callie for more than 2 years….does that sound like an investigation to you….???? Someone was reporting Charlie for having too many animals on her 2 acre property,breeding dogs in her house and not having enough room for the 10 or so horses she had there….a lot more was going on…..Charlie finally turned Callie in to save her ownself and now everyone thinks she is a hero. She isn’t..she was cited for nuisance herself and pled gullty…big fine of $107….this is not her first run in with the law either..Charlene Ann Chappee…go to aikencountysc.gov and click onto court records.