600 dog-kennel is still a Puppy Mill

Hello Morrison County Board of Commissioners,

    We at Puppy Passions Rescue & Transport have recently come across this information regarding your granting Mr. Gary McDuffee his permit to open a 40-acre kennel in Belle Prairie Township so that he can breed around 600 dogs.  Now, there have been statements made by expert breeders such as Mrs. Borglund, http://www.startribune.com/462/story/201592.html  that it’s difficult to give 23-25 dogs individual attention and care daily, let alone 600!! No person, I don’t care how nicely they put up a front, can possibly give 600 dogs the proper care and attention they require in order to breed them properly and in regard to their breed’s standards, to keep the breeds in the healthiest shape possible and not to help flood those breeds with sick and weak animals. 

    A truly responsible breeder would not attempt to house 600 dogs on any sized property and attempt to state that the dogs will be properly cared for and treated humanely.  This is more equal to a Puppy Mill than a true breeder who cares about keeping the standards of excellence for the particular breed that the breeder is breeding.  If you ask any serious dog breeder, you will quickly learn that it’s impossible to keep the high standards that are needed to keep any breed at the top of their standards regarding health, genetics, personality, behavior and vet care in such large numbers.  It's been reported by real dog breeders who truly care about the dogs, that a breeder doesn’t breed to earn a profit but because they care and want to assure that the particular dogs they breed keep the health and vitality and disposition as they should be for that particular breed.  A true dog breeder does NOT earn a profit and I’m sorry but how can you possibly explain to me or the general public how a man who plans on housing 600 dogs can possible know enough about each breed he has, to keep the standards at the level they need to be to assure genetic defects and health problems do not get into the breeding community as well as to be sure he’s truly breeding quality animals that will be wonderful members of families who adopt them and will be all that a dog should be. I can answer the question for you, there is NO way that he can do this and not make himself out to be a puppy mill, businesses that are only out to make a profit and don’t care one iota about the animals they have except to breed them until they’re spent.  Very few such places get the proper medical care, food, water, exercise and stimulation that a dog needs in order to be happy and healthy; this is basically nothing more than a manufacturing plant cranking out dogs.  

  We at Puppy Passions Rescue & Transport would like to suggest to you to reverse your decision or if that is not possible, then to use this petition and the statements within it, for making much wiser decisions with future permit applications for similar structures as you’ve granted Mr. McDuffee. 

Sincerely,

Mike Sexton

Vice President,

Puppy Passions Rescue & Transport