Animals Rights Activists groups, the Humane Society of the United States and the Indianapolis Humane Society have been pursuing the elimination of Indiana Dog Breeders for quite sometime. In the last couple of years they have urged a few Indiana legislators to introduce bills making it difficult to breed dogs for profit and have conducted raids on several properties within the State of Indiana. Up until now, the Indianapolis Humane Society along with the Humane Society of the United States has succeeded in closing down several Indiana Dog Breeders.

After the failure to end all Commercial Dog Breeders in 2009 by, among other things, trying to impose ridiculous cage restrictions that even a college professor couldn’t decipher, they are now using a different tactic by attacking the Indiana Pet Stores to eliminate buyers for puppies. How much longer is this behavior going to continue?

If the Humane Societies believe Indiana Dog Breeders don’t care about their dogs and the quality of life for their animals, they are making a huge mistake. Commercial Dog Breeders could have put up privacy fences and left things as they were. Or, they could have sent some of their breeding stock to friends and other family members thus reducing the quantity of dogs at each kennel. They could have forfeited their licenses and sold their puppies to other states that have recently fallen victim to their new regulations and are now screaming for puppies.

But, the Indiana Commercial Dog Breeders didn’t play games or try to pull any sneaky tricks. The breeders willing paid the USDA license fee and/or the Indiana Board of Animal Health fee. They joined the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare (ICAW). The Indiana Dog Breeders, Indiana Puppy Breeders, Commercial Dog Breeders and anything else you want to call those who raise puppies are spending thousands of dollars to upgrade their kennels. Some are building brand new facilities while others are remodeling their existing kennels with materials recommended in the bill signed into law by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and in effect as of Jan. 1st, 2010.

Raids have been conducted on kennels and private citizens for several years now. Lonely, elderly people have been a prime target. Scared and helpless, these people had to stand by under the watchful eye of law enforcement officers and while their beloved animals were carted off under false pretences. They never get their animals back. The animals were sent to shelters and put up for adoption. According to media reports, the animals were “rescued” because they were “so sick and so abused” and had to be relocated. Relocated means sent to shelters and adopted by the public, sometimes within as little as three days.

If the animals were so sick and so abused, why are the shelters adopting out these sick and abused dogs? Some animals were transported to shelters in other states. How are these animals getting across state lines without health certificates? If they had health certificates, they weren’t really sick were they? It seems to me there is a little more work to be done by the Senate and House of Representatives of Indiana concerning animal welfare.  

It has come to our attention that the USDA is no longer going to put up with the bad actors. 1st, that is great news. When the Indiana legislature passed HB1468 in 2009 we applauded them for sticking to their guns and accepting the federal standards of the USDA. 2nd the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare applauds the USDA for recognizing that some Indiana Dog Breeders and some Indiana Puppy Breeders do not follow the rules.

From day one ICAW has always stated that if you can not raise dogs correctly and legally we would not support you. Our Animals Rights opponents seem to not believe us. We have come to understand that these folks have just become the minions of HSUS. These Animals Rights folks have become brainwashed by the blather from the biggest factory fundraisers in the country HSUS.

We at ICAW are looking forward to the USDA's changes in the next few weeks. So, yes, you heard it here, we applaud what the USDA is doing to rid the industry of the bad actors. Please take the time to read the above article and you will see why we are truly happy about the changes.

For those of you in Indiana that have not heeded our words, whether you are Indiana Puppy Breeders or Indiana Dog Breeders "Get It Right or Get It Gone". ICAW really and truly wants to Stop Cruelty to Animals whether it is in Indiana Pet Stores or any of the Commercial Dog Breeders who don't want to listen. We have sent the message many times, now it will really be sent by no less than the federal government.

When is a dog not a dog?  by Elsie Evans

 How long before the Indiana Dog Breeders, the Indiana Pet Stores and the good citizens of Indiana start asking questions? Recently I was made aware of two alleged veterinarians offering an alternative to dog kennels under roof. Their program is call "FREE RANGE DOGS". Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, has been pushing for "FREE RANGE CHICKENS" in California. Is this just a coincidence? I doubt it.

On this program a fenced area of an acre with a community shelter would support 25 dogs. These veterinarians would teach the breeder how to socialize dogs so they would all get along. The dog breeder targeted for this program was at a loss of what to do. I believe I know what to do. Start asking questions.  

1.First thing you ask is how are they connected with HSUS. Also ask if this program has been approved by the USDA and/or IBOAH.

2.Ask if this is another crazy program to bankrupt breeders and if their intentions are to put them out of business.  Don’t be afraid of offending them. Get a description of their vehicle and get the license plate number. Remember, they most likely will be wearing small cameras and microphones.
   
3.Ask for ID and write down the ID number.

4.Ask what kind of dogs they raise and do they have their kennels set up this way. They will have to acknowledge if  they have put this in practice themselves or are they speculating. They probably don't have their own kennel.

5.Ask for names, addresses or phone numbers so you can Find Dog Breeders already on program that you can contact.

6.Ask how you keep your dogs from being stolen when you are away from home or at night when you are asleep since you don't have to be a 20 year old athlete to climb a fence.

7.Does the community shelter have access to the outside of the kennel in order for the owner to enter and check inside the shelter for removal of a sick or injured dog.

8.Ask what to do about hawks and owls if you have small breeds.

9.Ask how you know which male bred which female.

10.Ask how you determine a whelp date.

11.Ask how you discover a weak/sick dog before its too late. A sick dog could appear it is just napping.

12.Ask how you keep one chow hound from getting all the food.

13.Ask about feces removal and how you keep the kennel and the shelter clean, plus where do you put the dogs in order to clean the kennel.

14.Ask how you keep dogs from digging under the fence or finding a hole they can squeeze through and escape.

15.Ask how you keep a dog from eating the feces of another.

16.Ask how you deal with ALPHA dogs.

17.Ask for a list of what breeds you cannot put together.

18.Ask what you do about dogs not sharing the shelter.

19.Ask just how they go about socializing the dogs.

20.Ask about dimensions of shelter and height of kennel fence plus estimated cost.

21.Ask about materials used for fencing and ground cover.

22.Ask what you need to use for flea & tick control since the dogs will be exposed to the elements.

I have experience using a community kennel. Except for the yard dog, my dogs are 4 to 6 pounds and are turned loose together in a 16 x 16 chain link kennel everyday, weather permitting. I have two dog houses because they will not share just one. The male gets to be with the females for no more than a few minutes because they fight. Sometimes two will gang up on one for no reaon that I can see. They crowd the gate when I enter and sometimes one escapes. They ride the fence, they dig holes, they walk in feces, they share a water dish but will not share food. You can't pick feces out of grass or gravel but you can rake the feces into a pile for removal if there is only dirt. The grass is gone so when it rains they are standing in mud. I can't rake the dry ground when the dogs are there because they either attack the rake or want to play with it. Weeds grow into the fence and can't be sprayed or mowed without moving the entire fence. My toy breed dogs look like lunch to hawks and owls, so my kennel is located under my one and only huge tree. None of my dogs know they can dig under the fence but they do know they can squeeze out through the space at the gate. I had to fasten a piece of 2 x 4 to the post to close the gap.

A few things concern me about this "FREE RANGE" idea. The egg producers couldn't make it work. The large commercial egg producer had 10,000 eggs a day while the "FREE RANGE" producer had 900 eggs a day. After a few days the dogs are going to have open wounds, damaged eyes and ears from fighting, filthy from being in mud and some will be losing weight due to lack of getting their turn at the food. This is a perfect set up for the Animals Rights activists to claim abuse and neglect. Socializing dogs may work well when getting a puppy ready to go to a new home but it doesn't work on adult dogs. I have had vet bills as much as $300 to prove it. So, when is a dog not a dog? NEVER.  
 

Well we are into our 4th month of HB1468 being the law of the land in Indiana. As of April 7th, 2010 there are over 80 Commercial Dog Breeders and 2 Commercial Dog Brokers registered with the Indiana Board of Animal Health (BOAH). During the heat of the battle in 2009 over HB1468 many numbers were thrown around about how many Indiana Puppy Breeders there actually are in the state, on the low side that number was less than 100 Commercial Dog Breeders and on the high side 3000. We always knew that 3000 Commercial Dog Breeders was ludicrous. Take a moment and think about it, 33 Commercial Dog Breeders per county. This would mean there is at least one Commercial Dog Breeder on every corner in some counties.

With that being said, ICAW would like to know who (if any) has not registered with the state of Indiana as Commercial Dog Breeders or Commercial Dog Brokers. We know that there are more breeders and brokers out there and want to get them registered or find out why they are not. So if you know of any Indiana Dog Breeders that should be classified as Commercial Dog Breeders or someone that should be classified as a Commercial Dog Broker. Please let us know at info@icaw.org.

When we get the opportunity to talk to the Animals Rights folks we have always told them that we want to Stop Cruelty to Animals as much as they profess to. We are going to action as we promised to find the bad actors, so please help us to Find Dog Breeders or Dog Brokers that are not following the law.

The Indiana Council for Animal Welfare was created to protect our human rights but we absolutely will stand up to "ANYONE" about making sure that "THEY" follow their human responsibility to be forthright and legal.

We received a letter today from Frank Losey. Mr. Losey writes about another way to get the Animals Rights folks attention. All across our great country there are so many unbelievable ordinances, laws being created that are just flat out unconstitutional. All Indiana Dog Breeders anyone who truly wants to Stop Cruelty to Animals will pay heed to Mr. Loseys advice. So please go and Find Dog Breeders to show this post to.

“Ex Post Facto” Provision - - A Potential “Poison Pill” and “Finesse” to the Bills Sponsored by the HSUS

 

For the “sake of argument,” let us suppose that the HSUS were to decide, hypothetically of course (!!!!!), to push for legislation at the Federal or State Level, or both, that would do one or more of the following:

·         Limit the maximum number of dogs and puppies that breeders or pet owners may keep in their homes or kennels at any given time, under the ruse of prohibiting “hoarding.”

·         Limit how many intact dams may be kept in a home or kennel.

·         Limit how often breeders may breed dams in their homes or kennels.

·         Prohibit the use of cages in homes or kennels to house dogs and puppies.

·         Establish standards for how much space each dog or puppy is required to have in a home or kennel that is used to breed dogs.

 

 

 

For the “sake of discussion,” let us assume that you are a hobby breeder who may have up to 24 dogs and puppies in your home or kennel at any given time; and that you had used your home or small kennel to breed your dogs for at least several years.  Would you have a problem if a State or Federal Law prohibited you from using cages in your home, or limited you from having more than 10 dogs and puppies in your home at any given time because more than 10 would  mean that you are hoarding dogs and puppies?  I suspect so!

For the “sake of discussion,” let us assume that you are a commercial breeder who is Federally licensed and inspected; who last year spent $50-100,000 on upgrading your kennel, which exceeded all Federal requirements at the time of improvements; who has never had a major discrepancy on any Federal or State Inspection Report; who has 20 intact females; and who on occasion may have a total of 100 or more dogs and puppies in your kennel.   Would you have a problem if a State or Federal Law prohibited you from having more than 10 intact females; prohibited you from having more than 50 dogs and puppies in your kennel at any given time; required that you invest additional money to expand the size of your kennel so that each dog and puppy would have a minimum of 50 square feet of living and sleeping space; and that you would be prohibited from using cages in your kennel at any time for any purpose?   I suspect so!  

As “Food for Thought,” I suggest that hobby breeders and commercial breeders consider throwing some figurative sand into the wheels of the HSUS Legislative Freight Train Agenda by suggesting to their “friendly” and supportive elected representatives that any new law, that is intended to restrict the activities of existing hobby or commercial breeders, must “GRANDFATHER” and exempt all existing hobby and commercial breeders from any new restrictive law based upon the Constitutional protections as set out in Article 1, Section 9 which explicitly states that “No . . . ex post facto Law shall be passed.”

 

Ex Post What?!?!?!?  Well, the “Ex Post Facto” Clause was intended by our Forefathers to prohibit enacting a law that would be retroactive and criminalize actions that a citizen had been doing before the criminal statute was passed.   And is not the HSUS seeking laws that would criminalize the activities of breeders?  (If there is any doubt, read the following excerpt from Nancy Perry’s Bio - - she is the HSUS Vice President for Government Affairs:  “The HSUS has lobbied in all 50 states for animal protection legislation and  secured felony cruelty provisions in 41 states (including Washington DC). . . and aided in the passage of 24 ballot measures.”)

 

 

And let us not forgot that the meaning of the word “hoarder” is in the process of being redefined by the HSUS, which is notorious for distorting images of responsible breeders in the minds of the public and legislators.  Once the meaning of “hoarder” is redefined by the HSUS, this will provide yet another basis for HSUS to seek and orchestrate changes to laws that could result in expanded prosecutions for alleged “animal abuse!!!”

 

 

 

Is this scenario a bit of a stretch?   Stop and ask yourself, if you are a hobby breeder and a law is passed that stated that anyone who had more than 10 dogs and puppies in a home would be determined to be a “hoarder,” and you had 19 dogs and puppies in your home on the day it was enacted, what would you do to avoid being in violation of a new criminal statute?  And if you were a commercial breeder who had 98 dogs and puppies in your kennel on the day a new law was passed that made it a crime to have more than 50 dogs and puppies in your kennel, what would you do to avoid being in violation of a criminal statute?

So what is to be gained by raising the issue of the “Ex Post Facto Clause” of the U.S. Constitution to Federal and State legislators?  It might cause some legislators to pause and urge that new Bills be delayed until everyone understood what “ex post facto” means.  It may provide breeder/agriculture-friendly legislators with a new basis to oppose any new “restrictive” law.  It may also cause other legislators to add “Grandfather” amendments to a pending Bill.   Any one of these three scenarios would probably slow down or derail the growing legislative momentum of the HSUS and other animal rights activists.  Often “delays” result in Bills never being enacted.  Additionally, the “Grandfather” provision scenario would probably be a “Poison Pill” Amendment that could drive the HSUS “nuts” because the HSUS might have to publicly renounce the Constitution of the U.S., especially if it opposed a “watered-down” Bill that had a “Grandfather” provision in it.  Could HSUS oppose a Bill because it is not written the way HSUS wants it to be written?   Yes, it could and it has done so in the past!  For example, one of the reasons that the HSUS stop pushing to have the PAWS Bill enacted a few years ago was because the sponsor of the Paws Bill would not include the additional provisions that the  HSUS and the Doris Day Animal League had wanted to be included, such as limiting how often a dam may be bred.

So how would the “Grandfather” provision work?   In essence, it would mean that if you were a breeder at the time the new law was enacted, and the law created new limitations on what a hobby or commercial breeder was permitted to do, those limitations would only apply to future breeders, and not to the breeders who were breeding dogs before new limitations were enacted into law.  For example, if the new limitations placed a limit on how many dogs or puppies that you could have in your home or kennel, those limitations would not apply to any breeder who had been breeding dogs before the new law was enacted.

If the “Ex Post Facto” Clause is appropriate “Food for Thought” for the hobby and commercial breeders to consider, perhaps those in the Agriculture Community should consider this same “Food for Thought” to counter the “Distortion Mill” of the HSUS!!!!!! 

If we all stand up for our human rights as one maybe just maybe then the Animals Rights folks will pay attention!

I have been sitting here thinking about all of the things that an Indiana Humane Shelter has said  when getting your dog from a pet store or some type of retail establishment. Repeatedly they say: "Ask them where did this dog come from?", "What is the temperment of the sire and dam?", "Does this dogs parents have any genetic problems?" More to the point here is a list of questions.

1. Where do the puppies come from?
2. Is that a licensed USDA dealer?
3. Does the kennel or breeder insist on genetic clearances for breeding stock?
4. What health problems are common in this breed?
5. What type temperament does this breed have?
6. Does the breed have a tendency to bark a lot?
7. How much socialization do they need?
8. How much exercise does this breed need?
9. How much grooming is required?
10. How badly do they shed?
11. What happens to the puppies you don't sell? Are they sent to rescue groups? Euthanized? Returned to the breeder?

Some of these questions are only looking for the commercial breeders to only help disqualify them. Most of these questions are absolutely great questions. When getting your dog from any Indiana Humane Society do these same questions get asked, or more to the point is there ever an answer to those questions. How do those Dog Adoption Shelters respond when asked these same questions? I keep sitting here trying to answer that question and simply can't do it. We all want to Stop Cruelty to Animals but if the shelters and/or rescues are not answering the same questions as the retail establishments.  And in some cases they are requirements, isn't that hypocritical on some level.

Over the coming weeks I will be giving you some other questions to ask when getting your dog. So remember the above questions are not the only questions to ask. Please give me some of the questions that you think should be asked when getting your next dog.

I could go into so many details on why the animals rights activists are wrong in their endeavors but I’m going to try to keep this somewhat simple for this moment.

I see and hear about adopting an animal from a shelter all of the time. While I don’t see anything wrong with this. I don’t see how it’s any better than buying from any Indiana Puppy Breeders, Commercial Dog Breeders, or Indiana Pet Stores.

First of all I think that the adoption fees of most shelters have become outrageous. It’s no longer an adoption process it’s a way to make money. I understand it takes money to run these shelters but where does a not for profit organization get the not for profit if they are obviously profiting off the dogs they adopt or sell out? Does anyone really think that they’re not making money when they adopt dogs out for $250 to $300 a piece while still receiving donations from fund raisers, animal’s rights activists, and advertising? This raises the question where EXACTLY is the money going?

Having said that let’s get into a few other aspects of Indiana Dog Breeders and dog ownership. I have had experiences with dog adoption shelters and so far none are positive. Out of the few nicely run dog adoption shelters I visited I have adopted twice.

The first dog was a wonderful boxer mix that would have made a great addition to any home. Being led to believe that he had been vaccinated and recently neutered I took him home to meet the rest of the family. Within the next two days he seemed a little sluggish which I associated to having just been neutered. I was shocked when my new found friend started having diarrhea and stopped holding his food down. I quickly rushed him to the vet.

After testing was done he was found to have Canine Parvovirus. Something he could not have picked up and became ill with in the two and a half days he was in my care. At the time I wasn’t worried about the dog adoption shelters or cost, I just wanted to save my dog! After extensive treatment and care by my veterinarian, I still lost my new found friend to this highly contagious disease.
 
After going back to the shelter I found that there was no refund policy. In fact there was NO policies in which the shelter would help with the vet bills that had mounted up… and for the price I paid to “adopt” this dog $200 and the price I paid my vet $300, I could of bought a dog from one of many Indiana Puppy Breeders or Indiana Pet Stores that would offer me a health guarantee, registration papers, shot records, replacement policy, and a background of the dog.

Did I learn my lesson? Obviously not… being an animal lover I just hate to see those dogs sitting there waiting to go home. So after a few years I got brave enough to try the dog adoption shelters again. This time I was introduced to a female bull terrier that took to me immediately. This time the shelter gave me a background on where the dog was “found” and a history on how she behaved socially with the other animals and it sounded great! I was even told that they would guarantee there was nothing she had caught from the kennel. I would just have to pay the small fee of $250 and sign a spay/neuter agreement. Which yes, put me in the position to pay for her surgery?
 This didn’t sound too outlandish. So I agreed. Who wouldn’t alter an unregistered dog? Then they got to the part that I had to use their vet. Okay, well I bit the bullet knowing it would probably cost more than my vet would have charged me, but it’s their policy. Well I waited over the weekend for my new bully friend to have her visit to the vet so that I could take her home that Monday.
 
I showed up at the vet’s office to pay my bill and to take little miss bully home with me. Just to find out that she had been pregnant at the time of the surgery which put her at high risk, made them abort the litter, and jacked my price up to a total of $260 dollars!!!
 
Oh well… I had a healthy vet checked, neutered, well behaved dog. So I took her on home. Well to put a long story short. I’m not sure what socializing she had at the shelter but there was not a true evaluation of her. She had food aggression, child aggression, separation anxiety, and an overall dangerous dog if left in the wrong hands.
 
The shelter would have gladly let me return her for another… and they would have waived the shelter adoption fee. However, I would have been paying to have another dog neutered, and taking the same risk of behavior issues! So by this time I guess you could say that I had wised up to what was going on… and no, I didn’t try a third.

 Since then I have had the pleasure of meeting many Indiana dog breeders, commercial dog breeders, and owners of reputable Indiana pet stores. I have bought from these people and been totally satisfied.

 Not only did I receive a well bred dog every time, I received registration papers, health papers, shot records, and the ability to call and ask any question that pertained to that particular dog or breed.

 I’m not saying there aren’t good dogs in dog adoption shelters… I’m sure there are, but if you think about it. Most of them find their way there for a reason. Some reasons are the dogs; some reasons have been created by the previous owner. Either way you don’t truly know what you’re getting or how to be prepared for it.

 So if your going to own a dog I think you should be aware of what you’re getting into and not tricked by false advertisements and promises. Financially the adoption or sale cost of a dog is pretty much the same. It is also very little compared to the price you’ll have invested long term in food, pet care, annual veterinarian visits, and later life issues. If you can’t afford to purchase the pet, you probably have no business owning one to start with because you’re not going to be able to offer the quality care that owning a pet entails.

 So I would advise anyone interested in dog ownership to ignore the ridiculous harping of animal’s rights activists and to educate themselves properly. Don’t fall for the lingo of adoption or re-homing. It’s no different than a purchasing or buying, other than you have to watch out for the FINE PRINT! Having a pet can be a joy or a heart ache. Why choose heart ache over joy when you don’t have to?

Irene Weaver - Indiana

We find it quite interesting that WIBC is airing a commercial paid for by HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) this week about their version of the truth about Indiana Pet Stores. We wonder how an organization that has a 501c3 designation is able to justify paying for this type of lobbying media blitz with that 501c3 designation? It is our oppinion that most people in Indiana do not realize that HSUS has no direct links to any local Indiana Humane Society.

We believe if they truly wanted to Stop Cruelty to Animals in Indiana, HSUS would provide more direct funding to a local Indiana Humane Society or a local Indiana Dog Rescue. It is interesting that the Humane Society of Indianapolis has had a relationship with HSUS in the past. With the economy being the way that it is, we wonder if they would appreciate any of that money that HSUS collects to help their own animals? We ask you to click here and see for yourself what HSUS actually does with YOUR money. What does a national animals rights organization actually know about our small businesses here in Indiana?

We would like to provide you with a very useful resource to help you decide whether or not you want your money to go to this type of organization. We have been paying attention to the folks at Humane Watch for some time now. David Martosko is a very credible resource that HSUS truly does not like. There are so many watchdogs for so many non-profit organizations we believe that it is time HSUS got a watchdog and we think David Martosko is just the right man.

We are so glad that someone with the national following that David Martosko has, is now paying attention to all of the Animals Rights folks. So the next time you are wondering about Indiana Puppy Breeders or Indiana Pet Stores think about Humane Watch as well. We know that we will!!

I recently scrolled through the pet section of Hoosier Topics on the internet and discovered that many people don't buy or sell a puppy anymore. Dogs and puppies are now "re-homed" or "adopted".  Years ago, people went to do their "trading". Trading became "shopping", shopping became "buying" and it appears buying has now become "re-homing".  I wonder if this new language makes people feel like they are performing an act of kindness by "re-homing" or "adopting" a pet instead of "buying" one for their family? Or, could it be a way to out smart the Animals Rights Activists by using their own language? Well, good luck! A Yorkshire Terrier puppy with an adoption fee of $800 is not fooling anybody.

There were beautiful adult cats in Indiana Pet Stores with adoption fees of $150.00 or more. The cats appeared to be healthy and friendly. I may have considered taking these cats home with me if they weren't trying to cover the fact they were selling them. I would have appreciated a straight forward sign on the cages such as "3 yr old neutered cat, up to date on shots, $150.00". I felt like this Terre Haute pet supply store thought their customers were too stupid to understand they need compensation for their products. I left the store without buying anything and doubt if I will ever go back.
 
Some of the Indiana Pet Stores occasionally have dogs and puppies but they are for adoption only and usually accompanied by an employee from an Indiana Humane Society or the Dog Adoption Shelters. If your sympathy lies with a dog from a shelter, you may want to personally check out the shelter. Some shelters are clean and have well lit kennels with animal caretakers who love animals and enjoy taking care of them. But, there are also shelters that have horrible, filthy conditions and disease running rampant with uncaring employees who can't, can't get a job anywhere else. It’s almost comical when the bills are introduced at the State level banning convicted felons from having any contact with dogs when sometimes they are the only employees a shelter can get to work there!  

Yesterday we explained to you about HB 1258 Pet Store Regulation. Today we would like to ask Rep. John Barnes why he agreed to co-author this bill. We find it interesting that someone who is already on record for taking great pride in getting new jobs for his district 89 but especially keeping the businesses that he already has in his district 89. Why would he sign on to a bill that would cripple businesses in his district 89? As his website for re-election in 2008 so eloquently spells out "As a candidate endorsed by the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Barnes understands the critical state of the job market in our community, asserting that “in order to keep jobs in Indiana, we must nurture the businesses we already have and work to create more opportunities in our state.”

Obviously Rep. Barnes doesn't believe that Indiana Pet Stores are businesses that are  worthy of his interest to keep them from going out of business. In yet another re-election year we find it interesting that he would take that kind of position. We believe that small businesses on the eastside of Indianapolis and lower Marion county would find this most troubling. Would they wonder "Will he pick my business next?", to take a disliking too and sponsor a bill that would cripple my ability to make a living for me and my family. We drive through the Eastside all of the time and see all of the closed businesses and boarded up houses. With the kind of thinking that Rep. Barnes has exhibited in co-sponsoring  HB1258 and  with this kind of business mentality maybe we now understand why!

No Indiana Pet Stores, No Indiana Dog Breeders, No Indiana Puppy Breeders. Obviously, the eastside of Indianapolis doesn't need the revenue from any of the above. Obviously, the jobs created just aren't good enough!

Some may not agree with us, but for those of you who do, we say, send a message to Rep. Barnes at the ballot box maybe then he will understand those jobs ARE good enough. It's amazing to us that when the folks down at the statehouse drink the Kool Aid from the cups of the Animals Rights people, it is amazing how it changes them.

ICAW always forwards you information when abuse of power situations occur involving animals and their owners. We would like to share another lawsuit that is happening in Pennsylvania that our friend Patti Strand has made us aware of. When you read this article remember, it does not involve Commercial Dog Breeders or a Puppy Mill Rescue. It involves a sportswoman, schoolteacher and environmentalist. This lady's name is Wendy Willard. Please read the following and let us know what you think.

All eyes on Pennsylvania

dog owners' rights are attacked, defended

ICAW met with many people around the state of Indiana in 2008 explaining why over zealous officials need to be careful when enacting new ordinances. One lawsuit and you could be broke! We wish Wendy Willard the best of luck in her lawsuit against the PSPCA.
Remember when the Animals Rights activists come after you ICAW will be there as well to preserve and defend your rights as well.

 The members of ICAW would like to congratulate Feld Entertainment (Ringling Brothers Circus) on their hard fought victory in court against one more of the Animals Rights groups. Feld Entertainment has fought this fight for over 8 years. We would like to express our appreciation to Patti Strand who supplied the body of this post as well. Patti Strand is a tireless worker for our rights as animal owners. Patti has been at the helm of this fight for over 18 years and we will never be able to repay her for everything she does for all of us. We only hope that the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare can have the same impact that Patti has had nationally, here locally in Indiana. So whether you may be Indiana Puppy Breeders or an Indiana Dog Rescue, join us and help support ICAW to protect your rights in Indiana.

     Our Heartfelt Congratulations to Feld Entertainment for a Well Deserved Victory

NAIA congratulates Feld Entertainment and Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey for their gigantic victory in the long fought lawsuit waged against them by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), Fund for Animals, (a part of the Humane Society of the United States) and several other high profile animal fundraising groups.

In their quest for donors, it is a sad irony that many of the nation's so-called animal protection organizations target the very businesses that are doing most to protect animals. Certainly that's the case in this 8-year old lawsuit, whose key plaintiff and witness was found to be untruthful and lacking in credibility, a plaintiff who just happened to be paid by several of these same animal protection groups.  

Ironically, while Feld was spending millions to assure the health, well-being and preservation of the world's threatened elephants, the animal fundraising groups were busy paying plaintiffs, and pushing policies and litigation that could lead to their extinction.

So, on behalf of all the people who work and live with animals, whether professionally, or as breed enthusiasts, livestock producers or simply as pet owners, our heartfelt thanks go to Feld Entertainment. This is a huge win for all of us!

Patti Strand, National Director

Join Our 18 Year Movement to Stop Animal Rights Extremism

Notes:

1. For the official Feld press release please visit: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/feld-entertainment-inc-victorious-in-case-brought-by-aspca-and-other-animal-special-interest-groups-80383197.html
2. To read the decision, go here:  https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2003cv2006-559
3. To read more about what Feld Entertainment is doing to preserve the world's elephants, please go here: http://www.elephantcenter.com/

 

ICAW wishes all of the Indiana Dog Breeders and Indiana Puppy Breeders in the state of Indiana a very Happy New Year. HB 1468 Enrolled is now completely the law. ICAW wants to express their appreciation for all of the hard work done by so many people and organizations to get this feat accomplished.

We now look forward to working with all of the different groups around the state to make things even better for all animals. Whether it is an Indiana Dog Rescue or a Dog Adoption Shelter. We truly want to help all parties envolved to Stop Cruelty to Animals.

Please contact us with any concerns you may have with any of  the above issues. We truly want to help.
 

Just a reminder from ICAW for all Indiana Dog Breeders with more than 20 unaltered females. You must register with the Indiana Board of Animal Health by January 1, 2009 to be registered as a Commercial Dog Breeder. You must register as a Broker if you sell more than 500 puppies a year, this includes Indiana Pet Stores as well as individual breeders.

Click Application for both of the above scenario's. Click Guidance Document for the rules and regulations for Commercial Breeders. Click FAQ for the Frequently Asked Questions about the program.

We want everyone to remember this is just one of the many commitments we have made to help regulate the dog business in Indiana. These new regulations have been put into effect   to help Stop Cruelty to Animals in Indiana and regulate Indiana Dog Breeders. ICAW assures everyone if you are not licensed and not following the new regulations. We will not be able to support you in your hobby or business.

All of the members of ICAW want to wish every one a very, very Merry Christmas. We are looking forward to 2010. It remains to be seen what events, discussions and new issues
will come up. We can assure you most assuredly we will be prepared for any of them.

We especially look forward to any dialogue or discussions about our favorite topics. Whether it be Indiana Puppy Breeders or Dog Adoption Shelters. The most important one we think is being able to Stop Cruelty to Animals.

We certainly hope at some point we can all sit down together and air out all of our points of view. Just remember it's not just about the Animals Rights it's also about Humans Rights as well!

The members of the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare get accused of a lot of things. Some people say we are a front for the Amish, others say we are a front for Indiana pet stores. Actually, we are just a group of people who take our rights about our animals very seriously. When ICAW was formed it was truly a hodgepodge of different people.

We have Hobby Breeders, Purebred Fancy Breeders, Sportsmen and every one else in between. Yes, we do have commercial breeders in our membership and yes, some are Amish. We find it amazing that in a state of many colors and backgrounds that so many people want to just label someone what they "think" they are without any substantive thought. Many times we wonder if it's because the Amish are pacifists and don't fight back, and almost always turn the other cheek.

We have many good friends in the Amish community who constantly ask, "What can we do better?" All of the plain people that we are associated with abhor the term Amish Puppy Mills. In fact, in a lot of instances with these breeders it is the woman of the family that is actually doing the work. You are probably wondering why the women take care of the puppies. When the lady of the house can do this for a living it allows her to stay at home with the kids. She doesn't have to leave the settlement to go clean houses, or cook at one of the Amish restaurants that we all love to eat at.

Yes, stay at home moms. We always say that is something to strive for here in conservative Indiana. Have you ever been to a kennel in an Amish settlement? If not, why not? There is an old saying, "People who live in glass houses should not throw stones." So the next time you want to say something disparaging about the Amish, or use the term Amish Puppy Mills, ask yourself why?

ICAW wants everyone involved with dogs in Indiana to be able to sit at the same table. The Amish, and other groups or individuals, deserve no less.

I was reading a newspaper the other day and came across an article with opinion that animal lovers should stop sending money to zealots. I wanted to give you a couple of quotes from this article. One veterinarian pointed out that these groups are clawing their way through legal and legislative channels toward giving pets individual rights rather than leaving them designated as the property of their owners. The vet said that, among other problems, this would have huge repercussions to the costs of veterinary care and liability. "Can you imagine the costs of routine pet procedures if we have to run unnecessary tests and insure ourselves for protection against possible multimillion-dollar lawsuits?" the veterinarian asked.

Another comment came from a woman who works with a small-town animal welfare organization that does the dirty work of caring for the epidemic of lost, abused or unwanted pets. She thanked me for pointing out that these local nonprofit animal rescue groups, including the local Humane Societies that have no connection with the Humane Society of the United States, are always scrapping for money to do their work.

“I used to donate (to HSUS), years ago, but all the money seemed to go to mailings with another free key chain and a request for more money,” she wrote. “I was never sure that my donation was helping homeless animals. I now only donate locally, like to the Spokane Humane Society, or to our organization, where 100 percent of funds are spent on vet care.”

When the citizens of Indiana attack ICAW for our beliefs about Commercial Dog Breeders or how to Stop Cruelty to Animals, they really should sit down and do their homework. Calling the good family farmers in our state a term like Factory Farming makes me wonder if they have ever been on one of those farms.

Let's take Indiana University, Purdue University or the other many colleges and universities in Indiana, and think about the following statements.

Medical and veterinary students cannot learn the complexities of hemorrhage on a computer model. Period.

Scientists who are trying to find cures for diseases and test surgical procedures and devices are having their lives threatened by the moral fascists.

“I’d rather see (animals) euthanized than go to a research facility,” said Minnesota Animal Rights Coalition president Charlotte Cozzetto.

It's truly time we sat down and stop the name calling whether it be Amish Puppy Mills or Indiana Puppy Mills and figure out what we as Hoosiers can really do to help the animals of our State of Indiana.

When HB1468 was passed this past legislative session one of the major portions of the Bill, besides the Commercial Dog Breeders regulations, was putting more teeth into being able to stop cruelty to animals in the state of Indiana. The Indiana Council for Animal Welfare absolutely supported this legislation. We are only the 6th state in the nation to publicly denounce sub-standard kennels.

No one in ICAW will support any Commercial Dog Breeders that cannot or will not follow the rules. This also includes Hobby Breeders or any type of breeder that will not play by the rules. When I mention us travelling the state to talk to as many people as we could, it wasn't just to ensure that everyone got legal and registered. It was to make sure that every single person that we talked to knew unequivocally where we stood on animal cruelty.

If we have said it once we have said it a thousand times, "If you can't do it right legally, ethically or correctly, don't do it at all". We will not accept anything less than that! Our Indiana Puppy Breeders know that we absolutely mean this when we say it. I always end one of our talks with "Lack of prior planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on ours." I do not know how to make it any clearer.

If any of you know of someone that is not doing things correctly please contact us and we promise we will step in to make corrective measures.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the question, "who breeds dogs?"  I have dear friends that are show breeders, or fancy breeders as they are sometimes called. The fancy breeders have been doing what they do much longer than I have been alive. I have friends that are hobby breeders that enjoy working with and breeding their dogs. Maybe every now and then these Indiana hobby breeders might even make a few dollars to offset their expenses. I have many friends in the Amish community who breed dogs for a living. What is the common denominator among all of these Indiana dog breeders? They love what they do and they all love dogs!

The Animals Rights folks have always counted on these different types of dog breeders to never get along.  These folks want to keep everyone fractured and afraid of each other. The purebred fancy folks are so into their animals some have been doing it for over one hundred years. The hobby breeders are no different. I have one friend that has been breeding the same line of dogs for over ten generations. The Amish folks that I know always love their animals, and would never do anything to their detriment.

I am so glad that all of these dog breeders are waking up to the fact that they need each other. Are there bad Indiana dog breeders? Yes! Are there horrible Indiana dog breeders? Yes. The question that everyone must ask themselves is, "are there more good breeders than bad?" Emphatically I believe that answer is yes! There are always a few bad apples that can ruin the image of any group, company or entire industry.

So the next time the name calling begins or someone tries to label a group of people as all bad, ask yourself this question. Do I throw the baby out with the bathwater? You have the right to do so. But what will you do when they come after you for something you hold near and dear to your heart? I hope someone will leave a comment and start a discussion about this post.

  This past weekend November 6th & 7th the Indiana Council for Animal Welfare held it's first pet breeders seminar. We had Indiana dog breeders discussing how to create better breeding programs, nutrition and how to change public perception about their industry. Everyone that belongs to ICAW absolutely wants to do the best that they can do when breeding and raising their animals.

   Our breeders do not want to see their animals end up in dog adoption shelters! They truly want the animals that they breed and raise to go to good loving homes. We all believe every little boy and girl deserves the right to have a puppy. No one should have the right to just arbitrairily take their animal or animals just because they can.

   It was so amazing to see Hobby Breeders and Commercial Dog Breeders sit down with each other and talk "to" each other not "at" each other. I am energized and ready for The 2nd Annual Pet Breeders Seminar right now.

   If you have any suggestions that you would like to give us please do. We look forward to your comments.