guilty of a misdemeanor and, subject to up to one year in jail and a $2500 fine.
After weeks of investigation and planning, humane groups including Humane Society of Parkersburg and the Humane Society of the United States, along with West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection and Woods County, West Virginia sheriff’s department and prosecutors, shut down a puppy mill called Whispering Oaks Kennel.
This mill had nearly 1,000 dogs.
Despite the pleasant sounding name, this facility, which had operated for decades, typifies the squalor and misery endured by animals trapped in the pet trade.
These neglected dogs were kept in rabbit hutches, with wire bottoms. Many were suffering in the hot sun with no access to water. All of the hutches were crowded and filthy.
The investigation of this puppy mill focused on claims the owner, Sharon Roberts, was illegally disposing of pollutants or dog waste. West Virginia regulates the disposal of animal wastes.  Improperly disposed of dog wastes particularly in the quantities in this case can be harmful to humans and contaminate water supplies and food crops. It is something to look at if you want to close down a puppy mill.       Â
The owner has not been charged with violations of state laws concerning pollution or waste disposal or for the care and treatment of the dogs. Instead, she surrendered ownership of the dogs when authorities appeared at her facility this weekend and signed an agreement never to operate a commercial breeding facility in the state again. If she violates the agreement, it is possible she can be charged with any violations of law found at the site. Roberts is 72 years old.    Â
The dogs are being transported to a temporary shelter. Humane Society of Parkersburg, HSUS, and others are involved in the transport of the animals, organization of the shelter and care of the animals. Each dog must be evaluated and provided with veterinary care. They will then be adopted out to good homes. The dogs are small breeds, mostly dachshunds and also King Charles Cavaliers, Yorkies, Poodles and Jack Russell terriers.
I work in Parkersburg sometimes and had no idea this kind of activity was going on. I know there are a lot of people who mistreat and neglect animals but did not know huge puppy mills were in operation here. I know of people that breed but not on this level. I’m glad it’s shut down and the owner will never be able to run such a business again. I hope the little guys are ok and find a nice forever home.
I heard Best Friends is playing a role, too. Is that correct?
No surorise to me. West Virginia is one of th primo states for large, filthy puppy mills. Ditto Pennsylvania (the Amish, yes the Amish are some of the very worst), Missouri and the up and coming Florida. Lax laws make them the favored places.
Yes – they were mentioned at the website of Parkersburg Humane, as playing a role.
http://www.hsop.org/news-puppymill.htm
Also, see Best Friends website: http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=F5370A0E-19B9-B9D5-9DC60133BDDDCE4F
This was not a rescue, this was GRAND THEFT. Stealing business property using threats under the guise of “we are doing a good thing” is absolutely horrible. These kennel owners were coerced into signing away hunderds of thousands of dollars of property. The humane society’s love to steal HEALTHY animal, so they can immediatly sell them for a fast buck, plus watch the donations pour in. Look at the video’s. It’s a well documented theft of healthy, happy, tail wagging puppies, taken out of a enviorment designed to keep them healthy. They are then put in a strange place, in small cages, stuck in their own feces & urine. At the Humane society’s warehouse the food dishes are empty & tipped over. The urine has no were to go except into the filthy newspaper bedding. The pups can’t even find a clean place to sleep. This is atrocious. The police & humane do-gooders who attacked these hard working elderly people are completly in the wrong. They need to be prosecuted.
The HSUS is taking donations, but they don’t even fund one dog shelter anywhere. All they are is thieves.
while it’s not the way I would keep puppies, I centainly did NOT see dirty runs or pens or sick dogs on the video. If the smell was SO bad, how come no one was wearing a mask??
Once again, HSUS has stolen property
I hope the criteria for rescuing animals trapped in the pet trade is not that it must be so bad you need a mask! Humane Society of Parkersburg and HSUS did the right thing here. This elderly breeder signed the dogs over, admitting there were far too many and things were out of control. These nearly 1,000 dogs were living 24/7 in rabbit hutches with wire bottoms in the summer heat, many with no water. They had little or no exercise or human contact. How could they have even basic care let alone much needed socialization? Nearly 1000 dogs and one person – you do the math.  Â
Why is this okay to do to animals? For profit? This is the quintessential puppy mill. Hooray for everyone of these that is shut down. Laura
I couldnt agree with you more. I use to show Daschunds. They are biters and do not like strangers. Not one of these dogs was cowering from people. They would if, as HSUS they had never been handled by people. They were all happy and tail wagging. The cages did not look dirty. And they were outside with free flowing air. Now where are they? They are in cages confined to the inside of a warehouse. It’s easy to say that HSUS was right, only because there were so many dogs, but people did come out there and buy them. If they really smelled bad and were kept filthy, this kennel would not have operated for 40 years. I do think that no one should try to care for this many dogs, and at the ages of the kennel owners. But the dogs are their property. What’s to stop HSUS from coming on any of our property and taking our pets, if someone decides they don’t like the way we care for them. Be careful what you wish for!
I totally agree. This woman was set up. I didm’t see dirty mangy dogs. I saw clean well-cared for dogs. The number of dogs someone keeps is no one’s business. These breeders are already regulated by the USDA.
If you want to help someone help the people starving and dying of AIDS in Africa. Help the animals that are left behine because of forelosures in our country. Leave legitimate business people alone. You don’t care about the animals only putting your own agenda across. By your interference you put 1,000 dogs at risk in an already overburded shelter system.
I have looked at countless photos of this theft and I do not see anything worse than what one caould see every day at many of WV’s rural shelters. In fact, the dogs appear happy and healthy. The cages look as good as what the aniamls were placed in after they were stolen. Didn’t the room have air conditioning and exhaust fans?
now my question for the HSUS minions, why in the video, did you all not wear gloves and masks, If the ammonia was that high of a level, how could you have gone without a mask long enough to make a speech for the camera if the dogs were as neglected as you say, how could you have handled them without gloves or hazmat suits?
Isn’t it true that you set this woman up, so you could start the propoganda to get laws passed in Charleston this year, making animal ownership more difficult for the animal lovers of WV?
Quote from a lawyer reviewing the pix, videos and statements: legal line here.
There were NO LAWS broken. No animals abused. No animals neglected. No animals in poor health, even. No matter WHAT we think, the laws are clear.
The dogs owners have a VERY GOOD case.
This is an illegal seizure of PROPERTY, dogs are personal property in WV. We pay a tax on them.
Quote from vet assistant: Berry said the dogs at the kennel were not in life-threatening situations, and she worked along with veterinarians to fill out health
certificates. They were well fed, somewhat social, with very few
health problems.
HSUS also helps close down rescues, show kennels, and anyone else they can steal from. I pity the public who can ignore what they see and listen to blatent lies with proof of those lies in their videos. Mostly I pity the poor dogs who, according to one shelter worker, 90 percent of them will probably be put to sleep.
By account of the vet, they are happy healthy and well fed. And 90 percent will be put to sleep in shelter. Rescues keep them alive and actively seek homes for them, but those rescues are becoming fewer because of the animal rights sentiment “better dead than owned”. Those dogs were happy and clean where they were. They were NOT in rabbit hutches. They were in approved KENNEL runs which are specially made to keep them out of their own waste.
I couldn’t imagine caring for this many, but as clean as the kennels were in this surprise raid, this woman has shown she is perfectly capable of doing it. Now they are in crates with 60 workers who can’t keep those crates as clean as their kennels were at home with 6 people doing it. From the crate they will go to shelters and be put in stainless steel 3 sided kennels with no fresh air and again sitting in their own waste between paper changes.
Rescued from a place you were clean and happy to go to your execution doesn’t sound like much of a rescue to me. Too bad so few people have common sense to see what’s in front of them and past obvious lies.
Nancy
I have looked at countless photos of this theft and I do not see anything worse than what one caould see every day at many of WV’s rural shelters. In fact, the dogs appear happy and healthy. The cages look as good as what the aniamls were placed in. Didn’t the room have air conditioning and exhaust fans?
now my question for the HSUS minions, why in the video, did you all not wear gloves and masks, If the ammonia was that high of a level, how could you have gone without a mask long enough to make a speech for the camera if the dogs were as neglected as you say, how could you have handled them without gloves or hazmat suits?
Isn’t it true that you set this woman up, so you could start the propoganda to get laws passed in Charleston this year, making animal ownership more difficult for the animal lovers of WV?
Bravo Nancy!
Well put and oh so very very true!! They are being distributed even in WV ‘s nasty shelters as well as the other out fo state larger ones. How very sad for these animals.!!!! Living in filthy wrie cages and yes the nasty 3 sides ones as well on filthy newspaper, eating and sleepingin their own waste
Is that humane???????????
Oh I forgot its ok when animals are abused by shelters……..
I spoke with Sharon Roberts for 2 hours last night. We emailed back
and
forth. She sent me a copy of a form letter written by her minister that
was meant
for the congregation. I gave way to tears while reading that letter.
It is fine to disagree with having too many dogs, I personally
couldn’t do
it, but Sharon did do it and did a good enough job doing it too. No one
could
spoil that many dogs, but Sharon began breeding 47 years ago, long
before
AR’s got so powerful. When Sharon began breeding, a dog was a dog. Not
something
humanized by words like adoption, guardian, Furkid, dog child, and
numerous
other terms. A dog breeder was respected, a show home revered.
Americans have
always been animal welfare orientated in that if a person was not
feeding a
dog, or beating a dog, we would do something about it. This is a
different
thing the AR’s are doing now. it is unconstitutional.
Sharon revealed to me that she had been battling “them” for a
while. She
told me that she didnt ever sell dogs to pet shops, brokers ect. She
did not
hold a USDA license (maybe if she had, she could have afforded a good
lawyer).
Sharon told me that the warrant was not anything to do with her dogs,
it was
for environmental issues (trumped up as you can imagine), Yet they took
her
dogs? The spearheaders would have you believe that environmental
pollution was
the reason they went to her property, and they happened to see
something wrong
with Sharons dogs, and then called in various “rescue organizations” a
blatant lie! The warrant was actually dated for nearly 2 weeks prior,
and the
“rescues” got there way to fast to have been called after they got to
Sharon’s
property.
Maryann Hollis, executive director of the Humane Society of
Parkersburg, began her job only weeks ago. What better way to make a
name for
herself? The Roberts didnt have the money ot takes to fight her, they
would be
emotionally weaker due the recent death of their only son, Maryann had
to have known
that Sharon had her kennel up for sale, Maryann knew she would no doubt
be
backed by some very very powerful AW, and AR groups. The Roberts made
the
perfect target to make a name for herself!
Fourty seven years of owning, and running a viable business Sharon
lost
all her lifes work in one instant. 72 years old is much to old to start
over
again.
This witch hunt (borrowed from Sharon), and ones with the same M.O.
are
happening all over. Who will be next? What is the destiny to be for
the
purebred dog. The following website gives us a forcast by Walt
Hutchens of what
lays ahead for us in America should we do nothing. Please take the
time to visit
this URL.
http://sandiegodog.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/the-future-of-dogs-in-america/
Dear VHC Family,
>
> I want you to be aware of an extremely urgent situation concerning
Sharon
> and Pink Roberts who have been a long standing part of this church
family.
> This past weekend on Saturday and Sunday their business was
attacked. I want to
> explain what happened since I have spent many hours with them going
over the
> details of what transpired.
>
> Sharon and Pink have owned a dog kennel for 47 years. I have known
them
> personally and have visited their kennel for over 14 years. This is a
> substanstial business with full time and part time employees. People
from all over the
> region and nation have traveled to their kennel because of their
reputation
> and fine dogs that they raise. All of their dogs carry papers and
are only
> placed in homes. They have exclusive lines of dogs that they have
bred over
> the years. Their dogs are not sold to brokers or pet stores. Members
at VHC
> have purchased dogs from the Roberts and some have volunteered or
worked for
> them over the years. Over their 47 years of business in the MOV the
Roberts
> have complied with all local and state authorities.
>
> You may or may not know, there are extreme animal rights activists
that
> see all pet stores, kennels and such as a target to shut down….they
probably
> feel the same about zoos , etc. Over the years, the Roberts have had
to
> respond to accusations from individuals with this type of
perspective. The State
> and local health depts. and other authorized agencies have, as normal
> course, visited their kennel. If they had a recommendation, which
was rare, the
> Roberts quickly complied. (I viewed the historical documents
regarding this).
>
> Three weeks ago a new director was placed at the Parkersburg Humane
> Society. This director marshalled and cooperated with outside
national agencies to
> set up the seige on the Roberts business. Here is a quote from their
> website:
>
> “The Humane Society of Parkersburg immediately called in United
Animal
> Nations, Best Friends Animal Society, the Humane Society of Missouri
and The
> Humane Society of the United States for assistance. ”
>
> The raid resulted in the seizure of all of the Roberts animals and
their
> years of building a successful business. The value taken has been
estimated at
> $250,000 as well as any future income. What is additionally
disturbing is
> the way that Wood County prosecutors and sheriffs were co-opped into
leading
> the raid. While weeks of planning were in progress at no time was
any
> contact made to Sharon and Pink Roberts about any concerns for the
health and
> safety of their dogs or possible environmental issues of any kind.
>
> I see this as a West Virginia small business owner becoming a victim
of
> radical extremism on a national level. Instead of defending the
rights of Sharon
> and Pink, the Wood County Sheriff’s Department led the raid showing
up
> unannounced with a search warrent claiming they needed to search the
house for
> drugs and guns. They then told Sharon to relinquish all rights to
the dogs or
> she would go to jail. They told her if she did go to jail the dogs
would be
> seized anyway. On her property was the Prosecuting Attorney Ginny
Conley and
> the Wood County Sheriff’s Deputies….approx 30 agents and national
animal
> rights activist volunteers. It was an overwhelming armada of force
that met
> Sharon as she was riding in her golf cart delivering play toys to the
dogs
> after the morning feeding. The activists websites today are
heralding the great
> victory they have won and their false description of conditions of
the dogs
> and their environment. It literally was making me sick while reading
these
> grossly false claims and the celebratory tone employed.
>
> Let me say in summary: Every claim by the local and national
organization
> of the Humane Society is blatantly false! I have attached the
document from
> the Humane Society website so you can see their claims…it is so
wrong and
> such an injustice I cannot sit by without making the truth known. I
think I
> read something one time about “truth and righteousness” being the
foundation of
> His throne.
>
> Many times we have seen scenarios like this played out on TV reports
like
> 20-20 or Dateline…now it’s in our back yard. It is stunning to
realize that
> one day you are working hard and operating a successful 47 year old
business
> with thousands of satisfied customers and the next morning you are
raided by
> your own government officials that didn’t even bother to give a call
or even
> send an impersonal form letter.
>
> Serious Questions That Require Answers
> Did the County agencies follow established guidelines during this
raid?
>
>
> Did they do due diligence in finding out if the allegations were true
before
> this aggressive seizure of private property was undertaken?
>
>
> Who was in charge of this operation? What level of evidence is needed
to
> mount a massive seizure resulting in the destruction of a WV
business?
>
>
> Should the citizens of Wood County and the State be concerned that
animal
> activists groups that have no legal authority were rallied from
around the
> country to shut down a WV small business that was in complete
compliance with
> state laws and agencies for over 45 years?
>
>
> If humane treatment of animals is the main concern for this action,
why was
> an uncollaborated single water sample collected ½ mile away by the
EPA used
> as a means to gain access to the Roberts property and begin a seige
and
> seizure raid?
>
>
> Why was there absolutely nothing in the search warrant about the
presumed
> mistreatment of dogs?
>
>
> Why was a presumed drainge issue sole justifcation for this seizure?
>
>
> What role and responsibility does the Wood County Sheriff’s Dept. and
the
> Prosecuting Attorney play in this raid? Did the County consult the
years of
> records of compliance before assuming that the assumptions of hostile
animal
> rights activist were accurate?
>
>
> After 45 years of compliance of all state and local regulations,
proper WV
> licencing and decades of excellent relationships with local area
> Veterinarians, why were the Roberts simply not asked or called upon
by the proper
> authorities to have a look at the kennels to see if they were in
compliance?
>
>
> Are the Roberts victims of aggressive animal rights activists both
locally
> and nationally that are predatory in nature who hold the belief that
animals
> should not be bred, sold, hunted or eaten?
>
>
> Who is responsible for the seizure of an estimated $250,000
of personal
> property of a WV business owner?
>
>
> Is West Virginia really “open for business”?
>
>
> Actions that can be taken
>
>
> Pray for Sharon and Pink. They have had incredible circumstances to
endure.
>
>
> Tell everyone you know about this. Email it.
>
>
> Tell Walmart, Sams and any other collection places around the area
that this
> is currently an unresolved issue, no animals were ever vulnerable and
that
> their support by being a collection point is a tacit endorsement of a
blatant
> attack on a WV business owner.
>
>
> Write to your WV State Congressmen and express your concern that
County
> agencies were used to shut down a fully compliant WV small business.
Let them
> know you have full access to all pertinent documentation they would
need to be
> fully informed. Let them know that what the extreme activists hail
as a
> victory is a loss for the rights of business owners in the state.
>
>
> If anyone knows of any organization that represents Sr. Citizens who
have
> been harassed and intimidated, please let me know.
>
>
> If you have trusted media friends, ask them if they want to have
access to
> the real account of what happened.
>
>
> Pastor Rodney
>
>
I do not know what kind of person thinks it is okay to have animals living in pens and breeding them to make money. There is no way anyone can care for that large a number of animals properly and give them the love and care they need. This woman and her family were making money off the backs of these poor animals for 47 years. God did not put dogs on this earth to be abused like this. I have handled the dogs that came from Sharon Roberts place and they are desperate need of help. They are horrified of people because they have not had the luxury of being held like a normal dog. Most were skinny, full of fleas and had other medical issues needing attention. If you think this is the right way to make money and take care of dogs you should be shot. Maybe we should put you along with Sharon in a pen and treat you like she treated these poor dogs. Not sure what kind of church you all belong to but you are certainly not praying to the same God as the rest of us normal people.
I have been reading all of this whispering oaks stuff and my heart goes out to the family.I myself do not want no part of these puppies something is very shady I myself dont know but something isnt adding up.If she only couldnt have that many dogs couldnt or should I say isnt there proper way of telling her to down size?PARENTS THAT BATTER THEIR OWN CHILDREN GET BY WITH MORE THAN SHE DID.(iVE BEEN AROUND CPS FOR QUIT SOMETIME)Its funny that the new
director of the pound had a big story on her following this.A lot of local people wanted to help but got turned away a lot of outsiders helped and most puppys shipped off.(i forgot to say the new director isnt from here.) It was in the paper I cant remember last weeks it stated that ‘THE MANAGER AT SOUTHSIDE WALMART KNEW ABOUT THE BUST BEFORE IT HAPPEND AND DONATED A LOT OF STUFF.THE POUND STILL PORING IN DONATIONS FOR THESE DOGS BUT GUESS WHAT.THEY ONLY KEPT 60- SOME THE REST GOT SHIPPED OF SOMEWHERE ELSE!I just hope in time the truth comes out and everything will be fair.(WE R NOT HERE TO JUDGE ONLY 1 WILL JUDGE US AT THE END)
GODS PEOPLE DONT THREATEN OTHER PEOPLE THE WAY YOU JUST DID EVEN IF THEY ARE IN THE WRONG.MAYBE OF SAYING AS THE REST OR US “NORMAL PEOPLE”YOU SHOULD HAVE SAYED YOU.
I am appalled at most of the comments about Whispering Oaks. I take it most of you do not care for animals by what your comments are saying.
This place was a hell hole for dogs. No other words. These dogs were suffering from extreme neglect. Malnutrition, dehydration, severe dental disease, intestinal parasites.
I guess some of you think that is OK to treat God’s creatures like that. To keep them in tiny pens with only wire to stand on. To be out in the elements with no protection. To have their tiny babies ripped from them at 4 weeks so they can be sold. To keep mass producing puppy after puppy, even if there is no demand for it.
These conditions were cruel. Dogs are not livestock, and even livestock should not be forced to live this way.
You so called Christians, wake up. God does not want his creatures treated this way.
remember, this some of us care about human rights as well. The pictures that your heros at HSUS have shown, LOOK BETTER THAN MOST WV ANIMAL SHELTERS Have you visited the filthy rural shelters? Dogs kept outside in 10 by 10 pens, feces in the runs, litter boxes overflowing???
You people need to lobby for the animals who end up in WV’s hell hole shelters. For god sake, many still use the gas chamber!
Do you think that tiny chromium crates where the animal eats, sleeps and poops in the same spot on foul smelling newspaper is any better? Where animals are stacked up in wire crates – is that better? Animals are rarely exercised except when volunteers are persent, Food is cheap and donated, and no thought is given to the individual needs of the animals. (for example the same food is fed to 6lb dogs as tpo 100;lb dogs) That is what you find in many rural WV shelters.
You need to visit the RURAL SHELTERS in WV and see some real hell holes. The pictures that HSUS put out on their propoganda videos about Whispering Oaks, do not paint the picture that they want us to believe. take off your animal rights influenced blinders and look!
What is shown by HSUS at Whispering Oaks is far better than WV RURAL shelters. Yes, the larger city shelters are nice, but go rural, visit even during adoption times, if they even adopt out – they stink, they are foul nasty places. TAke a good look at the size of the kennels and cages and see if they meet the same standard that you want of others. HYPOCRITS!
Don’t be such a hypocrite and requiere legal business owners who breed dogs and cats to uphold one standard and yet not require your local shelters the same high standard of cleanliness. Laws need to be equal for all, not just for the breeders that HSUS wants to put out of business.
And another thing, if these dogs were so badly neglected, malnourished, unsocialized, and all that HOW COUD THEY BE IMMEDIATELY ADOPTABLE (FOR SALE)?????
You don’t sell or adopt sick, unhealthy, unsocial animals within a matter of days!!!!
And why where most of them sent out of state? Are WV residents not capbable of caring for this type of dog? OR is it that HSUS did not want the public to see that these dogs were not as bad as their hype said????? Kind of makes me wonder….
You need to stop and think!!! Don’t just go along with what HSUS wants you to believe. Ask questions for yourself.
This is just a way for HSUS, through WVFOHO to get more and more restrictive laws in place in WV, The ultimalte goal of HSUS is for us to have no animals at all, and a good way to start is to wipe out pure bred animals by targeting breeders
Wv has anti-cruelty laws in place already. Why are those not being enforced?
This seems to be a bust that was carefully planned and orchestrated, after all, one article I read, said that Walmart even knew about it ahead of time so they could provide needed supplies! And tell me, how can all these volunteers get off work so quickly? HMMMM makes me wonder again.
This is just a big propoganda hype so that more laws about animals can be shoved down WV’s throats. If the list that is provided here is what is going to be lobbied for this year in the mountain state, then lets ask that they same be enforced for the hell hole animal shelters as well.
one more thing in reviewing your agenda for WV, how many rural hell hole shelters actually have fire plans? How many have proper waste disposal? Have sufficient staff to care for the animals? Have TRAINED staff on hand?
Heck, many rural shelter use the local jail birds to care for the animals, a real fine group of people!!
How about record keeping practices?
Oh yea, why do you want to take everything away from someone who is accused of animal abuse? You want their property? You are making it impossible for them to have anyting to use to get a loan to even pay for an attorney?
Basically, you all want more restrictive laws for animals that exist for children!!!!!!
And, you ask for broadened enforcemetn powers for humane officres? For shelter staff? for private citizens? ARe we talking about pet vigllante” I don’t like the brand of food you ulse, so I will arrest you for neglect – this is what you are asking for.
The erosiion of private owenrship and human rights is continuing.
I hope Mountaineers continue to uphold their motto of “mountaineers are always free” and fight these outrageoues laws
I can’t believe you are comparing the animal shelters (rural or not) with this type of dog breeder! There is a HUGE difference. The animal shelters are there to help/rescue the animals that are abandoned, abused, and neglected. Maybe some are not as clean as we’d like, but face it: they aren’t making money in this business. I know for a fact they do everything possible to take good care of these helpless creatures, but many just do not have the funds and are lucky just to stay open. In my opionion, it’s better to do something than nothing. ANYWAY, the faulty breeders are in it for the money, but the shelters are in business for obvious reasons; They have a caring heart and common desency. yeah, “mountaineers are free” to abuse animals and sell dirty, unkept, sickly animals? We need more people to fight against this.
Pastor or not, your heart is in the wrong place. I’m glad this woman got caught after 47 years, and I don’t feel a bit sorry for her. It’s paranoia to think “they had it all planned” and they were out to get her. I saw the video and I’m not blind. Oh, and I’m sure someone wouldn’t think the death of her son would make her weak and it would be a good time to go after her! That’s just silly.
She’s guilty and we no longer live in the time that “dogs are dogs”. They are companions to humans, some help disabled people lead a better life, and some work for the police dpt. No, dogs are not “just” dogs. All living, breathing person OR animal deserves to be treated with some respect and dignity.
WV animal shelter are hell holes of filth
Why is it better to to put an animal in a filthy feces infested cage, little exercise, poor quality food, or even outdoors as many of wv hell hole shelters do?
You mean it is ok and better when the same thing happens in an animal shelter? IT IS NO DIFFERENT than what they are stolen from with breeders!
DO you not get the point I am making? IT IS NOT ANY DIFFERENT in WV’s rural shelters, than it is in hell hole puppy mill places. But you think it is better because it is a shelter?
UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM SAYING? SAME CONDITIONS!!!
But since one person is trying to make a living with the dogs, this is wrong, but when the shelter sells them (stolen property) they also get money, and that is wrong?????HUH????? Again, same behavior, same condition, money still being transfered.
Maybe HSUS should make some surprise inspections and see what they find out – NASTY places, many are, unfit for animals and certainly unfit for the workers.
So in your mindset, it is ok to steal from the rightful owner, “rescue” from unfit places and put the animals right back into shelters, where the conditions are the same or WORSE!
Do you realise that most of WV shelters DON’T have air conditioning? Some don’t evem have heat. or have systems that don’t work properly or are down right dangerous?
HSUS is targeting breeders so that they can wipe out pet ownership, one animal at a time. They don;t want pure bred animals available, Hey, not all of the population gets good warm fuzzy feelings from having a huge black, unruly adult dog that is impossible to handle or train? some want small breeds – is that worng? Tell that to my 80 year old grandmother who tried to adopt one such large unruly dog and got her hip broken when this animal lunged against her.
HSUS has a plan and the plan is to bust breeders who have enough animals that they can get them sold, make some money, and then pass laws to regulate every move any one in the state makes. That is the plan, one state at a time.
ANSWER ME – IF THESE ANIMALS WERE IN SUCH BAD SHAPE, HOW COULD THEY HAVE BEEN SO QUICKLY SOLD?
ANSWER ME – WHY WERE MOST OF THEM SENT OUT OF STATE?
ANSWER ME – WHAT LEGAL AUTHORITY DOES HSUS HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY DID ANYWAY?
People you need to put your money into your local shelters not the coffers of HSUS< fix up the hell holes in your own back yard, fund low cost cliincs to help people care for their pets, if someone gets over their head with animals, offer a helping hand, not the long arm of the law. Open your blinded, brainwashed eyes and think.
Hey, cannot believe, I cannot believe what I just read on your post – ‘
a quote from cannot believe
“mountaineers are free” to abuse animals and sell dirty, unkept, sickly animals?
These are the SAME ANIMALS that were sold by the shelters, just a few days after they were removed from their rightful owners….
How did they these sickly animals get better in such a SHORT TIME????
It must have been magic….or could it be that they were not as sickly as the propaganda says they were? Maybe that is why they were mostly shipped out of state, so locals would not see that maybe they were not so sick as the HSUS propaganda would like them to believe. Can’t get your donations that way, can you?????
$$$$$$ = H$U$
You guys just blow my mind. You must be from a mars. First off Parkersburg is an extremely clean well maintained place. It is staffed by people who truly love the animals and they are well cared for. The animals taken from this puppy mill just live other puppy mills needed alot of vetting. They all needed basic shots, heartworm tests, spay/neuter, dental, treatment for skin problems, ear infections and much more. The shelter and rescues that took these dogs in will spend way more than their adpoption fees cover to get these dogs healthy enough to adopt out. Some will be able to be adopted quickly others will take many months until they are ready. The rescues that took these animals are prepared to take care of all their needs and fine them good homes to live as family members not a product to be sold for profit. Why don’t you do some reading (if you can read as some of the posts on here show most of you can not spell) about the horrible lives of animals being raised by backyard breeds and puppy mills. If you agree with what this woman was doing then you should not be allowed to own any animals nor have any children.
I think it is a shame how these dogs were kept. I adopted a daschund that was rescued from that same puppy mild. His name is now Lucky, Lucky has been with us since August and he is still very afraid of people, he is afraid to be handled and he is having problems with house breaking. The good part is Lucky loves other dogs but humans…… he’s so afraid, Puppy mills should not exist and the people who owned Whispering Oaks should be jailed for years without any human contact!
We also adopted a female, Julie in October (she was used as a breeder at the WV Puppy Mill))and she is slowing coming along.
Julie has bonded with my mother and our other older male doxie.
She is still scared of males and will only eat her food when no other humans are in the kitchen.
She is now house broken and loves to go for long walks(as long as the other doxie Max is there!)
I am very familiar with the breed and I’m hoping that in another 6 months the worst will be behind Julie.
Hopefully time,your love and attention will allow Lucky to recover from his prior ordeal.
But I concur with you that the Puppy Mills should be outlawed by the Federal Gov’t.
It still amazes me that these dogs were able to go to new homes so soon after being stolen from t heir rightful owner.
Why are shelters above the law? Why are shelters allowed to do things that breeders and stores are not supposed to do?
Would anyone supporting the operation of such a puppy mill feel differently if they knew that in the year prior to this operation, that Mrs. Roberts had killed between 2 and 300 hundred of her own beloved animals? In a gas chamber?
Can you provide the documentation that this woman killed between 2 and 300 of her dogs in a gas chamber? HUH? That’s a very wide spread of deaths in my opinoin.
Of course, the shelters kill animals by supporting laws such as number limits that also kill pets. And when they steal pure bred dogs from their rightful owners, they have to kill the mutts that are in the shelter to make room.
Lets talk about the filth and disease that is found in WV’s RURAL hell hole shelters. NASTY PLACES1 Absolutely filthy nasty places, many of them keep the animals outside. And many automatically kill animals as they are brought in. ASK your rural shelters what they do with cats….
Leave the old lady alone.
A big amen to the comment about how the shelters can immediately put these animals up for sell.
If they are so sick, so unsocial, how in the world can they be available for sell? OH I mean adoption, sorry.
Isn’t it amazing that HSUS initiated raids in states and then in each of them they tried to pass laws several months later. Does anyone not see the relationship here?
Does anyone have their eyes open? I hate cruelty of any kind but something is very fishy here.
No, I cannot provide such documentation and don’t believe it exists because no one wants to attest to such a horrendous undertaking. However, the previous State Vet who brought the mobile gas chamber (normally used for chickens) can however attest to this fact and provide the numbers euthanized. And you are correct about the conditions of many shelters in our state and it is no less tolerable from them than it is from breeders and puppy mills. We should not tolerate it from anyone or anywhere…not an old woman keeping 1000 dogs in a hell whole and not a shelter keeping them the same way. Should we just ignore them all or try and do something about it like the Parkersburg shelter did or just continue to turn a blind eye? I don’t think so.
Then why are we not “raiding” the WV hell hole shelters, the ones who keep dogs tied outside, or in tiny pens, where there is NO staff on the weekends and holidays? Shall we also talk about the ones that KILL all the animals just before a holiday so the staff can “enjoy” their time off? Guess what, the gas chamber killing shelters in WV WERE grandfathered in…
Does death in a gas chamber become better because the killing (suffocation) is done by shelter people?
If breeders are going to be regulated, busted, harrassed, then the shelter people who are doing the harrassing should be under the same standards, NO they should be held to BETTER standards than the breeders.
Visit some of your local WV hell hole shelters and see the filth that the animals are foced to live in….No one wants to talk about that now do they? Shelters must clean up their own backyards before going after anyone else.
But, hey its lucrative to steal someone’s desirable, small purebred dogs and sell them….