The Dark Side Of The Amish.

Did you know that the mild mannered Amish in PA. are gaining a dark and despicable reputation as puppy mill operators? On May 1, 2007, an Amish puppy mill was raided in Southern Somerset County, PA. The dogs were rescued from a dark barn. Most were sick and many were dead. The owner said he sold the puppies to a man for $150.00 each and he, in turn, took them to a pet store where they were priced to sell at $500.00. Mostly it is Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch country that is notorious for puppy mill operators.


I have seen video of Amish dog auctions. The dogs are so scared. But, to the Amish, they are nothing but a "cash crop." Unfortunately, animals are considered just property. And part of the Amish culture is to sell as much product as possible, and the dogs are just another resource to make a buck.


PA. is reputedly the puppy mill capital of the U.S. The Governor of PA., Ed Rendell is proposing much tougher health and safety standards for the states 2400 licensed kennels. It would require larger cages and 20 minutes of exercise per dog per day and strict record keeping of the exercise, sanitation and feeding. Opponents contend the plan would be costly and burdensome for law-abiding kennels. These are the people that ram metal rods down the throats of their breeding dogs so they don't have to listen to them bark due to the frustration of never having any human contact.


I have many, many posts on the subject of puppy mills. I just received my puppy mill flyers today, 6/11/08, and I plan to spread them out. Just click on the tag, puppy mill and it will take you to the posts.