Quote:
ADMIN NOTE: I agree that the education we are all doing about PUPPY MILLS is reaching the right ears!
WARNING: This is a fantastic site to learn about Puppy Mills and the poor babies and mothers that fathers that produce them. But, some of the photos are not for the faint-hearted. So, if you go to the site to look, and if you can handle it, you really will be glad you did, please have Kleenex next to you and take a deep breath first. They do wonderful work there at Small Paws rescue. Lets hope all goes well with Robin at the hearing. This could be the start of of the end of the puppy mills~~~~
SOURCE:
SMALL PAWS RESCUE
From: Small Paws Rescue, Inc. <pup3>
Subject: From Robin: I've been supoenaed to Federal Court.
To: Name removed for privacy
Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2008, 9:17 PM
Wednesday Night May 7, 2008
Gem of the Day: “No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied
until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr. ~
Dear Small Pawsers,
I've been waiting 10 years to tell you what I'm about to tell you.
A couple of weeks ago I got a phone call out of the blue from APHIS. (Animal Plant Health Inspection Service)
It was a lady who is on an investigatory board there called the IES.
She was calling to let me know that I was about to be subpoenaed to appear as a Federal witness, before a Federal Judge, in an upcoming Federal hearing in Des Moines, Iowa.
She said they want me to come and tell the judge what I know about the commercial kennels.
I could not speak. All I could do was move my mouth up and down like a fish.
She said,"Robin, are you there?"
I told her through my tears that I had been waiting for this phone call for 10 years. I never expected to finally get it.
I told her I have tried and tried to tell the USDA about the atrocities that we see in all sorts of breeds of dogs that have come from supposed USDA inspected and approved kennels, and it seemed as if they were ignoring me.
She said, "Well, we aren't ignoring you any more."
I told her they didn't have to subpoena me. That I would come running there on my own.
She laughed and said they have to do this according to Federal law.
Then she asked me if I remembered such and such kennel.
OH DEAR GOD YES I REMEMBER.
It is THAT kennel the USDA is targeting in particular at this hearing, and as soon as all of this is over I will tell you who it is and YOU TOO WILL REMEMBER THEM.
It's been over four years since I filed complaints with anyone and everyone who would listen and some who wouldn't.
Trust me. There is no way that any of us could have forgotten this kennel.
The USDA has specific charges and violations of the animal welfare act towards this kennel owner.
I can't remember ever hearing about them actually taking one of the kennels to Federal court on Federal charges.
I figure it must be a pretty big deal for them to fly us there from Tulsa. She told me they've been working on this for some time and that the evidence is insurmountable against the kennel.
They also subpoenaed our Tulsa veterinarian, Dr. Russell. Oh Yeah baby. (((Robin stomps feet and giggles)))
I've never been subpoenaed for anything before, but I told the lady that when I got it, I would hug whoever delivered it!
Each time I'd go to the grocery store, I'd look over my shoulder to see if there was someone coming up behind the cucumbers to pat me on the back and say, "You've been served" as they ran past the frozen foods, out the back door, in a long black trench coat.
Well, it wasn't nearly that dramatic.
My doorbell rang one morning and it was a USDA agent that I've worked with in the past.
He reintroduced himself to me and I sort of lunged towards him and screamed, "IS THIS MY SUBPOENA?! GIVE IT TO ME! IT'S MINE!"
I 'bout scared the poor guy to death. He didn't know I was already aware that it was coming. He says they usually don't make it a habit of telling people in advance.
I think they knew I wasn't going to try to skip out on this. Oh Contraire'.
I asked the lady who called if I could share this with all of you. She looked over the papers and then said, "I don't see a gag order anywhere!"
This is it. I wanted to share it with all of you as I feel each of you have been with me on this fight, each and every step along the way. Though it is dated back in March, I only got it last week. The USDA is paying my air, hotel and meals. The hearing is going to be on May 20-21. That's a Tuesday and Wednesday.
But WAIT! There's MORE!
It seems the USDA field agent was trying to deliver two MORE subpoenas in this same case, to two commercial kennels in Oklahoma, who had bought dogs from this kennel at a dog auction.
He really had to hunt for them as they weren't where they were supposed to be.
You see, BOTH had gone out of business and left their kennels empty!
They BOTH told him that many of the commercial kennels are going under. That broker prices for puppies aren't enough anymore to even feed the mamas.
My guess is that education is telling the public where that cute puppy in the Pet Shop window, really comes from, and more and more, they just aren't willing to support that.
Thanks for letting me share all of this with you.
Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. He lives in the hearts and minds of rescuers everywhere. And he'll be in Des Moines, Iowa on May 20-21.
Merrrrry Christmas!
All My Love, Robin
