Photo courtesy the Reading Eagle.
Aaron Burkholder’s kennel license, the permit that allows him to commercially breed dogs at Burkholder Farm Kennel, has been revoked. This action was taken by the state after Burkholder was charged with 9 counts of animal cruelty for failure to properly care for dogs and puppies in his operation. (View the full story in yesterday’s entry.)
News of this development has not yet reached local news sources, however, Karel Minor, executive director of the Humane Society of Berks County, released the update via e-mail. This comes subsequent to a follow-up article in the Reading Eagle. According to this article, the Humane Society used an undercover officer posing as a puppy buyer in addition to viewing the failing reports issued by the state.
“Undercover officers asked to see a puppy and they were handed a urine and feces soaked animal that had urine stains on its coat,” Minor said. “In a good kennel operation, the puppy should have that nice puppy smell.”
I contend that there is no such thing as a “good kennel operation,” and that puppies should be bred and raised in the home, with attention to betterment of the breed – not simple production of puppies or intent of making a profit. With literally millions of dogs dying due to lack of qualified homes, responsible breeding practices are imperative. To learn more about responsible breeding, click here.
Commercial breeding, by definition, is morally suspect. Virtually every breeder that is required to carry a kennel license (housing 26 or more dogs annually) is a commercial breeder, loosely labelled a puppy mill. Although those who breed on a smaller scale often keep their dogs in better conditions, data points to the fact that these breeders actually contribute to more animals that die in shelters than do puppy mills. And genetic health problems and other issues frequently arise in puppies from both sources.
Most dogs are created by people who breed just once. Most dogs killed in shelters come from “just once” breeders. The problem isn’t the breeding. The problem is that caring isn’t enough, it takes knowledge.
Please consider adoption when obtaining your pet, or visit a reputable breeder. And please, spay or neuter to prevent accidents! Your pet can’t say “no” or use birth control.
