NAIA Official Blog

A welfare check on Barbara Wible, a rescue co-founder, discovered the woman confused and laying on the floor of her home. Along with her were 36 dogs – 12 of them dead, and two in such bad shape they required euthanization. As if this weren’t a horrific enough discovery, the welfare check led to an animal cruelty investigation at another property owned by the woman, where an additional 146 dead dogs were found.

The 22 surviving dogs are being rehabilitated and will hopefully recover, but there is no silver lining to this story. To have a rescue that was once glowingly featured as a “hometown hero” fall so far shows how badly things can spiral out of control for people who care for animals… or perhaps, how easy it can be to deceive the public with kind platitudes.

This discovery also exposes a glaring need for rescues and shelters to be inspected and to meet the standards required of any other business that sells dogs. Just because an entity is a nonprofit doesn’t mean they aren’t a business, or that their kind-heartedness somehow magically makes up for deficiencies in animal care. It just means they are tax-exempt (and no, the IRS does not perform animal welfare inspections). If you really want to “save a life,” requiring rescues and shelters to live up to the same standards as anyone else who sells dogs is a good step forward.

It’s also important to remember that inspections and standards aren’t just for pets, they protect people, too. For consumers, they act as an additional layer of defense against health and behavioral problems; for people who sell dogs, they can serve as a means of education and course correction, before things spiral into chaos and horror.

We don’t know many of the finer details of this story yet. However, we know for sure that an Ohio rescue co-founder, who took in dogs from as far south as Tennessee with a promise of “saving” them, let 160 dogs die from neglect. We also know that conditions were bad enough last year for humane officers to remove some of the dogs in her care. And we know that if Wible’s at-home rescue (!) operation had been required to submit to inspections like any other operator who sells dogs, the problems would have been rooted out much sooner, saving (actually saving) the lives of numerous dogs.

One model worth looking at and emulating is Colorado’s Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA), a licensing and inspection program to safeguard the care and conditions of pets kept in facilities (including homes) throughout the state. PAFCA covers breeders, rescues and shelters, trainers, transporters, doggie daycares – basically any business or nonprofit that transfers or cares for pets.

158 dogs found dead: Animal rescuer facing cruelty charge

Resources
★     Founder of Poodle Rescue Arrested on Charges of Animal Cruelty
★     (2012) Wilma Smith’s Hometown Hero
★     (Colorado) The Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act

One aspect of pet ownership that never fails to leave us in awe is how far some people will go to get the type of animal they love. Dogs, cats, fish, herps, birds – the breed or species of pet may be wildly different, but the impulse for care and companionship that drives people to keep pets is often quite similar. The human-animal bond is really kind of magic! Unfortunately, having big feelings can also open a person up to exploitation by criminals.

This is what happened to a Georgia woman who was scammed out of thousands of dollars by a man posing as an English Bulldog breeder. The man assumed the identity of an actual breeder, Lisa Dunn Miller, claiming photos of one of Miller’s puppies as his own. He listed the puppy at only $650 (a red flag in and of itself), though once he had the victim on the hook, he added an additional $200 for shipping. When that ploy worked, he upped the ante by $996 for a “shipping crate,” then, perhaps seeing just how far he could push the victim, another $1,800 for “COVID vaccines.” Yikes!

As tempting as a picture of pups might be, get to know your breeder first!

By the time the victim realized this was all a scam and reported it to the sheriff’s office, she had been fleeced to the tune of $3,646. It’s always bad when people take advantage of others like this, but it’s especially nasty when a victim’s “puppy love” is used as a weapon against them. On the bright side, scams like this are avoidable.

Remember how we mentioned that $650 for an English Bulldog puppy is a red flag? Well, it most definitely is. For a reputable breeder, $650 won’t come close to covering the cost of testing, breeding, worming and vaccines, and basic animal care that goes into rearing a purebred pup. Breeding dogs may be a labor of love, but it sure ain’t cheap! Another thing to remember is that reputable breeders will have references and be happy to communicate with you in person, or at the very least over video call. They will also have answers to your questions and be curious about you and your home, to help ensure that the puppy is going to live in a safe and loving environment. And while a good breeder costs more, the costs will be clear and upfront, and there will be a contract – no $996 “Crate Fees” sideswiping you out of nowhere!

Georgia woman loses over $3k when she tries to buy a puppy

Resources
★     “Bull” (from the actual breeder’s website)
★     AKC: How to Spot a Puppy Scam Online

Last week, animal owners everywhere were rattled when Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) officers killed 34 privately owned pythons and a gravid boa. To better understand how this came about, it is important to have a bit of backstory. In 2021, FWC came up with and implemented a list of animals that would be banned and illegal to privately own, keep, sell, trade, or breed. These animals were originally covered by a conditional permit. The list includes tegus, green iguanas, several pythons, and other reptiles. This, too, has a backstory – those animals can live in parts of Florida’s climate and thrive, which can lead to ecosystem imbalances. There are populations of large constrictors, iguanas, and tegus living in the Everglades and elsewhere that have impacted native wildlife.

The 2021 ruling is currently being challenged as unconstitutional in a lawsuit against FWC and has yet to be formally decided and ruled upon. Owners and breeders were given 90 days to rehome their animals. That ruling turned law-abiding animal owners into criminals overnight.

Fast forward to last Thursday, when FWC officers went to Bill McAdam’s property looking for an escaped python. Chris Coffee, the owner of the pythons whose snakes were under constructive seizure, let them in to let them inspect the animal enclosures, all of which were locked. What happened after that was captured on video and linked to in the original press release from USARK FL. The officers, over a span of a few hours, killed 35 snakes, one of which was legally kept and killed by accident. The pythons were all registered, microchipped, and on documented inventory with FWC as Mr. Coffee was in full compliance with the Conditional Species Permit rules before that program was terminated by FWC for these species in 2021. That snake was a pet, raised by Mr. McAdam and was gravid with 32 offspring due in one month. 29 of the snakes killed were reticulated pythons, which are not listed as an invasive species in Florida. The remaining five were burmese pythons, which are listed as invasive species in Florida. Also troubling is the method in which the officers used to dispatch the snakes: they did not follow the FWC approved two-step process for humanely euthanizing reptiles as stipulated on their website. The officers only performed Step 1 and never completed the humane process by carrying out Step 2.

This is a truly sad situation where the welfare of animals was not taken into consideration. The snakes were born and raised in human care and kept by knowledgeable owners. We understand the dangers posed by invasive species, but also the importance of making sure animal owners operate within a framework of just and reasonable laws. We hope to see, at the very least, an investigation and compensation for the animals lost.

Resources
★     USARK: FWC Officers Slaughter Pet Boa and 34 other Snakes on Holy Thursday
★     FWC: Humane Killing Methods for Nonnative Reptiles

On Wednesday, after a string of failed health inspections, overcrowding, and substandard animal care, the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) ordered Unleashed Pet Rescue, a Kansas pet shelter, to surrender its rescue license. Many of the shelter’s failures appear tied to simple math: too many dogs = too little care. So, it’s no wonder that the city broke its partnership with Unleashed Pet Rescue last week, or that KDA ordered the shelter to stop taking in animals on Monday.

The shelter’s issues have been percolating for some time – long enough to cause a local TV station to launch an investigation last January. This is the same shelter that imported 26 dogs from Egypt in 2019 – a shipment that included a rabies-positive dog, and another dog that escaped, which led to quarantines and 44 people taking rabies postexposure prophylaxis.

And despite its revenue of $2.3 million in 2020, it appears that Unleashed Pet Rescue did not provide basic animal care. In any case, it sounds like the KDA made the right call here.

Resources
★ State agency investigates Kansas City-area animal shelter after complaints
★ CDC Extends Suspension of Dog Imports from Countries with High Rabies Prevalence

By now we have all heard of the train accident turned ecological disaster in East Palestine, Ohio. The cars were carrying dangerous toxins like vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, and benzene. Since the leakages were set on fire to burn up quickly, there is still worry that those byproducts, like dioxene, will travel with the weather across the eastern US. Within the first 24 hours of the derailment, people started to find dead fish floating in nearby streams. Then, residents began to report deaths and illnesses of their chickens, dogs and other livestock. The death toll has risen even more since the incident – on the 23rd of February, the new estimate is 43,700 dead animals, both aquatic and terrestrial.

According to the EPA information on vinyl chloride, the greatest risk is for the gas to seep into soil and get into the groundwater where it cannot dissipate. It will evaporate from water quickly, but it will not break down. Since it is a gas, it dissipated soon after the incident into the surrounding air, and the remainder was incinerated. The air contamination concerns were for the first night, when low temperatures and light winds would have kept any remaining gas close to the ground.

Unfortunately, it is still too early to tell the long-lasting effects of the spill and fire. The most casualties found have been minnows, since the streams close to East Palestine are small enough that large fish do not live in them. Other affected wildlife are amphibians, which are used as indicator species of environmental quality due to the fact that they absorb water through their skin. Overall, environmental experts say that this will take a very long time to heal.

Resources
★     Worried residents near Ohio train derailment report dead fish and chickens as authorities say it’s safe to return
★     A Truck Carrying Nitric Acid Crashed in Tucson. Residents Now Have to Shelter in Plac

The string of bizarre crimes at the Dallas Zoo has finally come to an end. After the Dallas Zoo issued a photo of the suspect from security footage, it caught the eye of churchgoers who recognized him from frequenting a church-owned property. An arrest was made last week after the suspect, Davion Irvin, visited the Dallas World Aquarium (DWA), and asked keepers about the animals’ management and routines. A keeper was immediately tipped off by his behavior and also recognized him from the wanted photo. DWA also houses Emperor tamarins among many other rainforest animals, including hundreds of free flighted birds.

Upon questioning, Mr. Irvin admitted he entered the Dallas zoo after hours to cut the fence and take the tamarins, then used the commuter train to travel back to Lancaster with the monkeys in tow. It is a short distance from the tamarin exhibit to the zoo perimeter, and then a short walk to the train station, which has a zoo stop across the street from the front entrance. Mr. Irvin also admitted to the attempted catnapping of the clouded leopard Nova, as well as cutting the langur fencing. It has not yet been determined if he has any connection with the intentional killing of the lappet-faced vulture, Pin. Mr. Irvin did make it clear, however, that he would continue to seek out animals to take upon release, as he is a self-proclaimed animal lover. He has now been charged with six counts of animal cruelty and two counts of burglary.

This string of incidents has rippled across the country. Several similar events have occurred within the same time frame, only adding to the mystery: 12 squirrel monkeys were stolen from a zoo in Louisiana, a Eurasian Eagle Owl got out of a vandalized exhibit at the Central Park Zoo in NYC, a pelican exhibit was vandalized at the Houston Zoo, and an Andean bear got out of its enclosure through a corner of fencing at the Saint Louis Zoo.

Resources
★     Owl who escaped NYC zoo after someone cut enclosure becomes local celebrity
★     A man was arrested in the theft of 12 squirrel monkeys from a Louisiana zoo, but the animals have yet to be found, chief says

An exciting new program was unveiled two weeks ago at the Rose City Classic dog show in Portland, Oregon: the testing and grading of respiratory function in brachycephalic dogs. This was launched by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), in conjunction with the Bulldog, French Bull Dog, and Pug Dog Clubs of America, as well as the AKC itself.

If you are subscribed to this blog, you probably already know what a brachycephalic breed of dog is and the health concerns and controversies that swirl around them. What you may not know – what too many people, frankly, don’t know – is that reputable breeders and their breed clubs have been hard at work to address and breed away from health issues associated with shortened snouts when present, and to, ahem, clear the air regarding some of the exaggerations surrounding brachycephalic breeds. This test, the Respiratory Function Grading Scheme (RFGS), provides the public and prospective dog owners with objective proof of that work, and ideally, opens the door for constructive conversations on health testing and issues with purpose-bred animals.

For dogs and their breeders, the RFGS objectively measures and grades brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) using a dog’s rest state and its breathing after exercise. This gives breeders valuable information on their dog’s overall health, provides guidelines for which dogs they should breed, and as a bonus, serves as a reference that sets themselves and their breeding programs apart. While it is true many top breeders were already focused on this issue, this tool offers them the opportunity, through a veterinary assessment, to certify that their dogs have normal respiratory function.

Over time, this can’t help but contribute to the advancement of good health in well-bred brachycephalic dogs both in reality as well as in public consciousness, which would be fantastic. To quote Eddie Dziuk, OFA’s chief operating officer, “There’s no reason a Pug shouldn’t be able to run around and breathe easily.” A majority already can, and with programs like this and smart choices by breeders, even more will be!

Resources
★     Respiratory Function Grading Scheme
★     PHOTOS: See the fabulous floofs of the Rose City Classic Dog Show

On Tuesday, a twin-engine plane packed with 53 rescue dogs enroute from Louisiana to a humane society in Wisconsin crash-landed just short of its destination at a golf club in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. It was a skillful emergency landing, and thankfully, there were only minor injuries inside the plane. Outside, snow kept people off the golf course, so the only casualty was a small tree taken out by the landing.

The story has garnered local and national notoriety and the destination shelter, Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS), reported hundreds of inquiries about the dogs, which means they’ll all be adopted. So – from certain disaster to hunky-dory-happily-ever-after, yes? Maybe not. The primary question remains: are loosely regulated rescue pet transports appropriate, humane, or even safe ways to deal with surplus pets? The fact is, of all the sources of dogs available to the public, these are among the most challenging because they have a demonstrable record of significant health and behavioral problems.

Concern over disease and parasites in rescue imports is often dismissed or even belittled by rescue activists, though it’s maddening to the scientists and agencies that are forced to deal with the fallout (HAWS was quarantined a few years ago when South Korean rescue imports brought canine brucellosis with them – a disease that can utterly destroy breeding programs). Canine rabies infection is fatal without post-exposure treatment, but even if exposure doesn’t result in infection, it often causes a follow-up investigation and cleanup that costs a fortune. But rabies and brucellosis are just two of many diseases found in unvetted pet transports – and many of these are not endemic to their destination sites. Importing dogs from foreign countries can put US agriculture at risk with diseases such as African swine fever, which has killed millions of hogs worldwide.

If you are adopting a pet, we urge you to seek out locally sourced dogs and cats in need of permanent, loving homes. Rescue transport may get some great headlines (just follow how this story is being covered elsewhere!), but the resources that go into it would be much better spent solving surplus and homeless pet issues at their source, via outreach, education, improving animal services, and providing low-cost vaccination and spay & neuter services.

Resources
★     NAIA Leads Appeal for Healthy Dog Import Resources for USDA
★     Wisconsin animal shelter flooded by ‘hundreds’ of offers to adopt dogs who survived plane crash
★     What Imported Dogs have to do with African Swine Fever
★     Notice of Temporary Suspension of Dogs Entering the United States from Countries Classified as High Risk for Dog Rabies

Here’s another example of why NAIA has been working nonstop on the issue of irresponsible dog importation for nearly 20 years:

New Imported Distemper Strain in Dogs

This is not a long read, but to summarize: 12 week-old puppy (yes, 12 weeks!) was imported into North America from Korea by a rescue. The puppy showed signs of illness 12 days after arriving, grew sicker, and had to be euthanized. Tests indicate the imported pup had a new strain of distemper.

The excerpt below captures the dangers of irresponsible rescue importation (trafficking, if you don’t want to mince words), and its wanton disregard for the domestic dog population:

While we have been most concerned with the importation of canine influenza virus from Asia to North America by improper procedures by various “rescue” groups, the importation of CDV may be more significant in that CDV once it enters an ecosystem cannot be eradicated even with effective vaccines. Once again the North American dog population is being put at risk by those who have no regard for the importation of foreign animal diseases.

The threats to public, animal, and economic health that are posed by importing unscreened livestock into the country are generally understood. The fact that we have a reasonably strict screening process for importing livestock is evidence of this. Yet for the last two decades, rescues shipping in dogs from parts of the world that have not even gotten rabies under control has rarely elicited anything stronger than “but at least their hearts were in the right place” in response. Sadly, it seems to take incidents such as the canine flu, rabid puppies, and new (or reintroduced) diseases for the public to take notice, but awareness is spreading.

Less than three months after an FDA recall of several brands of dry pet food with potentially toxic levels of vitamin D, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is now facing a class action lawsuit claiming hundreds, if not thousands of pets were sickened or even killed after being exposed to toxic levels of Vitamin D in their canned food:

“The lethal nature of Hill’s Specialty Dog Foods has been compounded by Hill’s excessive and unwarranted delay in warning consumers and regulatory agencies of the dangers posed by these products and caused untold numbers of pet owners significant emotional distress and financial loss,” noted the court filing, which detailed the cases of three bereaved dog owners.

“As early as February of 2018, dog owners began to complain that Hill’s Specialty Dog Foods were causing their pets to display symptoms consistent with vitamin D poisoning, such as ‘daily diarrhea, excessive thirst and constant food begging,'” according to the suit.

Hill’s is facing an additional, unrelated lawsuit over the issue of “fake pharmacy” prescription foods, as well.

Production issues and legal actions against companies that make the food your pets eat is obviously something we should all be aware of. We will follow this story and post updates as they occur.

Given the recent spate of dog-food related recalls and lawsuits, you can’t blame your pet for being a little wary…