These days, dog breeding is an accepted norm in our society. Man’s best friend has been subject to our genetic preferences of humans for centuries. Sadly, generations of inbreeding and animal cruelty are the ugly truth behind the ancestry of many purebred dogs. This unfortunate abuse is widespread in puppy mills and breeder kennels across the US, including the Amos King Dog Breeder, one of the most infamous cases of cruelty in dog breeding.
In this article, we’ll give a breakdown of the problematic practices of puppy mills and breeders, the Amos King case, and the potential health defects associated with purebred dogs.
Before scrolling down to our Amos King Dog Breeder post, check out these other helpful articles from our team at We Love Doodles: Is Premier Pups a Puppy Mill? and Is PuppySpot A Puppy Mill?
Amos King Dog Breeder
A recent instance of animal cruelty occurred at Amos King Dog Breeder kennel in Lancaster County, PA. The kennel received charges for two counts of animal cruelty. They had severely neglected their dogs’ health, especially their teeth, which were in rough shape.
Keith Mohler, a Humane Society Officer, made the report on the kennel and the mistreated dogs. Chihuahuas, Yorkies, and Schnauzers were just some of the many breeds at the Amos King dog breeder. Following the charges, the court rescued seven dogs from the kennel.
In total, they found 50 dogs, 20 of which were puppies, at the dog breeder’s facilities. The 16 dogs remaining at the kennel received veterinary care for their ailments. So far, King has complied with the charges and scheduled the required arrangements for the dogs. Fortunately, they intend to comply and plead guilty to all charges.
Sadly, this case of animal cruelty is one of many among dog breeders in Pennsylvania and across the United States.
Dog Cruelty in Lancaster County, PA
Two additional cases of dog abuse recently occurred in Lancaster County as well.
In the first case, a dog was in critical condition after experiencing neglect from its owner. A passer-by discovered the half-Russell mix with obvious injuries. The dog was close to death and had to be brought to a local vet for emergency surgery. Even worse, veterinarians noticed that the owner had attempted to neuter the dog with an elastic band and then left it to its injuries.
The owner, “Weaver,” was charged with animal cruelty and pled guilty. They received the maximum fine of $750 and were required to pay for the emergency surgery as well, which was $803. The dog is now under the custody of the West Earl Township police.
In the second case, a Sheltie, Trixie, was neglected after being struck by a car and receiving severe injuries. One of Trixie’s legs was completely broken, yet the owner, Aaron King, never sought medical aid for the dog. King only had to pay $100 in court costs. Unfortunately, the dog remains under their care.
Animal Cruelty Law in Pennsylvania
While animal cruelty is against the law across the United States, every state has specific ways of enforcing laws.
Pennsylvania animal cruelty charges can range from fines, jail time, misdemeanor, and even felony charges. An animal cruelty charge is typically considered a ‘summary offense.’ People are charged if they knowingly, recklessly, or intentionally abandon, mistreat, abuse, beat, or overload an animal.
The maximum fine for a charge of animal cruelty in Pennsylvania is $750 or 90 days of jail time. The charge becomes a misdemeanor if the injuries of the animal are severe. If the animal dies or is repeatedly tortured by the owner, the charge becomes a felony.
Once a person has been convicted of animal cruelty, the court can order the owner to surrender the mistreated animal and subsequently ban the convict from owning another animal in the future.
Animal neglect is another critical conservation when discussing animal cruelty. Neglect occurs when an owner fails to provide the essentials for an animal. These essentials include food and water, shelter and protection from the elements, and needed veterinary care, like vaccines.
Neglect also applies to the length of time an animal is on a leash outside. Animals shouldn’t be left out for over 9 hours a day. In temperatures below freezing or hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, an animal should be outside for less than 30 minutes. The animal should also have access to water and shade while tethered. Lastly, the rope itself should propose danger to the animal or tangle easily.
How Are Dog Breeders Cruel?
Assessing and regulating the treatment of dogs at puppy mills has become challenging in recent years. On February 3rd, 2017, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) wiped records of animal welfare reports from its website. Later that year, they restored some of the documents. However, only a few reports on dog breeder operations were republished to the website.
Investigating abusive breeders has become challenging, but certain groups still work to expose abusive puppy mills and put them on record.
The Humane Society publishes a list titled the ‘Horrible Hundred’ to expose the widespread abuse and neglect among dog breedings mills in the United States. The list contains data from several states that perform inspections on puppy mills and preserved data from USDA records.
The list names breeding facilities by state and each breeder on the list is accompanied by its respective animal rights violation and an indication of whether they’re a repeat offender. Several of these mills have failed numerous inspections over the years.
‘Horrible Hundred’ Breeders in Lancaster
There are 12 Pennsylvania breeding kennels on the ‘Horrible Hundred,’ seven of which are in Lancaster alone.
- Evergreen Kennel: Sold underaged puppies and did. not vaccinate all their dogs.
- Fill-in-the-Gap Pets (Infinity Pups): In 2016, failed numerous state inspections, having excessive feces and unsafe conditions.
- Johnathan Lapp: Received verbal and written warnings for excessive feces and poor veterinary care.
- Runaway Kennel: Received citations since 2010, and numerous dogs were reportedly suffering from skin and eye disorders. Most prominently, a bulldog with cysts all over its body was present on multiple inspections. Some parts of the kennel lacked any light source.
- Walnut Run: The kennel received a warning in 2016 about unsafe housing conditions, among other issues.
- Whispering Spring Kennel: Between 2010 and 2017, the court Instructed this kennel to get veterinary check-ups for its dogs on 12 occasions. They also received six citations during state inspections during that time.
- Marlin Zimmerman (Turkey Hill Kennel): Since 2010, the court has issued ten warnings due to poor conditions and instructed the kennel to give veterinary check-ups to its dogs eight times between 2010 and 2016.
The Tip of the Iceberg
The horrifying conditions in which some purebred dogs live are just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re preparing to own a purebred dog, you also have to be ready for its expensive care.
Purebred dogs make loving household pets, but owning one has several unpleasant realities. While purebred dogs are coveted for their beauty, the inbreeding required to breed purebreds leads to severe health defects.
These defects include:
- High risk of various cancers
- Heart diseases
- Eye diseases
- Skin and bone disorders
- Neurological disorders
- Immune system disorders
- Epilepsy
Purebred owners must be keenly aware of the heightened risks of these defects and disorders manifesting in their dogs. The chances of any of these disorders occurring drop significantly when a dog is a mixed breed.
While mixed-breed dogs are not always healthier than purebreds, one cannot ignore the reality behind pure breeding. According to research from The Institute of Canine Biology, certain genetic disorders occur significantly more frequently in purebreds than in mixed breeds. In addition, evidence shows a resounding higher risk of defects and other diseases in purebreds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many animal rights groups are firmly against breeding dogs and consider it cruel and unethical, as there is already an overpopulation of mixed-breed dogs.
The ASPCA says that female dogs are expected to begin breeding at six months old. Many breeders sell young female purebreds at a discount rate so they can continue using them for breeding, even after they’ve gone to their ‘forever home.’
A dog giving birth is very similar to a human giving birth. It may be uncomfortable and painful at times, but a dog is built to have puppies.
The Amos King Dog Breeder and The Animal Cruelty Behind Dog Breeding
The animal cruelty showcased by Amos King and other dog breeding facilities shines a light on a nationwide issue of animal abuse. Furthermore, purebred dogs are subject to numerous potential disorders and health defects because of constant inbreeding. The kennels that house these dogs are commonly neglectful and provide subpar care.
Laws and regulations do little to prevent neglect from occurring. Kennels or individual dog owners may be charged with animal cruelty. But these kennels typically remain open, and owners retain custody of their dogs. The cycle of neglect and abuse continues despite the consequences, it seems.
These challenges do not stop organizations like the Humane Society from exposing the dark truth behind dog breeders. Officers like Keith Mohler devote their lives to saving these animals from abusive situations.
The path to changing these terrible practices is not as bleak as it seems. Purchasing a from any facility that gets their dogs from a puppy mill supports the practice of animal abuse. A great alternative is to rescue a dog from a shelter. Rescuing is also more cost-effective than purchasing a purebred. Adopting a dog from a shelter saves a life and rejects the neglectful breeding business of puppy mills as well.
If you find this post, “Amos King Dog Breeder” helpful, you can check out these other similar articles from our team at We Love Doodles:
- Is PuppySpot legit?
- What is a Puppy Mill? What You Should Know.
- Dog in Crate 20 Hours a Day: What You Should Know!
Before you bring home a companion from a breeder, you can learn more about puppy mills by watching “The Reality of Puppy Mills” down below:
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
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