Puppy Mill??

[Journey]

I know everyone has their interpretation of a "puppy mill". I saw an ad in a local paper today and looked up the website. Sure wish I hadn't........

 

http://www.ddinvest.com/collie.htm

 

They seem to be up to 6 litters I believe? In the past 3 years. As if this isn't bad enough they have one pup listed as a "merle". My genetics may not be up to snuff but how can you get a Merle out of 2 B/W? Based on the picture, it appears to be a B/W with heavy ticking or mottled.

 

So, my questions are - any thoughts as to how to approach these people? What has happened to the ABCA studbooks by some of these pups being registered as a Merle if in fact they are simply mottled?

 

My patience for this is nill - though they do list a toll free number on their web site. Guessing at $$ at $450 per pup, bitch bred every cycle here for the past few years and what 8 pups per litter, that's what $21,600 they have made off a bitch?

 

Any thoughts as to whether or not look into this breeder with "merles" from B/W parents?

 

Karen

[muddy bob]

I agree that it is not in the best interest of the individual dogs or probably the breed itself for these dogs to be continually bred. But have any rules been broken? I think it is more likely they are ignorant of what a merle really is than any sort of deception attempted.

 

muddy

[Journey]

Yes, they are completely ignorant about it. Actually I spoke with her today, twice. Chatted with her and got lots of information. Her bitch isn't 5 yet and has produced 70 pups to date (not done yet either)so my $ figure was WAY off. She was told the "mottled" is "merle" and all those pups that she had that were "mottled" are registered as Merles (ABCA records are wrong).

 

She thought at first that ##Wisp was a "she" and was a merle. She understands now. ##Wisp is in the 5th generation on her bitch, though that was the first thing she told me. Her dogs don't work, no health tests of any nature have been done, she was unaware of them entirely. I sent her to a site with Merles so she could see what a merle was and I gave her information about CHD and CEA and Optigens' info.

 

She is a very nice lady, clueless to the extreme but appears to be willing to listen and learn something about health and genetics at least. I rather doubt she'll stop breeding that poor bitch, too much money to be made.

 

Sad thing for that poor bitch.......

 

Karen

[Journey]

I forgot to add - most likely some rules have been broken - local ones. The Fl statute is stiff and getting stiffer on breeders, in cases like this it needs to be but unfortunately it catches "all" breeders in it's web.

 

Karen