The following post is copied with permission from Dee Wingfield. This is a serious situation than needs all the help it can get
I'll give a brief overview of our Karing Keeshond Kristmas aka 101 Kees Rescue. By brief, I mean it won't be the 10 pages that are required to really be up to speed.
In early October, I learned of a situation in NY will a well-known high volume breeder (puppy miller). This person has a kennel which is non-compliant with even very minimal NY laws, but not bad enough, according to NY laws, to warrant seizure of the dogs or forced closure of the kennel. However the breeder indicated she wanted to stop breeding. She could not make her kennel compliant with the laws at that time. She is a senior citizen; she has some elder issues, some hoarding issues.
A local vet tech and animal advocate offered to help with her dogs, at the time, some Huskies, some American Eskimos and MANY, MANY Keeshonden, over 200. This vet tech is working with the NY state inspector to facilitate the kennel closure and release of dogs. However, this is NOT a mandatory shutdown. It is voluntary.
The vet tech, John, has been working daily to pull these dogs from the kennels (large pens 40x40 housing packs of sometimes 25-30 Kees), get them vaccinated, neutered and treated for the most urgent issues. The girls can only be spayed if they have places to go, because going back to the kennels with the pack will be a death sentence.
To make this story as short as possible, after talking with John for several weeks, and coming to believe in everything he is trying to do, I decided to do everything I could to get these Kees out of this mill. I contacted several agencies and groups, but no one wanted to tackle this job. So, I did.
Fast forward even more, we have built a solid network of experienced foster homes, coordinators, fundraisers, transporters, donors, networkers...worker bees one and all. To date, volunteers in the U.S. and Canada have rescued 20 Keeshonden from this mill. Today, 2 more are scheduled to leave. Tomorrow, 6 more. Saturday, 6 more. Sunday, not confirmed yet, but, possibly, hopefully, as many as 50 more.
At this time, today, 10 AM December 17, there are around 81 Keeshonden still at the kennel. By Sunday, that number COULD be drastically reduced. However, a slew of plans and schedules must fall into place for that to happen. If not Sunday, then it will happen when it happens, but very soon.
We have approached National Mill Dog Rescue about providing a transport truck, a specially-outfitted Class C RV, for us to be able to transport Kees to the Midwest and Southwest. Theresa Strader at NMDR readily agreed. Readily agreed, because of Ziva. http://nationalmilldogrescue.blogspot.com/2012/09/five-days-of-freedom-tribute-to-ziva.html
We have the truck, we need the funds for fuel and costs, probably $2,500 or so.
We have many ways you can assist these dogs. First and foremost pray for them. They have little shelter. They're in a cold NY climate. They live on crumbling concrete with frayed tarps as protection. Many are shaved; if they're not shaved, they're matted. They are dirty and smelly. They are unsocialized. They are young, under a year old. They are 3 and 4 years old. They are maybe a little older, like 6 or 7. They all need our help. Only WE can do it.
If you love Kees, you will show it. It's as simple as that. If you do nothing. I KNOW you do NOT love this breed. I don't care what your excuse is. There is no excuse for doing nothing. Everyone can at least network, right? You ARE reading this. But every person who has been involved in any way has been blessed. This is a worldwide effort. Ask us how to help.
I know we'll be posting the ways to donate. We have generous donors from around the world. We have volunteers waiting to be able to get their hands on the dogs. We have works in progress. We have John, the vet tech in NY who is amazing and working under the worst kinds of circumstances. He is a hero to our breed. And then, there's me. I'm committed (or maybe I should BE committed?). They're coming out. The end.
National Mill Dog Rescue: Five Days of Freedom - A Tribute to Ziva
That last picture says it all. Despite her horrible life, she found love and happiness and she was blessed to have those last days happy and free. You saved her and I am confident she felt safe and pampered and adored those last hours. Thank you for all you do for these pups, I hope to be able to vi...
NATIONALMILLDOGRESCUE.BLOGSPOT.COM
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