Here's another Pennsylvania case for conservative know-nothings to express chest-thumping outrage about.Dog wardens have shut down a kennel in Waynesboro, west of Harrisburg, that was operating without a license. Wardens and officers with the Washington Township Police Department went to the property last week and removed all 29 live dogs and one dead dog from the premises. Acting on information provided by a visitor to the kennel, dog wardens and police officers secured search warrants to investigate potential kennel and cruelty violations.
The agents found dogs and other animals living in filthy conditions, including cages stacked four-high and filled with feces, maggots and moldy food. The dogs—Papillons, Yorkies and Poodle mixes—as well as several cats and birds, were immediately removed by the Antietam Humane Society in Waynesboro. The dogs were matted and dirty, and several appeared to have eye and ear infections. The animals will all be examined and receive veterinary care.
The Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement plans to file charges against the owner, Donna Cook, for operating an unlicensed kennel. Any charges for animal cruelty will be issued by the police department. Cook was cited in 2001 for cruelty and operating a kennel without a license.
My God, what's with these fascist local Humane Society's and SPCAs?
Don't they know it's their job to ignore animal abuse? I mean, who doesn't have a dead dog in their Kennel? These thing happen. In any case, the dog committed suicide. It was depressed.
So what if the local Humane Society found dogs and other animals living in filthy conditions, including cages stacked four-high and filled with feces, maggots and moldy food?
You believe these people over the lady who was cited for animal cruelty back in 2001? Why?
These dogs are private property and were on private property. How dare the local Humane Society step in to immediately relieve their misery?
Instead, they should visit, be denied admission to the premises, and then go to a judge for a warrant. Then, with warrant in hand, they should come back and maybe issue a warning. Then, a week or two later, they can come back and maybe levy a small fine if things are not better. Then, a week or two later, they can come back and levy another small fine if things are not much improved.
By then, of course, most of the dogs might be dead, which will make legal action moot.
You see? Wasn't that easy?
Who is to say this is wrong?
The outage here, of course, is that these dogs are going to be placed in loving homes with families rather than be sold to people who have not done their research on how to even purchase a dog, much less how to house, feed, or train one.
Dogs are private property, same as a stack of tires, and this is nothing more than theft by the SPCA's and local Humane Society's in order to line their own well-padded coffers.
It's a konspiracy I tell you!
Everyone knows there is huge cash-money to be made selling broken, diseased, and poorly socialized animals.
That's how the local Humane Societies and SPCA's can pay all those big salaries. That's why every local dog catcher is driving a Lincoln Navigator home from the office every day.
This is theft by the State, and I am outraged.
Thank God we have clear-thinking people like David Zincavage over at the "Never Yet Melted" blog to help us sort it all out.
He knows dogs.
He even tells me that he owns one! He hopes to get a second one soon.
- Related Posts:
** Load, Fire, Aim: A Case History of Nonsense
** Talk Is Cheap When It Comes to Bassets in Trouble
** What's the Legal Limit on Dogs?
** Dog Laws: A Case of "Pick Your Poison"
** Murder Hollow Update: The Dogs Still Need a Vet
** Another "AR" Case for Know Nothing Outrage
As good as it should ever get for dogs in a conservative/libertarian world.
The conservative/libertarian sees property rights as sacrosanct-- indeed, in many cases this right is held on a higher level than other rights.
ReplyDeleteLots of them see necessary reforms that are the outgrowth of the extended franchise (which goes way back to why lots of people didn't want the franchise extended) and a more urbanized population as the end of liberty. That's because to them, liberty is enshrined in a mythical absolute right to own property, which has never existed in under any legal system or jurisprudence.
Democracy and human decency are often in conflict with this belief in absolute property rights. I'm not saying abolish all property. I'm saying that property rights cannot totally trump other rights and the needs to have a truly decent society.
As you can now be assured, I'm no libertarian. And I'm definitely no conservative.
Very amusing, Patrick; however, you miss the point.
ReplyDeleteThose of us who oppose animaliberation policies (not animal welfare orgs/initiatives) are as outraged by this type of kennel situation as anyone. The argument is not with honest attempts to address substandard breeding ops.
It's the slippery slope - pet limits, mandatory neutering, refusal to grant breeding permits, warrantless search and seizure, etc, etc, etc, that raise our ire.
No normal person condones the kind of 'care' shown in your pictures.
Caveat, I think YOU may be missing the point: the local SPCA's and Humane societies care ONLY about animal welfare.
ReplyDeleteSurely you know this?
Surely you know the difference in history, funding and mission between the local SPCAs and the direct mail organizations known as PETA and HSUS?
And surely you know that the Philadelphia SPCA stands in defense of Pit Bulls?
Dont believe it?
Sue Crosby, the director of the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, was asked about Michael Vick being signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. She said:
"Philadelphia is a city of dog lovers and, most particularly, pit-bull lovers. To root for someone who participated in the hanging, drowning, electrocution and shooting of dogs will be impossible for many, no matter how much we would all like to see the Eagles go all the way."
This is a lady, and an agency, that is standing for dogs, and Pit Bulls in particular.
Perhaps on this point, YOU don't get it? Which is OK -- you are in Canada. You do not live in Virginia, the state where Michael Vick actually did his business. You do not know who actually stands for dogs here in the U.S. I do. I get it. Which is why I caution people who do not get it to slow down on throwing mud and rocks at people who actually stand for dogs and who can be allies. That generally includes the local SPCAs and humane societies. You want to throw rocks at PETA and HSUS? Knock yourself out, and you know I will join you. But I know the difference between local SPCAs and human societies and the national organizations with which they have NO affiliation or financial relationship.
Yeah, I DO get it.
Patrick