A quick Google search of "LancasterPuppies.com" will reveal some rather horrid looking results. We'll save you the time of Googling (is that a word?) and post direct links to some of these further down the article. Allow us to explain what these reviews are and why we are there. We will also show you how to look up the kennel inspection reports in the PA database.
First, consider the source. Are these reviews coming from Attorney Generals in various states? Have the people posting these reviews ever bought a puppy on LancasterPuppies.com? Do the people posting the reviews even know what LancasterPuppies.com is and does? And-do the people posting these reviews even care what the truth is, or do they have an agenda? For example, many of these site require you to pay money in order to even have these bad reviews evaluated. Rip Off Report is especially notorious for this. They email us from time to time asking for money to remove bad reviews. Read an actual email they sent us at this link.
Allow us to explain, and you of course are free to make your own decision. We will also give you some tips for picking out a good breeder. First, let me share some of the less flattering emails we have gotten over the years:
"All of your PUPPIES look SICK and NOT HEALTHY! You should burn in HELL for doing this!!!" sent by Karen.
"It is interesting to see how you have the website set up to embellish and glamorize the sad and disgusting practices of these mills. It is sick to know that there are such low life individuals on this Earth. What a shame it is that such beautiful creatures are placed in the hands of monsters. Here or in another world, you will pay for the inhumane treatment that you help to provide for these animals." sent by Vdcordov
"Do you advertise for Amish?"
And, even the HSUS weighs in on us, check this link, page 39 http://www.humanesociety.org/assets/pdfs/pets/puppy_mills/100-puppy-mills-report.pdf
So according to some of these people, even the death sentence is not horrible enough punshiment for what we do, we are monsters, we must burn in hell forever. Would you perhaps consider folks making statements like that, passing such sure judgement without even knowing who we are, maybe a bit harsh?
The truth is, that abusing animals is illegal in the United States. In Pa, if you run a "puppy mill" you can be fined $500 - $1,000 a day. Today commericial kennels operating in Pa must have exercise schedules for their dogs, regularly scheduled veterinary checkups, and even a "black box" to monitor and record air quality, which includes several variables. Pennsylvania state law mandates health guarantees for every dog sold in the state. Dog breeders are required to stand by puppies they sell. And, if you see some one running a "puppy mill", you can turn them in on Pa Dog Law's tip page. Pennsylvania Kennel inspection reports are public. Other states have dog laws too, not mention there are kennel laws at the federal level with USDA inspections.
And the question "do we advertise for Amish"? Seriously now, are we supposed to make religion a qualification if we advertise for them or not? Are we supposed to bring back the Inquisition? In the years we have been advertising, we have had to ban a few breeders from our site, and none of them were Amish.
Is there room for improvement anywhere? I'm sure, however these people make it sound like dogs are being starved, beat and put into concentration camps on a daily basis, and that's just how breeding dogs is done. So why would people be so motivated to mislead? How do you know if a breeder is good? Here are our thoughts:
1. Radical Animal Rights Activists: In these people's minds, dogs = people, and people = dogs. So to them, selling a puppy is like breaking into someones house and stealing their children, then selling them on a street corner to who ever comes along with enough cash. Or raising dogs in a barn, (even if it's heated and climate controlled) is like someone raising their children in a barn. If this is how someone thinks, then they will never agree that selling a dog, under any circumstances, is ok. For example, PETA says "A Rat is a Pig is a Dog is a Boy".
2. Money: Has greed ever motiviated people to act with less than 100% honesty or integrity? No, really! We have nothing against honestly run animal shelters. In fact, if you run a shelter, talk to us, and maybe we can give you some free publicity and a link. We support the PA Kennel Assurance program, which rehomes unwanted dogs. In the past we have found homes for dogs advertised on LancasterPuppies.com, but didn't work out for the new buyer, at no charge. We don't hate animal shelters. However, many of these shelters claim to "be full", "over capacity", etc. Yet some (not all I'm sure) import dogs from other states, or even other countries, in order to stay full. Why? Because they wouldn't get very many donations if they only claimed too be "half full" or "have plenty of room". You can read more about this on our FAQ's page.
3. The HSUS: Should they be trusted?
Why is the Humane Society of the United States helping a terrorist group raise money?
On page 39 of the HSUS "Horrible Hundred" report, they actually mention our website, LancasterPuppies.com. They claim we are "offering dogs for sale from questionable dealers in Pa, OH and other states". Really? Dealers advertising must be licensed, and in most cases inspected, in order to comply with state and federal laws. Many of the advertisers are not dealers, but just have a family dog. They go on to claim that one of our advertisers was cited for laundering puppies through a kennel license. However, that is false, they never recieved any such citation. In our opinion, HSUS has other problematic "facts" in their horrible hundred list. One New York breeder was claimed to have horrible conditions, yet the dog warden who inspected his actual kennel stated it was one of the most well kept he had ever seen. For more information on the HSUS, visit www.HumaneWatch.org. (For example, HumaneWatch.org states that only 1% of the HSUS donations actually goes toward animal care)
Allow us to share this Humane Watch video with you:
So how do you find out if a breeder is good? We recommend going out and meeting them before making a decision. Ask them quesitons, how long have you been breeding dogs? If they sell lots of dogs, are they state licensed and inspected? (breeders who only have 2 or 3 dogs typically do not need state licenses) Do they attend seminars on dog care? Do they offer a health guarantee? Can they provide a written health guarantee and health record, detailing vaccinations types, dates, etc.
So there you have it. Be educated and informed on both sides of the issue when finding your new family member. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns email us at [email protected].