Fwd: UPDATE: OK/AR - Tenkiller Kennel (puppy mill rescue to save 26 bichons)

October 1, 2008

Dear Companion Pet Lovers ~

Please see below (scroll down to see Robin's message regarding fundraising for this special rescue). It was also confirmed that Small Paws no longer purchases dogs at the auctions! Here's Robin's official statement:

"In the beginning for the first 7 1/2 years, we raised every cent we could, and bought every Bichon at auction that we could afford and some that we couldn't. It caused the millers breed even more Bichons to bring to auction for rescue and we knew this.

The good news was that with so many Bichons being for sale at these auctions, prices did begin to fall. It's the rule of supply and demand. Too much supply and consumer prices fall. Too little supply, and consumer prices raise.

Broker price, the amount being paid to the millers per Bichon puppy, was around $400.00 just 18 months ago.

Then we decided to see if the Bichon wholesale market, would

react like any other commodity. If one of the major players pulled out, would the market fall?

We made a concentrated and calculated effort to try to control the Bichon wholesale market. We pulled out quickly, suddenly, and totally, and we did see a crash in the wholesale market! Broker prices for Bichon puppies fell from $400.00 to only $40.00. Bichons began selling for nearly nothing at the dog auctions, in many cases down to $5.00 or LESS, and in some cases no one would bid on them at all. This caused those Bichons to be sent to Small Paws for free.

The millers began giving their Bichon stock to us in droves, about a year ago. We are getting more Bichons out of the mills for free, now, than we ever did by going in and buying them at dog auctions. "Bichons are not worth raising," we are seeing the millers post on their message boards.

Our goal is to continue to make these Bichons WORTHLESS to the millers so they will stop breeding them and selling them to the pet shops.

The numbers of Bichons that we see in pet shops are way down from what we saw when we first came onto the rescue scene back in 1998.

Presently, we are taking in between 40-60 puppy mill Bichons, each and every month, 12 months a year, strictly from the commercial kennels.

This is on top of the 40-50 other Bichons that we take=2

0in from kill shelters, owners passing away or going into nursing homes, and of course from owners who can no longer care for them.

Small Paws continues to be the leader in the country in breed rescue. We presently have several other breed rescue groups interning with Small Paws, so that they can learn to do for their breed, what we have done for the Bichons.

We hope to continue our work in the commercial kennels across our country. Though it is a difficult thing to do, we ask that other rescue groups please not bid on Bichons at this time, as it would only serve to undo all of the work we have already done. "

Mary

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Re: FW: OK/AR: Puppy mill: rescue group wants to save these

dogs: 26 bichons ...

Pup3

Fri, September 26, 2008 3:46 pm

mshaver_0462

Hi Mary,=0

A

Our goal for them is $15,600. Allowing and average of $600.00 for each of them to be vetted and quarantined for 16 days.. We've raised right at $13,000 though credit card donations and if the checks that were pledged come in, we should be alright. Sometimes people say they will send checks, and things come up. You know how that goes. That number for vetting is if none of these 26 have anything really wrong, that's just normal vetting.

You are so kind to want to help them!

I just don't want any other rescue group to run themselves short helping us.

Even though we rescue Bichons, there is no breed we haven't removed from the mills, even Dogue de Bordeaux ! ha! My husband and I have four dogs and only two are bichons, so all animal rescue is important to us. We just don't want anyone running their own groups short in order to help us right now.

Hope I'm explaining this ok! Robin

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In a message dated 9/26/2008 12:27:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time, mshaver_0462 writes:

Hi Robin:

Could you please confirm your fundraising goal? Assuming if it has not yet been met, how much additional funds do you need?

Thanks so much.

Mary O'Connor-Shaver

Cell: 614-271-8248

Columbus Top Dogs (Shure Pets)

http://www.columbustopdogs.com/

Thursday September 25, 2008

Small Paws Bichon Rescue is trying to rescue these dogs, but don't have the money to do so before the owner of the puppy mill does something crazy.... Please forward this message to anyone who can help by either taking some of the dogs or donating to: http://www.smallpawsrescue.org/

Thank you,

Darlena

The message below is from Small Paws

Though it is rare, thanks to our local volunteer, we have an actual picture of the Tenkiller kennel where our 26 Bichons (yes, the number has grown by one more)=2

0await our rescue. One of our volunteer's lives near this kennel, near the Oklahoma/Arkansas line and took this picture of the actual Bichons we are talking about. Small Paws will be reimbursing her for the food she has taken over to these 26 Bichons, because the owner can no longer afford to feed them. This is located in an area near "LakeTenkiller."

(Tenkiller received its name from the Tenkiller family, who operated a ferry that crossed the Illinois River before the lake was constructed.)

Due to the situation on Wall Street and the potential economic bail out, donations are very slow. I think folks are waiting to see what happens. These Bichons don't understand a think about that. They only know they are in cramped cages and have sores on their skin and they need to be eating regularly.

Right now, we have only enough funds to rescue and vet ONE of these 26. This is a serious situation involving the lives of 26 Bichons. The owner sounded desperate and mentioned having to "do away with them" if we can't come.

I didn't ask how and I don't want to know.