Thursday, March 26, 2009

USDA Licensed National Dog Broker Found Guilty

Companion Animal Protection Society’s Undercover Investigation Convicts National Dog Breeder & Broker Kathy Bauck in Minnesota

(Boston, MA)
– An undercover investigation by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS), the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting companion animals from cruelty and inhumane breeding practices in pet shops and puppy mills, is pleased to announce that Kathy Bauck, the owner and operator of Pick of the Litter (aka Puppies on Wheels) in New York Mills, Minnesota, has been found guilty of four misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and torture.

Ms. Bauck was one of the largest national USDA licensed dog brokers, distributing thousands of dogs to pet shops across the country and via the internet. Based on evidence compiled by CAPS, Ms. Bauck was found guilty by a jury for four misdemeanor counts of cruelty and torture at a trial that began on March 18th and ended on March 24th 2009.

While under a cease and desist order from the State Veterinary Board for the practice of veterinary medicine, including doing C-sections on her dogs, Ms. Bauck continued to practice vet medicine, which was documented by her employees. However, the state allowed her to plea bargain for just one charge for the practice of veterinary medicine and dropped the cruelty charge for killing a puppy by bashing it against a pole. While on parole and serving work release, she continued to commit cruelty that was documented by a CAPS undercover investigator. CAPS submitted the investigator’s hidden camera footage, photographs and reports to local authorities. This documentary evidence was the basis of the criminal case against Bauck.

At the time of the investigator’s employment, Ms. Bauck’s facility held 900 adult dogs and approximately 400 puppies. The undercover video shot by the CAPS investigator shows dogs that are sick, wounded, and emaciated. Dogs at her facility commonly became wounded through fights, even some of the small breed dogs.

CAPS has an online pet shop and internet puppy complaint form and over the years has received a number of complaints from consumers who purchased sick puppies that were bred or brokered by Bauck.

Ms. Bauck has been licensed by the USDA since 1983 and despite CAPS investigations since 1997, the USDA has failed to take action. The July 2008 USDA inspection report for Bauck had no violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). CAPS has been investigating the USDA’s failure to enforce the AWA since 1995 and has been lobbying members of Congress for oversight hearings regarding USDA’s lax enforcement of the AWA. CAPS returns to the Capitol in April to meet with USDA officials and members of Congress and will use the Bauck case as evidence of the USDA’s malfeasance.

At 9:18pm on Tuesday March 24, 2009 after reviewing all of the evidence by the CAPS investigator, the jury determined that Ms. Bauck was guilty of four misdemeanor counts. The sentencing hearing will be on April 24, 2009.

Click here to view the video for the investigation report.

The trial has generated the following news coverage:

ABC Boston aired on March 25, 2009 “Conviction in Animal Cruelty Case”
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/19016577/index.html

ABC Boston reports sick puppies from online purchases
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/18870823/detail.html

ABC Boston aired a two-part expose on the CAPS undercover investigation of Pick of the Litter, owned by Kathy Bauck.http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/17932078/detail.html

CBS 2 and KCAL 9 in Los Angeles aired "Buy Internet Puppies at Your Peril" http://cbs2.com/watercooler/Internet.puppies.caution.2.861653.html
puppies.caution.2.861653.html

CBS2 Chicago aired the third installment about the CAPS undercover investigation of Pick of the Litter, owned by Kathy Bauckhttp://cbs2chicago.com/local/Internet.puppies.%20Zekman.2.861245.html
Zekman.2.861245.html

CBS Minneapolis aired an expose on the CAPS undercover investigation of Pick of the Litter, owned by Kathy Bauck.http://wcco.com/iteam/i.team.puppy.2.872927.htmlUSDA Considering Action against Puppy Mill Ownerhttp://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/bad.breeder.usda.2.838041.html
bad.breeder.usda.2.838041.html

CBS2 Chicago aired an exclusive expose on the CAPS undercover investigation of Pick of the Litter, owned by Kathy Bauck
http://cbs2chicago.com/investigations/cathy.bauck.puppy.2.837035.htmlcathy.bauck.puppy.2.837035.html

For more information please visit http://www.caps-web.org/ or call the Companion Animal Protection Society at 781.210.0938.


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About Companion Animal Protection Society:
Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting companions from cruelty and inhumane breeding practices in Pet Shops and Puppy Mills. Founded in 1992, CAPS actively addresses this issue through undercover investigations, consumer education through the media, legislative involvement, puppy mill dog rescues, consumer assistance and pet shop employee relations. CAPS has gained worldwide recognition for targeting puppy mill operations and converting pet shops to humane animal adoption centers. The Companion Animal Protection Society is based in the Boston, MA area. For more information please visit
www.caps-web.org.

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