HICKORY COUNTY, Mo. — The Humane Society of Missouri on Macklind Avenue in St. Louis said rescued dogs and puppies were showing their more playful side two days after being rescued.
The puppies came from Cridder Creek Kennel in Hickory County. Laurie Lund, the owner, had been operating without a license since January. His license expired on January 31, 2021.
The Missouri Department inspected Lund’s kennel several times between February and September. She failed every inspection and committed several repeated violations. She also sold 13 puppies between April 3 and June 21 without a license.
The most common violations were animals’ long nails, shelters lacking wind and rain barriers, exterior parts of shelters covered in dirt and grime. She also had several other violations. In February, the Ministry of Agriculture noted an excessive accumulation of excrement in the enclosures. He also found three packages of expired products. In April, some shelters did not have access to shade,
In July, several enclosures had puddles of muddy water.
“When dogs first come to us, they go through what can be described as somewhat similar to a wellness exam you would give your pet,” said Anne Vincent, director of the center. adoption of the Humane Society of Missouri Mackland Avenue. “We are still looking for any type of injury or illness, but we are doing their first series of vaccinations, deworming. You see there is obviously a dirty coat, debris in the ears, things you see in dogs that spend a lot of time outdoors. That’s sort of what we’re really working on is cleaning up and making sure they’re washed and cared for.
Now, the puppies are observed regularly the first days at the shelter.
“With so many animals arriving, some are healthier than others,” Vincent said. “Some may take a little longer to recover.”
Amateur breeder Ruth Mushynski says there are many ways to ensure your future pet is taken care of at the breeder.
“Make sure you do the proper tests, like genetic health tests, and know what you’re looking at,” Mushynski said. “Not only do you do the process, but you know how to decode the process to match mom and dad. Then even take it a step further if they’re going to go on and do tests like OFA, tests for hips and elbows or even heart and heart lining all of that so you can stack the deck in those the puppies are favored so may they have a long and healthy life.
Mushynski also said people can even use websites to verify their breeder.
The Humane Society hopes some of the dogs will be adopted from next week, but it could take a few weeks.
“It’s really humbling to be able to see a pet come in, start out scared and show up with such a big personality,” Vincent said. “When a dog starts playing with a toy for what really seems like the first time, it’s really exciting to see and catch that personality that comes out.”
The Humane Society accepts monetary donations and physical items such as blankets, comforters and toys. Those interested in donating can do so on its website. He thanks those who have already done so.
“We were around $40,000 in monetary donations in 48 hours,” Vincent said. “[Wednesday] morning our donation bin filled up 30 times if not more so they were constantly going through the donations and putting them away in our storage area.
