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Local humane society brings home recovered puppies
By Chris Roark, Staff Writer
The Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN) didn't win the big battle it was hoping to win during the 81st Texas State Legislature, but it recently claimed a few smaller victories, and Flower Mound has played a part in it.
The THLN had pushed hard for passing House Bill 3180, which would have set regulations for mills breeding 10 or more females, such as adequate space, medical care, socialization and fresh food and water. The bill also would have required registration and inspection of those puppy mills annually.
Being opposed by the Texas Veterinary Medical Association, the bill died in the senate committee at the conclusion of the legislative session.
Animal advocates claimed a victory about a month later when a puppy mill raid July 7 in Montague County, the largest in Texas history, rescued 496 dogs. The Humane Society of Flower Mound brought in seven of them. All of them illustrate the dangers of large puppy mills, Smith said.
“All of them are in need of medical attention,” Smith said. “We have one dog that we were afraid had a broken leg, but it's just severe tendon damage. We have a Labrador mix that's very shy and has enormous mammary tumors. There is a poodle/Shihtzu mix that has terrible mange, and its teeth are in terrible shape. It's probably been in pain for years. And we have a chocolate lab that is afraid of its own shadow.”
The Humane Society of Flower Mound will continue to house these dogs until they are healthy enough to be adopted.
In addition, Smith said the local Humane Society might try to bring in puppies that were recovered in a puppy mill raid Tuesday in Kaufman County that rescued more than 500 puppies and about 10 cats. There was another raid Thursday night in Nacogdoches in which there were about 130 dogs seized.
In the meantime, Smith urges those wanting to buy puppies to buy from shelters and not pet stores since she said some of them have a history of getting their dogs from puppy mills.
“If you do your homework, you won't end up with a dog with these types of problems,” Smith said. “The impact of puppy mills can be prevented with a little bit of education. Sometimes people buy these puppies that have genetic problems, and it can be really expensive to take care of.”
Smith said part of HB 3180 would have required the dealer to reimburse reasonable veterinary fees incurred up to 300 percent of the purchase price of the animal if the dogs become sick or are found to have congenital defects that were not disclosed at the time of purchase.
“Not only can it be expensive, but it can also be heartbreaking,” Smith said.
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