Breeder gives up dogs, humane society gets them ready for adoption

(NEWTON, Kan) — Forty purebred dogs and eleven puppies are taken from a Kansas breeder. Half of them are now getting a new life at a Newton animal shelter. But how they got there reflects a trend you may not have heard about.

The furry faces inside the cages are waiting their turn for a haircut and a check-up at the Caring Hands Humane Society in Newton.

"They were scared," said Julie Gleason, a volunteer. "The uproar of them moving made them nervous."

All nineteen of the dogs arrived Saturday morning. They were taken from a breeder earlier in the week. All need some TLC before they can be adopted, some for mild health problems, others for emotional ones.

"A lot of them were a little bit shy," said Kevin Stubbs, Executive Director. "They are not used to being handled."

What makes this story different is that in this case the breeder contacted the Kansas Animal Health Department and said it couldn't care for these dogs any more. It's something that's becoming more common.

"I think that's great they are going to the right channel and not letting the animal languish and the problems gets worse," said Stubbs.
    
The Animal Health Department says the bad economy makes it harder for breeders to sell the dogs. It is happy to help the animals, but bailing out breeders strains the shelters who have to make room for dozens of dogs at once.

The breeder does have to pay fines, if it decides to give up animals to the state.

The number of animals seized from breeders by the state is increasing. Two years ago, of all the animals taken, forty percent came from breeders. This year, its up to sixty percent.

About the Dogs:

Breeds include Pekingese, Shih Tzu, Papillion, Poodle and West Highland Terrier. 

These will be available for viewing starting Tuesday, August 10th. Adoption fees will vary.