Farmerstown Dog Auction, OH 1/15/2011

Over 450 dogs were offered for sale on this cold Saturday morning at the Holmes County auction. 300 of them were brought in by Minnesota breeder Wanda Kretzman, who has been issued multiple citations by USDA. The dogs were housed in cages stacked along the sides of three 45 feet long trailers. Each trailer was heated by a small propane heater, which provided very little warmth. Investigators noted several dogs with mucous discharge from the eyes, skin inflammations and overgrown nails. No solid flooring was provided inside the cages, all dogs had to walk on bare wire causing their toes to spread unnaturally. Some dogs appeared lethargic while others were frantically pacing from side to side. The poor conditions confirm the urgent need for a complete ban of such sales. Signatures are currently being gathered all across Ohio for a ballot initiative. Documentation obtained will be used at the January 15^th sale will be used to support the initiative.