The Animal Protection "Act"
This website has been created recounting my employment, as an Animal Protection Inspector with the Georgia Department of Agriculture, from December 1, 2003 until July 29, 2004. If laws, policies, rules or regulations have changed since my employment, although it is my opinion that most have not, those changes won't be reflected in the employment recounts contained in this personal website.
While most of the licensees I encountered seemed to be extremely nice people who followed the rules and regulations of their license agreement, I experienced my share of a few licensees that had absolutely no business, whatsoever, being around animals, much less holding a license. My territory involved thirteen counties in, mostly, rural NW Georgia. I chose to handle, or try to anyhow, these situations within the scope of, not only the Georgia Animal Protection Act, but the Doa's own rules and regulations. I finally realized that this was an extremely difficult task within the department I was employed.
This is not a personal attack on a state department, nor is it a personal vendetta against any one individual. No offense to any of this department's employees, but I honestly could care less about "them". But what I do care about are the animals, and their welfare. This website's sole purpose is to provide information to the general public regarding the status of animal welfare in Georgia.
During my Ag employment, had we been dealing with regulating cardboard boxes, you wouldn't be reading this now. But we were responsible for living, breathing animals, who the state laws require to be treated humanely and to not be subjected to cruelty or neglect.
I left this department on July 29, 2004, and have spent the last four or so years deciding on what direction I wanted to take this information. When the L&D Kennel puppy mill story broke in the news, and I heard the name "Marie Hughes", I remembered her name as being one of our "problem establishments". I then read a news article stating that a phone call had been made to the Jackson County authorities, asking them to hold off on filing criminal charges to see if a settlement could be negotiated instead. Having read that particular phrase in other cases, it was then that I knew I had to come forward and say something.
"SPEAK YOUR MIND
EVEN IF YOUR VOICE SHAKES"
Before the nice folks at Animal Protection try to blow me off as a 'disgruntled employee, let me assure them that, yes, I am disgruntled. But not for the reason they are reportedly trying to claim. During my Ag employment, given the things I witnessed, heard and experienced, I became disgruntled while employed. It was at that time that I started to realize how this department truly operated.
And four years later, in the midst of, yet, another large scale puppy mill raid, it is appearing that not one thing has changed within this regulatory department, nor with the management.
Let me make myself perfectly clear - anything, and everything, in this documentation is the truth, as I saw, and heard it. If any Doa employee, previous or current, has a differing opinion on any thing I have recounted, let me suggest a polygraph to maybe help jog their memory. I don't have a problem with people making mistakes, we all make them. I do, however, have a problem with adults that do, and say things, and then suffer from selective memory when it's convenient.
I stand extremely firm in my opinion that Georgia's companion animal "industry" needs to be in the hands of an organization that is genuinely interested in the welfare of the animal - not just the license fees. And certainly not by an agency that refers to themselves as The Animal "Protection" Division, if they are not going to actually "protect" the animals.
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In Georgia, the companion animal "industry" is in the hands of the Department of Agriculture Animal Protection Division. Businesses that fall into this category are groomers, trainers, animal rescues, animal controls, pet stores, breeders/sellers, flea market animal sales, diy dog wash facilities, doggie day care, dog stud services, and humane societies.
Depending on which part of the Georgia Department of Agriculture website you read, the Animal Protection Division was either created to enforce the Animal Protection Act, or created to regulate the Animal Protection Act.
The confusion is understandable, given what the Doa states on their own web site: " The Animal Protection Section was created in 1986 to regulate this industry. This Section enforces the humane care of animals....."
During my employment, I was told, not only by my supervisor, but by two other inspectors, that we (our department) had no authority. This was said to me in response to my numerous questions regarding a situation that was ongoing in Chattooga County involving an Animal Control Director licensee's numerous animal cruelty allegations against her. I was told that an Animal Control Officer had more authority than an Animal Protection Inspector. I was like so many other Georgia residents in thinking that the state was the ultimate authority when it came to animal welfare. And that if a licensee was not adequately caring for their housed animals, they would be shut down.
Oh boy was I wrong.
Georgia Puppy Mills
If you suspect someone is operating a puppy mill, please be aware that a puppy mill, in itself, is not illegal in Georgia. What can make it illegal - if animals being housed are being inhumanely treated, maintained in inadequate conditions, insufficient food, water, or veterinarian care. Or if a mill is unlicensed and operating. Or at least that those things are supposed to be illegal.
Most puppy mills, and backyard breeders, maintain their animals in less than adequate conditions, for a number of reasons. The first being cost, the breeders would rather make money than spend it - on veterinarian care, sufficient food, adequate cooling and heating for the seasons, adequate enclosures - it all boils down to money and spending as little as they can get away with. Most, if not all, backyard breeders, puppy mills, and pet stores, are not in it for their love of animals. Most, if not all, are in business to make money.
If you report a suspected puppy mill to the Doa, or report an unlicensed pet dealer, don't expect that the mill or dealer will be shut down, or even fined. An inspector will be sent to the location to verify if the property owner is operating without a license. If so, the Doa will visit their establishment, inform them that they need to be licensed, conduct a pre-license inspection, advise the new applicant of the Animal Protection Act, and Doa requirements, accept the applicant's license fee, and in most cases, the person can immediately resume operating their business with no lapse in service.
I recall my supervisor telling me about a breeder in Ellijay, who was breeding and selling chihuahuas, and he said these dogs were pretty much living in the mud and rain. An "animal rights group"', he said, had contacted the Doa to report her for operating unlicensed. My supervisor told me that he had went up to her property on some of his off days, and helped her to make repairs, helping her to build dog pens and a whelping building. Soon after, she was issued an Animal Protection Pet Dealer license. But I do remember him, during his story, laughing, while telling me how that 'animal rights group' thought he was going to go up there and shut her down.
So, if the Doa Animal Protection Division doesn't enforce laws related to animals, and doesn't impose any monetary fines against those licensed/unlicensed persons for operating without being legally licensed, then what good IS the Doa Animal Protection Division?
This department is, by their agency title alone, the very ones responsible for ensuring that the housed animals in Georgia are being protected. "Animal Protection" implies, well, the "protection" of animals.
With that being said...........
A pet store, located in Cumming, Ga, was where a chihuahua puppy eventually died over the course of a few weeks, from pneumonia. This particular pet store racked up numerous complaints over the years regarding housing, selling sick puppies, unsanitary housing for the animals, poor record keeping, among other violations. When the chihuahua puppy died, did the Animal Protection Division step in and "shut them down" or take any action other than to write out violations? Did this pet store suffer any monetary fines for their refusal to adhere to the Animal Protection Act or the Animal Protection Rules and Regulations? No. During this puppy's last few weeks of his life, I was continually told by my supervisor that, the way the law was worded, we couldn't do anything to intervene.
Mary Greene, Animal Protection Director, however, did verbally reprimand me later - for "harassing" this establishment's licensees regarding this sick puppy.
Humans
aren't the only species on Earth...
We just act like it.
And then there was Murray County Animal Control - I made Doa management aware of this establishment's continual violations (52 in a 17 month time period), as well as the Director of this shelter stating to me that he had allowed pit bull puppies to fight, until blood was drawn, inside of a county funded shelter. A copy of my inspection report, regarding this Director's admission, can be viewed here.
We see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing
Reporting Animal Neglect, Cruelty or Abuse
Filing a complaint with the Georgia Department of Agriculture Animal Protection Division is an option for Georgia taxpayers and citizens concerned about how this state's animals are being treated. If you choose to file a complaint, please, follow up on your complaint to ensure that it is being addressed adequately.
My advice is to forego contacting the Dept of Ag altogether. It isn't a requirement, nor is it the complainant's responsibility to contact them, regardless, but especially if the complaint includes allegations of cruelty, neglect or abuse.
You will notice on the Department of Agriculture Animal Protection Division's official website, they have stated for residents to contact their department to report animal cruelty, and further state that "all other persons" should be reported to local law enforcement. This is not a requirement, and, in my opinion, it is misleading the public into reporting criminal allegations to the wrong department.
From previous incidents, it would appear, to me, that when a person reports animal cruelty allegations of licensed persons, to the Animal Protection Division, these people are not being held accountable for their crimes. Unless, such as the L&D Kennel saga, where the media managed to keep the story in the public's face, and numerous animal advocates expressed continual outrage over, yet, another licensed person allegedly committing horrific acts of cruelty against animals.
If you do decide to contact the Dept of Ag to report anything, and feel that they have not resolved the complaint to your satisfaction, contact your local law enforcement agency. Let them know that you have already exahausted the regulatory route and you wish to now pursue the criminal route.
Animal cruelty IS illegal in Georgia. Taxpaying residents have the right to report criminal behavior against any person that we feel is in violation of the law.
Your local law enforcement are required to uphold the laws of this state, whether they agree with them or not. If you county does not have an animal control agency, law enforcement in this state are required to have at least one person within their agency that is responsible for handling animal related complaints.
Citizens can also contact the Office of Consumer Affairs to report an unlicensed business operating illegally in Georgia. And I would assume one could report a licensed business that a consumer feels has scammed them financially, as well. Make sure that you remind this office that you are aware of of the Animal Protection Division's regulatory policies, but that you wish to file a complaint with their office, not with a regulatory department.
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Understand that even though a person is an Animal Protection licensee holder, this does not (d-o-e-s n-o-t) exempt them from the laws, criminal or civil, of this state. It also does not mean that animal cruelty allegations involving an Animal Protection licensee has to be, or should be, handled by the Ga. Dept. of Ag Animal Protection Division.
If you contact your local Animal Control, or Sheriff's Office, regarding a complaint involving an Animal Protection licensee, they may tell you that you need to contact the Animal Protection Division. They may even tell you that they don't handle complaints against state licensed persons. Politely remind them that the Animal Protection Division claims to be only regulatory, and do not handle the enforcement of any laws, and you would like to file a complaint with their agency. You can also remind them that it is the local authority's responsibility to contact the Dept of Ag, in writing, to advise them of any violations or charges.
I cannot count the number of times, after seeing something particularly disturbing, and asking why we weren't doing anything about it, my supervisor would tell me that we were regulatory, not enforcement. I've never quite understood that - what purpose is being served to simply regulate inhumane conditions and cruelty?
If you're not outraged,
you're not paying attention
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