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Home My WebLink About20053217.tiff Weld County Planning Depathnettf cRFFIFY OFFICE 16882 WCR 1 Longmont, CO 80504 SEP '. 9 2005 September 8, 2005 is Sr we E C Weld County Department of Planning Services ATTN: Kim Ogle 918 10th Street Greeley, CO 80631 RE: USR-1524 Dear Kim Ogle, As I own land adjoining, I would like to express my objection to a kennel permit for this location. This land may be zoned agriculture at the present time, but it is also in Mead's planning area and only a short distance from a municipal sewer district. There is already enough barking coming from this location to be annoying a''/I mile away. To eliminate future problems a permit for a boarding and breeding kennel should not be issued inside of future urban growth areas. Sincerely, Margaret Russell EXHIBIT 2005-3217 1 I2 affirm G e6e1-'4- 24.277 4 dt-n— /u/ / / / p/� /, 3 `9- 75- Vim/_,"v �l�.a t z . r, ' eft-, /y, ,A.,'ou1,<-s' ' o f qc rte.Cvo�a �y,v .. t tf '.��o.e a-717,2 d - Q38- OJ 9l Weld County Planning Department �,r� 76 GREELEY OFFICE SEP 1 3 2005 5- RECEIVED EXHIBIT ( r� Weld Ce September 12,2005 illy p/ 0REECE•vrri Eepartment Weld County ��EP 14 2O05 Department of Planning Services CE,V 918 10i°St. c ED Greeley,CO 80631 Case#: USR-1524 Carmen and Bart Black Site Specific Development Plan and Special Review Permit for a kennel, including a doggy day care service for 136 dogs of an unspecified breed and the breeding of Labradors. To Whom It May Concern: First, I would like to object to the amount of dogs already being kept on this property. Over the last several months the frequency and amount of barking dogs has increased until it has ruined the quiet country atmosphere. These people put up a privacy fence to hide that they were building increasing numbers of outside kennels. I do not think this behavior instills trust in the fact they would observe guidelines set forth in a Special Review Permit,especially when the facility is there before any attempt at permit application. I understand the puppy mill business is notoriously hard to control and I would hate to see this facility become a problem for the county and a burden to the taxpayers. The property shows a lack of caring in its appearance and this seems to carry over to the poor dogs living in outside kennels in the weed infested junkyard behind the privacy fence. It is always sad to see kenneled dogs with very little attention and exercise. I am also concerned about the future of the surrounding properties with this ear and eyesore establishment in there midst. The surrounding properties would be ideal for custom home development, if the correct planning is done to insure a favorable climate for the future growth that is sure to come. I do not believe a dog pound/puppy mill compatible with the current or future neighbors. erely, Ben Russell 16376 WCR 3 Berthoud, CO 80513 � R September 12,2005 Weld County Planning Department GREELEY OFFICE Weld County Department of Planning Services SEP 14 2005 918 10`"St. Greeley, CO 80631 RECEIVED Case#: USR-1524 Re: Carmen& Bart Black Site Specific Development Plan and Special Review Permit for a kennel, including a doggy day care service for 136 dogs of an unspecified breed and the breeding of Labradors, in the A (Agricultural) Zone District. To Whom It May Concern: I am writing to oppose the proposed operation outlined above. I reside on the adjacent property to the south. Currently,the dogs barking at this property have woken me up during the night,and bark at different times throughout the day. I do not know how many dogs are currently kept on this property,but allowing more dogs will only cause this to worsen. If the doggy day care is allowed for 136 dogs, who will care for the animals? Currently,this property is overgrown with weeds,and vehicles are stored in a privacy-fenced area with weeds growing up around them. If this property is not currently maintained, how can we expect the property owners to care for it after increasing their operation, much less care for the additional animals? I have never seen the animals walked or exercised. Does this mean they will be kept in cages all the time? 1 am enclosing an article that I feel speaks for itself regarding the breeding portion of the request. Please give this much consideration prior to making a decision on this request. Respe ly, Thy Ger in Russell 16376 WCR 3 Berthoud,CO 80513 EXHIBIT 15 Get the Facts on Puppy Mills Page 1 of 4 A,Get the Facts on Puppy Mills OOO Puppy mills are breeding r facilities that produce '1N purebred puppies in + • large numbers.The puppies are sold either directly to the public via ' the Internet newspaper er • P Jam"'""'" rj =, „;' -� -I _ ads, at the mill itself,or are sold to brokers and ns.iai;;.::.:,r::.,. pet shops across the country. Puppy mills have long concerned The Humane Society of the United States. The documented problems of puppy mills include overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of socialization with humans. overcrowded cages:and the killing of unwanted animals.To the unwitting consumer: this situation frequently means buying a puppy facing an array of immediate veterinary problems or harboring genetically borne diseases that do not appear until years later. In 1994, Time magazine estimated that as many as 25%of purebred dogs were afflicted with serious genetic problems. Sadly: some dogs are forced to live in puppy mills for their entire lives. They are �.. kept there for one reason only:to produce more puppies. Repeatedly bred, many of these"brood bitches"are killed once their reproductive capacity wanes. Thousands of these breeding operations currently exist in the United States, many of them despite repeated violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA).The United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)is charged with enforcing the AWA;however.with 96 inspectors nationwide who oversee not only the thousands of puppy mills, but also zoos,circuses, laboratories,and animals transported via commercial airlines,they are an agency stretched thin. The HSUS: along with other animal-protection groups, has successfully lobbied for increased funding for AWA enforcement.Although all 50 states have anti- cruelty laws that should prevent neglect and mistreatment of dogs in puppy mills, such laws are seldom enforced. The Pet Store Link The HSUS strongly opposes the sale,through pet shops and similar outlets,of puppies and dogs from mass-breeding establishments. Puppy-mill dogs are the "inventory"of these retail operations. Statistics from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council(PIJAC)indicate that approximately 3,500 to 3,700 of the 11.500 to 12,000 U.S. pet stores sell cats and dogs. PIJAC also estimates that pet stores sell 300,000 to 400,000 puppies every year.The HSUS estimates the number to be 500,000. Purebreed registration papers only state the recorded lineage of a dog.Accuracy of the reported lineage cannot be guaranteed.The American Kennel Club(AKC), the most widely recognized purebred dog registry, readily notes that it"is not itself involved in the sale of dogs and cannot therefore guarantee the health and quality http://www.hsus.o rg/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/get_the_facts_on_puppy_mil l s/index.... 8/19/2005 Get the Facts on Puppy Mills Page 2 of 4 of dogs in its registry."Clearly. it is"buyer beware." The "Retail Pet Store" Exemption Problem The USDA has never required dealers who sell their animals directly to the public to apply for licenses, regardless of the size of the operation.The Animal Welfare Act(AWA)excludes"retail pet stores"from its minimum humane care and handling requirements,and it is the USDA's position that these dealers are retail pet stores. However, many think that a person breeding animals on his own premises and selling them directly to consumers is not a"retail pet store." Each year American consumers purchase dogs from unregulated dealers who sell animals from their premises. Many of the animals are sold through newspaper advertisements azd via the Intcrr'et,which means the purchaser can't see the conditions in which the dogs live.A number of investigative reports, however, have revealed that these facilities can be horrific.Thirty-five years ago, Congress passed the AWA to, in part.ensure that breeders provide humane treatment to animals in their care.AWA requirements include adequate housing.ample food and water, reasonable handling. basic disease prevention,decent sanitation,and sufficient ventilation. On May 11. 2000,a coalition of animal protection organizations and individuals filed a lawsuit charging the USDA with failing to halt cruel and inhumane practices at breeding facilities. The plaintiffs outlined the USDA's illegal actions in exempting pet dealers who were not retail stores from compliance with the humane treatment standards mandated by the AWA.The complaint also described how the USDA's lack of appropriate application of the AWA can lead to the injury, illness, and death of untold numbers of animals. On July 31:2001,the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the language and history of the AWA clearly show that an individual who sells dogs and cats from his or her own premises is not a"retail pet store."Thus,the court found that USDA's exclusion of all commercial dealers who sell dogs and cats directly to the public is in violation of Congress'express intent under the AWA. Upon appeal by the USDA,the decision was overturned.This strikes a huge blow against the effort to protect all dogs in large scale breeding facilities. Because of USDA's appeal,dogs who are used in such breeding operations, and whose puppies are sold directly to the public, have no protection under the Animal Welfare Act. Animal protection groups have petitioned the Supreme Court to request the case be heard. The HSUS's Role The HSUS has been fighting a relentless battle against puppy mills since the early 1980s, including monitoring the USDA's performance in this area and pushing for better AWA enforcement. In 1984,the General Accounting Office, the investigative agency of the U.S. Congress, found major deficiencies in the enforcement of the AWA regulations concerning puppy mills. Despite improvements in its inspection process,the USDA lacks the resources to effectively enforce these regulations. In 1990,frustrated by the apathy of federal and state officials.The HSUS led a nationwide boycott of puppies from the seven worst puppy mill states:Arkansas, Iowa. Kansas,Missouri: Nebraska. Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The boycott captured a great deal of national media attention, including numerous newspaper http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_ourpets/get_the_facts_on_puppy_mills/index.... 8/19/2005 Get the Facts on Puppy Mills Page 3 of 4 • articles and television reports on shows such as 20/20. Good Morning America, and The Today Show. Raids on puppy mills subsequently took place in Kansas,where the state legislature, attempting to protect recalcitrant puppy mill operators by hampering investigators,enacted a law making it a felony to photograph a puppy mill facility. Lemon Laws As the horror of puppy mills gained attention, some states responded with"lemon laws"to protect consumers who buy puppies.As of August 2001, 17 states had enacted laws or issued regulations that allow consumers to receive refunds or the reimbursement of veterinary bills when a sick puppy is purchased. While these laws place a limited onus on pet;'tares and puppy mills to sell healthy peopies, and theoretically improve conditions at the breeding facilities.The HSUS feels that they do not adequately protect the animals who suffer in these establishments. Latest Developments and HSUS Action Facing an unreliable regulatory environment and legislatures unwilling to pass statutes that directly combat the problem of mass breeders and their nationwide network of Dealers,The HSUS continues to target the consumer for its anti- puppy-mill messages. Consumer demand for purebred puppies, more than any other factor, perpetuates the misery of puppy mills. Unfortunately.a dog's lifespan is often longer than a consumer's desire to maintain this"product."As a"esult, millions of dogs are sent to animal shelters every yeas,where roughly half wail be euthanized.The HSUS estimates that one in four of the dogs that enter U.S. animai shelters is purebred. What You Can Do To close down; puppy mills and ensure the safety and humane treatment of dogs trapped in commercial kennels, you can: • • Encourage state aric federal officials to stop the mass production and exportation of sick and traumatized dogs. In addition to passing new laws, legislators can demand that existing laws be enforced. • Urge other people not to buy puppies from pet stores,over the Internet,or from newspaper ads. • Write letters to the editor about puppy mills and pet stores. Explain the mills'inhumane treatment of puppies and their contribution to pet overpopulation. • Visit a local pet store to determine where it obtains its puppies. Don't be misled by claims that its dogs were not bred in puppy mills. Insist on seeing breed registry papers or the interstate health certificate for each puppy. The papers will list the breeder's and/or wholesaler's name and address. • Contact your member of the U.S. House of Representatives and your two U.S. Senators, asking them to urge the USDA to strictly enforce the Animal Welfare Act and to support efforts to increase funding for USDA/Animal Care. Members of Congress can be contacted at: The Honorable U.S.Capitol,Washington, DC 20510. • File a Breeder Complaint Form if your new puppy appears to be suffering http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues affecting_our_pets/get_the_facts on_puppy_mills/index.... 8/19/2005 puppy2_off Page 1 of 2 ANIMAL CRUELTY LAWS HELP STOP THE CRUELTY Cruelty Laws—Why It Isn't Easier to Stop This Abuse of Dogs The Role of Anti-Cruelly Laws 'JUL, 4,111_ 1 Although all 50 states have anti-cruelty laws intended toprevent neglect The i Humane Society of the 9 Y 9 United States works to shut and mistreatment of dogs, most mass-breeding facilities continue to down puppy mills and to operate in ways that are physically and emotionally damaging to promote the protection of all animals. For animals already lucky enough to be in a home, there is animals through a wide range of programs.You can help us. usually at least some legal recourse: People who treat pet dogs the way their canine counterparts in puppy mills are treated can be convicted of oase join with The HSUS in protecting our nation's pets. cruelty or neglect in most states. Some local humane societies and governmental agencies investigate conditions at puppy mills and intervene to rescue the animals if STOP PUPPY MILLS: necessary. In many cases, though, it's not clear whether the local SPREAD THE WORD! shelter has legal authority to step in; even when employees are empowered to investigate, the sheer magnitude of the problem may significantly exceed the organization's human, physical, and financial War/ resources. Shelters that have been able to intervene on the animals' behalf suddenly find themselves with a large number of animals in need of "1l1igl1 tent immediate veterinary care. Additionally, the shelter will be responsible WO for housing the dogs throughout what can often be a lengthy legal Magi ^ process. The cost for veterinary care and basic food and housing can run into the tens of thousands of dollars within weeks of seizing as few as 50 dogs from a poorly run facility. T n Most shelters consider protecting these vulnerable animals part of their S I AY INFORMED mission and are generally eager to try and remove animals from suchmilL poor conditions. It is important to remember though, that"regular" ej i shelter operations do not stop when a raid is conducted. The shelter will still need to be open to the public and will still need to provide care and housing for the normal number of animals being brought to it by the community. Of course, if a shelter is able to enter an inhumane To stay grams, srmedubscribe about all tY HSUS programs, subscribe to breeding operation and remove dogs, financial and community support our newsletters. during the aftermath is essential to ensuring the animals receive the Sign Up Here help they need. Can't We Just Outlaw Puppy Mills? Legislation is key to ensuring lasting change for animals. But just passing a law to ban puppy mills—an idea that's often proposed—isn't that easy. Anyone who has worked on legislation—even on something as basic as stopping abuse—can tell you that bringing a bill from an idea into a law is a long and difficult process. While we have had made some strides in improving animal care standards over the last two decades, there is still a significant amount of work to be done to ensure basic humane treatment of dogs and puppies in breeding facilities. ^ The pet industry has a lobbying force with significant financial resources at its command and consistently fights against measures that would improve animal care standards. Scare tactics are also used by the pet industry to frighten small breeders into thinking the federal government http://www.stoppuppymills.com/animallaws.asp 8/19/2005 puppy2_off Page 2 of 2 will soon be in their living rooms looking at their dogs. While obviously ridiculous, this strategy has helped the industry's commercial kennels evade even minimal improvements in animal care. Since the early 1980s, The HSUS has been working to change this by fighting for strengthened provisions and enforcement of the federal Animal Welfare Act. We have also worked at the state level on other laws to protect puppy null animals from neglect and exploitation. In 2002, The HSUS sought to pass the Puppy Protection Act in both the House and the Senate. Designed to help the USDA enforce the AWA, this legislation included a proposed "three strikes" policy that would have given the agency the power to revoke the licenses of puppy mill operators who commit repeated serious violations. The policy proposed putting modest limits on excessive overbreeding (prohibiting breeders from breeding females every time they're in heat or before they reach the age of one). It also included a requirement that dogs and puppies in puppy mills be adequately socialized, enhancing their well-being and improving their chances for adapting successfully to life as a family pet. Sadly, though, some purebred dog registry Kennel Clubs (which often receive registration fees from puppy mills) and other animal-use industry groups lobbied heavily against these provisions. They also initiated an active campaign to once again confuse small breeders into thinking that such legislation would apply to them—and even went so far as to claim they would be forced to keep their dogs in unacceptable conditions and cages. Misrepresenting the benefits of the legislation, these protectors of the big-money puppy mill industry worked hard to prevent these modest improvements from being signed into law. The HSUS will continue to pursue legislation to alleviate the suffering of animals in puppy mills. Reputable breeders join us in this effort because they, too, want to change conditions for dogs who are warehoused into a life of misery on a puppy mill. 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