Dogs Confined to Filthy Enclosures in Extreme Heat at Montgomery County Puppy Mill; PETA Seeks Criminal Probe
Contact:
Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382
Damning, just-released federal reports reveal that Busy Bee Farm—a puppy mill near Fort Plain operated by Christian Lapp that recently confined 40 dogs—has been cited by officials for keeping dogs in filthy enclosures and extreme heat without adequate ventilation. In response, PETA rushed a letter today to Montgomery County District Attorney Lorraine Diamond urging her to investigate the facility and file applicable charges against those responsible for the animals’ neglect.
According to the reports, on July 16 a government veterinarian found “an excessive buildup of old food waste, debris and grime” in enclosures confining dogs and standing water due to a nonworking drain in one of the enclosures. Six dogs were “panting excessively.” The outside temperature at the time exceeded 85 degrees, but there were no working fans in the dogs’ enclosures. During an inspection on December 27, the veterinarian found rodent droppings in a food storage area and a hole chewed in a bag of dog food. The reports note that these conditions can cause dogs stress and make them ill.
“Miserable mills like this one house dogs in dangerous, filthy conditions and treat them as mere commodities to be churned out as cheaply as possible,” says PETA Vice President of Legal Advocacy Daniel Paden. “PETA is calling on Montgomery County authorities to prosecute those responsible and urges everyone never to buy any animal from a breeder or a pet store.”
PETA is pursuing charges under state law because the federal government doesn’t render relief or aid to animals during its inspections and these violations carry no criminal or civil penalties. The group notes that even though New York banned pet store sales of dogs, cats, and rabbits effective in December, the new law doesn’t prohibit the breeding of animals and does nothing to prevent puppy mills in the state from selling animals directly to the public or to out-of-state pet stores.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Diamond follows.
August 28, 2024
The Honorable Lorraine Diamond
Montgomery County District Attorney
Dear Ms. Diamond:
I’m writing to request that your office (and the proper law-enforcement agency, as you deem appropriate) investigate and, as suitable, file criminal charges against those responsible for neglecting dogs at Busy Bee Farm, a breeding facility operated by Christian B. Lapp at 105 Marshville Rd. near Fort Plain. PETA urges investigators to visit the facility with a veterinarian who has expertise in canine health and welfare and could identify any animals in need of care and opine on the conditions of and for the approximately 40 dogs there.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) veterinary medical officer documented neglect at the facility in the attached reports. On July 16, she found six dogs “panting excessively” while confined outdoors as the temperature exceeded 85 degrees as well as dogs confined amid “an excessive buildup of old food waste, debris and grime,” and standing water. The veterinarian noted that these conditions can cause illness.
These findings may violate New York Agriculture and Markets Law § 353-b (3) (b), which requires that dogs left outside be protected from extreme heat and be kept in a sanitary environment free of waste. The USDA cited Lapp for two further violations of federal law last December, after a veterinarian found rodent droppings near where he stored dog food and several dogs sticking their heads under the doors of outdoor runs. The USDA’s action renders no aid or relief whatsoever to animals on site, carries no criminal or civil penalties, and doesn’t preempt criminal liability under state law for acts of animal neglect. If you’d like to learn more about the USDA’s findings, please see the contact information for the office in Riverdale, Maryland, here.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please let us know if we can assist you.
Sincerely,
Elise Fisher
Evidence Analyst
Cruelty Investigations Department
PETA
