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Originally Posted by yorkiesmiles

Accused Puppy Mill Operator Takes Stand In Trial

Accused Puppy Mill Operator Takes Stand In Trial - wcco.com

FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) ―

A woman who now faces six criminal charges for allegedly abusing and neglecting animals took the stand in her own defense late Friday afternoon.

Kathy Bauck owns Pick Of The Litter breeding facility in New York Mills, Minn., northwest of the Twin Cities. She's on trial in the Otter Tail County Courthouse in Fergus Falls.

Friday was the third day of testimony, and at about 3:30 p.m., she took the stand.

She told jurors that she cares deeply for her animals. She told them that she insists all her employees treat her animals kindly. She talked about getting her dog breeders' license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1984 and still having it today.

Bauck also said that her dogs are happy, cleaned and groomed, and that they have plenty of food.

But a licensed veterinarian with 20 years of experience told jurors that's not the case.

Dr. Melinda Merck testified that six dogs were in discomfort and pain and others were emaciated at the facility and needed emergency treatment. After watching the undercover video and pictures that one of Bauck's own employees took, Merck concluded that some dogs were subjected to unjustifiable pain and suffering.

Video showed animals that didn't have enough strength to stand. Others were sitting in their own feces. Some were also underweight. Others were dunked in insecticide.

Bauck has maintained her innocence to WCCO's I-TEAM, saying she never neglected or abused hundreds of dogs at her facility.

In court Friday morning, her lawyer discredited Merck's testimony.

When asked, based on the video if Bauck caused that suffering, the doctor conceded that there's no way to be certain she did. The doctor also said that there's no way to know what caused some dogs to seizure, not even any kind of alleged abuse.

Detective Keith VanDyke with the Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office told jurors that some dogs were disposed of with a so-called "kill box." That's something animals are loaded into and then deadly gas is forced inside.

Bauck's lawyer asked VanDyke why he didn't take any dogs from the facility when he went on the property with a Humane Society investigator. His answer: none needed veterinary care.

Bauck was the last person to testify, right after VanDyke. Bauck testified for about an hour late Friday. She told the jury she's established several protocols on how to treat her animals, how to breed them and what kind of medical care to give them from a veterinarian.

She also talked about death threats and threats she'll be beaten up. These threats, she said, have come from people in person while she walks down the street, on e-mail and on the phone.

She will continue testifying at her trial on Monday morning.

My heart is breaking for poor Ms. Bauck being set up like that and being forced to dip her puppies into that giant vat of insecticide. Now she cannot walk down the street without felling threatened. Poor woman after 20 years of being a GIANT PUPPYMILL making money off the backs of all of those dogs and when they were of any more use to stuff then into a KILL BOX. Now it is all coming to an giant screeching halt because of people like all of us becoming aware of what really goes on at these horrific places. I hope that people like Oprah rock her world! There is always someone with more money, more power and more exposure and that is Oprah! All of these horrible breeders and horrible mills better take note because once she has her sits sites on something she does it right!