An undercover operation is underway in Southern California. "The takedown will happen here" instructs Aaron Reyes, Director of Operations for the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority (SEAACA) of Los Angeles County, to his officers.
But they're not going after drugs or guns. They're going after puppies. That's right, puppies. Reyes instructs, "Make sure there are no puppies hidden anywhere in the vehicle where they could get hurt."
An undercover officer for SEAACA meets a woman in a parking lot in suburban Los Angeles. Inside the womans vehicle were three puppies, all for sale. The officer handed her 900 dollars cash for two of the tiny puppies. Seconds later, uniformed officers moved in and the woman is handcuffed. They charged her with selling diseased and under aged dogs, both misdemeanors in the State of California.
A veterinarian later confirmed the officers suspicions. The puppies are 5-7 weeks old - too young to be legally sold in California and they are very sick. Lesions were spotted on one puppy's little body. They tested positive for roundworm, a parasite that can transfer to humans causing intestinal problems, lung disease - even blindness. Reyes warns, that the puppies, "could end up in the bed of a little kid and be harboring disease."
There is a huge demand in this country for so-called "designer puppies" - dogs bred to stay small and cute forever. But they're not cheap. If you buy one at a reputable pet store, you'd pay $1,200, but people looking for bargains have fueled a black market in puppies that are often diseased and often die.
Where do they come from? Many puppies are smuggled into the United States from Mexico. Officials at the border do what they can, but say, smugglers will hide them anywhere. "False compartments underneath seats, inside gas tanks, or in a little laundry basket with a blanket over it," says James Hynes, the director of the San Ysidro, California Border Crossing, the busiest in the U.S.
INSIDE EDITION wanted to follow the trail so we took our undercover cameras across the border to see how the puppy pipeline works. Accompanied by Ginny Bischel, a crusading veterinarian from San Diego who's trying to shut the pipeline down.
We drove to Tijuana to an area known as "puppy mile," a dusty street where puppy peddlers display their goods. We watched as puppy sellers mob a van, waving their dogs in the air to try to make a sale. Puppies were crammed into a small birdcage being sold for 150 dollars each. And for an additional fee. And for an additional fee, the peddlers have them smuggled across the border.
Posing as people interested in buying a lot of puppies, the trail led INSIDE EDITION - down an alley, through a gate, in between two homes to a disgusting hell hole of a puppy mill - just 15 miles south of the border. The smell of animal waste was overpowering. Puppies were packed into plastic buckets. The adult dogs used to breed the pups were kept in cages covered with tarps. According to Dr. Bischel, "The conditions under which these puppies are bred is deplorable." The cute little puppies will most likely be part of some 10 thousand that will be smuggled into California alone. Authorities estimate more than half will die shortly afterwards.
Angela Druen of San Diego thought she was getting a bargain last year when she paid 900 dollars for two Maltese poodles she saw advertised in the paper. The one she bought for her daughter died within days. She's now convinced they came from Mexico. "They diagnosed it with parvo virus which is highly contagious and deadly and he passed away on the fifth day after paying about $2300 in vet bills."
"Stop buying these dogs!," warns Madeline Bernstein of the SPCALA. She says too many consumers looking for a bargain end up regretting it. "There are millions of animals in shelters, why do we need to bring these sick puppies in and treat them in such an inhumane way?"
If you're interested in buying a puppy, please know the following:
After gathering information, decide on the type of dog you are interested in buying. Be sure to perform a visual inspection before purchasing any puppy. Never take a dog home who shows signs of illness. Request to see all registration and veterinary paperwork before buying any puppies. After you decide on a puppy, take it to the vet for a complete check-up. If youre interested in adopting a puppy, contact your local animal shelter.
And if you suspect someone of selling smuggled, sickly puppies, please contact your local animal control authority or police department.
For more information:
ASPCA -
http://www.aspca.org
Southeast Area Animal Control Authority-
http://www.seaaca.org
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles -
http://www.spcala.com
The Humane Society of the United States -
http://www.hsus.org
American Kennel Club -
http://www.akc.org http://www.insideedition.com/ourstor...px?storyid=227