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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Amaz'n Farmyard: amazing in what way?

An injured dog standing on a grate, which was its home, at the Valley View Kennel near Eden Valley. This business is adjacent to Amaz'n Farmyard, a location of field trips for many schools and day cares throughout central Minnesota (including B-B-E). Click on the photo to enlarge it for best viewing.

This photo was taken by the USDA at an inspection of Valley View Kennel owned by Paul and Sheila Haag, the supplier of puppies at Amaz'n Farmyard. It's suspected that it's is a photo of a Bichon Frise who had a "noticeable limp and swelling of the front left paw" as noted in the inspection report dated April 9, 2013.

This is the inside of the puppy mill where they breed dogs at a level that is hard to fathom. At last count there were 916 dogs/puppies living in the barns located on the property of the Amaze'n Farmyard. I've recently began gathering information and evidence about what goes on at this place. I'm about "knee deep" into it, as it is very time-consuming. Once I began asking questions about this business, literally, within hours, I was attacked online through Facebook by supporters of the Haag family. Textbook cyberbullying. It was a very interesting experience, to say the least.

A number of area schools have taken this business off of their list of approved places for field trips. New London-Spicer, Sauk Rapids-Rice and Albany are three districts I know who have made that decision this summer.

Amaz'n Farmyard and the Valley View Kennel are on the list of the 101 worst Puppy Mills in the U.S.
http://votersforanimals.org/2014/05/101-puppy-mills/

*Here's what I feel is an excellent story done on the August 18 protest and the Valley View Kennel written by staff at the St. Cloud Times newspaper:
http://www.sctimes.com/story/news/local/2015/08/15/groups-clash-mazen-farmyard-puppy-sales/31796397/

Here's links to stories done on Valley View Kennel and Amaz'n Farmyard in August by the City Pages.  These stories take about 10 minutes to read but it's worth the time spent.

http://www.citypages.com/news/a-clash-between-protesters-at-valley-view-puppy-mill-7574720

http://www.citypages.com/news/valley-view-kennel-the-puppy-mill-with-a-family-friendly-front-7553581

http://www.citypages.com/news/mom-lindsay-holidays-crusade-against-a-minnesota-puppy-mill-7546728

Finally, here's the Facebook page that's a gathering place of stories from people who have done business with the Haag family. Some of the stories are very hard to read. A recent post just made last night was given about a dog once owned by the Haags (had a chip embedded in it that proves it was their dog) who was literally dumped in the winter in Belgrade. I'm currently trying to track down the police report that was filed when law enforcement picked it up.

If you're reading this, I ask you to keep an open mind. If I get evidence that 99% of the dogs housed here (approx. 750 according to the most recent USDA report, not over 900) are healthy, then so be it. Wonderful! Disease and injuries will happen in any group of animals. If these cases are isolated, so be it. Wonderful! Right now the shroud of secrecy at Valley View Kennel only brings more questions to mind.

As always, stay tuned. I'm in the midst of this right now: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/resources?1dmy&urile=wcm%3apath%3a/aphis_content_library/sa_resources/sa_laws_and_regulations/sa_foia/ct_foia