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Kennel Hounded Out of Missouri

State charged kennel misrepresented the health of its dogs

By Lisa Wade McCormick
ConsumerAffairs.com

June 9, 2008

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A kennel operator in Missouri -- who came under legal fire earlier this year for misrepresenting the health of her animals and taking money for dogs she never shipped -- is now barred from selling, shipping, or giving away any canines.

A judge in Gasconade County, Missouri, took that legal action against Jodie Craft, who does business as Safe Haven Puppy Rescue and Rise-N-Shine Kennels. Craft's facility is located near Bland, Missouri, located about 90 miles southwest of St. Louis.

As ConsumerAffairs.com reported, problems with the Craft's facilities surfaced in March. That's when Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) inspectors discovered that she had sold and shipped three dogs with parvovirus, a highly contagious viral disease.

MDA inspectors went to Craft's facility on March 21, 2008, and asked her for medical records on her animals. During that visit, inspectors saw Craft remove labels from several vials and apply those labels to records – making it impossible to determine the true health records of any of the dogs in her possession.

"This owner has not properly quarantined sick dogs at her kennel, and continues to put more animals at risk," said Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon, who sued Craft after the March inspection and obtained a court order to temporarily ban her from selling or shipping dogs. "This temporary restraining order is necessary for the health and welfare of not only the dogs in her possession, but also other dogs across the country that might come in contact with the sick dogs if they are sold and shipped."

Nixon later amended his lawsuit and charged Craft with violating Missouri consumer protection laws by taking money for dogs she never shipped and misrepresenting the health of those animals.

This latest legal action against Craft -- a preliminary injunction issued earlier this month by Associate Circuit Judge John B. Berkemeyer -- prevents her from shipping, selling or giving away any animals from any of her animal care facilities.

The injunction also prohibits Craft from further violating Missouri consumer protection laws and requires her to identify in writing -- for the Missouri Attorney General and the MDA -- any dogs in her possession that are under contract to be sold or transferred. That list will be reviewed by state authorities and Craft will only be allowed to transfer animals the State authorizes.

Craft could not be reached for comment.

According to the attorney general, she has requested that her state license to sell dogs be terminated within 100 days.

The judge also ordered Craft to submit to the attorney general and the court written suggestion on how to dispose of any remaining dogs in her possession.

In the meantime, Nixon is seeking restitution for consumers who suffered monetary losses by buying dogs from Craft.

More about pets ...

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