Puppy Mill Investigation
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Puppy mills are mass-breeding operations. Oftentimes, dozens of dogs are on the premises living in unsanitary conditions, with no papers or breeding records. They've been prevalent in Pennsylvania for decades, but since laws were strengthened there, experts say many have moved across the border to New York .
When CBS 6 received a viewer email raising concerns about Happy Apple Kennel in Sloansville, we decided to look into it. We sent an undercover crew into Happy Apple Kennel to see the conditions for ourselves.
Undercover investigation reveals deplorable conditions
Our crew says the stench of feces and urine was so strong, it could be detected from the front step. And once inside, the trash in the kitchen was piled up so high, our crew says they're surprised anyone -- let alone dogs -- lived there.
When the owner of Happy Apple Kennel, Dake Fu, showed us the puppies, he brought them to us one by one. He would not allow them to leave the living room to see where these puppies were eating and sleeping.
We went back to Happy Apple Kennel a second time -- again undercover -- but this time, with an expert, Brad Shear of the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society.
'This is definitely a puppy mill'
He was also forbidden from leaving the living room. After thirty minutes inside, Shear and our producer left without a puppy, but with a distinct conclusion: "This is definitely a puppy mill," said Shear.
To be fair, according to State Agriculture and Market's standards, Fu is not breaking the law. The dogs all have food, water and shelter.
But there are plenty of complaints not only from our crew, but several other customers like Danielle Filliault. She bought a Yorkshire Terrier she calls Bella from Happy Apple Kennel just a few weeks ago.
Since then, she's been in and out of the animal hospital with problem after problem. "She just wouldn't get up to do anything, other than to throw up or have diarrhea," she explained. "My husband woke up in the morning and he went to pick her up and her head just went to the side and she wasn't moving."
Bella was revived, then diagnosed with Coccidia, worms caused by a dirty kennel.
There are other complaints filed with the Department of Agriculture and Markets. One writes two of the four puppies they bought from Happy Apple Kennel died.
State inspections over the last two years also makes note of hair, food and feces buildup under cages; no fresh air where the dogs are housed; basement walls chewed and trash buildup.
Complaint after complaint -- it was time for some answers, so we knocked on Fu's door and gave him the chance to respond.
Inspection deemed conditions 'satisfactory'
"Our news crew was just inside, looking at your dogs and they tell us they're living in pretty deplorable conditions," we told him.
"No, they're very good," Fu responded. "They just did an inspection here and I just got my renewed license."
Fu is right. An inspection done on January 23rd was deemed satisfactory by the state.
Shear says he doesn't know how. In fact, when he peeked in the mud room between the kitchen and garage, it was pitch dark.
"Every wall, they're double stacked, so there's dogs living above dogs," Shear recalled. "I doubt they ever get out of those crates.
"It's possible there was something wrong with the hips of a couple of the puppies," he continued. "They had trouble standing up and when I was holding it in my hand, I could feel something sort of cracking in the hip joints."
We then addressed Fu again: "If you say they're okay, you can show it to the camera that they're okay."
"I can't do anything," said Fu. "I have to talk to my lawyer."
With that, Fu shut the door on us -- but not on his business.
Tune in for part two of this Fact Finder investigation Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 11:00 p.m.
