Montana: One person's experience from buying one of Larry and Nadine Latzke's puppy mill dogs

MONTANA -- After decades of complaints, Larry and Nadine Latzke, the owners of LDR Kennels in Charlo, were finally raided by authorities and charged with felony animal cruelty.

 

"It's devastating," said Lynette Hinshaw-Duford,
with Life Savers Animal Rescue. "You drive in front
of this adorable farm house, and you would never
know there's a dog on the property, never. You don't
hear them. You don't see them. The dogs never
come out of their cages."

This is just one person's story about the horrific results of buying a "puppy mill" dog:

Please read about this LDR Kennel ( the one where 130 animals were just found in deplorable conditions) from my vet who has been tirelessly trying to shut them down. PLEASE READ her whole post and take action!

 

Larry and Nadene Latzke consider this "chicken
coop" to be "state of the art" (their words, not
mine) for dog breeding. Yet they say their
dogs are raised "in a loving home"

From Patti Prato (veterinarian):
Penny Bear: RIP - died at 4 years old. She was a "product" of LDR Kennel. She was used, abused, and neglected. She had a plethora of medical and emotional issues.

I bought her and her sick puppy off LDR's transport trailer that was headed to the Midwest. The trailer was filled with stacked crates full of dogs that were to be auctioned off at a puppy mill auction, where like minded puppy millers exchange lies and offer the dogs as commodities that can still produce a litter or two. "Where else can you get such a return on your investment?"

RIP Penny Bear - puppy mill dog

I knew what I was purchasing- unlike many who have purchased dogs there. I find it absolutely mind blowing that two people actually purchased dogs at LDR yesterday DURING the raid!!!!!!!

Penny and Minnow were the evidence that started this unproductive, decade long attempt to close LDR Kennel and to create laws to protect the dogs in these facilities, the consumer, and the counties that have to finance the fallout when something finally is done.

It has been a frustrating battle with Montana Republicans - some of who support the cause but don't have the courage to speak up for what is right.

I suggest you contact people like Theresa Manzella or Krayton Kerns to inquire about there "take" on the rights of animals. It is disheartening to hear the truth about the people who "lead" us.

"Calm" just doesn't work for me.

 

 

MTN News talked with with one veterinarian who has fought for years for change.

"[It] seemed like such a no-brainer. It didn't occur to me it wouldn't pass the first time around," said veterinarian Patti Prato, who has a binder full of testimony and letters complaining about Montana's lax laws for Montana breeders.

She has letters complaining about LDR Kennels in the Mission Valley dating back to 2006 and told MTN News there are more than 10 so called "puppy mills" across Montana.

Years of pushing for new laws have met with push back.

"It's the slippery slope logic. If we start telling people whether or not they can raise dogs or how many they can have, it's the first steps to take away our rights to own dogs or sheep, horses, cattle," Prato explained.

In one letter,  a former kennel worker in Montana described deplorable conditions where "countless puppies that were half eaten, some only the head missing...and a lot of blood."

"When you go to the legislative committee to testify, the first thing they say is, 'Oh, here we go again, we're going to hear about more starving puppies'," Prato said.

Prato estimates there are 15 to 20 of what she calls puppy mills across Montana -- and where letter after letter complaining about them hasn't made much of a difference yet, animal rights groups urge those outraged by pictures like these to not give up.

 

This website called "LDR Kennel Awareness" was created in May 2010 in an effort to expose Larry and Nadine Latzke's animal abuse:

This is Westie who was bought at a Puppy auction for $50.00! Larry and Nadine Latzke's LDR Kennels sold this dog and sells dogs at these auctions. LDR dogs live their lives on wire floored cages. Pictures are foot sores. Larry and Nadine Latzke's LDR Kennels  no longer submits their facility to inspection. At approximately 200 pups, of different breeds, what would you call Larry and Nadine Latzke's LDR Kennels?

To this day, this animal runs from humans. This is called "Kennel Syndrome" One can only guess, as to why. A good rule in life is do your "due diligence" and don't believe everything you read [when breeders such as the Latzke's say their puppies and dogs are raised in "a loving, clean home"]."

 

 

 

(Facebook - July 27, 2016)