Monday, January 28, 2019

PRESS RELEASE: Notorious Ohio puppy broker named as defendant in Michigan lawsuit



 
A Michigan man is suing Petland Novi, their breeder and broker after being hospitalized with a multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infection. The BBB investigates.

 

PRESS RELEASE: January 28, 2019

CONTACT: Pam Sordyl, 734-718-7100 pamsordyl@gmail.com

FRESNO, OHIO - The third lawsuit filed against Petland’s Novi Michigan location now lists defendants Holmes for Canines and/or Twin Creek Kennels, as the “John Doe Broker” and Amos J. Yoder as the “John Doe Breeder” according to court documents filed by the attorney for Petland.

Broker Abe N. Miller

Holmes for Canines, formerly named Twin Creek Kennels, is owned and operated by Abe N. Miller - one of Ohio’s notorious puppy brokers. Miller’s thirteen-year history in the pet trade is riddled with misconduct documented in detailed inspection reports, a federal audit, multiple lawsuits and cruelty cases.  

Learn more about Miller’s chronic troubles with the law on Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan’s blog

The civil complaint claims both the broker and breeder may be wholly or partially at fault after a Northville man was hospitalized shortly after purchasing a sick puppy from the independently owned Petland Novi store located in Oakland County.

The law firm representing the plaintiffs is asking the court for an injunction forbidding the defendants from engaging in breeding, transporting, and/or selling animals during the pendency of the lawsuit.

The first hearing is scheduled for February 13, 2019 at the Oakland County Circuit Court.

The Better Business Bureau of Eastern Michigan is currently investigating the complaint.

Neither the Oakland County Health Department nor Animal Control had been contacted about the case in November when the lawsuit was filed. It is unclear if Rose’s case has been reported to any public health protection agency in Michigan or Ohio, or if the Petland Novi store is following protocols for detection and prevention.

Breeder Amos J. Yoder

According to Petland, the Rose’s puppy named Thor- a Beagle/Pug mix, was bred by Amos J. Yoder. Yoder’s kennel is commercially licensed by the USDA in Baltic Ohio.

Thor was treated for Campylobacter and Coccidia shortly after purchase and has fully recovered. Coccidia is an intestinal parasite spread through fecal matter, and is most commonly found in puppies that have contracted the parasite from an adult dogs' feces, according to petMD.

The Plaintiffs in the Novi case are represented by attorney Jenifer Measel of Haas & Goldstein, P.C., a Farmington Hills based law firm. Measel stated she continues to be contacted by families who have purchased sick puppies from Petland.  

Link to DougRose vs Petland Novi complaint.

Campylobacter Investigation - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

In 2017, the CDC completed a multi-state investigation of a Campylobacter outbreak including 118 cases across 18 states reporting 26 hospitalizations. The vast majority of those individuals sickened reported they had contact with a puppy from a Petland store.  

The CDC advisories focus on hand washing, separating human eating areas from animal areas, and using personal protective equipment correctly, such as wearing gloves when cleaning cages in pet stores. 

Petland is headquartered in Chillicothe Ohio with over 80 retail outlets across the country.

The only Petland outlet in Michigan is located at 27200 Novi Rd, Novi, MI 48377 inside the Twelve Oaks Mall.

Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan recommends families adopt their next pet from their local shelter or Michigan Certified foster-based animal rescue organization - many of whom specialize in specific breeds.

Learn more about Puppy Mill Awareness.

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Sunday, January 27, 2019

Notorious Ohio puppy broker, Abe Miller named in Michigan Petland Campylobacter lawsuit


(January 2019) Court documents file by the attorney for Petland now lists Holmes for Canines and/or Twin Creek Kennels as the defendant “John Doe Broker” in a recent lawsuit filed against Petland’s Novi Michigan location after a Northville man was hospitalized shortly after purchasing a sick puppy from the Twelve Oaks Mall location.

The plaintiffs, Doug and Dawn Rose, are seeking monetary damages after Doug became infected with a multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infection acquiring weeks’ worth of medical expenses. Doug and the puppy both have recovered from their infections.

Link to January 28, 2019 press release
  
Formally licensed as Twin Creek Kennels, Holmes for Canines is currently licensed as a broker by the USDA in Fresno, Ohio and owned by Abe N. Miller – a notorious puppy mill broker.

Miller’s thirteen-year history in the pet trade is riddled with misconduct documented in detailed inspection reports, a federal audit, multiple lawsuits and cruelty cases.  


Multiple Aliases, Business Names and Addresses


Abe N. Miller is an architect of aliases making it difficult to track his history of unlawful conduct.

Miller has operated as a breeder, broker and transporter in the Ohio Amish community under twelve business names and aliases since 2006. Utilizing four PO Box addresses and four different house addresses, Miller is hard to track!

  1. 2006-07 House of Pets (Breeder) 31-A-0206, 29956 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  2. 2008-10 House of Pets (Broker) 31-B-0146, 29956 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  3. 2009-16 Tri-Star Kennels / Elizabeth A. Miller (Wife) 29952 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  4. 2009-12 Abe N. Miller LLC (Broker) 31-B-0156, 29956 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  5. 2011-12 D M L Kennel LLC (Broker) 31-B-0167, P O Box 172, Charm, OH
  6. 2011-12 Max A. Miller Registered Agent & Attorney for D M L Kennel LLC (Broker) 31-B-0167, 88 S. Monroe St, Millersburg, OH
  7. 2012-16 Quail Creek Kennel LLC (Broker) 31-B-0168, P O Box 96, Charm, OH and 29952 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  8. 2016-17 Lone Oak Kennel LLC (Breeder) 31-A-0567, P O BOX 144, West Lafayette, OH and P O BOX 144, Fresno, OH  
  9. 2016 Comfort Canines (alias for Lone Oak Kennel), 29945 CR 10, Fresno, OH
  10. 2017 Comfort Connies (alias for Lone Oak Kennel)
  11. 2016-17 Twin Creek Kennel LLC (Broker) 31-B-0182, P O BOX 144, West Lafayette, OH
  12. 2018 – Present Holmes For Canine (Broker) 31-B-0182, P O BOX 144, West Lafayette, OH and 29939 CR 10, Fresno, OH
Every time Miller was involved in an audit, cruelty case, lawsuit, or caught working with an unlicensed puppy mill or often failing an inspection, he either cancelled his USDA license or simply did not renew the license. This allowed him to open under a new clean record with an all new business name.

For example...

In April 2012, DML Kennel LLC (broker) failed repeat inspections for transporting puppies underage (he inaccurately recorded the birth dates of numerous dogs), acquiring puppies from unlicensed breeders, missing animal acquisition records and failing to provide access to the property/records resulting in Enforcement Actions.

According to an I-Team investigation in Philadelphia, DML Kennel wrote regulators requesting to change its name to Quail Creek Kennel “for liability reasons.”

“We want to take this opportunity to express our regrets to us straying from the guidelines of USDA. But we want to be a part of the future and look forward to being a better role model for our fellow people. Hopefully you can give us this request even though we feel unworthy of it.”

Abe Miller’s original 2006 address located at 29956 CR 10, Fresno OH 43824 is still be used for Miller’s Ohio Professional Dog Breeder Association registration.

USDA Kennel Inspection Report Details


USDA inspection reports show Abe N. Miller was cited for an array of non-compliances to the Animal Welfare Act in a variety of regulated areas between 2006 and 2016:

·         Cleaning (rancid odors and build-up of feces and urine)
·         Compatible grouping (wounds found on dogs from fighting)
·         Feeding (chewed feeding bowls)
·         Housing (accumulation of brownish fecal and urine stains on doors puppies found with no heat
·         Identification (missing tags)
·         Overcrowding (transportation carriers containing too many dogs)
·         Primary enclosures (sagging wire floors)
·         Procurement of Dogs (sourcing from unlicensed breeders)
·         Shelter (missing lighting and rusted metal)
·         Veterinary Care (dogs with excessive body and ear hair mats, no veterinarian visit, untreated bite wounds, using Bird Biotic mixed in the drinking water and long nails)

Pet Retail Fraud Lawsuits

Abe N. Miller is no stranger to lawsuits. Miller has been mentioned as the breeder or broker in 
several lawsuits and listed as a defendant in the Rose case.

Lisa Griggs v. Furry Babies (Chicago, Illinois)


 A 2013 consumer fraud lawsuit filed against a Chicago pet store, Furry Babies, alleged the chain was selling sick puppies from puppy mills and identified Miller as the broker of one of the puppies.

“The Griggs later discovered that the limited paperwork provided by the Peru Furry Babies store and its agents was fraudulent. When they looked up the name and number of the individual listed on Duke's paperwork, he was not a breeder but rather a farmer in Ohio named Lester Sachtleben. Sachtleben also told Nick Griggs that his German Shepherd-a farm dog become pregnant, so he sold some of the puppies to a man named Abe Miller. But Sachtleben told Nick that he was not in the business of breeding and knew nothing of any USDA licensing requirements. Later Nick confronted Trolinger, the person identified to him by the Peru store and its agents as the owner of the Peru Furry Babies store, and Trolinger admitted that he had been doing business with Miller for many years.

Claure-Roca v. Dreamy Puppy (Fairfax, Virginia)

According to a petition published by the Humane Society of the United States “Dreamy Puppy, LLC, a Virginia based pet store that recently went out of business, advertised that it sourced puppies only from local breeders. However, courtroom testimony and corroborating discovery showed that the pet store was receiving puppies from several Ohio breeders and brokers including Quail Creek Kennel, a broker serving as a middleman between breeders and the store and that has been cited by the USDA for, among other things, obtaining at least 104 puppies from unlicensed breeders Nadia Claure-Roca had successfully sued the pet store for violations of the Virginia Consumer Protection Act, fraud in the inducement, and breach of implied warranty after she had relied on the store’s representations “that its animals are healthy and come from reputable local breeders” and the store sold her a sick puppy who later died of her ailments.

Jessica Edwards vs Petland Novi (Novi, Michigan)

One of Abe N. Miller’s kennels, named Tri-Star Kennels, was also mentioned a February 2018 consumer fraud lawsuit against the Petland Novi location involving over a dozen plaintiffs claiming the store knowingly sold them sick puppies.  

“Alana Savard purchased a Siberian Husky named Argos on April 4, 2015 from Peltand Novi, for $3,530.95 and was sent home with a severe urinary tract infection which would later be diagnosed as congenital polycystic kidney disease in November of 2015. Argos was bred by Elizabeth Miller of Tri Star Kennels. Abe Miller is the registered agent for Tri Star Kennels, which is where Petland sourced Argos.


Doug Rose vs Petland Novi (Novi, Michigan)

Abe N. Miller’s brokerage business, most recently operating under the name Holmes for Canines, is now listed as a defendant in the lawsuit claiming the plaintiffs were sold a sick puppy with Campylobacter requiring the owner to be hospitalized.

Doug and Dawn Rose are seeking monetary damages after Doug became infected with a multi-drug resistant Campylobacter infection acquiring weeks’ worth of medical expenses. The Beagle-Pug mixed puppy named Thor, was also diagnosed with coccidia. Petland has not paid for Thor’s medical expenses. In January 2018 the CDC completed a multistate investigation of a Campylobacter outbreak linking 99% of the cases to puppy stores. The vast majority of those individuals sickened reported they had contact with a puppy from a Petland store. The investigation included 113 cases across 17 states with 23 hospitalizations. 

Transport Cruelty Cases

(Credit: Bucks County SPCA)

A Philadelphia CBS affiliate 2015 news story uncovered numerous instances of misconduct by Abe Miller while investigating a New Jersey pet store selling sick puppies. The investigative story included two animal cruelty cases for inhumanely transporting puppies.

Link to I-Team Investigation “Where are puppy stores getting their dogs from?”: 

1)      “In 2011 one of Abe Miller paid fines in excess of $3,500 dollars after one of his employees pled guilty in Ocean County, N.J. to 20 counts of animal cruelty for inhumanely transporting puppies from Ohio to New Jersey, according to the SPCA.”
2)      “In June 2015, a van carrying a load of puppies crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Lower Moreland.
Officials say the impact of the crash caused several of the dogs to be released from their cages and let loose on the highway. All lanes of the eastbound Turnpike were closed for about an hour-and-a-half as firefighters rounded up the puppies. Two puppies were killed in the crash.
Through an Open Records Request, the I-Team obtained documents from the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture showing the puppies were owned by Abe Miller of Quail Creek Kennel. The van had come from Ohio and was headed for pet stores in New Jersey when the driver allegedly fell asleep at the wheel.”

Link to NBS Philadelphia news story “78 Puppies Survive, 2 Die in Crash onPennsylvania Turnpike

 
Transporting Underage Puppies

In April of 2012, Miller’s brokerage business, operating under the name DML Kennel LLC, failed repeatedly in the regulated areas of transporting puppies under the minimum age requirement of 8 weeks of age and procuring puppies from unlicensed breeders.

The violations resulted in USDA Enforcement Actions:

04/02/12

Min Age

“You transported, in commerce, puppies that were not at least eight (8) weeks of age.
04/02/12


Procurement


You knowingly obtained dogs from at least two individuals who were required to be licensed but did not hold current valid licenses.
04/09/12

Min Age

”You transported, in commerce, puppies that were not at least eight (8) weeks of age.”
04/16/12


Min Age


“You transported, in commerce, puppies that were not at least eight (8) weeks of age.
04/16/12


Procurement


You knowingly obtained dogs from at least two individuals who were required to be licensed but did not hold current valid licenses.
04/17/12








Records








“You failed to make, keep and maintain accurate records of animals acquired, held or in your passion. Specifically, you did not have acquisition records for all your animals or complete records regarding their method of transport. During an inspection on the above date, you failed to provide APHIS access to examine and copy records required to be kept by the regulations, including records correlating all old and new official tag numbers and tattoos for animals acquired.

The minimal fine of $11,107 imposed was just the cost of doing business for Miller’s large and growing enterprises. Miller simply cancelled his DML Kennel licensed the next month and obtained a new license under the name Quail Creek Kennels which continued to transport under age puppies and source from unlicensed breeders:

“… in June 2015, a van carrying a load of puppies crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Abe Miller was cited for transporting puppies underage” 

“ ..in January 2016, records obtained from the Licensee clearly establishes that they knowingly acquired puppies from unlicensed sources..”

Unlicensed breeders

Dogs and puppies shipped across states lines require Certificates of Veterinary Inspections (CVI) which are provided to each sending and receiving state’s Department of Agriculture to regulate the importation of canines and track diseases. These certificates are public records and should include the actual location in which the puppy came from, instead brokers, like Abe N. Miller use their own business address concealing the actual breeder name and address making it difficult for both regulators and animal advocacy watchdogs to confirm sourcing information.  

Working as a middle-man for unlicensed breeders, Abe N. Miller not only uses his brokerage name and address on the CVI (shipping records), but has devised a variety of other schemes to mislead regulators:

  • falsifying certificates of exemption when acquiring puppies from unlicensed breeders
  • not providing identification on the puppies or dogs
  • not providing animal acquisition information
  • not making himself available for property and records inspections 
Feb-22-2010 Procurement of Dogs: “This broker using certificates of exemption when acquiring puppies from unlicensed breeders. These exemptions document the breeder name and address but have no animal information or date on them.”

April-19-2012 Procurement of Dogs“…there was missing acquisition information. ….provided more exemption certification that had been unavailable the night before… Based on this information, it is obvious that the licensee has knowingly acquired dogs from these sources even though they are not licensed or exempt.”

A 2015 I-Team investigation exposed Quail Creek Kennel for selling puppy to a New Jersey pet store from an unlicensed breeder”

“According to Gus’ acquisition papers obtained by the I-Team, Gus came from a breeder in the Amish countryside of Ohio in an area that animal rights groups call “ground zero for puppy mill breeding,” where there are an estimated 540 puppy mills in one county alone. The I-Team confirmed with USDA and Ohio Department of Agriculture officials that Gus was bred by an unlicensed breeder. Gus’ papers show the unlicensed breeder sold Gus to the broker, Quail Creek Kennel. Then, the broker transported Gus almost 500 miles from Ohio to New Jersey. Pat’s Pups purchased Gus from the broker and then illegally sold him to Edwards.  
Jan -21-2016 Procurement of Dogs:  This dealer has knowingly purchased from at least three individuals that require to be licensed under the Animal Welfare Act. On 11/19/2015, APHIS officials collected all records from this facility to perform a records review and inspection. During a review of the exemption certificates provided by the Licensee, it is apparent that 3 individuals falsely signed exemption certificates. Based upon the records, these individuals have more than 4 breeding females on their premise and require a current, valid and unsuspended license to sell puppies to the Licensee.
The first individual signed an exemption form 8 times from 3/9/2015-11/9/2015.The second individual signed an exemption form 5 times from 2/23/2015-10/12/2015. The third individual signed an exemption form 6 times from 3/2/2015- an unknown date in September of 2015.

“The records obtained from the Licensee clearly establishes that they knowingly acquired puppies from unlicensed sources that clearly require a USDA license but do not hold a current, valid, and unsuspended license, which makes it impossible for APHIS to regulate those animals and undermines a working relationship between the licensee and APHIS officials.”

 “The Licensee stated that they will be configuring their system to allow them to more accurately identify how many litters they have purchased from unlicensed sources and be able to more closely monitor the time frame for which they are purchasing them.” 

Ignoring New Pet Protection Laws

According to the Philadelphia’s I-Team Investigation:

 “In July 2015 Quail Creek Kennels (broker) violated the New Jersey Pet Purchase Act after illegally selling a puppy to Pats Puppies store in the Cherry Hill Mall. Puppy was breed by an unlicensed breeder in Fredericksburg, OH and brokered through Quail Creek Kennel.”

According to the Humane Society of the United State’s 2014 Investigation of Virginia’s puppy sales, Abe Miller (Quail Creek Kennel) was supplying puppies to Pauley’s Pups which was found skirting the states disclosure laws – no breeder information was posted.

Pauley’s Pups, Ashland: Skirting State’s Disclosure Law · Date visited: 9/22/2014 · Problem puppy sellers linked to store: In 2007, this pet store was part of an HSUS investigation into Virginia puppy mills. That year, the store was directly linked to puppies from Junior Horton/Horton’s Pups, an unlicensed 20 puppy mill operator whose Virginia puppy mill was subsequently shut down 21. Horton was twice convicted of animal cruelty due to sick, injured and underage animals at his facility. During this year’s visit, we were shown records for a puppy from Abe Miller/Quail Creek Kennel in Charm, OH, a large-scale puppy broker (middleman), and Eli Raber of Baltic, Ohio. Raber was cited for Animal Welfare Act violations in February 2012 for two dogs with such severe dental problems that the roots of their teeth were visible, which the USDA inspector noted could be painful and make it difficult for the dogs to eat. · Breeder disclosure law not followed: At the time of our visit, no breeder information was posted near the puppies in the store, as required by state law. Salespeople did show us paperwork on a few puppies we asked about in the store.


Ohio - A Home to Puppy Millers

In 2016, prior to the USDA records “black out”, Ohio was ranked #5 with the most licensed dog breeders and dealers. 





(Charts prepared by Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan)  

Commercial dog kennels can be found throughout Ohio, however most of them are concentrated Holmes County – central Ohio. Abe N. Miller’s home town of Fresno Ohio is located in Coshocton County, just south of Holmes.


(Chart prepared by Bailing Out Benji January 2019)  
  
Puppy peddling is a big business for Abe N. Miller

According to Philadelphia’s I-Team investigation, Abe Miller claimed to have made $500,000.00 in 2012 by purchasing 12,000 dogs from Ohio breeders and selling them to pet stores.

Miller’s own breeding business has never been a small operation either. Within just two years of operating, his 2008 kennel had over 130 adult dogs which grew to 285 according to the July 26,2016 USDA inspection report.

Michigan

Puppy Mill Awareness of SE Michigan reported Miller has supplied 75% or more of the puppies sold at the Petland Novi store since 2010– approximately 60 per month. Several Michigan puppy stores have used Miller as their primary broker, including:

·         Petland Novi, MI
·         Petland Westland, MI
·         Pet Station Dearborn Heights, MI
·         The Family Puppy Novi, MI

Servicing puppy stores across 12 states


During a 6-month period (September 2014 – February 2015), Abe N. Miller’s brokerage enterprise operating under Quail Creek Kennels, serviced 28 stores across 12 states.

Connecticut

Pat Crandell (Triple Oaks Kennel), Dayville, CT

Delaware

Pet Kare 250 Pencader Plaza, Newark DE

Florida

Honey Pets, 1388 Weston Rd, Weston, FL
Orlando East, 453 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL
Petland Davie, 11482 W. State Road 84, Davie Fl
Petland Deerfield Beach, 3964 W. Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach, FL
Petland Plantation, 801 S. University Drive, Suite C 100, Planation FL
Petland Sarasota, 5380 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL
Puppy Plus, 7071 N. State Rd 7, Parkland FL

Georgia

Petland Kennesaw, 2920 George Busbee Parkway, Kennesaw, GA

Illinois

Furry Babies, 3940 Rte 251, Suite H-16, Peru, IL

Indiana

Starline, 2321 East Overman Road, Mountain City, IN

Kansas

Petland Overland Park, J & C Pets DBA Petland Overland Park, Overland Park, KA

Michigan

Northlake Pets DBA Petland Twelve Oaks, 27200 Novi Road, Novi

New Jersey

Breeders Association, 580 Route 70, Brick, NJ
Breeders Club, 1839 Route 35 North, Middleton, NJ
PV Pets, 2335 Broadway, Pennsville, NJ
Pampered Pups, 2709 Mayslanding, Millville, NJ
Pats Pups, 542 Route P Unit 1, Waretown, NJ
Puppy Barn, 2741 Route 206, Mt. Holly, NJ
The Puppy Hut, 1250 Rte 130, Robbinsville, NJ
Puppy Stop, 138 Fries Mill Road, Turnersville, NJ

New York

Shake a Paw, 1 Atlantic Blvd, Brooklyn NY

Pennsylvania

Augie Manifest, Apollo, PA
Brookside, 1000 S. Market Street, Bloomsburg, PA
Pets Plus, 553 South Broad Street, Lansdale, PA
Tropical Pet Center, 381 South Main St. Wilkses Barre, PA

Virginia

Dreamy Puppy, 14220 Sullyfield Circle, Chantilly, VA
Petland Fair Fax, 9404 Main Street, Fairfax, VA
Judy DC, Fredericksburg, VA
Pauley’s Pets, 12100 Washington Hwy, Ashland, VA