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Friday, April 3, 2015
Protesters aim to stop retail sale of ‘puppy mill’ puppies BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
Around 23 people gathered outside a Silverdale pet and feed store on March 28 to protest the sale of what they said were “puppy mill” puppies. The protesters, with the group Kitsap Animal Advocates, held signs that read “Join the fight against puppy mills,” “Puppy mills sell to pet stores,” and “Honk if you love animals.” Some of the passing motorists honked in support of the protesters’ messages as they zoomed past. One of the protesters, Terry Shuck, said KAA members have been working with lawmakers at the county and state level for more than three years to ban the sale of puppy mill puppies from pet and feed stores. Shuck said that puppies sold at the Farmland Pets and Feed store come from a large-scale breeding operation called BJ’s & Guys, in Menlo, Kansas. Shuck said the protests were held to inform the general public about where the puppies came from. “People (who buy the puppies) feel they are rescuing these puppies, when in fact they are creating demand. The females at the mills are often bred until they die,” Shuck wrote in an email to the Reporter.
“People feel they are rescuing these puppies, when in fact they are creating demand. The females at the mills are often bred until they die,” – Terry Shuck, Kitsap Animal Advocates “What Farmland is doing is not illegal, and we would like to make it illegal,” Shuck wrote. Shuck said county commissioners were the ones who could change the law, but that the sale of puppies was not a priority on the commissioners’ agenda. A manager at store who did not wish to be identified said Farmland and the protesters had a difference of opinion. The manager said that puppies were purchased from a group of commercially licensed kennels including BJ’s and Guys and said all the puppies had current vaccinations and current deworming. “We are not against people buying puppies,” Shuck wrote. “They should buy from a reputable breeder – a good rule of thumb is one who has the mother on the premises.”
Chris Tucker / staff photo
Noelle Kim, Chris Kim, Tracy Kim, Ashley Nelson and an unidentified woman, from right, protest the sale of puppies in Silverdale on March 28.
Women of Achievement
2015
YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
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Chris Tucker / staff photo
Brownsville Elementary Principal Toby Tebo, right, kisses a goat at the school on March 28.
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Brownsville school principal kisses goat 21 times for charity BY CHRIS TUCKER CTUCKER@CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM
Before a crowd of hundreds of children in the Brownsville Elementary gymnasium on March 31, school Principal Toby Tebo kissed a goat 21 times as part of a fundraiser for children in Kenya. “It’s stinky,” he said of kissing the goat, which wore a bow and apparently had its teeth brushed before the smooch.
“I think the goat was a little nervous,” he said. Tebo kissed the goat 21 times because the school raised enough money – $1,061 – enough to pay for 21 $50 goats for the Free the Children international charity. Two other people besides Tebo kissed the goat. Music teacher Jeremy Dupea collected the most money in a fundraising contest and kissed the animal. Associated Student Body president Connor Huey, 12, also kissed the goat.