Photo courtesy of Waukegan News Sun.

In Waukegan, a firestorm has erupted over the seizure of eight puppies from a breeder in the city prior to Christmas. The Old English Bulldog puppies, which were being bred for profit against a city ordinance, were seized by Waukegan Animal Control and handed over to rescue…and then all hell broke loose.

Now, various employees of Waukegan have been threatened by dog breeders from around the country. The rescue organization that stepped up to take in the puppies after they were relinquished has received death threats. The puppies have been moved for safekeeping, but the family that initially had the puppies is fearful after a photo of their home and address has circulated in online communities that support the original breeder.

The story started shortly before Christmas when an animal advocate in the community saw ads for the puppies for sale on Craigslist and Facebook. She started to communicate with the breeder and got the police involved to further the investigation. A meeting was set up and the police met the man at his home.

John Bass was selling six-week-old Old English Bulldogs for $1,500 each. Two had reportedly been sold already and eight more were up for sale. According to an official in Waukegan, Bass agreed to sign the dogs over to animal control after complaining that they didn’t know it was illegal to breed dogs for profit from residences in the city.

That’s when things got crazy.

A few stories about the case hit the media and breeders from around the country took up Bass’ case. The calls started to come into city hall, wars broke out on social media, people who had never met or dealt with that animal control office went to war on social media against the office and it’s animal control officers.

Breeders from around the country who all claim to have the best interest of these puppies at heart have also threatened the police and others in Waukegan.

Really?

Are you kidding me?

You threaten people with violence and you think that you are going to persuade people that you’re up to doing something positive! It doesn’t work that way.

As I follow some of the online vile, I’m not surprised. I get it from the same breeder apologists that continually stand up for puppy mills on my various posts (yes, I know your names). They are people that claim to be good breeders and have the best interest of dogs at heart, yet back vile puppy mill operations and the laws that protect them.

Now, they are waging war against Waukegan Animal Control and the women who have worked hard to make the community no kill. A few years ago, a lot of bad was happening where animals were concerned in Waukegan. A strong animal control team has worked hard to change that and make life better for the animals there.

Waukegan, which is a home rule community, now has some of the toughest animal welfare laws in the country. As the city has cracked down on bad breeders and puppy-mill like conditions in their community, laws were passed several years ago that prohibit the business of breeding puppies at home

Now, Bass and his breeder followers are stirring up a shit storm. People who have nothing vested in the situation and no connection to Waukegan and threatening people who were following the laws of their community. Some people are now threatening to come to the city when they come to a dog show here early next year so that they can "stir it up.{ Bass, who relinquished the dogs (but was able to keep the mother) has started a GoFundMe to raise money. It just goes on and on.

It's too bad this energy couldn't be used for good...used to save a few dogs or to fight the animal control organizations that are in shambles and kill hundreds of innocent pets daily. But I don't see that happening anytime soon.

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