Ban Puppy Mills

Your tax dollars support puppy mills: USDA APPROVES LOAN Bills 533 & 724

The Hunte Corporation in McDonald? County Missouri receives multi million dollar grants from the USDA.

Roy Blunt uses federal tax dollars to fund animal abuse

Press release from Hunte Corporation:

Wednesday, September 5, 2001

Contact: Dan Wadlington dan.wadlington@mail.house.gov 417-889-1800

Goodman, Missouri --USDA Approves Loan to McDonald? County K-9 Distributor Blunt Announces Goodman, Missouri -- The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved a $900,000 guaranteed rural development loan to allow the Hunte Corporation, located in northern McDonald? County, to purchase equipment, restructure its debt and provide working capital for expansion Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt has announced. Hunte Corporation Chairman Andrew Hunte said, "The loan will allow us to expand business and increase employment in McDonald? County." The company received another loan for $3.5 million from the USDA last year.

"The dog breeding industry has suffered a black eye in recent years, but we are out to change that image by putting animals first and ensuring they get the best humane professional treatment," Hunte said. "We deal with breeders in several Midwest states who can meet our standards of quality care. One of our goals is to help breeders improve their operations." Hunte explained, "We get the puppies at 8 weeks old and they undergo a week of quality care to make sure they are healthy before they are shipped to upscale pet stores around the country."

The Hunte Corporation operations near Goodman include more than 150 employees under the direction of six veterinarians. The dogs are housed in a 30,000 square foot building that is climate and odor controlled. The operation is federally and state inspected.

Hunte said, "We added 18 employees this year and we hope to keep expanding. We want to be the educators of the industry. We are committed to excellent. The federal guaranteed loan will allow us to continue to move in that direction." Ten years ago, Hunte Corporated consisted of seven employees and a million dollars in sales. Hunte says sales this year will exceed $26 million. Hunte Coropriation is the largest distributor-wholesaler of puppies in the United States. The company also exports young dogs overseas.

The idea of Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt giving $900,000 USDA funds to the Hunte Corporation in 2001 is absolutely appalling. This is in addition to a 3.5 million dollar grant received in 2000.

The Hunte Corp is nothing more than a middle man for puppy mills and in effect a puppy

mill itself. Countless people in the United States are working hard to shut down puppy mills altogether and stop the flow of unwanted animals into shelters and rescues. Yet this one man has done untold damage to their relentless efforts.

He is perpetuating the problem of unwanted pets and pet overpopulation. Instead of giving money to local animal shelters and rescue agencies to help homeless dogs and cats find homes and live out their lives, he is making it easier for the Hunte Corp. to pump even more unwanted puppies into pet stores.

There are individuals out there who are donating all their free time and cash to rescue purebreds AND mixed breeds, these are the working people of America, voters and pet owners. They are doing everything possible to make a difference and Mr. Blunt is singlehandedly destroying all their hard work. When will this stop? When will unwanted dogs and cats stop dying in shelters because there is no more money or room, no homes for them??? WHEN???? When puppy mills cease to exist and when pet stores are banned from selling animals. The actions of Roy Blunt were horrifically irresponsible and ignorant.

The Hunte Corp is making it easier for puppy mills to get their puppies into pet stores. They found a way to make money off of other people abusing animals. Their claims of 'helping clean up the industry' are just lies, pure and simple. They are do nothing to stop the abuse of animals.