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The list of articles below provides a broader context of what has occurred in Minnesota in past months or years relative to dog and cat breeding and inhumane breeding practices. Some articles are still active with weblinks; other articles have been deleted and archived by the publication. These archived articles are still listed (with title, publication and date) for those who want to research this issue further.

REQUEST: If you have animal-related articles from a smaller, community newspaper located in Minnesota, please email them to us.

NOTE: Articles relating to the Kathy Bauck case can be found at News: Bauck

MN Breeder: Waggin Tails Kennels

A dog breeder in Little Falls, Minnesota, sold many of his dogs at the Southwest Auction Service in Missouri in late 2009. This breeder, Gary McDuffee, who operates Waggin Tail Kennels, generated considerable news in 2007 when he applied for a Conditional Use Permit ("CUP") to open and operate a large dog breeding kennel. Neighbors filed lawsuits to oppose the CUP. The Morrison County Board of Commissioners granted the CUP, which allowed McDuffee to have 500 adult dogs and unlimited puppy production.

The auction website stated: "Gary has been in business for many years, but he feels it is time to sellout." Examples of dogs at auction: 6F/4M Cocker, 4F/2M Cairn, 9F/8M Dach (LH & Dpls), 22F/3M Bichon, 11F/9M Poodle, 3F/sM Pap. 5F/1M Westie, 2F Havanese, 8F/8M Shh, 2F/1F Silky, 5F/4M Yorkie, 3F Cocker/Bichon, and others.

Animal advocates and neighbors in his community are skeptical about his retirement and are dismayed that his dogs, sold at auction and to other breeders, will go back into the "puppy mill cycle" of abuse.

Star Tribune (Nov. 7, 2009) Skepticism greets Little Falls dog breeder's retirement (with comments from readers)
Quote by Keith Streff, humane agent at Animal Humane Society: "The breeding industry is very vague because the laws are vague. It's like prostitution -- void of ethics. And if you're smart enough, you can bend the law."

Star Tribune (March 4, 2006) Neighbors Don't Like DeBarking
Article written and printed in 2006 about Gary McDuffee's application to run a 600 dog breeding kennel in Morrison County. McDuffee (with support of his veterinarian) proposed debarking the dogs.
To learn more about debarking and the deadly effects on dogs and cats, go to: Other States - Massachusetts Considers a Bill to Ban Devocalization

Older articles

• December 14, 2007/ St. Cloud Times
  TITLE: Benton to Study Breeder's Site
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn
• December 11, 2007
  TITLE: Advocates Concerned About Dog Breeding Regulation
  AUTHOR: wcco.com/Associated Press
• December 10, 2007/ St. Cloud Times
  TITLE: Breeder Applies for Facility Permit
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn
• December 10, 2007/ St. Cloud Times
  TITLE: Morrison OKs kennel expansion
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn
• December 8, 2007
  TITLE: Beltrami Humane Society (Bemidji, MN.): More Funding Needed To Help an Abused Dog
  AUTHOR: Beltrami Humane Society
• December 6, 2007 / St. Cloud Times
  TITLE: Unknown number of dogs die in business fire
  AUTHOR: Kari Petrie
• September 28, 2007/ St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)/ Associated Press
  TITLE: Bipartisan Bill Attempts To Control Puppy Mills - License, Humane Care Required of Breeders
  AUTHOR: Todd Richmond / Associated Press
  LINK: No Web Link
• May 26, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Neighbors appeal kennel decision
  AUTHOR: David Unze
  LINK: No Web Link
• April 18, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Breeding law should be looked at federally
  AUTHOR: Randy Krebs
  LINK: No Web Link
• April 5, 2007 / wcco.com
  TITLE: Morrison Co. Approves 500 Breeding-Dog Kennel
  AUTHOR: wcco
• April 5, 2007 - dog articles.org (source: Minnesota Public Radio)
  TITLE: Morrison County Approves Dog Breeding Kennel
  AUTHOR: Tim Post
• April 5, 2007 / Best Friends Network
  TITLE: It’s Official: Morrison County Board Approves Kennel Permit
  AUTHOR: Kelli Ohrtman
• April 4, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Kennel set for approval
  AUTHOR: David Unze
  LINK: No Web Link
• April 4, 2007 / Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
  TITLE: Large dog-breeding kennel may get OK, with caveats
  AUTHOR: Warren Wolfe Staff Writer
• April 4, 2007 / wcco.com
  TITLE: Morrison Co. to Approve Controversial Dog Kennel
  AUTHOR: wcco
• Spring 2007/ American Veterinary Medical Law Association
  TITLE: Debarking: A County Zoing Board Stumbles Upon A Debate
  AUTHOR: American Veterinary Medical Law Association Newsletter
• March 31, 2007/ wcco.com – WITH VIDEO
  TITLE: Investigators Seize 60 Dogs From Farm
  AUTHOR: Bridgette Bornstein
• March 30, 2007 / KARE 11 News
  TITLE: Sixty dogs rescued from breeder
  AUTHOR: KARE 11
  NOTE: Article refers to S.F. 121 (introduced in 2007); S.F. 2292 revised this legislation and was before the legislature in 2008
• March 27, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Neighbors sound off on facility permit
  AUTHOR: David Unze
  LINK: No web link
• March 11, 2007 / St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
  TITLE: Hunting Dog Breeders Are Howling Over Proposed Regulations
  AUTHOR: Chris Niskanen, Outdoors Editor
  LINK: No web link
  NOTE: Comments in article refer to S.F. 121 (introduced in 2007); S.F. 2292 revised this legislation and was before the legislature in 2008
• March 7, 2007/wcco.com – WITH VIDEO
  TITLE: New Effort To Shut Down Puppy Mills In Minnesota
  AUTHOR: Lisa Kiava
• March 5, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Experts: Investigate before you buy
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn
  LINK: No web link
• March 5, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Lemon law offers buyers some protections
  AUTHOR: David Unze
  LINK: No web link
• March 5, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Scrutiny tightens for big breeders
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn
  LINK: No web link
• March 4, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Court cases involving area breeders
  AUTHOR: Times
  LINK: No web link
• March 4, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: New Kennel brings issue to forefront
  AUTHOR: Kirsti Marohn, David Unze
  LINK: No web link
• March 4, 2007 - St. Cloud Times
  TITLE: Times investigation: Pet breeding in Central Minnesota
  AUTHOR: Kristi Marohn, Dave Unze
  LINK: No web link
• February 16, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Focus efforts on improving standards
  AUTHOR: Randy Krebs
  LINK: No web link
• February 12, 2007 / Paper: St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Kennel issue might be moot
  AUTHOR: David Unze
• February 7, 2007 / St. Cloud Times (MN)
  TITLE: Morrison to review kennel
  AUTHOR: David Unze, Kirsti Marohn
  LINK: No web link
• February 7, 2007 / Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis, MN)
  TITLE: Surgical debarking issue clouds kennel's future - Court of Appeals overturns permit to house 600 dogs in Morrison County; cutting of vocal cords is a concern.
  AUTHOR: Rochelle Olson, Staff Writer
  LINK: No web link
• February 7, 2007 / St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
  TITLE: Disputed Kennel Rejected by Court - ‘Debarking’ cited in permit’s revocation AUTHOR: Amy Forliti, Associated Press
  LINK: No web link
• July 12, 2006 / Detroit Free Press
  TITLE: Dog buyers beware
  AUTHOR: Steve Neavling
• July 12, 2006 / Detroit Free Press
  TITLE: Agency faulted for not cracking down on violators
  AUTHOR: Steve Neavling
• May 24, 2006 / Fox 9 News
  TITLE: Puppy Peddlers
  AUTHOR: Fox 9
• May 9, 2006 / Morrison County Record
  TITLE: Scheduling hearing set in kennel case
  AUTHOR: Chris Schafer
• April 3, 2006 / Minnesota Public Radio
  TITLE: Dog kennel debate goes to court
  AUTHOR: MPR
• March 5, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TITLE: Breeding dogs, raising alarms
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• March, 2, 2006 / KARE 11
  TITLE: Dozens of puppies taken from uppy mill
  AUTHOR: KARE 11
• February 9, 2006 / wcco.com
  TITLE: Residents File Lawsuit To Block Dog Kennel
  AUTHOR: wcco
• February 9, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TTLE: Two-Minute Guide – Morrison County Kennels – Suit against kennel plan cites lack of environmental study
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• Feb. 03, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TITLE: Little Falls kennel had violations, USDA files show
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• January 28, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TITLE: Opponents ask investigation of kennel permit
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• January 25, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TITLE: A 600-dog kennel has tongues wagging
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• January 25, 2006 / Star Tribune
  TITLE: Neighbors don’t like debarking for 600-dog kennel
  AUTHOR: Paul Levy
• December 23, 2005 / wcco
  TITLE: Seized From Puppy Mills
  AUTHOR: wcco.com