Adrian's Puppy Paradise (Puppy Mill) Cries Foul after Dogs Taken away... Too Bad Morons!
By Shandra Martinez
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Cathy Bissell can recall the stench that burned her eyes, face and lungs, making it hard to breathe.
"The smell is so unbelievable," said Bissell of the ammonia vapors from the buildup of animal feces and urine in a dog breeding operation in a rural community 60 miles south of Chicago.
In April, Bissell took part in her first Animal Rescue Corps rescue, dubbed Operation Spring Break, to remove 80 dogs from what was described as puppy mill after the county's animal control officer gained access with a search warrant.
She characterizes the removal as a rescue rather than a raid because owners gave up the dogs.
The conditions were deplorable, says Bissell, who described dark and unsanitary cages, and dogs that couldn't stand because their nails had grown so long they curled around their paws. The animals also suffered from untreated and painful eye infections, respiratory conditions, and dental issues, reported ARC.
"These mothers were three years old and all they have been doing is breeding and breeding," said Bissell, whose participation is featured in a youtube video created by ARC.
A month later, the publicized rescue is generating some backlash.
The owners claim they were intimidated into letting the Washington, D.C., animal rescue group confiscate their dogs.
"They said they come to get my dogs. If I didn't sign that paper they was taking them anyway, whether I signed it or not," owner Louise Gutierrez told Fox 32 News in Chicago.
She and husband, Adrian Gutierrez, who started Adrian's Puppy Paradise, a dog breeding business in 2001, have yet to be charged.
Last week, the couple filed a complaint with the Kankakee County Sheriff's department, claiming their civil rights were violated during the April 7 search and seizure of their business.
"I have a lot of concerns about the legality of what was done," Marla Tauscher, the couple's attorney, told the TV news station.
Tauscher accused ARC of staging "raids" to make headlines and help fundraising efforts.
In a recent interview with MLive and The Grand Rapids Press, Bissell described her experience accompanying ARC to remove the dogs from the property.
"Going in and seeing it first hand and looking at each face, you want to cry," Bissell said.
The photogenic blonde is the face of Bissell Homecare, and has been featured in the Grand Rapids-area floor cleaning company's commercials.
Her husband Mark Bissell is the chief executive of the nearly 140-year-old family-owned company. She is the director of corporate affairs and founder of Bissell Pet Foundation, which has donated more than $2 million to efforts to protect dogs and cats since its launch in 2011.
ARC founder Scotlund Haisley praises Bissell and her foundation as important to the group's work.
"They have funded many of our rescue efforts in various states throughout the country," said Haisley, noting the foundation donated a total of $20,000 to defray costs associated with two recent headline-making operations.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Cathy Bissell can recall the stench that burned her eyes, face and lungs, making it hard to breathe.
"The smell is so unbelievable," said Bissell of the ammonia vapors from the buildup of animal feces and urine in a dog breeding operation in a rural community 60 miles south of Chicago.
In April, Bissell took part in her first Animal Rescue Corps rescue, dubbed Operation Spring Break, to remove 80 dogs from what was described as puppy mill after the county's animal control officer gained access with a search warrant.
She characterizes the removal as a rescue rather than a raid because owners gave up the dogs.
The conditions were deplorable, says Bissell, who described dark and unsanitary cages, and dogs that couldn't stand because their nails had grown so long they curled around their paws. The animals also suffered from untreated and painful eye infections, respiratory conditions, and dental issues, reported ARC.
"These mothers were three years old and all they have been doing is breeding and breeding," said Bissell, whose participation is featured in a youtube video created by ARC.
A month later, the publicized rescue is generating some backlash.
The owners claim they were intimidated into letting the Washington, D.C., animal rescue group confiscate their dogs.
"They said they come to get my dogs. If I didn't sign that paper they was taking them anyway, whether I signed it or not," owner Louise Gutierrez told Fox 32 News in Chicago.
She and husband, Adrian Gutierrez, who started Adrian's Puppy Paradise, a dog breeding business in 2001, have yet to be charged.
Last week, the couple filed a complaint with the Kankakee County Sheriff's department, claiming their civil rights were violated during the April 7 search and seizure of their business.
"I have a lot of concerns about the legality of what was done," Marla Tauscher, the couple's attorney, told the TV news station.
Tauscher accused ARC of staging "raids" to make headlines and help fundraising efforts.
In a recent interview with MLive and The Grand Rapids Press, Bissell described her experience accompanying ARC to remove the dogs from the property.
"Going in and seeing it first hand and looking at each face, you want to cry," Bissell said.
The photogenic blonde is the face of Bissell Homecare, and has been featured in the Grand Rapids-area floor cleaning company's commercials.
Her husband Mark Bissell is the chief executive of the nearly 140-year-old family-owned company. She is the director of corporate affairs and founder of Bissell Pet Foundation, which has donated more than $2 million to efforts to protect dogs and cats since its launch in 2011.
ARC founder Scotlund Haisley praises Bissell and her foundation as important to the group's work.
"They have funded many of our rescue efforts in various states throughout the country," said Haisley, noting the foundation donated a total of $20,000 to defray costs associated with two recent headline-making operations.