Help us Free the KeesFighting for Justice

Our Start

In October 2013, Keeshond rescuers in the U.S. were contacted by John, a volunteer, in Binghamton, New York. John indicated he was working with a long-time dog breeder, Marjorie Ingraham, who wanted to retire from breeding and needed help to place her dogs.

Mrs. Ingraham was a high volume breeder of Keeshonden and other breeds for nearly 40 years. At the time, she had over 100 Keeshonden in need of rehoming.

We in the Keeshond community stepped up to the task. After Mrs. Ingraham signed a release form to Suncoast Keeshond Rescue, we went to work for all of the dogs at Marjorie’s Kennel. We provided funding for transportation, veterinary care, supplies, and whatever was necessary for 60 Keeshonden that Mrs. Ingram released between November 2013 and March 2014.

What We Found

36 dogs with Giardia

21 dogs with Coccidia

55 dogs with roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and/or tapeworms

12 dogs with bacterial infections

11 dogs with fungal or yeast infections

2 dogs with demodectic mange

3 dogs with systemic bacterial infections

27 dogs with bite wounds

2 dogs with frostbite injuries

4 dogs with untreated torn cranial cruciate ligaments and severe patellar luxations

41 dogs with patellar luxation of grades 1-4

29 dogs with abscesses

2 dogs with hip dysplasia

2 dogs with malformed limbs or patellar fusion

1 dog with mammary cancer

1 puppy with a large burn

2 dogs with sarcoptic mange

60 dogs frightened of human beings and completely unsocialized.

The Dogs Were TransformedWith Help from their Foster and Adoptive Parents

Sapphire

Sapphire Sapphire was mauled at Marjorie’s Kennel and had mange, other skin

issues, and a heart murmur, in addition to her bite injuries. After a couple of months of fantastic vet care at a clinic owned by one of her heroic volunteers, she was ready to go to her forever home, even though she still needed special care

Sapphire slowly recovered from her skin issues, discovered new adventures walking with her parents, playing in her backyard, and going to doggy daycare.

Sapphire has completed obedience class and loves one-on-one play with her parents.

With the fantastic care of her loving parents, her tolerant older Keeshond brother, and her amazing spirit, Sapphire has gone through an inspiring recovery

Noelle

Noelle

On Dec. 21, 2013, it was this tiny girl’s turn to be rescued from THE HORRID PLACE. She stank to high heaven. She shrank from any human touch, curling her feet tightly into her body, curling her body into a tight ball, probably praying that she would be overlooked. But she wasn’t…and on that blessed day, F17 was crated in the transporter’s van with several other terrified dogs. She got her first taste of dehydrated chicken. She was named Noelle.

Noelle spent months struggling to get over serious intestinal issues and trying to avoid nearly all human contact

In June the breakthrough started, she bonded with a foster mom and her 3 Kees siblings. She learned to go on walks, play in her wading pool, and play touch me.

Noelle loves soft things. She will quietly steal toys, socks, tea towels and put them in her bed.

Noelle will now approach every person she meets and expect to be touched. You should see the look on her face if they walk by her! She loves to meet other dogs.

In September, Noelle moved to Nova Scotia to her forever home, where she lives happily with her Keeshond sister and her parents

Sherman

Sherman Sherman started his trip to his new life on February 14, 2013. He and 5 of his kennel mates

took a 5 day trip from New York to Seattle . His mom said her heart broke seeing the vacant, frightened stare in each of the dog’s eyes.

He had a matted coat and yellow spots on his fur from urine. This was the first of many baths it took to neutralize the odor. We were told that the rancid smell was from a poor diet and that would it improve with a good quality food. It took several weeks before the stench dissipated.

Sherman did not stand straight but went around the yard with his hind quarters at a slant. His patellas were weak, which made his hind legs appear unstable.

Sherman progressed in his foster home and was adopted in March.

Then came Sherman’s Horrible Awful No Good Day when a wind storm blew the gate open and Sherman ran. Thankfully, the Keeshond community and the town, after several harrowing days on the run, Sherman was rescued for a second time.

Sherman returned to his original foster home, where he is thriving. He has been adopted by his foster parents. He plays often with the other dogs from Marjorie’s Kennel that live in Seattle at Camp Fuzzy Butt. He is starting on training to be a therapy dog.

In May, Sherman had to have one of his toes amputated, as he had suffered from frostbite living outdoors and unprotected while at Marjorie’s Kennel.

Sherman and his extended family entertain us regularly with Talking Pet videos describing his adventures.

Kirby

Kirby When Kirby arrived at his home in January, his new home said, “I realized how bad he

was, how scared he was, how sad he was, and how sick he was. He was like a feral animal. Just terrified of everyone and anything. I approached him and he ran away in fear. His tail made me cry, it was tucked up under his body so tightly.”

Kirby had a tough 6 weeks, but his family (human and Kees) rallied to help him. His fur family taught him to play and acted as his security blanket. His parents took him on a series of adventures, starting small and getting him used to new things. In March, Kirby let strangers pet him at a local Pet Expo.

On his eighth weekend at his new home, he went on a trip to the family beach house. His first day in a different house was good, and he had his first lunch date. He walked the harbor for hours listening to his Mom talk. After that day, it was if someone stole the old Kirby and a new Kirby emerged! All of a sudden everything was great with him. This was the first day he stayed with the family all day, sat on my lap, and wagged his tail when I so much as looked at him.

He now loves the world, is joyful and happy, and is a wonderful companion to the others.

Marjorie Went Back on Her Agreement in March 2014Marjorie refused to release any more dogs, even though she continued to fail or barely pass the inspections by the New York Department of Agriculture.

Even though she had agreed to release all of the dogs, retire and stop breeding, more than 50 dogs remained at the kennel.

We Negotiated

We tried for months to get Mrs. Ingraham to honor her commitment and her signed release. We asked her to honor her word, retire from breeding and release the Keeshonden to us as she had promised.

Our efforts fell on hardened ears. Mrs. Ingraham has again begun to breed Keeshonden. She is now adamantly opposed to releasing or even selling any of the more than 40 adult Keeshonden still suffering at her kennel. However, she is breeding and selling puppies.

We Went Public On July 8, 2014, our efforts became public for everyone, everywhere to know. We began with a

campaign geared toward the leaders of New York state government, asking them to enforce their own laws.

We are writing letters, mailing them, emailing them, faxing them. We are making phone calls. We are tweeting. We are utilizing social media and traditional media. We have called on people everywhere, throughout the world, to help us, to sign our petition to Governor Andrew Cuomo, of New York, to hear the cries of the Keeshonden still imprisoned at the puppy mill known as Marjorie’s Kennel.

We have contacted news organizations, written articles, conducted interviews. We have contacted others in the state of New York who are working to eliminate puppy mills, helping to formulate legislation, trying to make a difference in the lives of animals in New York. We are seeking help from all media sources to make the public aware of the plight of our Kees stranded in Marjorie’s Kennel.

We have asked for historical information from the New York Department of Agriculture regarding their kennel inspections. Since we know the dogs that have come from Marjorie’s Kennel, we have many questions regarding how this kennel remains in business, operating under New York laws, and still remains in compliance, or barely outside compliance. The Department of Agriculture has not been cooperative about providing information that is supposedly available to the public by law. We will not allow this lack of cooperation to go unnoticed.

We have learned through this past year that people have purposefully been untruthful to us, have diverted questions, have said what they felt we wanted to hear, in order to get us to cooperate with the plans that they have had, which is to keep Marjorie’s Kennel in business. That has not been and never will be our desire. Our goal, our mission, from the very first day has been to rescue all of the dogs imprisoned at the puppy mill known as Marjorie’s Kennel.

We Will Not Stop

Our Continuing Mission

WE, the worldwide Keeshond community, will NOT be deterred from our mission. We will not retreat, no matter the roadblocks, the stone walls, the lies, the attempted manipulations.

We are united in our commitment; we are dedicated to our goal; we have promised the dogs at Marjorie’s Kennel that they are not forgotten. We have heard their voices; we have heard their cries. Their brothers and sisters who are free and in recovery will not allow us to stop our efforts.

We are coming. We will not fail you.

Appendix

Links to other Info on Free the Kees http://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/freedom-is-at-hand/

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/petradioshow/2014/07/26/pet-radio-saving-the-keeshond-puppymill-

dogs

http://issuu.com/thegazette/docs/bowiegaz_082114?e=9014937%2F9015934

www.keesrescue.com

https://www.facebook.com/freethekees

http://issuu.com/dognews/docs/072514/103?e=1543084%2F8792306 (begins on p. 102)

http://www.thedogpress.com/SideEffects/Keeshonden-Rescue-Seeks-NY-Gov-Help_Benz148.

asp

http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Puppy-mill-or-kennel-Local-pet-owners-tell-their-stories--

278584801.html

http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Mill-or-kennel-Local-kennel-controversy--278304851.html

http://www.wbng.com/news/local/Broome-County-Humane-Society--279839632.html