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A book called The Animal Dealers, Evidence of Abuse of Animals in the Commercial Trade, 1952-1997 published by a Washington Based organization, The Animal Welfare Institute , shows evidence of abuse of the Animal Welfare Act by Class B dealers from 1952-1997. They can legally obtain animals from three main sources:
their own premises where they have specially bred the animals and willingly provide them to research facilities;
pounds and shelters;
other Class B dealers.
It is a federal offense for any person to buy, sell, exhibit, use for research, transport or offer for transportation, any stolen animal or to obtain live random source dogs and cats under false pretenses. This is exactly what these class B dealers are doing. One way they obtain Cats and Dogs is by purchasing from unlicensed dealers called "Bunchers."
Bunchers collect dogs and cats for Class B dealers by stealing them off the street, from yards, or by obtaining pets advertised in the "Free Pet" ads in the paper. They will call about these Dogs and Cats and present themselves as upstanding citizens, sometimes showing up with family members to make them seem even more credible and would provide a good home. Many pet owners feel they will take good care of little "Fluffy" and give their pet to them, never knowing they just gave their pet to animal dealer who will sell "Samantha" to a dealer that sells pets to a research laboratory or worse yet, a dog fighter-to be used as 'training material.' This is the way many of the Class B dealers are continuing to operate, as the stolen pets are not directly linked to them - all they "know" is that the owner (or the person who said they were the owner) sold them the dog or cat. No state is safe as Bunchers will go to a state and transport animals several states away to be sold. Just recently a buncher truck broke down in Michigan and the largely stolen or 'obtained under false pretenses' cargo was discovered and confiscated by the authorities. Most stolen pets are not that lucky.
REWARD: In Defense of Animals is offering a $3000 reward to anyone who gets the license plate number of the vehicles stealing dogs or any other information that results in their prosecution and conviction. The hotline for IDA: 1-800-STOLEN PETS.
Panel/delivery type truck with lettering reading Animal Management in gray lettering spotted in areas with high disappearance rates.
Pick-up type truck with a cap that resembles a dog house. Older man driving, accompanied by 2 other males, one bearded, one with a ponytail
REPORT ANY SIGHTINGS TO
1-800-STOLEN PETS
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