Humane Fort Wayne is encouraging members of the community to request “full justice” for dogs seized from a puppy mill last week.
The shelter assisted in the seizure last Monday. They removed 43 Australian Shepherds and one pigeon from the home of Stanley and Angela Gard.
Each is facing 45 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and one count of failing to register as a commercial breeder and was released on a $500 bond.
Humane Fort Wayne has created a template letter available through its website to send to DeKalb County prosecutor Neal Blythe. The letter says instances of animal abuse in unregistered breeding facilities are becoming more prevalent.
The letter continues, “we cannot hope to stop the cycle of abuse ... until there are consequences of significance.”
All of the dogs brought into the shelter last week have either been adopted out, sent to other rescues where their needs will be better met or are in a Humane Fort Wayne foster home.
Last week, executive director Jessica Henry also explicity called for state legislators to repeal 2024's Senate Bill 1412, which she said doesn't do enough to address breeding facilities like this one.
