repost of a terrible situation

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Why I choose to sell most of my puppies to pet homes and only great show 
homes that are like pet homes.  Why I don't care if any Brier dog is ever 
Best In Show, or even shown...  As long as I know they are happy healthy 
and accounted for!

Though most of you on this list are pet homes I wanted to share this post 
with you.  This was posted on the big golden list called work_gold where 
most of the show folks visit.  This post is very sad and upsetting down 
right horrifying.  It comes from Jeff who is the owner of  Am-Can-Jap Ch 
Edgehill Nautilus Calypso Jo SDHF  who is Scarlette's grand father as well 
as SeaJay's great grand so he is related to most of our pup's in the 
current breedings at Brier.  As the story goes there is a pro 
handler/breeder/owner Patti Kelly has relocated to the Portland area and 
many many of her dogs did not make the move and are unaccounted for.  This 
is not the norm in the world of dogs but one of the sick oddities that can 
occur in society.

This is also reason for not wanting to send SeaJay or any others for that 
matter out with a pro handler as the risks in my opinion out weigh the 
benefits.

Your good thoughts for the missing possibly hundreds of dogs of several 
breeds are requested...  Please note I broke a list rule by re posting this 
but if the work_gold list wants to hang me for that then they can...  I 
will be dammed if I will be quiet about this sort of a situation as I sit 
here surrounded by not only my own dogs but the three remaining rescue 
puppies...

Subject: Missing Golden, maybe?

Hi list,
It's been a while since I have made a post, but this is some serious biz.
This post is concerning a bitch that was sold to Patti Kelly in
Washington state.
The bitch that is in question is "Tisket". Calypso's Kiss The Sky.
She was Sired by Ch. Sunshine Hill's Nat'l Cowboy out of Ch. Edgehill Leapin'
Leprechaun. She would be 6 years old now.
Tisket went BISSweeps at the 1996 National Specialty and unfortunately
failed her next eye exam, ending her show career.
I told Patti at that time that I would take her back and place her in a
loving pet home, but Patti said that "she couldn't part with her and that she
made her smile everyday". I agreed to let Tisket stay with Patti, but still
replaced her with a show male from my next breeding. Patti and I talked
often until the replacement puppy was approximately 9 months old. I always
asked how Tisket was doing and if she would let me place her in a loving pet
home. I learned that Patti had quite a few dogs and always thought it best
that Tisket be awarded the full time attention of a loving family. I started
to ask Patti additional questions about the other dogs that were at her
house. I learned that she had purchased at least 10 other dogs from friends
of mine, and at least that many others from acquaintances. I also found out
that Patti had acquired Whippets, Clumbers, English Springer Spaniels, as
well as a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel from Linda Stebbins.
As my curiosity and tension grew, I began to ask more and more
questions of Patti. I became very forward and direct in some of the
questions...such as: How many dogs do you have? I never really received any
answer and she would always quickly change the subject or just plain
completely ignore it.
I always liked Patti. She was cordial and pleasant. She always
seemed to be able to tell me about how my dogs were doing--we co-owned the
two dogs. As my questions became more direct, Patti seemed to be harder and
harder to reach, until finally our line of communication was completely cut
off. I have not spoken to Patti in about 3 years now. I have recently heard
that that has relocated and I have no way to reach her. My concern now is
that she has reportedly reduced the number of dogs she had by about 2/3rds.
I cannot give an exact number that are unaccounted for, but one of them is my
Tisket. The other one that is unaccounted for is the Cavalier KC Spaniel
named "Pounder".
If anyone knows the exact whereabouts of either of these dogs, could
you please write and tell me. If anyone knows where Patti Kelly can be
reached, can you please tell me. If anyone has any additional information
about this scenario or has a dog that is "missing" from Patti Kelly, please
write.
Thanks,