Some animal-rights advocates and neighbors are speaking out against a dog-breeding facility in Clare that has imported hundreds of puppies from out of state in violation of its special use permit.

A zoning officer is set to make a decision May 24 on a request from Christie Hardt and Robert DeCosta, owners of B & C Kennels, 6367 E. Clare Road, to allow an increase in the number of dogs they can keep on their property and the sale of imported puppies.

Hardt and DeCosta want the county’s permission to keep up to 100 puppies and 40 adult dogs. About 30 people attended a public hearing Thursday on the issue.

“If B & C gets permission to breed and broker even more dogs, that will be opening up opportunities for more breeders to come to DeKalb County,” Ida McCarthy of DeKalb said. “They have already violated their special use permit.”

B & C Kennels produces popular breeds, including French bulldogs, Yorkshire terriers and schnauzers, and offers more than 30 breeds and mixes. But the facility also has drawn criticism from animal-rights groups, which call it a puppy mill operation.

B & C was placed on the Humane Society of the United States' "Horrible Hundred" list of puppy mills in 2016. The Humane Society noted that the business was fined for selling a puppy with parvovirus and dogs with brucellosis, both highly contagious viral diseases.

A-1 Puppies, a large-scale breeding facility in Morris Chapel, Tennessee, that breeds puppies for shipping to B & C, also has been accused by animal-rights groups of being a puppy mill, something the business’ supporters said is a loaded term.

Dog population exceeds limit

Hardt and DeCosta operated their business without a permit at first, but then received a warning letter from the county and applied for and received one from the county in 2010, officials said. The special use permit allows a maximum of 40 dogs.

Hardt and DeCosta requested the amendment after an August inspection by the DeKalb County Health Department found that they had been importing puppies in violation of the permit.

Hardt said she thought county officials knew she was importing up to 100 puppies a month, and she assumed the 40-dog limit only included her own dogs raised on site.

“The original permit was for 40 dogs. It was clearly a misunderstanding on our part,” she said. “I never knew I was out of compliance. We have been importing at Day One; it was discussed, but apparently it wasn’t discussed in an official matter.”

Hardt said her business has continued to import 80 to 100 puppies a month since August, selling them to families and individuals from DeKalb County and other states who visit her kennel.

Marcellus Anderson, county assistant planner, said county staff contacted the owners after learning of the violation and informed them that they would need to apply for an amendment.

“Generally speaking, we don’t have a specific fine for someone violating a special use permit,” Anderson said. “If we find someone doing something not allowed in the ordinance, our typical stance would be to contact them and see what we can do.”

Hardt said the kennel currently has 23 of its own dogs, including 11 breeding females and four breeding males. The state allows a maximum of 20 breeding females.

The dogs are bred every 10 months, producing litters of one to six puppies, which are then sold to individuals or families, Hardt said.

While several neighbors and employees spoke to the professionalism of the business, others argued against it, alleging the sale of sick dogs and use of puppy mills.

Supporters of the business said “puppy mill” is a loaded term and argued that people’s freedom to choose where to buy their pets should be protected.

Hardt said her facility cannot produce enough puppies to meet demand, so importing from out-of-state breeding facilities is necessary. She said shipments typically come in every other week, ranging from 30 to 85 puppies a shipment. Shipments via truck can be as large as 100 puppies, she said.

The puppies come from A-1 Puppies, which is owned by Hardt’s cousin, Angela Shubert, who also testified about her facility during the hearing.

Shubert said her facility holds 600 adult dogs and 230 puppies and produces about 25 breeds. She said the facility employs five full-time and three part-time workers, and it is licensed and regulated through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Tennessee Health Department.

Ida McCarthy, Illinois director of the Companion Animal Protection Society, asked if an undercover video produced by the society at the Tennessee kennel could be played during the hearing, but DeKalb County Hearing Officer Dale Clark denied her request.

Kathy Mehalko of Winnebago County asked how Shubert would define a “puppy mill,” adding that in her opinion there is no way to responsibly breed 600 to 1,000 dogs.

Shubert said the term “puppy mill” is unfair because it leads people to believe that all breeders run inhumane operations.

“It needs to be called ‘substandard breeder,’ because when you use the term ‘puppy mill,’ you get the same instant response from everyone in this room as if you called me a child molester,” Shubert said. “If I was proven to not be a child molester, everyone in this room would always have in the back of their mind doubt or hatred towards me, even though there is no proof.”

Those in favor of the amendment included Julie Siemiawski, a friend of the family who works at the kennel.

“These dogs are cared for with respect,” she said. “This is not a puppy store that sells puppy-mill puppies. This is a home; it’s a family business.”

Dora Lee Blackburn, a B & C Kennels customer, said the dog she bought is “100 percent perfect,” and she would recommend the business to anyone searching for their next pet.

“I drove 100 miles to stand here and tell you I couldn’t have a better dog,” she said.

Clark said he hopes to have his recommendation on the proposal ready for the Planning and Zoning Committee by its May 24 meeting.

Hardt is also petitioning Ogle County to open a commercial kennel at 14189 E. Dutch Road in White Rock Township.