Veterinary School Faculty Member Dietrich Volkmann Instructed Puppy Millers to Ram an Artificial Insemination Device Into Dogs’ Vaginas, Mocking the Yelping Noise They Make When He Assaults Them
On July 30, 2021, CAPS Advisory Board Member Bob Baker, who is the executive director of Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, attended a workshop for breeders. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) sponsored this workshop. Mr. Baker was shocked by the presentation of Dr. Dietrich Volkmann, a professor of reproductive medicine at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Read Mr. Baker’s letter below to Dr. Carolyn Henry, Dean of the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, to learn about the atrocious and cruel statements made by Dr. Volkmann about female breeding dogs.
August 4, 2021
Carolyn Henry, DVM, MS
Dean
University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine
1520 East Rollins
Columbia, MO 65211
Re: Dr. Dietrich Volkmann
Dear Dr. Henry,
This past Friday, July 30, I attended the Canine Care Workshop jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. This day-long training experience is an opportunity for individuals interested in dog breeding to expand their knowledge of canine care and husbandry.
The Alliance attends this conference every year to dialogue with attendees and presenters as a representative of our thousands of supporters across the state who care deeply about the humane treatment of animals.
The majority of presenters are veterinarians who choose to educate the breeders on matters that will enhance the health and well-being of their animals. For example, this year there were excellent presentations on heartworm prevention, canine behavior, puppy socialization, and canine genetics.
Regrettably, a faculty member from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Dietrich Volkmann, went in an opposite direction to the purpose of the Animal Care Workshop in his presentation.
Dr. Volkmann chose to speak on the issue of artificial insemination, which is certainly appropriate for his audience. However, throughout his presentation, he demonstrated a complete disregard and contempt for the well-being of the dogs. For example, when discussing the routine schedule of a private veterinarian, Dr. Volkmann exclaimed that when veterinarians start their day, they often have to perform surgery on a “frigging bitch.”
While Dr. Volkmann might have disdain for surgery in the practice of veterinary medicine, there is no excuse to show such disdain towards an ailing animal.
Unfortunately, throughout his entire presentation, Dr. Volkmann demonstrated a callous attitude towards animals and an especial disgust towards female dogs used for breeding. In a mocking tone, he mimicked the yelping sounds of pain that dogs make when he inseminates them too aggressively. It should be emphasized that such aggressive insemination is intentional on the part of Dr. Volkmann. He stressed to the breeders that when performing artificial insemination (AI) that the breeder should “ram” the pipette into the dog’s vagina. Dr. Volkmann even made a violent gesticulation with his arm to demonstrate the intensity with which the breeder should use to force the instrument into the dog’s body.
This is contrary to good medical practices which dictates that the practitioner, when experiencing resistance, should cease advancing the instrument and re-direct it. To continue to force and “ram” the instrument into the dog when encountering resistance would lead to serious vaginal tissue damage. In addition to causing severe pain to the animal, such a maneuver would greatly traumatize the dog and would result in a very anxious and reluctant dog upon any subsequent breeding.
Criminal animal abuse is defined as “Purposely or intentionally causes injury or suffering to an animal” (578.012 (2). Dr. Volkmann’s admission that he “rams” the pipette into the dog’s vagina when performing AI, combined with his boastful exclamation of this practice, would arguably fit the definition of criminal animal abuse.
During his presentation, Dr. Volkmann displayed a photo of dogs tied-up and bound together during his discussion on the insemination of dogs. He later claimed that this photo “was a joke.” However, it was very troubling, and it is unclear to what Dr. Volkmann was attempting to communicate with this photo.
Dr. Volkmann also discussed at length how he fingers the dogs and stimulates the clitoris himself. He asserted that he provides the dogs with “good sex” and boasted that the “bitches enjoy me more than any male dog in providing pleasurable sex.”
I believe these displays of attempted humor to be extremely disturbing on many levels and could certainly be interpreted as misogynistic and exhibiting a violent attitude towards not only breeding dogs but women in general.
Dr. Volkmann even presented video proof of himself stimulating dogs. It was so disturbing that the speaker who presented after him mentioned the videos several times and lamented that she had to witness such a presentation.
Dr. Volkmann ended his presentation by apologizing if he had offended anyone by his crudeness. While he tried to offer some form of apology, he fails to comprehend that his crudeness was the least of the horrors of his presentation. Dr. Volkmann had done much worse. He had affirmed that it is acceptable to treat animals as inanimate objects with no regard for the gratuitous pain inflicted upon them. Even worse, Dr. Volkmann instructed others to do likewise, which is certainly contrary to the UMCVM’s mission of “healing” and “teaching.”
Nothing was more evidence of his contempt for animals and their welfare than when Dr. Volkmann mocked their pain when they were being violently assaulted. It stood in stark contrast to a previous presentation by a USDA veterinarian who went to great lengths in discussing the socialization of breeding dogs and their puppies in order to ensure that the puppies were raised in a loving and humane environment.
While this was a once-a-year presentation with dog breeders, I am most concerned that Dr. Volkmann is interacting and instructing veterinary students and that his total disdain for animals and disregard for their well-being is being communicated to veterinarians of the future.
Further, this was not the first time that Dr. Volkmann exhibited callous behavior at an Animal Care Workshop. Several years ago, Dr. Volkmann was criticized for his insensitivity towards animals, and in fact, USDA assured everyone that Dr. Volkmann would not be invited to return. Unfortunately, the memory of his last presentation had apparently been forgotten. At his previous presentation, he encouraged breeders to breed their dogs on the dogs’ first heat and every heat thereafter. This, of course, raised questions from some breeders in the audience, especially those with small breed dogs. They told Dr. Volkmann that they had been informed by their own veterinarians that breeding on the first heat and every subsequent heat was not advisable as, among other concerns, it could shorten the breeding life of the animal.
Dr. Volkmann, in a shocking response, questioned why a commercial breeder would be feeding animals that were not actively breeding. He emphasized that if the breeding life is shortened, then just “kill the bitch” when her breeding life is over and “acquire a new bitch.” This provoked a rebuke from several breeders and even a veterinarian in the audience but apparently not enough to dissuade USDA from inviting him back once again several years later.
Not only is Dr. Volkmann sending a wrong message about the care of animals, but he is an embarrassment to the College of Veterinary Medicine. I am especially distressed at the apparent pleasure that Dr. Volkmann exhibited in repeatedly using the anatomical terms for female genitalia and the emphasis he placed on such terms.
I assure you that I am very familiar with the necessity of using terms that might not be considered appropriate in polite society when discussing female anatomy as I worked as a paramedic for a number of years and often communicated such terms with attending physicians and ER personnel. Dr. Volkmann’s incessant use of such terms, however, was far beyond any professional necessity, and his apparent delight in doing so, was particularly troubling.
Is it really necessary to tell his audience countless times to be sure and “stick your finger in her vagina after AI” and then show everyone his finger and then repeatedly gesturing and waving his finger in the air? Dr. Volkmann bragged that he was the one who came up with this practice of inserting a finger into the dog’s vagina during AI. I emphasize that it is not necessarily the procedure itself that is so troublesome but rather the boastful and vivid description of such a practice.
I want to underscore that most Missourians today consider their dogs to be members of their family and believe that their animal companions deserve so much better than the care and attitude being communicated to our future veterinarians by instructors such as Dr. Volkmann. In fact, the Missouri Legislature this year passed a law that allows animals to be placed on orders of protection which allows for the safety of both the victims of domestic abuse and their pets.
It should also be pointed out that Dr. Volkmann’s presentation did a great disservice to the commercial dog breeding industry in the state. The industry has been plagued by numerous substandard dog breeders as demonstrated by the frequent raids of puppy mills across the state, including one last week in McDonald County. In fact, USDA and MDA initiated the Animal Care Workshops to help improve the care of dogs in licensed breeding facilities and to help improve the reputation of dog breeders. Dr. Volkmann only solidified the dismal reputation of the dog breeding industry.
Dr. Volkmann’s continual presence at the College of Veterinary Medicine is a detriment not only to the animals and their owners who cherish them but also tarnishes the name of your great institution. There should be no place for veterinarians at the College of Veterinary Medicine who instruct the public on how to abuse animals and engage in acts of animal cruelty such as ramming a pipette into a dog’s vagina; and that harbor such a strong disdain for their animal patients.
I assure you that if anyone was taping Dr. Volkmann’s presentation, and if it had gone public, his scandalous behavior would have made national news and would have had a long-lasting negative impact on the College of Veterinary Medicine as well as the University, not only for Dr. Volkmann’s disdain towards the treatment of animals but for his apparent cavalier and sexist attitude towards women.
I hope that you take the necessary and appropriate action as regards Dr. Volkmann. I would greatly appreciate a response on how the College intends to address this issue.
Sincerely,
Bob Baker
Executive Director
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
director@maal.org
314-361-3944
cc: Senator Jill Schupp
Representative Tracy McCreery
Dean Henry responded that the College of Veterinary Medicine had disciplined Dr. Volkmann without explaining what actions had been taken. In additional correspondence, Mr. Baker asked Dean Henry to send a correction to the breeders in attendance at the workshop, explaining the proper way to do artificial insemination. She did not respond to repeated requests to do this, and the College of Veterinary Medicine has not publicly condemned Dr. Volkmann’s behavior. Mr. Baker also wrote to USDA to complain about Dr. Volkmann’s presentation after MDA stated that while they sponsored the workshop, it was USDA which had invited him.
Mr. Baker wrote the following email to USDA personnel:
It was suggested that I write to you as I understand that USDA was responsible for inviting the speakers and presenters at the annual Animal Care Workshop this year that is jointly sponsored by USDA.
I was extremely shocked and seriously disappointed in the presentation by Dr. Dietrich Volkmann. I do not recall if you were present at his presentation many years ago at an Animal Care Workshop. I spoke to someone at USDA at that time about how disturbing his presentation was and was assured Dr. Volkmann would not be invited back. As years have gone by, his prior presentation was possibly overlooked.
I have outlined my concerns about his presentation this year in the attached correspondence that I communicated to the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Missouri. I hope you will take the time to read it in its entirety and understand why I am requesting that USDA never again utilizes Dr. Volkmann for any future presentations sponsored by USDA.
In addition to not inviting him for a return performance, I believe that it is imperative that USDA publicly corrects Dr. Volkmann’s instructions to the breeders on how to perform artificial insemination on their dogs.
Dr. Volkmann stressed to the breeders that when performing artificial insemination (AI) that the breeder should “ram” the pipette into the dog’s vagina. Dr. Volkmann even made a violent gesticulation with his arm to demonstrate the intensity with which the breeder should use to force the instrument into the dog’s body. He even mimicked the yelping noise that a dog makes when the animal is assaulted by ramming the instrument into the dog’s vagina.
This is contrary to good medical practices which dictates that the practitioner, when experiencing resistance, should cease advancing the instrument and re-direct it. To continue to force and “ram” the instrument into the dog when encountering resistance would lead to serious vaginal tissue damage. In addition to causing severe pain to the animal, such a maneuver would greatly traumatize the dog and would result in a very anxious and reluctant dog upon any subsequent breeding.
I am very concerned that dog breeders who were present at the Animal Care Workshop could implement such an inhumane practice while performing AI in their animals due to Dr. Volkmann’s presentation.
It would be extremely beneficial if you or another USDA veterinarian could issue a warning against such a method of AI and describe the proper way of performing this procedure. I believe it is critical that such a warning be distributed to all attendees of the workshop. It would also be beneficial to send this document to all USDA licensed dog breeders in the state. My concern is that the breeders in attendance will be disseminating this cruel description of how to perform AI to other dog breeders.
Thank you for your consideration of this request and please let me know your intentions in this regard.
Below is the response from Dr. Aaron Rhyner, the acting director of Animal Welfare Operations, on behalf of USDA:
Dear Mr. Baker:
Thank you for your recent email regarding Dr. Dietrich Volkmann’s presentation during the Canine Care Workshop 2021 that was forwarded to us.
I asked our staff for more information about Dr. Volkmann’s presentation, and we also reviewed attendee feedback following the workshop and reached out to Missouri State staff. We have determined that the presentation was technically accurate, well received, and was not found by other participants to be inappropriate or disturbing. Dr. Volkman was invited to present by Animal Care based on his extensive knowledge in canine breeding. Animal Care takes breeder education very seriously as it aligns with one of our primary program goals, which is to ensure the humane treatment of animals covered by the Animal Welfare Act. Education is a key component of reaching this goal. Animal Care would not support a presentation as described by the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation.
Animal Care is committed to providing accurate and informative content at our Canine Care workshops, and we will continue to use all available resources and subject matter experts as necessary to ensure accurate and educational information is provided to our stakeholders. Thank you again for bringing this issue to our attention.
Sincerely,
Aaron Rhyner, DVM
Acting Director, Animal Welfare Operations
USDA APHIS Animal Care
Office: 970.494.7484
CAPS and Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation are disgusted and outraged by Dr. Volkmann’s horrific presentation and the condoning of his behavior by USDA and the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine. Here is how you can help us take action:
Please contact Dr. Mun Choi, the president of the University of Missouri, to request that the university condemn Dr. Dietrich Volkmann’s actions and severely restrict Dr. Volkmann’s future contact with veterinary students. Ask President Choi to take the appropriate action towards instilling a humane attitude within the College of Veterinary Medicine. Please request that he instruct the College of Veterinary Medicine to make the welfare of the animals a priority in all of its classes.
Mun Choi, Ph.D.
Office of the President
University of Missouri
105 Jesse Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
president@missouri.edu
573- 882-1288
Please contact Dr. Aaron Rhyner at USDA to tell him that Dr. Volkmann’s horrific statements are not acceptable and the agency should no longer allow him to speak at USDA-sponsored events.
Aaron Rhyner, DVM
Acting Director, Animal Welfare Operations
USDA APHIS Animal Care
aaron.a.rhyner@aphis.usda.gov
970-494-7484
Please contact your veterinarian and ask them to also contact President Choi and Dr. Rhyner. Dr. Volkmann’s behavior reflects poorly on the entire veterinary profession.
Mun Choi, Ph.D.
Office of the President
University of Missouri
105 Jesse Hall
Columbia, MO 65211
president@missouri.edu
573- 882-1288
