Breeder: Plank, Paul
Business name: Kaskaskia Creek Kennel
City, State Zip: Arthur, IL 61911
Year: 2004
USDA License: 33-B-0352 (former)
USDA Inspector: Susan Kingston, VMO
USDA Inspections: 2003-01-07 (reports unavailable after 3/04)
Date of CAPS Investigation: 2004-07-13
Prior CAPS Investivations: 2003-08-01
About 10 dogs and 10 puppies. Breeds: Lhasa Apsos, Mixed Breeds
Paul Plank’s kennel is a single story building with white vinyl siding on its walls. It had double-tiered outside and inside cages which were connected by doggy doors on both sides of the building. Each row contained eight cages. The bottom cages were raised about a foot above the ground, and the top cages were set about a foot above the bottom cages. Each row had a plastic sheet underneath it angled toward the building for catching feces and urine.
There were about 10 puppies in the kennel, including three Lhasa Apsos in one cage (3.6(c)(1)(i)-Primary enclosures), four 8 pound black and white short-haired puppies in another cage (3.6(c)(1)(i)-Primary enclosures) and three puppies that appeared to be 8 pound Maltese in a third cage (3.6(c)(1)(i)-Primary enclosures). Large amounts of feces were under the cages. Much of it was old because it was dried and white (3.11(a)-Cleaning). The four black and white puppies had a pile of feces under their outside cage. Hundreds of flies were swarming around the kennel (3.11(d)-Pest Control).
The inside cages had treated wire doors and floors, plastic siding and roofs and PVC pipe used for the corners. These cages also had plastic sheets underneath them angled towards the walls of building to catch feces and urine. The inside cages had red plastic self feeders placed on them. There were eight cages on top and bottom of each side of the building. Four of them were accessible through doggy doors from the outside cages, while the other four were not. Piles of old, dried white feces were under these cages, as well (3.11(a)-Cleaning). Mr. Plank left the door to this building open. Therefore, flies were swarming inside the building (3.11(d)-Pest Control). The walls of the inside cages and sheets used to catch feces and urine under them, though made of white plastic, were stained brown. Some of the brown stain appeared rubbed away from the cage walls, as if the stain (probably feces) could be wiped away, but was not being cleaned by Plank (3.11(b)(1)-Sanitization).
Paul Plank told me that he previously had a USDA license, though when he tried to renew his license for this year, he filled out the wrong form. He said that the USDA never sent him the correct form, and then laughed and said, “So I’m just gonna’ leave it at that.” Plank also said that he sells his dogs to Betty Morris in Galatia, IL (33-B-0234). Section 2.1 requires Mr. Plank to have a USDA llicense. Under 2.132, Ms. Morris can only buy dogs from dealers who are licensed or legally exempt under the Animal Welfare Act. Therefore, she is also violating the Animal Welfare Act.
