Undercover Video Footage Shows Deplorable Conditions at Torrance County’s Southern Roc
An undercover investigator from the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) captured video that confirmed a series of complaints from individuals about Southern Roc, a commercial kennel aka puppy mill that breeds Airedale Terriers in Albuquerque, New Mexico. With video in hand, the ALDF filed a complaint against the breeder with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) identifying numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
According to the ALDF, Southern Roc which is owned by Southern Sollar. It does not meet the minimum standards of care laid out in the AWA. The dog’s water is dirty and green from algae. When it isn’t dirty, the water dishes are frozen. The Airedales never have clean water from which to drink. Their isolated and dismal pens are made of flimsy wire fencing which has sharp edges which can easily injure the dogs. They are also filled with excessive amounts of feces. Sollar installed hot wires to shock the dogs as seen in the video.
In the press release I received, the ALDF states the “shelter” provided was thrown together with scrap plywood and sheet metal. It offers no protection from the weather elements such as wind and rain, with the average temperature at night dipping to 15 degrees below zero which leaves the dogs visibly shivering. The Airedale’s fur is matted and dirty. Their nails are overgrown. The premises surrounding the pens are filled with debris and trash including a discarded toilet.
“We are asking the USDA to shut down Southern Roc and bring charges against Sollars for her flagrant disregard of the law—and the abuse the dogs have endured,” says Stephen Wells, Animal Legal Defense Fund executive director. “We have offered our help with rehabilitating and placing the dogs after they are confiscated.”
Southernn Roc is also operating without a license from the USDA, which is a requirement under the AWA. Sollars offered to sell the undercover investigtor an Airedale Terrier puppy for $1000, according to ALDF.
Animal Legal Defense Fund is asking anyone who has visited or purchased a dog from Southern Roc to contact them at legalcase@aldf.org.
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This place has been in business for decades. I hate to admit it but I hardly see it closing its doors. Too many puppy mills remain open despite the horrible conditions the dogs live in.
Just because she’s been in business for over 30 years doesn’t mean she can’t be shut down. It just means no one has taken the time & effort to try to shut her down. We may not be able to but we’re sure going to try no matter how long it takes
Agreed!
Just because it has been in business for decades does not mean it must remain in business. Doing their atrocities in remote locations is how puppy mills like Southern Roc exist. I have an Aire-girl from a similar puppy mill in Henderson, Kentucky. They were closed, prosecuted, and dismantled. Once exposed to the public, brought to trial by a small town legal system that wasn’t afraid to uphold the law, and change the status quo…that’s how puppy mills can be brought down. IF Southern Roc was following laws/regulations, treating the dogs humanely, and actually do what they profess to do in their sales pitches, there would be no issue. Until you have to pick “up the pieces of a dog” that has been bred in these conditions and make them whole, you have no idea the harm that is done to them physically and mentally.
Shut the puppy mill down! Shut all puppy mills down! They’re disgusting and treat animals like dirt. I hate them.
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Truly rarely should I encounter a blog that’s both educative and entertaining, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail within the head. Your notion is outstanding; Puppy mills is an issue that we need to more of. I am very happy that we stumbled across this inside my try to find some thing relating to this.
So sad to see dogs living like this. Why aren’t they shut down?
Because the laws to protect animals in New Mexico are among the weakest in the nation and that state operates much as they did in the 1850s with regard to law enforcement. Southern Sollars has been in Estancia, NM for 30 years, makes regular contributions to all the political hacks (she brags about that) and the state is so improverished that they cannot afford to spend resources on animals. The Sheriff of Torrance County, his Deputy, the County Commissioners, The State Veterinarian, the Animal Protection of NM as well as the USDA/APHIS each received a copy of a fact-based report and complaint in August 2014, and did NOTHING.
I wish puppy mills were illegal so all could be closed. People that run them don’t give a damn about them or their welfare. I say we lock up the owners like the dogs have been.
Mark my words she will not be allowed to continue. To get the ALDF to help us took 21 months and a file 3 inches thick of photographic evidence and other evidence in her own words about dead dogs and puppies. What we need right now is for everyone to share this post as much as possible because the animal legal defense fund is seeking as many people possible that have dogs from her and that have been on that property. So please ask when you share it for people to contact them if they know anyone that has a dog from the kennel.
Thank you for sharing this article on your blog. If people are not made aware of these atrocities they will never stop happening.
Thank you so much for exposing such places!!