Former Dog Warden and Dog Warden Supervisor, Rick Martrich, has been fired. It was on this man’s watch that kennels with less than satisfactory inspections were passed. Martrich was employed by the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement for 12 years according to the article before being moved to another office in the Dep’t of Agriculture. I know many people were relieved to hear that news.
It was also on his watch that 80 puppymill dogs were killed in a mass shooting nearly a year ago in Maxatawny Township.
I knew Rick personally from working at a local shelter. Because he was the dog warden/supervisor he would stop by that shelter on a regular basis.
Rick and I had many conversations during his visits. Little did I know for a long time what he was doing. He as been accused by many of taking dogs from a certain shelter (not the one I worked at) and taking them to Almost Heaven Kennels to live their lives out in hell.
Of course, Rick never told me that. What did catch me completely off guard was the day we were talking about puppymills. As you are aware if you are a regular reader of mine, I am completely and adamantly against puppymills. I have gone to PuppyMill Awareness Day in Lancaster County since the first year.
Rick and I were talking about this event and Rikki Rockett’s name came up in the conversation. Rikki Rockett, drummer for the band, Poison, has been an avid supporter of Puppymill Awareness Day since that first year. He grew up in Harrisburg and is familiar with PA being the puppymill capital of the East.
I stood there in amazement when Rick Martrich opened up his mouth to me directly and spouted out how he couldn’t stand Rockett and made fun of him for standing up against puppymills. I stood there in shock and couldn’t utter a single word. I thought this man was to be a protector of puppymill dogs.
I knew in that instant this man was a fraud and it obviously the truth did eventually come out about him; hence the demotion and now the firing of this man- finally!
We need more investigations of other inspectors who have passed other kennels when they clearly should not have been passed. It is past due for this to happen. These dogs stuck in puppymills have suffered long enough at the hands of their owners, let alone the inspectors who are supposed to protect them.
Let the investigations continue!