A sad story out of Virginia: an Amish-owned puppy breeding facility has burned down, with dozens of adults and pups dying in the early-morning blaze.
The owner has claimed that his facility was well-run, humane, and that dogs were shown proper care, though the setup apparently violated a local zoning ordinance.
AP photo
Some feel that the facilities could have been better run, however. In this article (no longer online) at wythenews.com, critics claim the place was overcrowded and should have had a sprinkler system.
Others have come out strongly recently against the whole idea of what have been termed ‘puppy mills’.
The Amish have been accused of treating dogs just as they would any other livestock, to be bred, raised and sold.
You might also like:
Admiring our Amish Community in Halifax County, VA
While driving in the rural northeastern areas of Halifax County, Virginia, you may meet
a slow-moving, horse-drawn black buggy bearing bonneted women and girls and brimmed straw hat-wearing men and boys. You also may observe smiling, curious faces of children who are looking and waving from the back window. Before you make your way around them, you might wonder what their lives are like and how it compares to your own.
It’s like taking a step back in time, as the Old Order Amish do not connect to the secular world with telephones or electricity in their homes. They do not have television or radio and use horses and buggies for transportation. Family values are important to them. The Amish are a peace-loving group. Their faith requires very plain clothing and a plain way of life… thus they often are referred to as the ‘plain people’ or the ‘gentle people’. Amish education is limited to Grades 1-8 in small wooden school houses where Amish children may be taught English for the first time. Their devout Christian life style is governed by rules set by their church group. Amish worship in homes, rather than in church buildings. Amish religious services are conducted in High German, and they converse in English and a German dialect widely known as ‘Pennsylvania Dutch’.
An Old Order Amish group from Dover, Delaware established the Nathalie area settlement
in 2005. With between 150 and 200 Amish living nearby, the mystique of the Amish now is alive and well in Halifax County. They pay their taxes, volunteer at the fire department, and really contribute to the community. They meticulously care for the land and are skilled craftsmen and artisans in construction, baking and other crafts. They raise cattle and horses for their own use. Other agricultural activities may be established based on local needs.
The Amish don’t like their faces to be photographed, but are very friendly and welcoming. It’s a different lifestyle and a different culture, and it’s something that people can see and respect. The Amish, as some might fear, don’t scowl in judgment at the jewelry, makeup, or modern attire of visitors. The best time to visit is during daylight hours, any day. You may see gatherings of buggies on Sundays, which alternately are their days of worship or visitation, and some Thursdays when Amish weddings typically are celebrated.
The Amish community is growing and building rapidly and has based its livelihood around
agricultural uses, several small businesses and shops open to the public. Detweiler’s Nathalie Metal (Siding & Roofing) may be found on Doctor Merritt Road. Miller’s Country Store (variety daily + Amish baked food on Friday and Saturday) and Coblentz’s New Hickory Furniture are located on Hunting Creek Road. Yoder’s Blue Ridge Accents greenhouse may be found on T.N. Snow Road. The Amish are remarkable builders, and several members, such as the Bylers and Gingerichs, perform building and construction trades. (The Amish use newspapers and mail but don’t advertise widely. The Amish do have telephones outside the house for business uses and necessities with telephones listed in directories by names of the individual owners.)
Halifax County people can help to promote its Amish neighbors by linking them with visitors eager to discover members of this highly conservative religious group and by buying their homemade goods, produce, flowers, and furniture. Local residents familiar with the Amish can give directions for visitors to the Amish settlements near Liberty, Lennig, Crystal Hill, and in the Nathalie area.
A map may be needed to follow the 20-mile loop of the Amish destinations around Lower Liberty Road, Liberty Road, Lennig Road, Hunting Creek Road, T N Snow Road and Crystal Hill (primarily along Virginia Route 603 between US Route 501 and US Route 360).
The Amish don’t believe in owning or driving vehicles, but don’t mind paying for rides to town and distant Amish locations with people who own vans. Amish ties are evident in Halifax and South Boston where the Amish visit Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Farmer’s Foods and other local businesses.
I DO NOT WANT ANY ONE PERSON OR COMPANY TO BE ALLOWED TO BREED RAISE OR DISTRIBUTE ANY MORE DOGS IN THIS COUNTRY….NO MORE THAN 20 PER PERSON…. We have ENOUGH DOGS IN USA FOR ALL WHO WANT THEM NOW TODAY….END OF STORY!
THERE ARE JUST FAR TOO MANY ANIMALS NOT LIVING THE LIFE THEY DO DESERVE….
Animals that we eat do not DESEVERE TO LIVE UNBEARABLY TIL WE EAT THEM EITHER!
It makes me wish we had people mills for the HUMANS WHO MURDER OTHERS AND THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO BE SOLD AS CHORE PETS AND USED INSTEAD OF ANIMAL LABOR….No more murdering child raping or priest sitting comfy in jails with 3 meals a day and excerise yards and shelter and clothes…. Lets start treating them like dogs chicken cattle pigs If no one is gonna stop making excuses for the crulty allowed today!
There is no reason in this country for ANY ONE TO BE ALLOWED TO DO THE EVIL THINGS TO ANY ANIMALS LIKE SO MANY; TOO MANY CLEARLY DO!
WHY DO WE REALLY NEED SO MUCH DAM MEAT OF EVERY TYPE IN ALL OF OUR SUPERMARKETS LIKE WE SEE NOW IN TODAYS WORLD ANYHOW???
THERE IS FAR TO MUCH ON FAR TO MANY MARKETS! ITs SENCELESS WASTE…. We dont need over crowded slaughter house or farms/warehouses to chickens pigs and cattle to begin with….
There is just too much of the whole business!
THINK ABOUT IT….why DO WE NEED CASES & CASES OF MEATS IN OUR STORES…. THEN THE CASES & CASES OF FROZEN MEATS…. per store…WHEN DO WE IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE ENOUGH AVAILABLE???
IF WE PLANTED CROPS AND TREES AND FLOWERS IN THIS COUNTRY LIKE WE DO ANIMAL MILLS It REALLY WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US TO LIVE!
OH dont even get me started RE: WHAT WE HAVE CAUSED TO HAPPEN TO THE BEEs AND OTHER POLLINATING INSECTS……
WE MAY NEED TO USE OUR PRISON LIFE DOING HUMANS AS A WAY TO MANUALLY POLLINATE OR CROPS IN THIS COUNTRY…lET THEM SERVE A GREATER PURPOSE THAN DOING LIFE IN CELLS!
ANOTHER THING I HATE IS WHY DIDNT WE PUT ALL THE DAM LIVE LOBSTERS BACK INTO THE OCEANS WHEN THE MARKET PRICE DROPPED AND INSTEAD THEY SOLD THEM FOR HARDLY ANYTHING LAST YEAR????
IT SEEMS TO ME A BETTER IDEA WOULD HAVE BEEN TO PUT THEM BACK AND RECATCH THEM AFTER THEY VE HAD MORE TIME TO GROW & WHEN THE MARKET PRICE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER…. WOULD HAVE BEEN A WIN/WIN!
I am very sorry for the mishap and the lack of education in the community. If there is a demand there will be a supply from one source or another.
I enjoy the products that the Amish have to offer, I live in Halifax VA County and I am glad I found this site If you need a ride into town or products delivered to you please let me know.
Thank you for being apart of our community.
Kamel