UPDATE 2/15/12: Judge’s Order of Maximum Fine Falls Far Short of Justice in Hawaiian Puppy Mill Case - $685,116.27 Fine Likely to Go Unpaid

Watch news footage of the rulingWednesday, February 15, 2012, District Court Judge David Lo imposed the maximum financial penalties possible under Hawaiian law against Bradley International Inc., the corporate parent company of Bradley Hawaiian Puppies. The fines totaling a whopping $685,116.27 would seem to be a victory for the dogs and puppies mistreated by Bradley International Inc., but the corporation has dissolved, no assets are available to pay the fines, and Judge Lo refused to impose jail time or personal liability on the individual people responsible for breaking the law and abusing the animals.

Media begins to gather outside the Kaneohe Courthouse awaiting the sentencing in the Bradley Hawaiian Puppies animal cruelty caseCiting the “abysmal conditions” of the dogs at the mill Judge Lo described animals whose hair was so badly matted and encrusted with feces that they had to be shaved in order to tell what sex they were. Blown up images of injured dogs and the dilapidated Waimanalo, Oahu, property where the dogs and puppies were kept dotted the walls of the courtroom. Unfortunately, under Hawaiian law, Judge Lo was only able to adjudicate against the corporation.

"We applaud Judge Lo for imposing the maximum financial fines allowed under Hawaiian law," said LCA President and Founder Chris DeRose, "however, we are appalled that the corporation's officers, the Luke family, escaped justice and continue to profit from the abuse of dogs and puppies, and as a result more dogs and puppies will suffer and die."

The $685,116.27 amount represents a $2,000 fine per count of animal cruelty plus a court fee of $55.00 per count for each of the 153 charges of animal cruelty proven in the case. An additional $370,701.27 was awarded to Hawaiian Humane Society (HHS) as restitution for the rescue, care, rehabilitation and eventual adopting out of all of the dogs and puppies rescued from the mill. Although this sentence represents the end of a 19 month-long ordeal for the 153 dogs and puppies abused by Bradley International Inc., the saga is not over.

Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom however, these blown-up photos of the dogs and bags of matted hair were used as evidence of the criminal neglect at Bradley Hawaiian PuppiesIt began in June 2010, when Last Chance for Animals (LCA) received a tip from a former employee of the Waimanalo puppy mill, Bradley Hawaiian Puppies, that the dogs and puppies at the facility were being treated inhumanely, were not provided with proper veterinary care, and some animals were even dying. The informant believed the owners of the facility also owned a pet store nearby where many of the puppies were sold.

LCA’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) immediately sent an undercover investigator to Oahu with the goal of obtaining employment at the puppy mill. Within a couple of days, LCA’s investigator was living on the property and working as a kennel attendant, documenting the cruel and dilapidated conditions at Bradley Hawaiian Puppies.

LCA’s investigator was able to document sick and injured dogs, dogs living in filth and isolation, dogs given sloppy or no medical treatment, and rodent infestation on the premises. Mother dogs whelped their pups in conditions so unhealthful and unsanitary that some newborn puppies died.

LCA’s undercover investigator was told to throw dead puppies like these in the trash bin for pick up

The footage gathered by LCA was used by local media to expose Bradley Hawaiian Puppies. This exposure led to further investigations by HHS into the mill. The SIU undercover documentation of the conditions at the mill was integral to the case against Bradley Hawaiian Puppies. After seeing the undercover photos and video shot by LCA’s SIU investigator, Circuit Court Judge Glen Kim ruled there was ample, credible, and direct evidence the dogs were subjected to violations of the law and Bradley International Inc., the parent company of Bradley Hawaiian Puppies, could be criminally charged.

The company pled “no contest” to 153 counts of animal cruelty two days after they filed articles of dissolution of the corporation in an obvious effort to avoid being held liable for the criminal charges. Unfortunately, Hawaiian corporate law also allows officers of the company to indemnify themselves and limit personal liability for any judgments made against the corporation when setting up the corporate structure. Bradley International Inc. was set up in such a way as to shield the members of the Vernon Luke family, the corporation’s officers.

The abandoned Waimanalo property owned by Sheryl-Luke Kalani where Bradley Hawaiian Puppies operated the puppy mill and where Luke-Kalani got puppies to sell at her pet shopVernon Luke, a local resident, and his son, Shannon Luke, were listed in corporate information as the Vice President/Treasurer and CEO/Director, respectively. Luke Sr. is characterized as a shifty and shrewd con-artist who convinces non-family members to front their own cash and act as managers of his puppy mill operations. The Bradley Hawaiian Puppies mill was operated by David Lee Becker, a non-family member who was also listed as a corporate officer of Bradley International Inc. During LCA’s investigation and the subsequent media coverage of Bradley Hawaiian Puppies Luke Sr. maintained that he had nothing to do with the way the dogs and puppies were being treated, and insisted all responsibility for their care and treatment was Becker’s alone.

However, the Waimanalo property where the mill was located was also owned by a Luke family member, Sheryl Luke-Kalani. Luke-Kalani formerly owned the Pet Stop in Pearl City, Oahu, where the puppies from the Bradley Hawaiian Puppies mill were sold. Once the story broke, Luke-Kalani closed up shop in Pearl City and moved to a new location in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center called the Aloha Pet Shop in Aiea, Hawaii.

Jason Burks, Bradley International Inc.’s attorney, appeared at the sentencing alone, stating he did not represent any member of the Luke family nor Becker and his sole client was the now dissolved and asset-less Bradley International Inc. No one from the Luke family was in attendance and Becker’s whereabouts have been unknown since the case against Bradley International Inc. was filed.

Hawaiian Humane Society Director of Operations, Keoni Vaughn speaks to the press after the sentencingNoting the “very emotional” atmosphere of the proceedings, Judge Lo reminded a crowded courtroom he had no jurisdiction over the individual members of the Luke family. Outraged audience members and members of the Hawaiian media were visibly and vocally upset. Onlookers questioned who would pay the fines and restitution, wondering how the corporation’s officers could get away with such cruelty?

HHS President and CEO, Pamela Burns, spoke at the sentencing reminding the court that she had bags of teeth, skin and hair from the dogs rescued at the mill―teeth that had to be removed because of substandard dental care, and skin and hair from mattes, mange and parasites the dogs and puppies suffered from while at the Bradley Hawaiian Puppies mill. HHS had hoped Judge Lo would issue an injunction against the members of the Luke family as corporate officers of Bradley International Inc. prohibiting them from having any contact with dogs, being in the business of dogs, and selling dogs and puppies.

Several citizens stayed after the sentencing to protestKeoni Vaughn, director of operation at HHS said, “We’re very disappointed. The Hawaiian Humane Society feels Vernon Luke escaped the whole situation. Obviously he’s continuing and taunting the community by creating a whole new puppy mill on the Big Island.”

In addition to the new pet store run by Luke-Kalani, the Luke family has leased a new farm in Mountain View, Hawaii where another dog breeding business owned by the Luke’s and run by a man named Stephen Williamson has begun operating.

The Hawaiian humane community had been holding weekend demonstrations outside Luke-Kalani’s new Aloha Pet shop in Aiea in an effort to raise awareness about puppy mills and Luke-Kalani’s connection to Bradley Hawaiian Puppies. Alicia Maluafiti of Poi Dogs & Popoki, a Hawaiian pet activist group says, “We’re going to follow them around the island and make sure they close up operations. We don’t want to see any more puppy mills on the islands.”

It is the hope of the HHS and the Hawaiian humane community that people like the Luke’s will be prevented from abusing dogs and puppies in the future by passing legislation aimed at increasing supervision, enforcement capabilities, and penalties against breeders who treat their dogs and puppies inhumanely. Both the Hawaiian State Senate and the House of Representatives have dog breeder bills under consideration for the 2012 session.

"It isn't over," promises DeRose, "one way or another the Luke's, people like them, and puppy millers everywhere will be made to pay for their actions."

To find out more about puppy mills visit Ban Puppy Mills and remember to Adopt! – Don’t Shop.

UPDATE 12/12/11: Puppy Mill in Paradise Investigated by LCA Pleads “No Contest” to 153 Counts of Animal Cruelty

Puppy mill dog in filthy cageBradley International, the company that owned the puppy mill in Waimanalo, Hawaii, pled “no contest” to 153 counts of animal cruelty on Monday December 12, 2011. Sentencing will be imposed in February 2012.

A “no contest” plea is technically not an admission of guilt. However, the judge will treat a plea of "no contest" as such an admission and find the defendant guilty as charged. This is important because the judge can now order restitution and prison time based on each of the 153 counts of animal cruelty charged in the case. Each of the 153 counts carries financial penalties of up to $2,000 and one year behind bars.

Additionally, the judge could order Bradley International to pay restitution to the Hawaiian Humane Society for their care of the dogs and puppies seized from the puppy mill. The Hawaiian Humane Society has spent more than $400,000 caring for the dogs, which have been placed in new homes.

Bradley International’s lawyer, Jason Burks, said that the company has been dissolved and there are no assets. This is especially troubling because it will be difficult to impose fines, restitution or possible prison time on Bradley International when sentencing is imposed.

The manager of the Bradley International puppy mill, David Lee Becker, was also charged with 153 counts of animal cruelty. However, he is believed to have fled the state and officials have no idea where he is currently located. Because animal cruelty is only a misdemeanor in Hawaii there is a question as to whether Becker would be extradited back to Hawaii to face the charges.

In addition to asking the judge to order restitution, Prosecutors are also likely to ask the judge to bar officers of the company from continuing any type of work in the dog-breeding business. The Hawaiian Humane Society sees this as an important part of the sentencing requirements.

“We’d like to see that they are not allowed to own dogs. They are not allowed to be in the business of dogs. The way the animals were being kept was inhumane, atrocious, and that should never happen again,” said Pamela Burns, president of the Hawaiian Human Society.

Sheryl Luke-Kalani, the property owner on record of 41-761 Mahailua Street in Waimanalo from where the Humane Society rescued the dogs was not actually charged in the case. Luke-Kalani had pled the Fifth Amendment protection against self incrimination at the preliminary hearing against Bradley, so she was not required to answer any questions regarding Bradley International’s operation. She was also not required to tell the court where, specifically, she obtained puppies and dogs for her pet shops.

State records indicate that the Pet Spot at Pearl Highlands was owned by Luke-Kalani but has since closed. However, Luke-Kalani began managing another pet shop, Aloha Pet Shop in the Pearl Kai Shopping Center in October. The Hawaiian Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs lists Luke-Kalani as the manager of the shop and is investigating Luke-Kalani and her father Vernon Luke, who also was not charged, for their participation in the operations of Bradley International.

LCA will continue to fight for justice for the Bradley International puppy mill dogs and puppies and will continue to provide updates on the case as they become available.

UPDATE 9/15/11: Judge rules in favor of dogs in puppy mill case after seeing LCA's undercover footage

Watch LCA's undercover footage inside the puppy millOn June 9th, 2010 Last Chance for Animals (LCA) received a tip from a former employee of a puppy mill called Bradley Hawaiian Puppies in Waimanalo, Hawaii, not far from Honolulu. The informant stated the conditions for the dogs there were very bad and that the owners of the facility also owned a pet store nearby where many of the puppies they bred were sold.

LCA’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) immediately sent an undercover investigator to Oahu, with the goal of obtaining employment at the puppy mill. LCA learned that the mill was owned by Vernon Luke, a wealthy local resident, and his daughter Sheryl. Sheryl also owns a store called the Pet Spot in Pearl City, HI. This turned out to be the store where puppies from the mill are sold to the public.

WithinCraigslist ad the LCA investigator replied to to get the job at the puppy mill a couple of days, LCA’s investigator was living on the property and working as a kennel attendant, documenting the cruel and dilapidated conditions there. The investigator stated “There were about 130 dogs, puppies and adults, all different types of breeds. It was almost impossible to breathe at times, the smell of feces and urine permeated the property. The sick and injured dogs, including a dog with a cancerous tumor were caged indoors 24/7, with no special treatment given to them whatsoever.” Documenting conditions for animals in places like this puppy mill in hi-definition footage is almost unheard of. It was LCA’s goal to get that footage and share it with local media and the authorities to expose Bradley Hawaiian Puppies (Bradley International), and bring awareness to the fact that even though Hawaii is a paradise to millions of people from around the world; it is certainly not for the dogs kept in captivity for commercial breeding.

Beagle with an advanced case of mange	Bichon with cancerous tumor

The investigator gathered footage over the next 9 days. He documented sick and injured dogs, dogs living in filth and isolation, bad breeding conditions, sloppy medical treatment, rodent infestation, and, for some puppies, death. Regarding the treatment of animals that die on the premises of Bradley Hawaiian Puppies, the investigator said, “I was told to wrap up the dead puppies and throw them in the trash bin for pickup.”

Puppies routinely die prematurely at this facilityAfter obtaining entrance to the premises of the puppy mill for a second time, LCA and HHS were able to secure the release of two of the sickest dogs from the owner and they were taken back to HHS’s facility where they were rehabilitated for adoption. During the visit, the manager of puppy mill, Dave Becker, was confronted by LCA for the way he treats his animals, regardless of what the law is. The miller, Becker, tried to defend himself and his business. He had just been interviewed by local media who had seen LCA’s footage and confronted him. His boss, Vernon Luke, took no responsibility for the conditions at the farm, putting it all on Becker. Becker was asked by the Investigator if he had a dog of his own, he said he did. When asked if he would want his own dog to be treated like any of the dogs locked up for breeding, he tried to bluster his way out of it, but in the end, all he said was “no.”

Poodle mix rescued and cared for at Hawaiian Humane

Beagle with mange rescued and cared for by Hawaiian Humane

HHS was able to rescue over 150 dogs from the facility, nearly half of them needing emergency veterinary treatment, and place them into specialized foster care.

Regarding LCA’s help fighting puppy mills in Hawaii, Keoni Vaughn said, “We’re grateful for your (LCA’s) help, because this is an island and everybody knows everybody, so to come in here, undercover, and get this great footage is huge and it will have impact.”

On April 15th, 2011, after gathering the evidence and organizing all the information, HHS handed the case over to prosecutors.

"Our main goal is to make sure these animals never return back to that type of environment. We want to make sure the animals find forever homes and be treated like a family member as opposed to a breeding machine," said Vaughn.

The criminal case, which will be a jury trial, is set to start on November 7th, 2011. In a victory for HHS and LCA, Circuit Court Judge Glenn Kim ruled that the dogs rescued from the Bradley facility by HHS would not be returned to Bradley International and would stay with HHS until they are able to find suitable foster homes. After seeing undercover photos and video, shot by LCA's investigator at the puppy mill, Judge Kim said there was ample credible and direct evidence of the dogs being subjected to violations of the law. He also said the images of the dogs in filthy conditions spoke for itself; "The old saying about the worth of a picture, it's true and in my view much of the photographic and all of the video graphic evidence in this case speaks for itself very loudly and very clearly."

Watch news footage about the Judges' rulingRead the full news story here.

The Hawaii Puppy Mill Bill that aimed to regulate large breeding businesses at the 2011 legislative session has been deferred to allow government agencies to explore what it would take to establish regulation oversight. Senator Clayton Hee and Representative Blake Oshiro who introduced the bill, as well as many others, were champions for the animals in 2011.

To learn more about the Hawaiian Humane Society and the work they do please see their web site http://www.hawaiianhumane.org/.


Watch more videos about the investigation:

 LCA’s Investigation Continues to Expose Conditions
for Dogs and Puppy Mills in Hawaii

Learn more about: Anti-Puppy Mill Legislation