As is true with most stories regarding cute, baby animals, as long as the people involved seem to have the best interest of the animals at heart, no one questions what they are doing. As long as furry, wide-eyed puppies are getting rescued, everyone is happy.
Such is the case in the most recent puppy rescue.
When the original print story from The Oakland Press, written by a mother of one of the students involved, appeared in print, it spoke of heroism on the parts of Traci Nelson and the kids she had involved in the rescue.
Though it is true that the puppies were in bad shape, and that once washed and given care by the people in question the puppies were in much better shape, that does not erase the fact that what they were doing was illegal. It is irresponsible journalism on the part of The Oakland Press to print a story that it knew would be popular due to its furry subject matter without doing any fact checking.
Though Nelson may have thought that she was doing well by society, the fact that she knowingly involved high school students in potentially illegal activity is both reprehensible and irresponsible. As an adult, for her to engage students in something that even has the chance of being illegal not only setting a horrible example, it is putting the kids themselves at legal risk.
After getting cited for misdemeanor charges for having as many as 41 dogs in her house (as opposed to the allotted three dogs), Nelson failed to appear at her court date.
Not only was the way Nelson conducted the rescue illegal, her motives for rescuing and selling the dogs are also in question. The price she is selling them at--$395 is significantly higher than what puppies normally sell for at other rescue shelters- -$200. Plus, Nelson is running an operation that only accepts cash. This leads The Highlander to believe that this rescue was less about saving puppies and more about making a profit.
If it is true that Nelson is not only running an illegal operation but a morally reprehensible one as well, it is very easy to see past the wide eyes of puppies and into Nelson’s wrongdoings.
Nelson clearly thinks that she can take advantage of the general public’s love of puppies -- especially when the puppies have been rescued from a puppy mill. This is exploitation not only of the puppies but of the people buying them.
For justice for those buying the puppies and the puppies themselves to be served, Nelson must be adequately punished by the powers that be (The Highlander suggests that in addition to legal consequences, Nelson should pay back the $150 dollars she overcharged those who bought her puppies); and the puppies should be taken to shelters who don’t engage in shady activities.
